How to Know Which Type of Engineer Your Project Needs

Every great construction project, from a new commercial building to a residential subdivision, starts as a vision. But turning that vision into a safe, functional, and durable reality requires a team of highly specialized experts. While the architect designs the form and the contractor handles the build, the engineers are the crucial, often-unseen experts who ensure the entire project is built on a foundation of sound scientific principles.

But the world of engineering is vast and highly specialized. How do you know if you need a civil engineer, a structural engineer, or a mechanical engineer? Assembling the right team, often through an engineering firm, is a critical first step. Understanding the specific role that each type of engineer plays will help you build the right team for your project and ensure you have the right expertise at the right time.

Here’s a simple guide to the common types of engineers you’ll need for a building project.

The Master Planner: The Civil Engineer

Think of the civil engineer as the master planner of your entire project site. They are responsible for everything that happens outside the walls of your building. Their job is to make sure the raw land is properly prepared to support the new development. You need a civil engineer at the very beginning of any new land development project.

Their responsibilities typically include:

• Site Grading and Drainage: Designing how the land will be sloped to ensure that stormwater drains away from the buildings and doesn’t cause flooding.

• Utility Connections: Planning and designing the layout for the essential “wet” utilities, like water mains and sewer lines, that will connect your building to the municipal systems.

• Pavement and Roadways: Designing the parking lots, access roads, and sidewalks.

The Skeleton Expert: The Structural Engineer

If the civil engineer handles the world outside the building, the structural engineer is the expert on the building’s “bones.” Their job is to design the structural system that will safely support the building and allow it to withstand all the forces it will face, from the simple pull of gravity to the high winds of a severe storm.

A structural engineer is responsible for designing the foundation, the framing system (whether it’s steel, concrete, or wood), the layout of beams and columns, and the roof structure. You will need a structural engineer for any new building construction or for a major renovation that involves removing or moving load-bearing walls.

The Systems Specialists: MEP Engineers

“MEP” stands for mechanical, electrical, and plumbing. These three disciplines are often grouped together because they design the interconnected “systems” that make a building functional and habitable.

• Mechanical engineers design the building’s “lungs”—the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. They ensure the building has proper airflow and is comfortable year-round.

• Electrical engineers design the “nervous system.” They plan the entire power distribution system, the lighting, and the pathways for data and communication lines.

• Plumbing engineers design the “circulatory system,” including the hot and cold water supply lines and the sanitary drainage systems.

For any new building or a major interior renovation, you will need a team of MEP engineers to design these vital systems.

The Ground Expert: The Geotechnical Engineer

The geotechnical engineer is the specialist who tells you what is happening in the ground beneath your project. Their job is to analyze the soil to determine its properties, its stability, and its ability to support the weight of a new building. This is especially critical in areas with challenging soil conditions, like the expansive clay soils.

A geotechnical engineer will take soil borings and produce a detailed “soils report.” This report is then given to the structural engineer, and it is the key piece of information that tells them what type of foundation (ex., a simple slab or deep piers) is required for that specific site.

A successful construction project is a complex team sport. By understanding the specific roles of each of these engineering disciplines and bringing the right experts onto your team from the very beginning, you can ensure that your vision is built on a foundation of safety, efficiency, and engineering excellence.