Engineering News-Record (ENR), the 140+-year-old media outlet covering the global construction and infrastructure industry, recognized the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations' (OBO) new U.S. Consulate General project in Matamoros, Mexico as a Global Best Project and the new U.S. Embassy office annex project in Amman, Jordan with an Award of Merit in their 2020 project award announcements. In its eighth year, the Global Best Projects competition has awarded 30 projects, in 21 countries on six continents. This year ENR selected from a record number of entries.
The judges, constituting a range of industry representatives, scored projects based on safety, performance, design and construction quality, innovations, challenges, and the diversity of each global project team and their international collaboration.
These projects exemplify OBO's mission to provide safe, secure, functional and resilient facilities that represent the American people, are an asset to the local communities they serve, and provide concrete examples of America's commitment to the host nations. The project in Amman achieved LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council this year, and the project in Matamoros is targeting LEED Gold. OBO is committed to working with the best in American architecture, design, engineering, technology, sustainability, art, culture, and construction execution.
The design architect for the new U.S. Consulate General project in Matamoros was Richärd Kennedy Architects from Phoenix, Arizona. EYP Architecture & Engineering from Albany, New York was the design architect for the office annex project in Amman, Jordan. B.L. Harbert International of Birmingham, Alabama was the construction contractor for both of the projects.
Since the start of the Department's Capital Security Construction Program in 1999, OBO has completed 162 new diplomatic facilities and has an additional 51 projects in design or under construction.
