LAN Associates has been recognized with the 2025 Environmental Innovation Award from the Commerce and Industry Association of New Jersey (CIANJ) and COMMERCE Magazine. The award, announced on Earth Day, honors organizations demonstrating leadership in sustainable environmental practices. LAN received the distinction in the “Implementation of Sustainable Environmental Best Practices” category for their work on the new sanitary sewer system at Island Beach State Park, in Berkeley Township, New Jersey.
Stretching 3,000 acres along New Jersey’s coastline, Island Beach State Park is one of the few remaining large areas of barrier island ecosystem and welcomes more than one million visitors yearly. With the existing septic systems nearing the end of their service life, the New Jersey Division of Property Management and Construction (NJDPMC) brought in LAN Associates and CP Engineers to help create a state-of-the-art vacuum sewer system tailored to the park’s sensitive ecological environment and seasonal usage patterns.
The project included more than seven miles of new sewer pipe, two vacuum stations with backup generators, and dozens of lateral connections and valve components. Given the Park’s protected natural status, LAN’s land use permitting and civil engineering team needed to navigate complex regulatory requirements to get the project built. This included working with multiple state and local agencies to obtain 12 separate permits that ensured minimal disruption to wildlife and historic structures.
“Island Beach State Park provides a rare setting for New Jersey beach goers. In one of the most heavily developed states in America, the Park offers a virtually untouched beachfront. Preserving the site's natural beauty and delicate ecological elements, while providing the necessary systems to serve guests, required a careful and knowledgeable hand,” said Steven Ramiza, Project Manager and Chief Operating Officer at LAN Associates. “I am proud of the work LAN undertook to achieve this, and we are all honored by this recognition from the Commerce and Industry Association of New Jersey.”
LAN Associates is a full-service architecture and engineering firm offering comprehensive solutions in architecture, civil engineering, environmental planning, and construction management. The firm’s multidisciplinary approach ensures collaborative and innovative project outcomes. LAN’s land use and civil teams work alongside other departments to navigate complex regulations, facilitate permitting processes, and develop sustainable infrastructure solutions that respect the built and natural environments.
Construction on the project was completed in June 2024, and the project was recently recognized with an additional honor: the 2025 Distinguished Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies of New Jersey (ACECNJ).
The Island Beach State Park sewer system project is just one of many recent LAN projects that have spurred growth in the firm, which has been serving the New Jersey/New York Tri-State Area since 1965. Over the past few years, LAN has expanded significantly, growing its staff and expertise to continue providing outstanding service and innovative solutions in architecture, engineering, and environmental design across the region.
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LAN Associates is a full-service engineering, planning, architecture, and surveying firm founded in 1965. We take pride in our ability to address the distinct needs of our large and varying client base.
