Winner: Education, Healthcare & Public

In summer 2025, Froedtert and the Medical College of Wisconsin unveiled its newest parking structure, the “Blue” garage. Located at the west end of campus, this five-level, post-tensioned concrete facility accommodates about 2,400 vehicles.

Innovative mobility technology is used throughout, assisting visitors with real-time parking availability and providing electric vehicle charging stations. The design features a skybridge connecting the structure to the patient tower.

The concrete mixes were critical to the project’s success. Engineered for a 75-year lifespan, the structure’s durability and reduced carbon impact were achieved through advanced concrete mix design.

Developing the main concrete mix required multiple trial pours to balance admixtures, cement, aggregates, and low-carbon by-products. This resulted in a 6,000-psi, air-entrained mix that reached 3,000-psi in 24 hours for post-tension stressing.

A corrosion inhibitor was added to resist salt and water damage in winter. The mix achieved a 20% reduction in embodied carbon, saving over 2,200 tons of emissions.

Various concrete mixes for walls, columns, and decks were used, totaling over 40,000 cubic yards in 18 months. It is one of the largest projects on the Froedtert campus and will remain a durable, sustainable fixture for years to come.