Steel Joist Institute accepting nominations for 2011 Design Awards

FOREST, Va. – The Steel Joist Institute is now accepting entries for its 2011 Design Awards. The winning entries will be announced in November 2011, and the company with the winning project in each category will be awarded a $2,000 scholarship in its name to a school of its choice for an engineering student.

The awards will be presented in three categories:

• industrial (i.e. distribution centers, warehouses and light manufacturing)
• non-industrial (i.e. office buildings, schools, and churches)
• unique applications (i.e. projects with a unique application of steel joists)

To enter a project, visit www.steeljoist.org/awards for an online entry form and a complete listing of rules. Nominations must be submitted by Friday, Aug. 5, 2011. Eligible projects must be located in the United States, Canada or Mexico, and the steel joists and/or joist girders must be manufactured by an active member of the Steel Joist Institute (visit www.steeljoist.org/members for a list of members). Eligible projects include new buildings and major retrofit or expansion projects that were constructed within the last three years.

Companies can submit more than one project, and each project will be judged separately. Judging of each project is evaluated and based on flexibility, speed of construction, value and aesthetic considerations.

Besides setting standards for the steel joist industry, the Steel Joist Institute works closely with major building code bodies throughout the country helping to develop code regulations regarding steel joists and Joist Girders. The Institute also invests thousands of dollars in research related to steel joists and Joist Girders and offers a complete library of publications and other training and research aids. The Steel Joist Institute is a not-for-profit organization. For more information, visit www.steeljoist.org.