FIRM PROFILE
OGCB, Inc. (formerly Office of Griffith C. Burr, Inc.), consulting mechanical and electrical engineers, was founded by Griffith C. Burr, Sr. in 1948. Richard C. Bursi is CEO and James R. Prillaman is president of the firm.
Since its beginning, the firm has specialized in mechanical and electrical engineering. The 12 person firm has completed over 3,400 projects. This specialization has led to numerous projects across the country. Specialized focus includes sports and recreational facilities, educational campus facilities, laboratory facilities, central energy plants, corporate headquarters, and large building systems.
Design for energy-efficiency, ease of system operation and maintenance, quality lighting, and harmony with the architectural goals is stressed.
Accurate cost projections and containments provided by substantial reference files on systems costs have been of particular value to the firm's clients in providing value engineering analyses with accurate-from-experience projections.
In 2000, the Memphis AIA Chapter nominated significant projects for recognition as "Designs of the Decades" in the 20th Century. Of the 26 projects nominated for the 1950-2000 period, OGCB, Inc. engineers designed 58%.
In 1998 OGCB, Inc. began offering Building Commissioning services. The need for this service had long been apparent, and we were the first to offer this service in this area. The function of Commissioning is to perform services that reduce operational problems after the owner occupies the building, and enhance building system operation in the manner expected by designers.
In 2007, James Prillaman, P.E., became a LEED accredited professional, and OGCB became an associate member of the U.S. Green Building Council, Memphis Regional Chapter. Throughout OGCB's history, the firm has completed many projects with "green" design features such as energy-saving strategies.
The technical and professional commitment of OGCB, Inc. is evidenced by the membership and participation of its staff in various organizations. A sampling of this commitment, both past and present, is shown by the professional activities of the firm's members.
Activities:
- Board of Directors, American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) - Tennessee
- Chairman of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers, Inc. (ASHRAE) Handbook Edit of Data Processing System Areas
- Fellow member in ASHRAE
- National Chairman of the Energy Committee of the American Consulting Engineers Council
- Member of Quality-in Construction Task Force for State Architect of Tennessee, 2004-2006 and 2015-present
- Member, National Technical Advisory Group on Building Energy Performance Standards
- Chairman of the Memphis Building Code Appeals Board
- Outstanding Engineer of the Year, Memphis Engineers Joint Council
- President, and Member of the Energy Committee of Consulting Engineers of Tennessee
- President, and Board of Directors, Consulting Engineers of Memphis
- President, Board of Governors, the Memphis Chapter of ASHRAE
- Member, National ASHRAE Technical Committee on Laboratory Air Conditioning
- Memphis, National Society of Professional Engineers
- Technical Paper on HVAC Variable Water Flow Design
- Chairman of the Memphis Chapter of the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES)
- Chairman of the Memphis Fire Protection Appeals Board
- AIA MASTERSPEC Review Committee Member
- LEED Accredited Professional
- Chair, ACEC Tennessee InterProfessional Committee
- Member, Shelby County Building Code Advisory Board
Awards:
- 1982 ASHRAE Regional Energy Design Award
- 1983 ASHRAE National Energy Design Award
- 1984 ASHRAE Regional Energy Design Award
- 1985 ASHRAE Regional Energy Design Award
- 1986 ASHRAE Chapter Energy Design Award
- 1991 IES Award of Merit, Fogelman Building Auditorium, University of Memphis, Fixture Design
- 1993 Memphis ASHRAE Design Excellence Award
- 1999 ASHRAE Technology Awards, 1st Place, Region VII, Existing Institutional Buildings Category
- 1999 ASHRAE Technology Awards, 1st Place, Region VII, Existing Assembly Buildings Category
- 2000 Preservation Award, Special Achievement Award for Mississippi Riverbluff Walkway by Memphis Landmarks Commission
- 2002, 2000, 1991, 1983, 1968 Featured Engineer, Memphis ASHRAE Chapter, for Memphis Joint Engineers Council
- 2003 Award of Excellence, Excellence in Development, ME Engineers, The Chapel of the Apostles, School of Theology, The University of the South, Sewanee, Tennessee
- 2006 Featured Engineer, American Council of Engineering Companies - Memphis Chapter, for Memphis Joint Engineers Council
- 2016 TSPE Memphis Chapter Outstanding Engineering Award
- 2017 Featured Engineer, Memphis IES Chapter, for Memphis Joint Engineers Council
- 2017 Award of Merit, International Parking Institute for Overton Square Parking Garage
- 2017 Building Performance Award, USGBC TN for One Commerce Square, LEED CS v2009, Gold
- 2017 Trane Energy Efficiency Leader Award for Crosstown Concourse
- 2018 USGBC Tennessee Leadership Award for Exceptional Leadership for Crosstown Concourse, LEED Platinum
- 2018 Memphis Business Journal, Building Memphis Project of the Year for Crosstown Concourse
- 2018 Memphis Business Journal, Building Memphis Community Impact for Church Health at Crosstown Concourse
- 2018 Memphis Building Journal, Building Memphis Best Renovation - Large for Plough Center for Sterile Drug Delivery Solutions
- 2018 Merit Award, AIA Memphis, for Tech901 at Crosstown Concourse
- 2018 Honor Award of Excellence, AIA Memphis, for Memphis Teacher Residency at Crosstown Concourse
- 2018 Honor Award of Excellence, AIA Memphis, for Crosstown Concourse
- 2018 and 2014 No. 1 ranking on PreLaw magazine's list of BEST Law School Buildings for The University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law
- 2018 The Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU) Grand Prize Charter Award for Crosstown Concourse
- 2018 Governor's Environmental Stewardship Awards for Crosstown Concourse in the Building Green category
- 2018 Building Design + Construction Reconstruction Awards - Platinum for Crosstown Concourse
- 2018 ACEC Tennessee Engineering Excellence Awards - Grand Award, Building/Technology Systems for Crosstown Concourse
- 2019 ACEC National Engineering Excellence Awards - National Recognition Award, Building/Technology Systems for Crosstown Concourse
- 2019 Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence - Gold Medalist for Crosstown Concourse
- 2019 ACEC Tennessee Engineering Excellence Awards - Grand Award, Building/Technology Systems for Crosstown Theater
- 2020 TSPE Distinguished Service Award
- 2020 Pursuit of Excellence Award for Crosstown Concourse
- 2020 Governor's Award - Building Green for FedExFamilyHouse Phase 2
- 2021 Featured Engineer, IESNA, for Memphis-Area Joint Engineers Council
- 2021 ACEC Tennessee Engineering Excellence Grand Award for Buidling/Technology Systems (Small Projects) for Memphis Listening Lab/Southern Grooves Recording Studio
- 2021 ACEC Tennessee Engineering Excellence Honor Award for Building/Technology Systems for AutoZone Innovation Zone (Formanek Store Support Center)
- 2022 AIA Memphis People's Choice Award for Kemmons Wilson Corporate Headquarters
- 2024 Commercial Palladio Winner - New Design and Construction Less than 30,000 SF for St. Clare of Assisi Catholic Church
Posted October 1, 2002