welcome to ers consulting engineers.

As the founder and principal of our firm, I'd like to personally welcome you to our site and provide a little background to our business.  It is no accident that these pages are dominated by "mountain" or "lodge" style architecture. It is a style that has forever fueled my creative passion and it was the main reason that I started my engineering career in Denver, CO.  Skiing and fly-fishing may have also played a role, but that's an entirely different story.  My personal profile provides an in-depth look at just how a Pennsylvania native ended up in Colorado, but this page is focused on our inception.  

ERS was first established in February of 2004 as Elk River Structural Consultants.  It started as a one man studio nestled in NW Colorado’s Elk River Valley, just outside of Steamboat Springs and Steamboat Ski Resort. The motivation was simple.  I wanted to start a firm that brought more architectural creativity to the practice of structural engineering.  

For years I learned to provide conventional structural engineering services, which meant designing the most efficient structure possible for the project.  While this remained the standard for some projects, the architectural styles that we were working with sometimes called for these efficient structures to be decorated with costly finishes (i.e. ornate timber work) that only gave the false appearance of structural integrity. What is efficient about false structure?

I knew that we needed a different approach for these unique projects.  I believed that if a firm could establish design confidence among the architectural community, the creative abilities of that firm would be invited earlier in the design process.  In turn, we could ensure that all capable elements were properly engineered to perform, and that the structural system could interact aesthetically with the architecture.  I consider this concept one of our founding principles..."Always understand and maintain the Client's vision for the project, and do not change it (or fake it) simply because it might simplify the engineers task."

This approach worked, and before long, I needed help.  I abandoned my small studio space for a larger office in Steamboat Springs, and I brought on a few talented engineers. With a focus on creativity and specialized engineering skills, we built a thriving practice with a reputation for comprehensive documents. We take great pride in our drawing content because the entire project suffers when the job stops due to poor documentation.

At the end of our 5th year, the economic recession of 2008-2009 weighed heavy on both the local construction industry and our clients, and we were no exception.  The workload in our small mountain community became sparse and we knew that we would have to broaden our horizons to stay in business.  After carefully weighing our options and considering some external factors, we decided to return to our Pennsylvania roots for a while and establish an eastern office.

Over the years, we maintained strong relationships with our Colorado colleagues and continued to harbor a love for "mountain" architecture. We knew that a return to CO was inevitable. In 2018, we re-established an office in the Denver area and today we offer a full spectrum of commercial and residential design services in both regions.  Our experience, our creative abilities and our passion for distinctive architecture make our firm an ideal complement to any client’s vision.

I hope you find our site both informative and inspiring, and we look forward to helping you bring your next vision to life.

David Connolly, P.E.

Principal / President,

ERS Consulting Engineers