What consulting engineers do

Services offered by engineering consultants

Beyond technical advice and design, engineering consultants offer a wide array of services. They include:

  • Advice on procurement and funding of projects
  • Project & construction management
  • Feasibility studies
  • Design conception
  • Design execution
  • Contractor and supplier procurement
  • Contract administration
  • Supervision of construction and installation

Engineering consultancies in Europe vary considerably in size from one country to another. Generally, however, they tend to be small. In Denmark, France and Sweden, for example, more than 90% of companies have less than 10 employees.

The sectors engineering services apply to

Engineering services apply to a diverse range of sectors that cover all areas of public life:

  • Construction of buildings
  • Infrastructure works (ports, airports, roads, railroads, tunnels, car parks)
  • Public utilities (water, energy, telecommunications)
  • Industrial plants (storage of goods and materials, process research and development)
  • Environment (treatment of waste, pollution control)
  • Agriculture (irrigation, soil protection)
  • Exploitation of natural resources (mining, oil and gas winning)
  • Computer services (data processing, hardware consultancy)
  • Management and organisation (human resources, technology)
  • Planning (urban, transport)

The distribution of turnover by market segments varies considerably between countries, although currently, the most important segments are buildings, manufacturing, energy and environment.

The economic importance of engineering consultancy

Around one million highly skilled construction engineering consultants are employed in the countries that make up EFCA’s membership.

The basic engineering investments in these countries have been estimated at € 1,530 billion, whereas the total production of professional engineering consultancy services is considered to amount to more or less € 70 billion. Exports represent roughly 28% of this sum, i.e. around € 20 billion.