WSP, the international engineering design and environmental consulting firm, will double its size in the Houston market by combining its existing operations there with the office of ccrd, a national MEP engineering and commissioning firm based in Houston, which WSP acquired last November.
The combined office, with about 60 employees, will be managed by David Sinz, PE, a vice president and managing director of WSP’s Houston office. David Duthu, PE, who was managing director of ccrd’s Houston office, is now co-leader of WSP’s national Science + Technology practice.
Aside from bolstering its Houston operations, the ccrd acquisition expanded WSP’s presence into markets throughout the Southeast and south-central U.S., according to WSP’s executive vice president Steve Burrows. (Founded in 1980, ccrd has offices in Austin, Texas, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Miami, Nashville, Tenn., Orlando, Fla., Phoenix, Richmond, Va., Kansas City, Mo., and Washington, D.C.)
David Cooper, PE, president of WSP’s U.S. Property & Building sector and chief commercial officer for WSP|Parsons Brinckerhoff, called the combination in Houston “a natural step forward.” He says the acquisition so far “has been everything both firms hoped it would be.”
Montreal-based WSP Global has 500 offices in 39 countries. Last Fall, it agreed to pay Balfour Beatty US$1.24 billion in cash to buy Parsons Brinckerhoff, a deal that increased WSP’s workforce by 77% to 31,000.
The purchase price for ccrd was not disclosed.
Separately, WSP and ccrd had already been active players and competitors in Houston’s healthcare, science, and technology sectors, having worked on innumerable hospitals, government, energy, and research construction projects. They are also active in Houston’s hospitality, commercial, residential, and industrial sectors.
Related Stories
| Feb 17, 2014
Using Engineers Week to Promote a Career in Engineering
The purpose of National Engineers Week is to call attention to the contributions that engineers make to society, and to emphasize the importance of learning math, science, and technical skills.
| Feb 14, 2014
ASHRAE, Green Grid team up on energy-efficiency guide for data centers
Vendor-neutral publication examines aspects of the popular power usage effectiveness (PUE) metric.
| Feb 14, 2014
Scrap tires used to boost masonry blocks at Missouri University of S&T
Research could lead to blocks that use waste material and have seismic and insulating benefits.
| Feb 14, 2014
Giant interactive pinwheel adds fun to museum exterior
The proposed design for the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History features a 10-foot pinwheel that can be activated by passersby.
| Feb 14, 2014
First look: Kentucky's Rupp Arena to get re-clad as part of $310M makeover
Rupp Arena will get a 40-foot high glass façade and a new concourse, but will retain many of its iconic design elements.
| Feb 14, 2014
Must see: Developer stacks shipping containers atop grain silos to create student housing tower
Mill Junction will house up to 370 students and is supported by 50-year-old grain silos.
| Feb 14, 2014
The Technology Report 2014: Top tech tools and trends for AEC professionals
In this special five-part report, Building Design+Construction explores how Building Teams throughout the world are utilizing advanced robotics, 3D printers, drones, data-driven design, and breakthroughs in building information modeling to gain efficiencies and create better buildings.
| Feb 13, 2014
Why you should start with a builder
They say the best way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time. Expanding your building or constructing a new structure for your business, church, or school isn’t all that different. Attacking it is best done in small, deliberate pieces.
| Feb 13, 2014
Related Companies, LargaVista partner to develop mixed-use tower in SoHo
The site is located at the gateway to the booming SoHo retail market, where Class A office space is scarce yet highly in demand.
| Feb 12, 2014
First Look: Futuristic Silicon Valley campus designed to draw tech startups
The curved campus will consist of four different buildings, one exclusively for amenities like a coffee bar, bike shop, and bank.