Architecture, Engineering, and Related Services [NAICS 5413]

• Increasingly globalized workforce. U.S. engineers and U.S. engineering firms will have to
continue to compete with an increasing number of engineers from Asian countries, who
either enroll in programs within native countries or come to the U.S. to pursue their
engineering education. In order to stay competitive, trade and professional associations as
well as firms themselves are participating in K-12 STEM outreach initiatives designed to call
attention to the importance of teaching high-quality science, technology, engineering and
mathematics curriculum in U.S. schools (STEM Education Coalition, 2012). In addition, firms
should develop a strong understanding of the types of specialized jobs and services that
businesses need and continue to innovate, since some engineering services will be
outsourced to non-U.S. firms who can afford to complete jobs more cost efficiently.
• Continued evolution of sustainable engineering guidelines. While sustainability is already
considered a priority for engineers embarking on new projects, LEED certification for
engineers and buildings will continue to play a significant role in driving measurable
building sustainability. Although LEED certification was developed by the U.S. Green
Building Council, it is now used in over 30 countries. The LEED rating system currently in
place will need to evolve as additional issues arise that are not currently addressed by the
current guidelines. These changes may have significant impacts on the design, engineering
and construction activities of markets around the world.
• Greater focus on engineering for development. While engineering has been recognized as a
field essential to the progress of humankind and modern society, large scale issues
involving, energy, transportation, climate change, management of natural resources and
provision of clean drinking water in developing countries has caused industry players to pay
greater attention to how engineering as a discipline can help address these challenges
moving forward. In 2010, UNESCO released its first ever report on engineering and
development globally (UNESCO, 2010). Increasingly, firms are engaging in projects that seek
to create better infrastructures for underserved communities, reduce poverty and improve
quality of life. Professional societies such as the American Society for Mechanical Engineers
are collaborating with organizations such as Engineering for Change and Engineers Without
Borders to bring together practitioners in the industry around such initiatives (ASME, 2012).
INFORMATION SYSTEMS ANALYSIS
This field has a high degree of technological change, making it important for engineers to keep up to
date with the tools, software and the additional technical skills that are required to meet the needs of
their clients. Technology is used as a source of differentiation and can be a competitive advantage for
firms that invest in information systems that have significantly superior capabilities than those of
other players. For those firms looking to expand beyond their existing markets, technological
investments may help these organizations secure international contracts by offering a greater variety
of services (IBIS, 2012). While the industry is labor and service driven and generally not capital
intensive, a substantial portion of capital expenditures can be attributed to IT investments in
hardware and software (IBIS 2012).
Like the architectural services industry, BIM is an increasingly important approach to overseeing
engineering projects. (Please see architectural services information systems analysis for more details
on BIM) Engineering firms may source their BIM tools and services from similar vendors as
architecture firms, however, the products themselves and the way that engineers approach BIM is
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