Industry consolidation moved to a new level in 2014, as the push for growth and profit—and increased pressure from new leaders, directors and shareholders—spurred engineering and construction firms to buy and merge globally.

AECOM's $6-billion purchase of URS Corp., creating a 90,000-employee giant, was the year's biggest event in terms of the new megafirm's size and the industry buzz it created. The initial story was the most-viewed item on ENR's website this year, with other related and subsequent stories also among the year's Top 25 in viewership.