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High-rise building under construction with cranes and scaffolding against a blue sky.High-rise building under construction with cranes and scaffolding against a blue sky.

Construction

CDM Smith is an integrated design-builder with a legacy of successful projects. We work as one entity to deliver a legendary client experience from project inceptions through design, preconstruction, construction and commissioning.

Frank Terrasi

Practice Lead

Frank Terrasi

How we support your construction goals

People in safety vests reviewing a construction blueprint with a laptop on a table.
Construction workers in safety gear near steel beams and a crane at a work site.
Person working on an open control panel in a shop, with shelves in the background.

Together, we'll create projects that offer new solutions, with careful monitoring of cost implications as designs are developed. Building long-standing relationships and achieving high-quality results with you are our priorities.

Pioneers of collaborative delivery

Whether it's CMAR, Progressive DB or Lump Sum DB, we have done it and delivered it on time. We’ll think creatively about how to collaborate for success.

Driven to deliver results

Our teams build to meet your goals: sustainability, resilience, speed and compliance. We work with certainty in cost, schedule and operational excellence.

Prefabrication to improve schedule and costs

Our prefabrication and automation panel shops expedite schedule, reduce on-site labor needs, and eliminate delays from fabrication of new components.

Safety and quality as our cornerstone

We believe all accidents are preventable, high-quality delivery is essential, and technology is pivotal to exceptional results.

Smart value-added self performance

CDM Smith routinely self-performs process mechanical, electrical and automation work, providing better quality and schedule control before start-up and commissioning begins.

Construction safety: innovations in hearing protection technology

CDM Smith's construction management group is leveraging our R&D program to pilot an innovative method of hearing protection technology that improves staff and client safety while allowing for communication on active sites.

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Featured construction projects

Always looking forward, we prepare today for the problems we may face tomorrow, guiding our clients through uncertainty and forging a path towards a more promising future.

View All Construction Projects
Industrial water treatment facility with frothy liquid and clear blue sky.
Industrial water treatment facility with frothy liquid and clear blue sky.
Caldwell, Idaho

Meeting zero liquid discharge goals for a potato processing powerhouse

A zero liquid discharge system now treats 2.3 million gallons daily at the J.R. Simplot Company, returning water to EPA standards for food production reuse.

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Workers in safety vests and helmets stand in front of large PFAS vessels under a clear sky.
Workers in safety vests and helmets stand in front of large PFAS vessels under a clear sky.
Anaheim, California

Anaheim pioneers the largest PFAS program in the U.S.  

We're helping Anaheim Public Utilities lead the nation in PFAS removal, restoring safe drinking water for residents through an innovative multi-phase treatment program. 

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Aerial view of a construction site with cranes, machinery, and workers, surrounded by greenery and distant cityscape.
Aerial view of a construction site with cranes, machinery, and workers, surrounded by greenery and distant cityscape.
Houston, Texas

The US’s largest progressive design-build project 

Houston expanded its Northeast Water Purification Plant to 400 mgd, increasing its ability to support growth while reducing groundwater dependency.

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Detroit skyline at night with colorful lights reflecting on the water's surface.
Detroit skyline at night with colorful lights reflecting on the water's surface.
Detroit, Michigan

Outfall upgrade for the nation’s largest WWTP 

A progressive design-build approach helped Great Lakes Water Authority achieve the wastewater disinfection needed to meet NPDES permit compliance.

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Person in a gray checked suit and white shirt standing outside.

We apply our experience to maximize the advantages of each delivery approach, making sure the client is well-informed on project progress and the result is true to the
client’s vision.

Frank Terrasi

Construction Unit President

Frank has proven leadership and construction expertise backed by an award-winning track record in alternative delivery. He is known for leading high performing teams and delivering high quality, safe projects.

Related resources

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Insight

How to find the best alternative delivery method

Here are the pros and cons to the three most common alternative delivery methods.

Large stack of colorful folders and papers on an office desk.
Insight

How to structure your RFP to avoid receiving a long assumption list

We're sharing some helpful hints to help you reduce assumptions during the next RFP process.

Related practices

View All Practices

Remediation

We restore environments and protect communities by delivering innovative, science-based solutions that reduce risk and lifecycle costs. Using advanced technologies and adaptive strategies, we help clients achieve resilient, long-term results.

Water Reuse

Water reuse is the future of water supply. CDM Smith is committed to strengthening water supply portfolios where they are most needed today and will be tomorrow.

Emerging Contaminants

Our engineers and scientists are working tirelessly to solve the world’s most complex contamination challenges. Together, we’ll find solutions to the latest threats to public health.

Federal Facilities

Resilient facilities enable federal agencies to maintain and enhance readiness to protect the nation. CDM Smith designs and constructs federal facilities and infrastructure around the world.

Construction Management

CDM Smith provides full-service construction management solutions across the water, environmental, transportation, energy and facilities industries.

Drinking Water

Whether your goals are to unlock new sources, enhance the quality and reliability of the supplies you have or upgrade the technologies you use, we can help you achieve water supply innovation.

Water Reclamation

Whether your goal is to meet your permit conditions or to build a net-zero facility, we’ll work with you to find the right solutions.

Automation

We assist clients around the world with all phases of instrumentation, process control and automation, delivering high-quality solutions that exceed expectations but not budgets.

Ready to take the next steps?

We love collaborating with passionate individuals and organizations. If you want to talk about potential projects, reach out to our experts. If you're interested in joining our team, check our careers page for open positions or internships.

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