Top 500 design firms 2016: Most markets on the rise

Data from the ENR's Top 500 Design Firms has revealed that the Top 500 firms had design revenue of $91.81 billion in 2015, down 0.5% from $92.30 billion in 2014. Market growth was up on the domestic side, rising 4.4%, to $69.07 billion, in 2015, from $66.16 billion in 2014. However, revenue from projects outside the U.S. fell 13.0%, to $22.74 billion, in 2015, down from $26.14 billion in 2014. Many firms are reorganizing or repositioning to serve their markets more effectively. Parsons launched a restructuring initiative to streamline its reporting structure, simplify its layers of management and improve its administrative processes. Other firms such as Arcadis North America are placing greater emphasis on some of their offerings. There is a growing trend in the industry, especially in the public sector, to move toward alternative project delivery (APD). The demand to expedite project schedules without sacrificing quality continues to increase within the engineering and construction industry, forcing designers to consider alternative means of providing service to clients.