Elgin architects have long history with 'green' designs
Long before green-friendly construction picked up speed in the United States, Bruce Dahlquist and Dwain Lutzow knew that eco-friendly properties were not just for hippies and tree huggers.
"We've got to take care of where we live," said Lutzow, the CEO of DLA Architects Ltd.
The Elgin- and Hinsdale-based architecture firm marks its 25th anniversary this year, and has committed to making eco-friendly designs a fundamental aspect in every commercial and residential blueprint generated.
The pair tries to adhere to environmentally friendly guidelines such as maximizing daylight in lieu of turning on interior lights, using low-flow plumbing fixtures that minimize water usage, and employing regional materials that diminish the use of gas during transportation.
Today, DLA Architects follows the green building rating system set forth by Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, a third party authentication system created in the early 1990s and the nationally accepted benchmark for green designs. However, the firm's co-founders stated that the green concept has been an integral part of their business since the firm's inception in 1983.
"A lot of our projects were built before LEED (standards) came around," said Dahlquist, the president of DLA Architects and LEED-certified accredited professional. "We've always been environmentally sympathetic."
DLA Architects, formally known as Dahlquist and Lutzow Architects Ltd., is a full-service architecture firm that specializes in educational, medical, recreational, commercial and theater design, and has provided architectural planning to 275 schools in 42 school districts in the Midwest.
The firm has completed projects in Westfield Community School, Lockport High School, Hinsdale Central High School and many others, tailoring each design to the different needs of each facility and student body.
"They pay very good attention to detail," said John Cooper, headmaster at Elgin Academy in Kane County, which is a longtime DLA client.
Dahlquist, 59, and Lutzow, 56, did not get this reputation and partnership overnight. In fact, the partnership began in the early 1960s when they played baseball on the same Little League team in the Oriole Park neighborhood of Chicago.
The two went their separate ways during college, but reconnected much later to form the partnership.
DLA has received many awards, including Distinguished Architectural Firm of the Year in 2001 from the Northeastern Illinois Chapter of American Institute of Architects, one of the highest honors among architects.
In 2007 Dahlquist and Lutzow Architects had $11 million in total sales, compared with $8.5 million in the year-earlier period, a 29 percent increase.
"2007 has been our best year ever," Lutzow said. "Our philosophy has rewarded us and has proven to be successful."
DLA created a 2008 vision plan that focuses largely on expanding LEED designs in the Midwest.
"It's an important change in the market and Bruce is pushing up in that direction," Lutzow said.
Business profile
Company: DLA Architects Ltd.
Location: Elgin and Hinsdale
Founders: Bruce Dahlquist, president; Dwain Lutzow, CEO
Founded: 1983
Sales: $11 million
Employees: 49
[DLA_ne0408.jpg]
Claudia-Teresa Pou/Medill News Service
DLA Architects founders Bruce Dahlquist, left, and Dwain Lutzow, in their Elgin office, marked their 25th anniversary this year and are committed to making eco-friendly designs.