Top Design

A ranking of architectural and engineering firms in the Southeast

By Scott Judy

This year's ranking of the region's top design firms includes 117 architectural and engineering firms from the magazine's territory of Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

That's 14 fewer than last year's Top Design ranking, which included 131 firms.

Despite the decrease in the number of firms listed, the collective value of regional billings reported by this year's Top Design firms actually increased. Last year, the collective billings for our Top Design ranking totaled approximately $2.3 billion. This year, that value is up to more than $2.7 billion.

The Top Design ranking is based upon returned surveys indicating each firm's 2005 billings figures for projects performed in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. Only firms that returned a survey are included in the ranking.

PBS&J, now of Tampa, took the top spot for the third year in a row. The engineering giant reported approximately $283 million in billings from the four-state area, and total worldwide billings of $521 million. CH2M Hill made a run at the top spot, too, with its regional total of $272.9 million. (Last year, only CH2M Hill's Lockwood-Greene division reported its revenue for the Top Design ranking.)

As a result of CH2M Hill's participation, Kimley-Horn and Associates of Raleigh, N.C., which also reported increased revenue for 2005 ($183.6 million versus its $141.8 million total for '04), fell to third. As was the case last year, Kimley-Horn was followed by Mactec Engineering and Consulting of Alpharetta, Ga., which reported nearly $133.1 million in billings from the four-state area.

advertisement

Placing fifth was Omaha-based HDR, which reported approximately $110.4 million for its 2005 billings within the region.

The rest of the top 10 included: 6) Reynolds Smith and Hills of Jacksonville, Fla., $84.7 million; 7) Jordan, Jones & Goulding, Norcross, Ga., $71.3 million; 8) HNTB of Lake Mary, Fla., $68.2 million; 9) WilsonMiller of Naples, Fla., $64.3 million; and 10) The LPA Group of Columbia, S.C., $62.4 million.

By state, the cumulative design billings were as follows: Florida - nearly $1.75 billion; Georgia - $581.1 million; North Carolina - $285 million; and South Carolina - $142.65 million.

Southeast Construction also asked firms to report their total billings, including worldwide. On this measure, CH2M Hill took the top spot with more than $2 billion in worldwide billings. HDR had the second-largest amount of worldwide billings, roughly $688.8 million.

HNTB placed third in total billings, with about $567 million, followed by PBS&J and its $521 million worldwide tally. Mactec Engineering and Consulting placed fifth in worldwide billings, with about $439.9 million.

To be included in future surveys, please send an e-mail to Scott Judy, editor, at scott_judy@mcgraw-hill.com.

Click here for the Southeast Top Design Firms list

Click here for the Top Design Firm Slideshow