Revenue from design work continues its modest upswing, according to an annual survey of top design firms conducted by ENR California and McGraw Hill Construction. The 109 participating firms collectively produced $3.66 billion of design work on projects located in California during 2013, an increase of 5% over the previous year. But design firms will face an increasing level of difficulty in finding the staff needed to meet the demands of California's infrastructure and water needs, say respondents.
"The state's aging infrastructure, current drought conditions and the ripple effects on energy supply and demand all present opportunities for our industry and government to come together to solve these significant challenges," says Jim Zaniboni, excecutive vice president and California district general manager with AECOM in San Francisco.