flexiblefullpage -
billboard - default
interstitial1 - interstitial
catfish1 - bottom
Currently Reading

4 emerging trends from BD+C's 2022 Giants 400 Report

Giants 400

4 emerging trends from BD+C's 2022 Giants 400 Report

Regenerative design, cognitive health, and jobsite robotics highlight the top trends from the 519 design and construction firms that participated in BD+C's 2022 Giants 400 Report.


By David Barista, Editorial Director | November 14, 2022
HITT is using Hilti’s Jaibot for repetitive tasks such as drilling anchors
HITT is using Hilti’s Jaibot for repetitive tasks such as drilling anchors. Photo courtesy HITT Contracting

A record 519 architecture, engineering, and construction firms reported data for BD+C’s 2022 Giants 400 Report. The data offers a fascinating view of the overall health of the U.S. AEC industry, including revenue rankings across 25-plus building sectors, specialty categories, and industry disciplines.

Beyond the revenue numbers, the Giants survey asks firms to detail an innovation their team developed during the past year that has greatly impacted their firm’s operations or projects. While only a little more than half of the participating firms responded to this request, the 278 innovation entries, when analyzed in aggregate, foretell emerging and expanding trends across the AEC industry. Here are four to note:

1. Firms address burnout and brain health. HKS and McMillan Pazdan Smith (MPS) are among the growing number of firms implementing formal cognitive health initiatives to help address staff burnout and improve employee health and well-being. MPS last year introduced 31 staff health initiatives, including incorporating “brain breaks” and meditation sessions into the workday, making healthy snacks freely available, and hosting virtual seminars on staying financially fit.

2. Regenerative design > sustainability. Four design firms—Cuningham, HDR, HOK, and Little—mentioned moving their teams, clients, and projects beyond the “do less harm” mentality of sustainability to a “restore the earth” mindset with regenerative design. Cuningham’s regenerative strategies include in-house measures like monitoring carbon emissions to reduce or offset them, developing a climate action plan, and working on justice, equity, and diversity. Its project design strategies include reusing building infrastructure where possible and pursuing net-zero performance.


ALSO SEE:


3. Finally! Some work-life balance. The COVID-19 pandemic forced AEC firms to get serious about work-life balance. Nearly a dozen firms mentioned shifting to a permanent hybrid schedule. Others are expanding their benefits package with work-life balance in mind. Pittsburg-based IKM Architecture introduced unlimited PTO last year. The firm also moved from a structured, eight-hour workday Monday-Friday, to a 40-hour work week Sunday-Saturday.

4. Robotics move beyond pilot testing. DPR Construction, HITT Contracting, Swinerton, and Turner Construction all report more formalized initiatives utilizing robotics on jobsites. HITT is using Boston Dynamics’ Spot and Hilti’s Jaibot for repetitive tasks such as drilling anchors. Swinerton last year became the first construction company with fully trained in-house operators for Dusty Robotics, and was an early adopter of that supplier’s FieldPrinter on projects in California, Texas, and Virginia. Turner is using robotics for drywall finishing, perform layout, and overhead drilling.

2022 GIANTS 400 - AEC DISCIPLINE RANKINGS

A. Top 180 Architecture Firms
B. Top 110 Architecture/Engineering (AE) Firms
C. Top 80 Engineering Firms
D. Top 45 Engineering/Architecture (EA) Firms
E. Top 200 Contractors                
F. Top 90 Construction Management Firms  

See more 2022 Giants 400 Rankings

Related Stories

Giants 400 | Oct 30, 2023

Top 80 K-12 School Engineering Firms for 2023

AECOM, CMTA, Jacobs, WSP, and IMEG head BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest K-12 school building engineering and engineering/architecture (EA) firms for 2023, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2023 Giants 400 Report. 

Giants 400 | Oct 23, 2023

Top 115 Multifamily Construction Firms for 2023

Clark Group, Suffolk Construction, Summit Contracting Group, Whiting-Turner Contracting, and McShane Companies top the ranking of the nation's largest multifamily housing sector contractors and construction management (CM) firms for 2023, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2023 Giants 400 Report. Note: This ranking factors revenue for all multifamily buildings work, including apartments, condominiums, student housing facilities, and senior living facilities.

Giants 400 | Oct 23, 2023

Top 75 Multifamily Engineering Firms for 2023

Kimley-Horn, WSP, Tetra Tech, Olsson, and Langan head the ranking of the nation's largest multifamily housing sector engineering and engineering/architecture (EA) firms for 2023, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2023 Giants 400 Report. Note: This ranking factors revenue for all multifamily buildings work, including apartments, condominiums, student housing facilities, and senior living facilities. 

Giants 400 | Oct 23, 2023

Top 190 Multifamily Architecture Firms for 2023

Humphreys and Partners, Gensler, Solomon Cordwell Buenz, Niles Bolton Associates, and AO top the ranking of the nation's largest multifamily housing sector architecture and architecture/engineering (AE) firms for 2023, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2023 Giants 400 Report. Note: This ranking factors revenue for all multifamily buildings work, including apartments, condominiums, student housing facilities, and senior living facilities. 

Giants 400 | Oct 17, 2023

Top 70 Sports Facility Construction Firms for 2023

AECOM, Turner Construction, Clark Group, Mortenson head BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest sports facility contractors and construction management (CM) firms for 2023, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2023 Giants 400 Report.

Giants 400 | Oct 17, 2023

Top 70 Sports Facility Engineering Firms for 2023

Alfa Tech Consulting Engineers, ME Engineers, AECOM, and Henderson Engineers top BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest sports facility engineering and engineering/architecture (EA) firms for 2023, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2023 Giants 400 Report.

Giants 400 | Oct 17, 2023

Top 130 Sports Facility Architecture Firms for 2023

Populous, Gensler, HOK, and HKS head BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest sports facility architecture and architecture/engineering (AE) firms for 2023, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2023 Giants 400 Report.

Giants 400 | Oct 11, 2023

Top 100 Industrial Construction Firms for 2023

ARCO Construction, Clayco, Walbridge, and Gray Construction top the ranking of the nation's largest industrial facility sector contractors and construction management (CM) firms for 2023, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2023 Giants 400 Report.

Giants 400 | Oct 11, 2023

Top 90 Industrial Sector Engineering Firms for 2023

Jacobs, IPS, CRB Group, and Burns & McDonnell head the ranking of the nation's largest industrial facility sector engineering and engineering/architecture (EA) firms for 2023, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2023 Giants 400 Report.

Giants 400 | Oct 11, 2023

Top 100 Industrial Sector Architecture Firms for 2023

Ware Malcomb, Arcadis, Stantec, and Gresham Smith top the ranking of the nation's largest industrial facility sector architecture and architecture/engineering (AE) firms for 2023, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2023 Giants 400 Report.

boombox1 - default
boombox2 -
native1 -

More In Category

Giants 400

Top 55 Laboratory Construction Firms for 2023

Whiting-Turner, DPR Construction, STO Building Group, Skanska, and Hensel Phelps top BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest laboratory general contractors and construction management (CM) firms for 2023, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2023 Giants 400 Report.


Giants 400

Top 60 Laboratory Engineering Firms for 2023

Jacobs, Affiliated Engineers, Burns & McDonnell, Tetra Tech, and WSP head BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest laboratory engineering and engineering/architecture (EA) firms for 2023, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2023 Giants 400 Report.


Giants 400

Top 100 Laboratory Design Firms for 2023

HDR, Flad Architects, DGA, Elkus Manfredi Architects, and Gensler top BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest laboratory architecture and architecture/engineering (AE) firms for 2023, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2023 Giants 400 Report.


Giants 400

Top 80 Science + Technology Facility Construction Firms for 2023

DPR Construction, Austin Industries, Whiting-Turner, and Gilbane top BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest science and technology (S+T) facility general contractors and construction management (CM) firms for 2023, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2023 Giants 400 Report. Note: This ranking factors revenue from all science and technology (S+T) buildings work, including laboratories, research buildings, technology/innovation buildings, pharmaceutical production facilities, and semiconductor production facilities.

halfpage1 -

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021