Providing construction engineering and temporary structure design services throughout the United States
Who we are
Crimson Engineering Associates, Inc. (CEA) is a consulting engineering firm based in Colorado. CEA provides construction engineering, temporary structure and other civil and structural engineering consulting services throughout the United States and beyond. Our clients include equipment suppliers, specialty contractors, general contractors, property managers, engineering firms, and architects. CEA can help get your next project completed quickly, accurately, and safely with our dedicated staff of engineers and technicians, focused on providing solutions to fit the needs and resources of your company. Crimson Engineering is fully insured and licensed to practice engineering in most states, maintaining offices in Colorado, California, Florida and Texas. Click here to see a map of where we can help you.
Adam C. Brown, President & Founder
Adam C. Brown P.E., the president and founder of CEA, is a licensed professional engineer with over 18 years of experience in the construction engineering industry. Mr. Brown held engineering positions in Colorado, California and the United Kingdom prior to founding Crimson Engineering in 2008. He received his degree from The University of Alabama in his hometown of Tuscaloosa, and moved to Colorado shortly after to begin his engineering career. Mr. Brown is currently licensed as a professional engineer in numerous states and maintains a record with NCEES.
Courtney Aragon
P.E.
Courtney Aragon
Courtney is originally from Delaware. She moved to Colorado after graduating from North Carolina State University in 2012 (B.S. in Civil Engineering – Minor in Art & Design) to work in the heavy civil industry. Prior to CEA, Courtney worked for Flatiron Construction and Lobato Construction.
Alejandro Barrera
E.I.T.
Alejandro Barrera
Originally from Corpus Christi, Texas, Alejandro graduated from Texas A&M University-Kingsville with a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and moved to Colorado shortly after to join the Crimson Engineering team. He enjoys working in a fast paced and growing company environment. During his free time his favorite activities include camping, exercise, and playing guitar.
Shell R. Buruse
P.E.
Business Development
Shell R. Buruse
Mr. Buruse is a graduate of the University of Idaho, earning his degree in Civil Engineering. Shell began his engineering career in Seattle Washington working for Patent Construction Systems. He held various positions with Harsco Infrastructure (formerly Patent Construction Systems) in the Northwest including engineering, sales, sales management and Branch Management. Shell moved to Colorado to enjoy the outdoor activities in 2015 and began working for RMD Kwikform. He joined Crimson Engineering Associates in 2019. Shell is a licensed civil engineer in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. He enjoys many outdoor activities including hunting, fishing, hiking and skiing – especially when he can do these with his family.
Shantel M. Claiborne
B.B.A
Office Manager
Shantel M. Claiborne
Shantel is a Colorado native with a bachelor’s degree in business management and has been in the construction industry for over five years. She joined Crimson Engineering in 2018 and enjoys being a part of a growing company. In her spare time, she enjoys staying active and spending quality time with her daughters.
Donald L. Deschamp
P.E.
Donald L. Deschamp
Mr. Deschamp, originally from South Dakota, has held positions in the Construction Engineering industry for over 15 years. Earning his B.S. in Civil Engineering from the South Dakota School of Mines, Don continues his education by taking graduate courses in civil engineering at the University of Colorado. Mr. Deschamp was employed by the Colorado DOT (CDOT) Bridge Design department for 30 years prior to joining the private sector, and is a licensed civil engineer in Colorado and Florida. With his extensive knowledge of bridge design and construction, Don specializes in the area of Heavy Civil and Infrastructure.
David Gonzalez
E.I.T.
David Gonzalez
David moved from Monterrey, Mexico to Colorado in 2010. He attended the University of Colorado in Boulder where he received a B.S. in Civil Engineering. Prior to joining CEA in 2022, David spent a bit of time as a Field/Project Engineer for a general contractor and then 4 years designing concrete formwork & falsework for RMD Kwikform. In his spare time, David enjoys board games, snowboarding, hiking, camping, watching and playing sports, indoor rock climbing and spending time with his family.
Bryce D. Jones
P.E.
Bryce D. Jones
Mr. Jones is a Colorado native and received his Mechanical Engineering degree from the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, Colorado. Bryce has several years of experience in the construction engineering industry and is certified as a professional engineer. Having been with Crimson Engineering since 2011, Bryce has become a vital asset to the company in his roles as Associate Engineer and Project Manager. When he is not solving problems for contractors, Bryce likes to spend time with his wife and three boys.
Tim Kao
P.E.
Tim Kao
Originally from Taiwan, Tim has spent more than 20 years in the Boulder/Golden area. He graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Civil Engineering and is a licensed Professional Engineer in Colorado and British Columbia, Canada. Prior to joining CEA, Tim spent several years in vertical construction before moving onto designing bridges for both rail and highway projects in Malaysia. In his spare time, he enjoys the outdoors and spending time with his wife and son.
Joseph T. Kulpa
P.E., M.B.A.
Operations
Joseph T. Kulpa
Joe is from North Carolina, having moved to Denver in 2012 to be closer to the Rocky Mountains to enjoy the climbing and snowboarding associated with them. He studied Civil Engineering and graduated in 2008 from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Following graduation he was employed at a firm specializing in cell towers performing drafting and inspection work and eventually moved up into a management role. In 2016, he graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder with a Masters in Business Administration, with a focus in business strategy. Having been with Crimson Engineering since 2014 Joseph strives to add efficiency and advance the quality of the product and continue the values of the CEA lifestyle.
James Livingston
E.I.T.
James Livingston
James is originally from Houston, but moved to Golden in 2014 to attend Colorado School of Mines and received a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. Prior to joining CEA, he worked in road construction and design in Houston. In his free time, James enjoys skiing, hiking, and working on cars.
Jeffrey Pritchett
P.E., S.E. (HI), P.Eng.
Jeffrey Pritchett
Jeffrey has a Civil Engineering degree from the University of Nevada, Reno. He spent many years designing large custom homes and commercial buildings in the high snow load and seismic area of Reno / Tahoe. In 2009 he moved into the lucrative world of construction engineering as he went to work as an engineer for Safway Scaffolding. After 10+ years as a Regional Engineering Manager for Safway designing numerous scaffolding, shoring, and suspended access projects he has joined Crimson Engineering and opened an office in California to provide a regional presence for Crimson’s West Coast customers. He is a licensed Structural Engineer in Hawaii and a licensed Professional Engineer in 13 Western States and 4 Canadian provinces. In his spare time Jeff spends time with his wife & kids, roasts espresso beans, drinks espresso, and rides road and mountain bikes.
Jose Rivas
P.E.
Jose Rivas
José A. Rivas was born in Parral, Chihuahua, Mexico and moved to Colorado in 1999. He attended the University of Colorado where he earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering with a minor in Math. Prior to joining CEA in 2022, Jose spent 8 years designing concrete formwork and falsework for RMD Kwikform. Jose is a licensed civil engineer in Colorado. In his spare time he likes to travel and spend time with his family.
Brenda Rubio
E.I.T.
Brenda Rubio
Originally from Mexico, Brenda moved up to Denver as a toddler and grew up in Colorado. She graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering where she also had the opportunity to study at the University of Oviedo in Asturias Spain for a semester. Prior to joining CEA, Brenda briefly worked on the manufacturing side in the oil industry in Houston before moving back to Colorado and working as an applications engineer for the security industry for 3 years. In her spare time she likes to run, hike and spend time with her pups.
Gaer Sandager
BIM Development
Gaer Sandager
Originally from Minnesota, Gaer moved to Colorado at a young age and has spent most of his life near the Rocky Mountains in both Utah and Colorado. Living here in Colorado has given him the opportunity to enjoy his favorite pastimes of mountain biking and rock climbing. Gaer has worked in the scaffold industry since 2002. His career began at Brand Scaffold (now BrandSafway) where he gained hands on experience, eventually moving up to a project manager for the Colorado branches. In 2007 he began working for Safway Services LLC (now BrandSafway) as a Project Manager, eventually moving up to Sales Manager. During his time at Safway, he utilized the services of Crimson Engineering on several projects and in 2017 joined the CEA team to head up their BIM (Building Information Modeling) department. Gaer graduated with a B.S. in Business / Project Management from Colorado Technical University.
Brian R. Spink
P.E., M.S.
Brian R. Spink
Since 2006, Brian has been involved in a variety of projects in the structural engineering and construction industry providing his expertise in solving complex problems by using his extensive engineering experience and utilization of various structural software programs. He brought his engineering experience to Crimson Engineering in 2012 and has been responsible for a variety of projects including scaffolding, shoring, formwork, falsework, earth shoring, bridge erection, designing and testing personal fall protection equipment, and roof davit systems. Brian adds additional expertise in the design and analysis of residential & light commercial buildings utilizing analysis of all wood, steel, concrete, and masonry members. Brian is a graduate of Colorado School of Mines, where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering and his Master of Science degree in Structural Engineering. Brian has spent the majority of his life living in Colorado and enjoying all the state has to offer. When not working, Brian enjoys his free-time fishing, hiking, camping, skiing, home-brewing, and is an avid sports fan.
David Sustad
P.E.
David Sustad
David is a Colorado native and Graduate of Colorado University, where he obtained a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering. Prior to joining CEA in 2022, David spent the first 14 years of his engineering career designing concrete formwork and falsework for RMD Kwikform. David is a licensed civil engineer in Colorado, Idaho, North Dakota, Oregon, Utah, and Washington. David spends his spare time chasing his 3 young boys around and trying to take advantage of all that the Colorado outdoors has to offer
Cherise Valdez
Administrative Assistant
Cherise Valdez
Cherise was born and raised in Colorado. New to the engineering field, she joined the CEA team in 2019. Prior to Crimson Engineering Cherise worked in the dental field for over 13 years. She has two children that she enjoys traveling, camping, and fishing with.
John Zeldes
E.I.T.
John Zeldes
John moved from his hometown of Grand Rapids, MI to Boulder in 2011 to attend The University of Colorado, where he received a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. In addition to his degree, John has a certificate from the Lockheed Martin Engineering Management program and is also a SolidWorks Associate. Prior to joining CEA, he worked on military defense contracts and pneumatic conveyance systems for commercial buildings. In his spare time, John enjoys snowboarding, live music, golfing, and watching sports.
Tribute to Roger S. Johnston
Mr. Johnston, a Nebraska native, was a graduate of the University of Nebraska, earning his degree in Civil Engineering. Roger was involved in the construction engineering industry for over 50 years, starting his career with Hensel Phelps, McNamara, and Kiewit. Mr. Johnston also held engineering management positions over the years with Aluma Systems, Patent Construction Systems, and Harsco Infrastructure. Roger retired from Harsco in 2012, ending his 13 year service as Director of Engineering. Mr. Johnston was a licensed civil engineer in several states, and was an American Concrete Institute (ACI) Fellow, serving as Member and Chairman of the ACI Committee 347: Formwork for Concrete, which is responsible for publishing the “SP-004: Formwork for Concrete” considered the definitive source for all things concrete formwork and falsework related. As an ASCE member, Roger also served as a member of the ASCE Standards Committee “Design Loads on Structures During Construction” which publishes ASCE Standard 37.
We want to pay tribute to Roger Johnston, not only for his many years of service and contribution to the Construction Engineering Industry, but also for the 8 years he generously gave to Crimson Engineering as a colleague and mentor. It was an honor to have him be a part of our team, and he will be deeply missed. Crimson Engineering is also honored to sponsor an undergraduate engineering scholarship in Roger's name through the ACI Foundation. CEA will match all scholarship donations up to $5,000 per year. Donations can be made directly to the fund through the ACI Foundation website.
Crimson Engineering understands the important role planning plays in any construction project. We regularly work with commercial, industrial and civil contractors to prepare safety critical plans for submittal to owners and government agencies. These plans typically involve the removal or installation of structural components or equipment that would generally be considered contractor means and methods.
Crimson Engineering provides excavation and earth retention design and review services including cantilevered pile walls, cofferdams, and gravity walls. CEA can design for both temporary and permanent installations utilizing steel, timber, concrete or precast elements. Our engineers also have experience designing single sided temporary formwork for cast in place retaining walls utilizing proprietary systems.
Sheet Pile, Soldier Pile & Lagging, Cofferdams
Gravity and Cantilever Retaining Walls
Sectional Block and Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) Retaining Walls
Foundation Wall Bracing for Backfill or Surcharge Loads
Crimson Engineering provides structural shoring design, plan preparation, and review services across all construction sectors. CEA has been involved in numerous projects involving shoring and lifting of existing structures, including historical preservation of facades and building shells. CEA engineers understand the importance of providing a safe system, while still allowing trades access to complete their work. Here are a few of the areas in which we have structural shoring experience:
Structural element shoring and reshoring, including needle beams
Reshoring and back propping of floors for concrete pours
Façade retention and wall bracing for demo or backfill
Crimson Engineering provides engineering services related to mobile or stationary crane installations, landing platforms and hoists. CEA has experience designing reinforced concrete crane pads, timber crane mats, and reshoring concrete slabs to support crane loads. Crimson has also provided crane and hoist tie design, as well as review of hoist design and inspection of these installations. In addition to the design of the crane foundation and ties, Crimson has also designed temporary landing platforms, and the related reshoring, used to get material to working levels by crane or lifts. Here are a few of the related design services we provide:
Crane and hoist foundation design and review
Crane and hoist tie design & review
Landing and loading platforms, elevated or cantilevered
Reshore design for floors supporting cranes and other heavy equipment
Crimson Engineering has extensive experience in scaffold design of all types and applications. CEA works with specialty contractors, equipment suppliers and owners to provide safe and efficient designs that meet the needs of the client. Whether the application is façade access with supported scaffold, or bridge access with suspended scaffold, Crimson Engineering can provide the engineering expertise and be there every step of the way. Some of the areas we provide scaffold design are:
Protection of the public during construction is a critical component of every construction project. Crimson Engineering has been involved in numerous projects across the United States providing design of pedestrian or traffic protection, including highway, railway and bicycle traffic. Many of these structures are designed to support construction activities above the protection, or provide enclosure for abatement or paint over spray.
Crimson Engineering has been involved in concrete falsework and formwork from the very beginning. The founder, Adam Brown, started his career with Patent Construction Systems and was employed as a designer at SGB Formwork in the United Kingdom. CEA is capable of designing with many different types of shoring and forming equipment, and can provide valuable insight into the advantages of one system over another. Crimson works with contractors and equipment suppliers to evaluate projects and aid in determining the best product for the project. CEA also provides design and design review of smaller falsework and formwork projects utilizing equipment the client may own or have available. In addition to design of support for new concrete placement, CEA also provides design of reshore and backpropping of multistory concrete construction.
Crimson Engineering has been involved in numerous events across the country where elevated access is required for the performers, staff, or general public. CEA understands the unique needs of this industry and works with equipment suppliers to produce designs that are safe, quick to install, and meet the requirement of the governing agencies involved. Crimson often provides event structure designs in 3D to aid in visualization for both the planning phase and construction. A few of the event structures we have designed in the past are:
Window washing has been around as an industry for almost two hundred years. The desire for more light and a room with a view has increased while the price of installing glass in high-rises has fallen. With all of these windows, there is the need to keep them clean. Mechanical and robotic devices have been attempted previously, but there is still no better way to keep the glass sparkling than with old-fashioned elbow grease.
However, window washing can be a dangerous profession, and having a crew of workers suspended many feet above the ground presents a serious fall hazard. OSHA has recognized falls as one of the most common causes of serious work-related injuries or death, and in recent years has worked diligently to reduce this threat.
Under the I-14 standard, responsibility is split between building owners or managers and window washing contractors. Window washers are responsible for maintaining a safety program and written procedure for each building they clean. Building owners are responsible for maintaining an anchorage system deemed safe for use and also maintaining a document recording all annual inspections and 10-year equipment certifications. Any building where window cleaning operations are performed with suspended equipment must adhere to this code.
Under the Occupational Safety & Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe & healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to ensure these conditions for America’s working men & women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education & assistance.
OSHA references the I-14 standard in violations by window cleaning contractors of the OSHA section 5(a)1-General Duty Clause. In these citations, OSHA states that the violations could have been remedied if the contractor were following the requirements of the I-14 standard.
Crimson Engineering has extensive experience in scaffold design of all types and applications. CEA works with specialty contractors, equipment suppliers and owners to provide safe and efficient designs that meet the needs of the client. Whether the application is façade access with supported scaffold, or bridge access with suspended scaffold, Crimson Engineering can provide the engineering expertise and be there every step of the way. Some of the areas we provide scaffold design are:
BIM design services using the latest Autodesk® software
See your temporary structure "built" before you ever lift a finger and know exactly what material it is going to take. Crimson offers temporary structure BIM design services utilizing the latest Autodesk® technology, including Revit® and Navisworks®. Crimson will model the temporary structure and import the model directly into the project file for owners, architects and contractors to better understand the finished product and ensure it meets their needs. Complete with phased equipment schedules and walk-through capability, CEA can give your company the tools it needs to compete in the industry of tomorrow.
Questions?
Crimson Engineering has a team of experienced and knowledgeable engineers capable of consulting in many areas of construction engineering and structural engineering. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you are looking for a partner on your next project.
Where we are
Crimson Engineering is headquartered at the base of the Rocky Mountains in beautiful Colorado and maintains regional offices in California, Texas, and Florida as well as local representatives in Georgia, Montana and Utah. CEA is fully insured and licensed to practice engineering in most states and capable of expanding our services beyond the United States if needed. See below for office locations and service areas.
Office Locations
Vacaville, CA
Missoula, MT
Salt Lake City, UT
Golden, CO
Colorado Springs, CO
Austin, TX
Atlanta, GA
Tampa, FL
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Contact us
Crimson Engineering Associates, Inc. 4620 Technology Drive, Suite 100 Golden, Colorado 80403-1677 tel 720.502.4667 | fax 303.974.1734
