Black & White Engineering, a global engineering design consultancy specialising in mission-critical buildings and infrastructure, has expanded its civil and structural engineering team by 79% in just five months.

The department has grown from 43 to 77 people, with new engineers joining offices in Dubai, Manila, Milan, London and Paris, alongside the establishment of new bases in Manchester and Singapore. The expansion reflects increasing demand from data centre clients across both established and emerging markets.

David Williams, Director of Civil and Structural Engineering at Black & White Engineering, said:

"The growth reflects the continued expansion of our work in the data centre market, with both existing and new clients. That growth is creating opportunities for our civil and structural engineers across more locations and project types. We have built the team around experienced people, many of whom we have worked with successfully before or who have joined us following strong recommendations."

The department supports projects from concept through to construction information, while also providing site due diligence, feasibility studies and third-party technical reviews. Its expertise complements Black & White Engineering's wider design offering by bringing civil, structural, MEP and design management disciplines together within a single project team.

David continued:

"Detailed design delivery remains central to our role, but we are also being brought into projects much earlier, including due diligence, feasibility work and technical reviews. Working alongside our MEP and design management colleagues means we can provide input throughout the project, not just at fixed design stages. That helps improve coordination, quality and delivery for clients."

The team is also increasingly reviewing third-party designs and, in some cases, taking responsibility for final delivery. This includes projects where civil, structural and MEP designs need closer alignment, or where external sub-consultants are less familiar with specific client requirements and processes.

Demand remains strongest across Europe, with activity increasing across both southern and northern markets. In the Asia-Pacific region, the business is pursuing opportunities in Japan and the Philippines, supported by its Singapore and Manila operations. The consultancy also plans to continue expanding its Singapore presence and expects to establish a civil and structural capability within its new Saudi Arabia office later this year.

David added:

"Civil and structural engineering is becoming a more important part of Black & White Engineering's offer as data centre projects increase in scale, complexity and pace. Having this capability in-house means clients have access to a more joined-up design model, with civil, structural, MEP and design management expertise working together from an earlier stage. It also gives us greater consistency across regions, which is important for clients delivering programmes in multiple markets."

The investment forms part of Black & White Engineering's wider strategy to strengthen regional capability while drawing on the expertise of its global team. The expanded department will support increasingly complex projects delivered to tighter timescales, while applying knowledge and experience gained from previous schemes to new developments.