Alastair (Aly) MacGregor has been named the executive business line leader for Property and Buildings at WSP USA, one of the nation’s largest engineering and professional services consultancies. MacGregor, who joins the firm from an international infrastructure consulting firm, assumed the role on June 1.
“Aly brings varied experience across digital innovation and transformation; sustainable, low carbon and high performance design; smart buildings; strategic portfolio energy and decarbonization programs; and more key areas that will help us deliver on our key strategic priorities in the U.S.,” said Lou Cornell, president and chief executive officer of WSP USA. “Aly will leverage this expertise to help us further the work our teams are already doing in these areas, bringing the full strength of our interdisciplinary offering to our clients to help them deliver on their ambitions.”
MacGregor, who is based in our Irvine, California office, succeeds Rick Rome, who has led WSP’s U.S. Property and Buildings business since 2020. Throughout his more than 36 years at WSP, Rome has held multiple roles with the company, leading Building Systems and as a key member of the U.S. and business line leadership teams. He will continue with WSP in a role focused on client development and integration of acquired firms.
“Rick has played a critical role in expanding our foothold in complex sector markets like healthcare, science + technology, mission critical and higher education, as well as in mentoring our next generation of leaders,” Cornell said. “We are grateful for his incredible contributions to our business thus far, and grateful that our clients, employees and colleagues from newly acquired firms will continue to benefit from his vast expertise.”
Prior to joining WSP, MacGregor held various leadership positions of increasing scope and responsibility over the past 25 years with an international infrastructure consulting firm. In his most recent role, he served as senior vice president directing the global tech and logistics market sector within the firm’s global buildings business. He previously led the firm’s teams for digital solutions and building engineering in the Americas.
His recent work has included support of client innovation via projects ranging from electric vehicle charging networks and advanced air mobility infrastructure to net zero carbon sports venues and the creation of new software as a service (SaaS) solutions. He was also the leader within the firm responsible for developing its integrated environmental, social and governance (ESG) design methodology for buildings, offering demonstrated multi-faceted whole-life performance benefits, including carbon, operational effectiveness and staff well-being.
“Aly’s varied experience in service of U.S. and global clients will be invaluable to our employees and clients,” said Tom Smith, global director, Property and Buildings for WSP. “We are excited to leverage his passion for creating innovative sustainable solutions and employing digital technology to enhance building performance in service of our work as we seek to help clients deliver more Future Ready® operations.”
MacGregor has also held roles with his previous firm leading high-performance building design, as well as technical excellence and innovation in North America.
He is a graduate with honors from the University of Newcastle, in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, UK with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, and Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland, with a master’s degree in building engineering services, engineering management.
MacGregor has presented at conferences including TedX, Greenbuild, the National Building Institute’s Better Buildings Summit, ASHRAE and the Energy Exchange Conference. He is a previous winner of the National Sustainability Award from the Construction Management Association of America, a FitWel Ambassador and LEED AP, and a two-time U.S. Patent awardee.
“I am excited to see how Aly uses his experience to build on the work we have done to date in Property and Buildings and support initiatives across the business,” Rome said. “Our clients are increasingly looking for digital-forward, resilient and sustainable solutions that add lasting value to our communities; Aly will have an incredible impact on nurturing our existing offerings and growing our talent in these areas, benefiting our employees and our clients.”
WSP USA’s Property and Buildings business is among the most versatile in the industry, with leading positions in engineering and specialty services for markets ranging from healthcare to super-tall residential high-rises, from science and technology to commercial offices, and from mission critical to hospitality. The group’s project history includes Manhattan’s One World Trade Center and 53W53; Dell Children’s Medical Center, the first hospital in the world to achieve LEED Platinum certification; laboratories that played key roles in the fight against COVID-19, including the Rocky Mountain Integrated Research Facility; LaGuardia Airport, the first airport in the world to achieve LEEDv4 Gold certification; and Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the first stadium in the world to achieve LEED Platinum certification.
Related Stories
| Aug 11, 2010
Construction employment shrinks in 319 of the nation's 336 largest metro areas in July, continuing months-long slide
Construction workers in communities across the country continued to suffer extreme job losses this July according to a new analysis of metropolitan area employment data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics released today by the Associated General Contractors of America. That analysis found construction employment declined in 319 of the nation’s largest communities while only 11 areas saw increases and six saw no change in construction employment between July 2008 and July 2009.
| Aug 11, 2010
Leggat McCall/Commodore Builders/O’Hagan “15 Days” earns LEED Platinum
The ambitious “15 Days” project that teamed up Leggat McCall Properties, Commodore Builders and Audrey O’Hagan Architects, LLC last September has just been certified LEED-platinum by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) – the first and only commercial interior work in Boston to earn that distinction.
| Aug 11, 2010
Harvard Public Library
Harvard, Mass.
Five years ago, the town of Harvard, Mass., which lies about 30 miles west of Boston, faced two problems. First, its iconic public schoolhouse, known as Old Bromfield, which was built in 1877, had become outdated. So, too, had its public library, which had no room to grow on its site.
| Aug 11, 2010
Green consultant guarantees LEED certification or your money back
With cities mandating LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification for public, and even private, buildings in growing numbers, an Atlanta-based sustainability consulting firm is hoping to ease anxieties over meeting those goals with the industry’s first Green Guaranteed.
| Aug 11, 2010
Skanska, Turner most active in U.S. hotel construction, according to BD+C's Giants 300 report
A ranking of the Top 50 Hotel Contractors based on Building Design+Construction's 2009 Giants 300 survey. For more Giants 300 rankings, visit http://www.BDCnetwork.com/Giants
| Aug 11, 2010
An American perspective: skyscraper architecture goes modular in the UK
At 25 stories, Victoria Hall, a new modular high-rise in the city of Wolverhampton, England, is the world’s tallest building constructed principally off-site. The ground floor is site-built, but the other 24 stories are assembled from 383 individual modules shipped over from Cork, Ireland. The mixed-used complex, designed by O’Connell East Architects of Manchester and developed by Victoria Hall Ltd., will house students at the University of Wolverhampton.
| Aug 11, 2010
Architecture Billings Index bounces back after substantial dip
Exhibiting a welcome rebound following a 5-point dip the month prior, the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) was up almost 6 points in July. As a leading economic indicator of construction activity, the ABI reflects the approximate nine to twelve month lag time between architecture billings and construction spending. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) reported the July ABI rating was 43.1, up noticeably from 37.7 the previous month.
| Aug 11, 2010
Gilbane, Whiting-Turner among nation's largest university contractors, according to BD+C's Giants 300 report
A ranking of the Top 50 University Contractors based on Building Design+Construction's 2009 Giants 300 survey. For more Giants 300 rankings, visit /giants
| Aug 11, 2010
70% of Qualified Trade Association Members Attain “Green Brick Specialist” Designation in Comprehensive Training Program
The Brick Industry Association (BIA), the national trade group representing distributors and manufacturers of clay brick and suppliers of related products and services, has announced that 70% of its eligible members have passed the industry’s first-ever online training program, “Sustainability/Green Building Design and Brick.”
