Engineering Inc. - September/October 2009 - 14

W e can go recruit or build new capability and take that to current clients who trust us because they already know us. Tim Corrigan r.W. BeCK Though it’s unlikely that society will ever agree on a silver bullet, investing heavily in one area—solar, for instance—that fails to achieve critical mass could represent a devastating financial blow to any firm, especially in tough economic times. Keeping a sure footing on this rapidly shifting terrain requires more than just engineering smarts. Investing time and resources cleverly, keeping up with the latest developments and building relationships both with and among partners and clients is essential if firms are to thrive in—and build—the emerging renewable energy landscape. Building Tomorrow, Today To succeed in the renewable energy market requires equal parts technological expertise and business acumen. “You can’t be too far ahead of the market,” says Tim Corrigan, executive vice president for energy at Seattle-based R.W. Beck. “Even though we might know exactly where the markets are going to end up five years from now, we’ve got to get to tomorrow and next month and next year before five years get here.” For Corrigan, this means constant evaluation and further reevaluation of the latest technologies as well as the current business climate. Lean too far forward and you might overextend (say, by investing too heavily in sectors without staying power); hang back, and you risk being shut out of “the next big thing.” 14 ENGINEERING INC. SEptEmbER / oCtobER 2009 Creating a business process to balance up-and-coming technologies with current market realities is essential. For R.W. Beck, this means focusing on current strengths with new clients while nurturing relationships with existing clients whose needs can be met by new technologies. “We can go recruit or build new capability and take that to current clients who trust us because they already know us,” says Corrigan. “The other side of that coin is that we can take our current technology that we’re good at and have a deep resume with and go to new clients with what we already do well.” By balancing existing strengths with new capabilities, the idea is that firms can stay grounded while still branching out into future technologies. Psomas President Jacob Lipa is another leader who promotes the notion of integrating future technologies into projects for existing clients. “We are always looking for how new systems can combine with our existing services,” says Lipa. “When we are designing a water system, for example, we are already looking at the possibility of adding, say, a photovoltaic system. Even if it possibly doesn’t make sense to do it today, we are designing it with the flexibility to be able to attach to it in the future.” Blair Loftis, national director of alternative and renewable energy at San Diegobased Kleinfelder, subscribes to a similar school of thought, but takes a slightly different approach. With increasing resources devoted to wind power and a growing percentage in solar, Kleinfelder already has significant expertise in two renewable energy sectors poised to make significant inroads in the coming years. Loftis continues to press development of these emerging sectors, but also has created teams to explore fringe innovations. “They’re almost like focus groups,” says Loftis, describing the teams his firm assembles to vet the technological, legal, environmental and business ramifications of new technologies. “We assess the technology and then we look at how the market is responding to that technology.” Firms rely on a wealth of knowledge and understanding that often extends far beyond the realm of technical expertise. “Clustering toward a particular technology tends to be geographically based,” says Guy Winebrenner, senior vice president at Georgia-based MACTEC Engineering and Consulting, Inc. R.W. Beck’s Corrigan agrees. “We’re not suggesting our clients go out and build wind turbines. We’re suggesting our clients look at their resource options in their particular situation and assess whether wind turbines are the most efficient and economical next choice for them.” Understanding Needs It is in the context of relationships among engineering firms, their clients and their partners that all new technologies must be assessed. “We look at two things,” says Winebrenner. “First, where are our services best used? Second, what are the types of projects our clients are looking to invest in?” Of course, this is partially out of necessity—a firm without clients doesn’t need to worry much about long-term energy plans—but it reveals an important truth about energy engineering: Ultimately, the development of future energy systems is tied to presentday relationships. W e assess the technology and then we look at how the market is responding to that technology. BLair LofTis KLeinfeLder

Engineering Inc. - September/October 2009

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