Steve Daley, President, Optima Engineering

President of Optima Engineering Steve Daley spoke with Invest: about the expansions currently underway with their firm as well as the myriad ways they have leveraged technology and advancements in sustainability to grow their business.

Could you describe a few milestones recently achieved by Optima Engineering?

We’ve just completed the move of our RDU office, which has doubled the amount of office space in Raleigh. The new location has fantastic views on three sides, and our staff is happy with the space. Our prior lease was up and our growth options in that building were limited, so we made the move, and I’ll visit next week to observe the final touches. 

We officially opened our Greenville office in October 1 and have already expanded the team by hiring two additional members. Ben Barrier, formerly with our Charlotte office, is leading the Greenville team and was joined by Brandon Lee, who also relocated from Charlotte. Our goal wasn’t just to establish a presence with a P.O. Box — we are committed to making a meaningful impact in the Greenville community.

The passage of the Charlotte Mecklenburg bond was a huge moment for us this year. We’re working on most of those projects, including three high schools, a middle school, three elementary schools and renovations in other locations. We’re collaborating with architects in this region, and public sector work is booming. About 70% of our work is in the public sector. It’s an exciting time to participate in these growth areas, and growth is our goal, especially with our ESOP conversion. We aim to continually maximize our footprint and invest in our employees.

What challenges do you perceive are currently facing the engineering, design and construction industry?

The biggest challenge is people. We have a ton of work but not enough people. We’ve had to get creative in how we source and train. Relying solely on degree holders isn’t enough, so we’ve started to look at other sectors. We’ve doubled our internship program and partnered with engineering schools, focusing on minority groups to attract people to construction work. We partnered with Central Piedmont Community College for interns a few years ago, and we still have multiple employees who stayed on after the program.

We’re no longer focusing solely on hiring engineering graduates, given the competitive and evolving talent landscape. We’re bringing in people from non-traditional backgrounds, and while the learning curve is slow, we’re experiencing early success, which is helping us grow.

How has the focus on sustainability and energy efficiency influenced the industry, and how is your firm adapting to meet these expectations?

Our firm was on the early side of sustainability in the early 2000s. We pivoted to focus more on sustainability and energy efficiency. When we moved into our current office, it became the first LEED Platinum-certified building in Charlotte. We put our money where our mouth is, and it’s held up wonderfully — everything still looks good and functions well. We’ve designed all 11 verified net-zero buildings in the Carolinas and have strategically chosen sustainable features whenever possible. We have in-house expertise, and though achieving carbon neutrality by 2030 will be tough, we’re making strides. The challenge lies with equipment, as manufacturers aren’t fully there yet.

What roles do you see technologies like solar power and energy storage playing in future projects?

We’ve probably designed more solar than anyone in the Southeast, including solar arrays. We even have a solar array on our Charlotte building. Since Duke Energy has met its renewable energy goals, they aren’t as open to incentives, which has been influenced by the Inflation Reduction Act now covering the cost of solar installations. 

Solar cost and efficiency have greatly improved since the early 2000s, and EVs are becoming more common, so we’re planning buildings with charging stations in mind, though the industry still lags in energy storage. Power plants produce enough energy, but it’s not affordable to store it. Interestingly, electric cars might provide a solution, as they can store energy. For example, EV owners could release energy at 80% capacity and plug in their cars at specific times. The potential solutions are complex and involve multiple moving parts, one of which could be the use of electric school buses for storage.

How are you leveraging other types of technology to improve project outcomes and efficiency?

We are beginning to incorporate and determine how AI can help improve our processes. We have several young engineers who use various AI platforms to assist with tasks, with one example being the search function so they can locate applicable information quickly, like for electric code queries. We can also see it being an asset with writing reports to assist as a solid starting point. While AI hasn’t entered the design phase yet, emerging tech is exciting for the construction industry. It has the potential to streamline processes, save money and help maintain our relevance in the industry.

How are you balancing the need for innovative solutions while contending with economic pressures like costs and budget constraints?

Construction costs have skyrocketed compared to just a few years ago, and the cost of K-12 schools has significantly increased and hasn’t yet peaked.

During COVID, we were luckily diverse enough that when commercial real estate slowed down, we still had public sector projects. Since 2020 we’ve experienced massive growth, though some projects have been put on hold. While a potential recession may lead to a pause, there is still a lot of infrastructure that needs updating, like jails and courthouses, and I believe the construction industry will remain strong. Overall, our outlook is bright.

What are your top goals for the next few years?

Our most exigent goal involves getting our Greenville office up and running and growing to house a handful of team members. Raleigh continues to grow as well, and we are also focusing on identifying our next market to expand. We hope to add a second office in South Carolina and continue expansion towards Virginia or Tennessee. We intend to grow into new targeted territories and spread our geographical footprint while staying available to our clients.