Contractor of the Year Markets Served Performance Giving Technology Investment
23 social
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Sincerely,
Greg Schmidt Chairman & Chief Executive Officer
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.
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.
OFFICE LOCATIONS
of Commerce Colorado Bioscience Association Colorado Black Chamber of Commerce Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce
Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce
Project Statistics
13 PROJECTS STARTED PROJECTS COMPLETED STARTED AND COMPLETED
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
Maintain, grow and diversify our work program.
ENVIRONMENTAL
Require all project sites to recycle construction waste.
SOCIAL
Encourage participation in companysponsored wellness events.
Cultivate high quality relationships with industry partners. Implement efficient, ethical and effective business processes.
Reduce our use of water through efficient fixtures and smart watering systems.
Measure our greenhouse gas emissions and evaluate best practices for reduction.
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.
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
Markets Served
CIVIC GOVERNMENT
CULTURAL DATA CENTER
HEALTHCARE
HOSPITALITY INDUSTRIAL & MANUFACTURING*
INFRASTRUCTURE (CIVIL)
K-12 EDUCATION includes all subsidiaries
HIGHER EDUCATION
MIXED-USE
Performanc e
Estimated Market Share of Commercial Construction
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.
Saunders Giving
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
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
SAUNDERS INVESTS IN IT’S BACK-OF-HOUSE INFRASTRUCTURE
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.
TECHNOLOGY THAT EMPOWERS EMPLOYEES
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.
Managing Our Water Usage
SAUNDERS TRACKS WATER USAGE ON THE PROJECTS FOR WHICH WE PAY THE WATER BILL, IN ADDITION TO OUR OFFICES AND WAREHOUSE.
3,302,045 Gallons
OUR REFINED APPROACH EXPANDS THE SCOPE OF WHAT IS REPORTED AND PROVIDES A HIGHER LEVEL OF CLARITY ON WATER CONSUMPTION.
2,958,753 Gallons
2,988,101 Gallons
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 ZERO violations in 2024.
Reducing our Footprint
Saunders
is committed to continuous improvement in how we reduce our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in daily operations
Limit the total time trucks and construction equipment idle.
Educate employees on methods to reduce their impact at work and at home.
Install or use efficient heating and cooling systems in offices and project sites.
Encourage alternate modes of transportation.
Use Building Information Modeling (BIM) to reduce waste, rework and optimize material use.
Reduce and divert waste on all of our projects.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
5,842 METRIC TONNES
11.50 TONNES PER EMPLOYEE
2024
5,920 METRIC TONNES 9.97 TONNES PER EMPLOYEE
6,050 METRIC TONNES 10.43 TONNES PER EMPLOYEE
2023
2022
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
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.
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 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+ Volunteer Hours
20+ Local Non-Profit Partnerships
180+ Events Hosted
6 Annual Sporting Clay Shoots
BCIK CHAIR - JILL BUBENIK
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.
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.
409 Employees
5,776 Training Hours
550 Employees 6,876 Training Hours Learning and Development
14.12 Hours Per Employee
FIELD
141 Employees
7.8 Hours Per Employee COMBINED
1,100 Training Hours
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 employees are actively engaged with these Universities
SAUNDERS PRECONSTRUCTION LECTURE ROOM - COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY
4
Safety By The Numbers
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
Building Better Healthcare
At the Intermountain Health Lutheran Medical Office Building
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.
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
THE PROJECT TEAM COOKING A TACO LUNCH FOR EMPLOYEES AND TRADE PARTNERS
BEST PROJECT AWARD
WINNER & PROJECT OF THE YEAR FINALIST
Higher Education/Research: Colorado School of Mines
Labriola Innovation Hub
ENR Mountain States
BEST PROJECT AWARD K-12 Education:
Brighton High School
STEM/CTE Center
ENR Mountain States
BEST PROJECT AWARD GOVERNMENT/ PUBLIC BUILDING
City of Aurora Southeast Maintenance Facility (SEAM)
ENR Mountain States
MARKETING EXCELLENCE
BEST BUILDING PROJECT UNDER $10 MILLION
The Center for Creativity at the Historic Carnegie Library
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.
