Hem Gupta, founder of Environmental Systems Design (also known as ESD), died on February 10 at the age of 85.
The family did not disclose the cause of death.
A native of India, Gupta received his Masters degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Illinois. In 1954, he began his professional career at Skidmore Owings & Merrill. Gupta also worked for Epstein, and was Perkins + Will’s chief engineer when he launched his own firm, ESD, in 1967.
ESD grew into one of Chicago’s largest MEP consulting and engineering firms. The projects it has worked on in that city include the UBS Tower, Citadel Center, and Hyatt Center on Wacker Drive. ESD’s international work includes several buildings for the King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Gupta is survived by his wife Asha (nee Simpson), four children (Reeta Gupta Brendamore, David, Mark, and Raj, who took over for his father as CEO of ESD in March 2011); 12 grandchildren and one great grandchild.
“My father served as a big brother, father, or grandfather figure for members of our ESD family,” recalls Raj Gupta in a prepared statement.
Related Stories
Office Buildings | Jun 15, 2023
An office building near DFW Airport is now home to two Alphabet companies
A five-minute drive from the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, the recently built 2999 Olympus is now home to two Alphabet companies: Verily, a life sciences business, and Wing, a drone delivery company. Verily and Wing occupy the top floor (32,000 sf and 4,000 sf, respectively) of the 10-story building, located in the lakeside, work-life-play development of Cypress Waters.
Transit Facilities | Jun 15, 2023
Arlington, Va., transit station will support zero emissions bus fleet
Arlington (Va.) Transit’s new operations and maintenance facility will support a transition of their current bus fleet to Zero Emissions Buses (ZEBs). The facility will reflect a modern industrial design with operational layouts to embrace a functional aesthetic. Intuitive entry points and wayfinding will include biophilic accents.
Urban Planning | Jun 15, 2023
Arizona limits housing projects in Phoenix area over groundwater supply concerns
Arizona will no longer grant certifications for new residential developments in Phoenix, it’s largest city, due to concerns over groundwater supply. The announcement indicates that the Phoenix area, currently the nation’s fastest-growing region in terms of population growth, will not be able to sustain its rapid growth because of limited freshwater resources.
Multifamily Housing | Jun 15, 2023
Alliance of Pittsburgh building owners slashes carbon emissions by 45%
The Pittsburgh 2030 District, an alliance of property owners in the Pittsburgh area, says that it has reduced carbon emissions by 44.8% below baseline. Begun in 2012 under the guidance of the Green Building Alliance (GBA), the Pittsburgh 2030 District encompasses more than 86 million sf of space within 556 buildings.
Industry Research | Jun 15, 2023
Exurbs and emerging suburbs having fastest population growth, says Cushman & Wakefield
Recently released county and metro-level population growth data by the U.S. Census Bureau shows that the fastest growing areas are found in exurbs and emerging suburbs.
Engineers | Jun 14, 2023
The high cost of low maintenance
Walter P Moore’s Javier Balma, PhD, PE, SE, and Webb Wright, PE, identify the primary causes of engineering failures, define proactive versus reactive maintenance, recognize the reasons for deferred maintenance, and identify the financial and safety risks related to deferred maintenance.
University Buildings | Jun 14, 2023
Calif. State University’s new ‘library-plus’ building bridges upper and lower campuses
A three-story “library-plus” building at California State University, East Bay (CSUEB) that ties together the upper and lower campuses was recently completed. The 100,977-sf facility, known as the Collaborative Opportunities for Research & Engagement (“CORE”) Building, is one of the busiest libraries in the CSU system. The previous library served 1.2 million visitors annually.
Resiliency | Jun 14, 2023
HUD offers $4.8 billion in funding for green and resilient building retrofit projects
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently released guidelines for its Green and Resilient Retrofit Program (GRRP) that has $4.8 billion for funding green projects.
Arenas | Jun 14, 2023
A multipurpose arena helps revitalize a historic African American community in Georgia
In Savannah, Ga., Enmarket Arena, a multipurpose arena that opened last year, has helped revitalize the city’s historic Canal District—home to a largely African American community that has been historically separated from the rest of downtown.
Building Materials | Jun 14, 2023
Construction input prices fall 0.6% in May 2023
Construction input prices fell 0.6% in May compared to the previous month, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Producer Price Index data released today. Nonresidential construction input prices declined 0.5% for the month.
