Engineering Is Not A Commodity

A commodity is a basic good that's interchangeable with other goods of the same type. Manufacturers use commodities to create everyday products. Because of their basic nature commodities maintain a consistent price. However, the same can't be said for professional engineering services. Yet, surprisingly, professional engineering services are often treated as interchangeable commodities.

Each project and set of problems to solve is unique. Often, when an engineer embarks on a project, the work's scope isn't fully defined and the path towards the solution is unclear. Therefore, there aren't specific parameters in place to determine a fixed fee at the beginning of a project. The conventional practice of competitive bidding and fee-based selection can be effective in scenarios with well-defined project scopes or during a particular project phase, but it's not practical at the onset of highly complex and innovative projects.

A superior alternative to the commoditized fee-based selection method is choosing engineers based on qualifications, a proven history of results, vision alignment, relationship, and having an experienced project manager overseeing all aspects of the project.

Choosing an engineer based on qualifications and vision alignment fosters a collaborative relationship and instills confidence in clients to achieve their goals. When fee is the primary concern, engineers might make assumptions about the client's needs and the best solution to those needs. They might adhere to minimal standards because they don't have time to properly understand the client's wants, needs, and goals. Innovative technologies, features, and solutions that could potentially provide a more sustainable solution, deliver on their ESG, and/or save time and money over a project's lifespan might get overlooked simply because of the allure of a low fee.

A building's engineering can have a substantial impact on operations and maintenance costs throughout its life, long after construction is complete. While the engineering fee, typically, represents a small percentage of the overall project cost, the quality and consideration of the design can significantly affect the project's life-cycle and operational cost.

A good engineering partner is one whose primary objective is to instill confidence in clients by helping them achieve their ESG, well-being, and operational objectives through informed decisions based on data. A good engineering partner is an innovation advisor, assuming accountability for pivotal design elements, carbon footprint reduction, well-being enhancement, and operational resilience. None of these can be achieved by placing sole emphasis on cost.

Engineering is not a commodity.