CH2M HILL/IDC Architects has moved up to the number 2 position on Architectural Record magazine’s latest list of the Top 300 US Architecture Firms.

The company was ranked as the third largest architectural firm on last year’s Architectural Record rankings. IDC Architects is part of CH2M HILL, a global full-service consulting, design, construction, and operations firm.

Architectural Record reports that in 2013 combined total architectural revenue from the Top 300 firms increased from $10.01 billion to $11.20 billion.

IDC Architects president Tim Meier attributed the company’s rise in rankings on increasing diversification of markets served including data centers, research laboratories, manufacturing, energy, government and other complex science and technology buildings. The company has also diversified the global reach of its project activity, encompassing Asia, Latin America, MENA, Europe and North America.

A number of recent CH2M HILL projects involved planning efforts and building designs of global significance, including:

Development of the Sinnovate Smart Technology Hub for Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia). This multi-building greenfield technology hub will occupy approximately 41,000 square meters of land in King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC) about 100 kilometers north of Jeddah.

The 27,334-sq-ft Grainger Lake Forest Data Center in Illinois which has the dual distinction of being the first data center and the first project to be formally certified under the more rigorous Version 4 of the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED® green building certification system. 

Design of a first-of-its-kind data center for the National Bank of Abu Dhabi (NBAD) using patent-pending CH2M HILL modular data center technology that radically reduces energy consumption in a pre-assembled, rapidly deployable modular unit. This new CH2M HILL technology comes at a time when the global market for green data centers is expected to more than double by 2016.

“There’s growing appreciation in the technology and manufacturing environment for architecture that combines design excellence with the kinds of technological innovations that can reduce energy consumption, improve worker collaboration, and boost productivity,” said Meier. “Our growth and success rest solely on the great clients we serve.”