Saunders CSR Report 2024

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SET FOCUS

2024 Corporate Social Responsibility Report

Contents

1 14

preface

Message from our Chairman & CEO Corporate Overview Project Statistics B Impact Score CSR Initiatives

environmental

Pollution and Waste Initiatives Managing Our Water Usage Stormwater Pollution Prevention Reducing our Footprint Greenhouse Gas Emissions LEED Projects Innovation at Wecker Hall

7 23

economic

Contractor of the Year Markets Served Performance Giving Technology Investment

social

WECKER HALL

PHOTO COURTESY OF U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY ASSOCIATION & FOUNDATION

R E SE T R EFOC U S

Building Confidence In Kids 2024 Building Confidence In Kids 15th Anniversary H.O.P.E Certification Learning and Development Building Strong Communities Internship Program Safety Building Better Healthcare Awards

Preface

Message from our Chairman & CEO Thank you for taking a moment to read our 14th annual Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Report. This year’s report describes how we stayed rooted in our values, even as we faced tough decisions and reset our course. At Saunders Construction, we take pride in being a company that cares for our people, our partners, and our community—especially in the hard years.

Yet even amid challenges and changes in 2024, we honored our commitments. Our people remained our top priority, and we recorded one of the best safety years in our company’s history—focusing on both physical and mental wellness. Our employeeled Building Confidence in Kids (BCiK) program celebrated its 15th anniversary, continuing to invest in our community’s youth. Additionally, our sustainability efforts remained important as we continued to improve our approach to building with the environment in mind, including the net-zero energy Wecker Hall for the U.S. Air Force Academy Foundation.

2024 was a challenging year for the business. Despite our teams’ dedication and effort, we fell short of our business plan goals. Several converging issues—including a strained industry workforce, ongoing supply chain complications, internal staffing misalignments, and missed opportunities to thoroughly plan our work before breaking ground—created headwinds we could not ignore.

We also found bright spots to celebrate. This past year, Saunders was named 2024 ENR Mountain States Contractor of the Year—a recognition of the dedication and grit of our teams and the quality we delivered in the years following the pandemic.

In response, we made the prudent decision to initiate a mid-year reset. This reset included an organizational restructure and workforce reduction. It also included a refocus in how we evaluate and assemble our work program going forward. These were difficult but necessary steps to align with economic realities and position the company for long-term success.

The future of Saunders is one of thoughtful growth and steadfast commitment to building what matters. We’re focused, resilient, and ready for what’s next.

Going forward, we’re focused on building smarter. In 2024, we developed a new three-year plan called Blueprint 2027. After a discerning look “under the hood,” we identified what needed to be replaced or repaired, and began sourcing and installing the necessary parts to run better and more efficiently. It’s a plan built on lessons learned, shaped by real-world experience, and grounded in our purpose.

R E SE T

Sincerely, Greg Schmidt Chairman & Chief Executive Officer

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R EFOC U S

E CO NO MIC

ENVIRONMENTAL

Corporate Overview

SOC I A L

MEMBERSHIPS Aurora Economic Development Council Associated General Contractors (AGC) AGC - Construction Education Foundation

Saunders Construction is an employee-owned corporation headquartered in Englewood, Colorado, primarily serving the Rocky Mountain region. Founded in 1972, Saunders provides integrated construction management/general contracting, design-build, publicprivate partnership (P3), and commercial real estate development services to a variety of market segments.

Castle Rock Economic Development Council Cheyenne Chamber of Commerce Colorado Bioscience Association Colorado Black Chamber of Commerce

Saunders is dedicated to corporate social responsibility (CSR), recognizing that investing in our people, focusing on safety, improving business processes, and reducing environmental impact adds value to our industry.

Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce Commercial Real Estate Women Construction Finance Management Association (CFMA).

Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce

OFFICE LOCATIONS CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS 86 Inverness Place North Englewood, CO 80112 303.699.9000 saundersinc.com

SAUNDERS NORTH 1212 Riverside Avenue Suite 130 Fort Collins, CO 80524 970.221.4195 saundersinc.com

Fort Collins Chamber of Commerce SAUNDERS NORWOOD 111 S. Tejon Street Suite 200 Colorado Springs, CO 80903 719.358.2225 saundersnorwood.com

SAUNDERS WAREHOUSE AND EQUIPMENT YARD 7200 Eagle Boulevard Longmont, CO 80504

DOWNTOWN DENVER 1660 17th Street Suite LL1 Denver, CO 80202 303.699.9000 saundersinc.com

Hispanic Contractors of Colorado (HCC) Society for Marketing Professional Services Urban Land Institute Winter Park and Fraser Chamber of Commerce Women in Healthcare

Project Statistics

39 34 13

PROJECTS S TA R T E D PROJECTS COMPLETED S TA R T E D A N D COMPLETED

The data above does not include master service agreement contracts, which typically include hundreds of work orders in any given year.

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2024 B Impact Score

The B Impact Assessment covers the impact our business has across the board — including employees, clients, community and environment. The score also reflects best practices in relation to Saunders’ mission, measurement and governance.

CSR Initiatives ECONOMIC

ENVIRONMENTAL

SOCIAL

Maintain, grow and diversify our work program.

Cultivate high quality relationships with industry partners.

Implement efficient, ethical and effective business processes.

Require all project sites to recycle construction waste.

Reduce our use of water through efficient fixtures and smart watering systems.

Measure our greenhouse gas emissions and evaluate best practices for reduction.

Encourage participation in companysponsored wellness events.

Create opportunities for employees and their families to participate in volunteering.

Provide training and development opportunities to our employees and small and diverse trade partners.

SAUNDE R S CO NST RU CT ION

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2024 C SR R EPORT

R E SE T

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Economic

R EFOC U S

E CO NO MIC

ENVIRONMENTAL

2024 Contractor of the Year

Saunders Honored by ENR Mountain States Engineering News-Record (ENR) Mountain States named Saunders Construction the Contractor of the Year Award for 2024, recognizing the company’s significant achievements and contributions to the industry. The award recipients are chosen by a national panel of ENR’s editors who review each contractor’s accomplishments in the prior year, 2023, including business growth, major project starts and completions, safety record, employee development, and community impact.

Saunders’ recognition as the ENR Contractor of the Year underscores our leadership in the industry and within our communities. This honor reflects the dedication and perseverance of our employees over the past few years.

“Contractor of the Year Saunders Construction doubles its revenue while achieving the lowest EMR in firm history.”

Jennifer Seward

ENR Mountain States

SOC I A L

Markets Served

CIVIC GOVERNMENT

CULTURAL

DATA CENTER

HEALTHCARE

HIGHER EDUCATION

HOSPITALITY

INDUSTRIAL & MANUFACTURING*

INFRASTRUCTURE (CIVIL)

K-12 EDUCATION

MIXED-USE

OFFICE

RESIDENTIAL

RETAIL

SENIOR LIVING

SPORTS & RECREATION

* Includes Science & Technology

includes all subsidiaries

Performance

Estimated Market Share of Commercial Construction

E CO NO MIC

ENVIRONMENTAL

SOC I A L

Performance

Small, Diverse and Women-Owned Business Participation*

* In 2024, Saunders deployed the Building Connected trade partner registration, pre-qualification, and bid announcement online platform. This system provided additional small and diverse certification data than previously available.

SAUNDE R S CO NST RU CT ION

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2024 C SR R EPORT

Saunders Giving A Precious Child, Inc.

Cheer Spirit Colorado, LLC.

Fort Colins Area Chamber of Commerce

ACE Scholarships

Cherry Creek Schools Foundation

Greater Colorado Council, Boy Scouts of America

AdventHealth Littleton Foundation

Cheyenne Regional Medical Center

Heart & Hand Center

AGC Construction Education and Research

Civic Center Conservancy

Intermountain Health - Good Samaritan Foundation

AGC of Colorado

Colorado Dream Foundation

Intermountain Health - St. Joseph Hospital Foundation

ALSAC/St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

Colorado School of Mines

Peak Vista Community Health Center

American Red Cross Mile High Chapter

Colorado Uplift

Realities for Children

Apex Parks & Recreation District Foundation

Craig Hospital Foundation

Teach Men to Fish

Associates of Troop & Pack 109

Dolls for Daughters (dba Kenzi’s Causes)

The Greenway Foundation

Castle Rock Adventist Hospital

Eaton School District RE-2

University of Colorado Foundation

S A U N D E R S I N V E S T S I N I T ’ S B A C K- O F - H O U S E I N F R A S T R U C T U R E

For several years, Saunders has been dedicated to leveraging innovative solutions that prioritize and empower our workforce, while adopting and enhancing technology that supports our clients and reduces risk. In 2024, this commitment advanced further with the rollout of several major platforms designed to streamline processes, ensure accuracy, and improve accessibility and communication.

T E C H N O L O G Y T H AT E M P O W E R S E M P L O Y E E S

Our people are our greatest asset. That’s why we deployed UKG, a new internal pay and benefits platform that gives employees 24/7 access to their information and the ability to directly manage their personal data from any device. This reduces the need for manual paperwork or back-and-forth with our People Services and Payroll departments, giving employees more control to manage their benefits, making the experience more efficient.

We also introduced Acquia DAM, a digital asset management system that supports consistent branding across the organization. This platform streamlines workflows and strengthens our communication and brand identity both internally and externally.

SMARTER SYSTEMS FOR STRONGER PROJECT DELIVERY

Completing projects on time, within budget, and to the highest quality standards is essential for every build. To support this goal, we deployed a cloud-based scheduling management system that provides realtime visibility into weekly and monthly activities—bringing greater predictability, transparency, and confidence to every project outcome.

By leveraging the construction industry’s premier bid management platform, Autodesk Building Connected, our preconstruction team has enhanced efficiencies, strengthened trade partner collaboration and prequalification, and streamlined the bid management process—ensuring comprehensive bid coverage for every project.

Field collaboration and project management were enhanced through the adoption of Autodesk Construction Cloud Build (ACC Build). This latest adaptation of BIM 360 streamlines workflows by centralizing project data, thereby reducing errors and rework. For our clients and partners, this means more transparency and reduced miscommunication, which in turn leads to more successful project outcomes.

These strategic technology investments were led by our internal Tech Steering Committee, comprised of cross-functional leaders dedicated to continuous improvement. Together, these advancements reinforce Saunders’ commitment to enhancing the construction experience for our people, partners and clients.

Environmental

Pollution and Waste Initiatives

Construction Waste Diversion

Approximately 17% of waste was diverted from landfills in 2024.

Saunders continues to divert waste from landfills by functionally and creatively re-purposing materials, and/or simply recycling, when applicable at all project sites.

Project teams inventory all materials and communicate diversion expectations within subcontracts and vendor agreements, as well as daily communications to all construction professionals.

R E SE T

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R EFOC U S

Managing Our Water Usage S A U N D E R S T R AC KS WAT E R U S AG E ON THE PROJECTS FOR WHICH WE P AY T H E W A T E R B I L L , I N A D D I T I O N TO O U R O F F I C E S A N D WA R E H O U S E .

O U R R E F I N E D A P P R OAC H E X PA N D S T H E S C O P E O F W H AT I S R E P O R T E D AND PROVIDES A HIGHER LEVEL OF C L A R I T Y O N WAT E R C O N S U M P T I O N .

3,302,045 Gallons

2,958,753 Gallons

2,988,101 Gallons

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Stormwater Pollution Prevention

Pollutants such as oil, fuel, and sediment are prevalent in construction operations and can negatively impact the local environment.

Saunders implements stormwater management practices on all of our projects to reduce impact and is proud to report violations in 2024.

ZERO

R E SE T

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R EFOC U S

Reducing our Footprint Saunders is committed to continuous improvement in how we reduce our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in daily operations

Educate employees on methods to reduce their impact at work and at home.

Encourage alternate modes of transportation.

Limit the total time trucks and construction equipment idle.

Reduce and divert waste on all of our projects.

Install or use efficient heating and cooling systems in offices and project sites.

Use Building Information Modeling (BIM) to reduce waste, rework and optimize material use.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

5,842

5,920

6,050

11.50

9.97

10.43

TONNES PER EMPLOYEE

TONNES PER EMPLOYEE

TONNES PER EMPLOYEE

2024

2023

2022

METRIC TONNES

METRIC TONNES

METRIC TONNES

Saunders’ electricity demand from the grid increased slightly by 3% from 2023 to 2024. However, updated emissions factors were used to calculate Scope 2 emissions for both years, resulting in an overall 5% decrease in emissions.

This reduction is attributed to a decline in grid emissions intensity (kg CO2e/kWh), driven by the continued transition to renewable energy sources across the WECC Rockies region between 2022 and 2023.

Environmental data is reviewed and calculated by a third-party consultant, Group 14.

SAUNDERS HAS

76

LEED PROJECTS*

ARVADA AQUATIC CENTER - LEED SILVER

8

PLATINUM

38 AS WELL AS

* INCLUDES PROJECTS UNDERWAY OR PENDING CERTIFICATION

25

GOLD

SILVER

5

NET ZERO

& 1

5

CERTIFIED

WELL CERTIFIED

At The Intersection of Innovation and Tradition Wecker Hall and Yost Plaza, the home of the Air Force Academy Foundation and Association of Graduates, is a hub of innovation, sustainability, and community.

Wecker Hall isn’t just another building—it’s setting the bar on sustainable design for future U.S. Air Force buildings. As the first net-zero energy facility located on a U.S. Air Force Installation, it’s packed with features designed to minimize environmental impact. While the sustainability features are impressive, Wecker Hall is about more than cutting-edge technology. It’s also a space designed to honor the U.S. Air Force Academy’s (USAFA) legacy.

The building will serve as the headquarters for the Foundation and the Association of Graduates, creating a home base for organizations dedicated to supporting cadets, the academy, and alumni. The building was designed in close collaboration with the Foundation to support a modern, high-performance workplace. A mix of micro-offices, private offices, workstations, quiet rooms, and collaborative areas—including a podcast studio—accommodates PHOTO COURTESY OF U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY ASSOCIATION & FOUNDATION

diverse work modes and reflects the realities of hybrid work and frequent virtual communication. At its heart is the employee commons, a naturally lit, central space that fosters informal gathering and reinforces the Foundation’s culture of collaboration and mission-driven focus. Outside, Yost Plaza links Wecker Hall with Doolittle Hall and the Heritage Trail, creating a cohesive campus and a social and ceremonial hub.

PHOTO COURTESY OF U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY ASSOCIATION & FOUNDATION

To achieve net zero, the building is heated and cooled on a geothermal system.

With 20, 505-foot-deep wells, it taps into the Earth’s natural temperature to heat and cool the building efficiently. A 2 kilowatt (kW) solar array on the roof provides renewable energy to run the geothermal air pumps and other electrical requirements in the building. Heating and cooling the building with geothermal would not be possible without the structure’s tight envelope—R-50 roof insulation and R-25 walls. The robust insulation system keeps indoor temperatures stable while reducing energy waste.

The building is also positioned to achieve ambient warming through large glass windows to the south side of the building—capturing heat from the sun’s lower position in the sky during the winter months. Transversely, the sun’s higher position in the sky during summer months allows the space to stay cool due to the high insulation factor of the roof. Together, these systems make Wecker Hall four times more efficient than a typical building, consuming just 25 kilo-watt hours (kWh) per square foot compared to the usual 100 kWh per square foot.

This was not a simple feat. While Wecker Hall redefines the modern workplace by integrating high-performance energy systems, innovative office planning, and architectural sensitivity. It also meets strict aesthetic standards set by the USAFA campus. Creative use of these standards and sustainable solutions have led to achieving exceptional sustainability within a glass-heavy modernist context.

By blending high-performance building systems, innovative spatial planning, and context-sensitive design, Wecker Hall offers a replicable model for future-forward office spaces. It benefits the Air Force Academy Foundation and Association of Graduates by enhancing staff productivity and well-being, the community by reducing environmental impact, and the industry by demonstrating that net-zero performance is achievable—even within a tightly defined architectural vocabulary.

Social

Building Confidence in Kids (BCiK) 2024

Nonprofit Partners Served

BCIK CHAIR - JILL BUBENIK

BCiK 15th Anniversary Building Confidence in Kids (BCiK) celebrated 15 years on March 6, 2024!

Since 2009, BCiK has partnered with several non-profits that support the health and wellbeing of local youth. Designed to complement Saunders’ traditional philanthropic giving, the program creates an employee outlet for volunteerism and community impact.

Over the last 15 years, BCiK has made the following impact:

6,000+

180+

Volunteer Hours

Events Hosted

Local Non-Profit Partnerships

Annual Sporting Clay Shoots

20+

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H.O.P.E. Certification Platinum Level Saunders’ Unwavering Dedication to Employee Mental Health

While the focus on physical safety is paramount to Saunders, the mental health of our workers can be overlooked. However, there is a growing recognition of the importance of mental health initiatives in the construction industry and at Saunders. Addressing mental health concerns not only enhances the wellbeing of our teammates, but also improves physical safety, productivity and overall job satisfaction.

THE SAUNDERS MENTAL HEALTH GROUND CREW GRADUATING THE H.O.P.E. CERTIFICATION PROGRAM WITH DR. SALLY SPENCER-THOMAS

Statistics reveal the severity of the mental health crisis in the construction sector, and according to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control), the construction industry has been identified as one of the leading industries for high suicide rates and substance use issues in the US. This information underscores the urgent need for mental health initiatives to support workers in this industry.

In 2023, Saunders began to prioritize and implement a mental health initiative intertwined with, and at the same level, as our physical health safety program (Safety: It’s On Me).

In June 2023, Saunders was selected as one of ten organizations to pilot the 12-month Helping Our People Elevate Through Tough Times (H.O.P.E.) Certification program in Colorado.

The H.O.P.E Certification is designed to help workplaces prepare comprehensive wellbeing programs that empower people to survive and thrive through tough times. It covers proactive prevention and culture change, early identification of mental health challenges, and preparation for mental health emergencies.

In November 2024, Saunders achieved Platinum H.O.P.E. Certification, ensuring comprehensive mental health support for all Saunders employees and their families.

Learning and Development STAFF

409 Employees

5,776 Training Hours

14.12

FIELD COMBINED

550 6,876 Employees

Training Hours

Hours Per Employee

RE S E T

141

Employees

1,100 Training Hours

7.8

Hours Per Employee

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REF OCUS

Building Strong Communities Connecting with Universities in Colorado Saunders believes that supporting higher education is more than just building a building—it’s a longterm investment in our communities and future generations. University campuses are constantly evolving to meet the changing needs of students, faculty and research initiatives.

By partnering with these institutions, we help create modern, inclusive, and sustainable learning environments that foster innovation and academic excellence.

Beyond construction, our employees actively invest their time and expertise to support student growth and campus development. From guest lecturing, presentations, adjunct instructors to jobsite tours and participating in career panels, our team members are passionate about mentoring the next generation of industry leaders. These efforts strengthen our relationships with higher education partners and help students gain real-world insights into construction careers.

We’re not just building campuses—we’re helping shape the minds and skills that will lead our industry forward.

SAUNDERS PRECONSTRUCTION LECTURE ROOM - COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

Saunders employees are actively engaged with these Universities

Internship Program Saunders Class of 2024

4

1

High School Interns

Work Experience Intern

2

13

Trade Project Engineer Interns

College Interns

29

0.22

Lost Work Days Incident Rate (LWD)

0.89

Days Away, Restricted or Transferred (DART)

0.54*

Experience Modification Rate (EMR)

1.77%

Total Case Recordable Incident Rate (TCIR)

892,925 Total Work Hours

* LOWEST IN COMPANY HISTORY

Safety By The Numbers

Building Better Healthcare

At the Intermountain Health Lutheran Medical Office Building The location of medical office buildings is strategic, often close to hospitals to enhance patient convenience. Intermountain Health executed its plan to construct a replacement medical campus for the Lutheran Medical Center in Wheat Ridge, Colo., approximately 3.5 miles from the previous site. The new site includes a new hospital, parking garage and medical office building offering a centralized location for a wide range of medical services. Saunders celebrated the completion of the medical office building in October 2024.

Coordinating Work for Multiple Clients With five stories and 138,000 square feet, the new medical office building (MOB) connects to the replacement hospital’s parking garage via a pedestrian footbridge.

Construction for this MOB is unique in that we completed the core and shell at the same time as several of the tenant spaces. The MOB provides comprehensive care in a fast-growing market, with 14 confirmed tenants and more space available.

Over the last decade, Denver has seen significant growth in the medical office building product type, ranked in the top 25 cities for medical office building commercial property growth by CommercialEdge metrics. Many medical procedures are moving to outpatient facilities, rather than performing them in hospitals, creating a higher demand for medical office buildings. Colorado’s supply and demand for medical office space has remained strong throughout the coronavirus pandemic—making it an attractive place for investors and developers in this economy.

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Planned building services currently include cardiovascular, maternal fetal medicine, orthopedics, podiatry, a weight loss center, a breast cancer center, a neurology and neurosurgery center, cardiac rehabilitation, a sleep lab, ambulatory surgery center, as well as a laboratory. It’s safe to say that this amount of work required a significant amount of cross-team coordination to make each project run smoothly and avoid interfering with the others.

REF OCUS

E CO N O M I C

ENVIRONMEN TA L

SOC I A L

A Good Team Makes Stressful Days Enjoyable

A project of this size and scope required a large team of diverse individuals dedicated to the project’s success, and ultimately results in some long days and weeks. At the height of construction, the MOB project had around 15 operations staff and up to 20 craft employees. The team decided to start getting together for a few social events outside of work hours to get to know each other and keep morale up.

This building’s versatile array of services each have different requirements for mechanical, electrical and plumbing, air filtration, back-up power, access points, patient confidentiality, and more.

That creates a particular challenge in making sure we met the needs of each physician group, while working in heavy collaboration with the authorities having jurisdiction

for proper life safety and building requirements for each tenant prior to and in conjunction with the core and shell construction. To stay on top of the 12 tenant space schedules and the overall building’s schedule, the team held regular coordination meetings with all stakeholders to anticipate challenges and collaborate on solutions to keep the overall project moving forward.

SAU NDER S CONSTRUCTION

THE PROJECT TEAM COOKING A TACO LUNCH FOR EMPLOYEES AND TRADE PARTNERS

Creating a true sense of community, the team met every Friday morning for breakfast, taking an hour out of their day to check-in with each other both personally and professionally.

This team’s tireless efforts to overcome challenges with determination and collaboration have truly shone through. The MOB core and shell was complete in August 2024, and the various tenant office suites were finished on a multiphased timeline. It’s clear that the completion of this project is a shared victory for everyone involved.

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2024 C SR REPORT

Awards BEST PROJECT AWARD WINNER & PROJECT OF THE YEAR FINALIST

BEST PROJECT AWARD

MARKETING EXCELLENCE AWARDS

MARKETING EXCELLENCE AWARD

Higher Education/Research: Colorado School of Mines Labriola Innovation Hub ENR Mountain States

Crisis Management & Communications SMPS Colorado & SMPS National

K-12 Education: Brighton High School STEM/CTE Center ENR Mountain States

Website SMPS Colorado

CONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR

CONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR

Engineering News-Record (ENR) Mountain States

BEST PROJECT AWARD GOVERNMENT/ PUBLIC BUILDING

AWARD OF MERIT SPORTS/ENTERTAINMENT

BEST BUILDING PROJECT UNDER $10 MILLION

HONORABLE MENTION PERMANENT MODULAR WORKFORCE HOUSING

City of Aurora Southeast Maintenance Facility (SEAM) ENR Mountain States

The Center for Creativity at the Historic Carnegie Library AGC Colorado ACE Awards

Steamboat Ski Area Base Improvements ENR Mountain States

Winter Park Workforce Housing Modular Building Institute

AWARD OF MERIT RESIDENTIAL/ HOSPITALITY One River North ENR Mountain States

SILVER ACE AWARD PROJECT OVER $70 MILLION

One River North AGC Colorado ACE Awards

Paper versions of this document uses 100% post-consumer recycled paper that meets the mark of responsible forestry and is 100% chlorine free.

All financial and project data is based on information available on June 15, 2025. Saunders’ logo, “Building Confidence” and “Building Confidence in Kids,” along with the vision statement are registered trademarks of Saunders Construction, Inc. Some images in this report were created using stock photography and AI-generated visuals. These images are used for illustrative purposes only and do not depict actual events or individuals unless otherwise noted.

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