Week of June 1, 2026

EFCG is excited to announce a new data partnership with ACEC-Canada and the launch of the ACEC-Canada & EFCG Key Financials Survey, a confidential industry benchmarking survey designed to collect and aggregate key business and operating metrics from Canadian AEC firms.

Together, ACEC-Canada and EFCG are working to build a stronger, more comprehensive data foundation for Canadian AEC firms. Participating firms will receive Canada-specific benchmarks and trends they can use to inform decisions, plan for the future, and identify opportunities to improve. The survey will capture a range of financial and operating metrics, including revenue, profitability, balance sheet measures, business mix, productivity, overhead expenses, market dynamics, talent management, and compensation.

All responses will be aggregated, and individual firm data will remain confidential. Participating firms will receive the results, providing them with Canada-specific industry data to better understand trends and compare their performance against peers.

EFCG is proud to partner with ACEC-Canada on this important effort and look forward to supporting Canadian firms with more actionable industry data.

If you have not yet received the survey and would like to participate, please email nnesselbush@efcg.com.

Seven States Sue Federal Government to Void $928M Offshore Wind Lease Cancellation Deal

• Seven states led by New York sued the federal government on June 2, seeking to nullify a $928-million March agreement that let French developer TotalEnergies withdraw from Biden-era offshore wind ocean leases — a $795-million lease for two Attentive Energy projects between New York and New Jersey and a $133-million site pact in North Carolina — in exchange for redirecting refunded payments into Texas oil drilling and gas plant investments.

• The suit, filed by New Jersey, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Vermont alongside New York, calls the arrangement unlawful and seeks to vacate both the lease cancellation and settlement; state officials characterized it as a scheme to pay a foreign energy company to abandon offshore wind, while Interior Secretary Douglas Burgum has defended the deal as voluntary.

• The filing is the latest in a widening legal fight over the administration's clean-energy strategy, following an earlier court reversal of a December construction halt, a separate renewable-industry complaint in Oregon over stalled Defense Dept. national security reviews affecting as many as 160 onshore wind approvals, and pressure from environmental groups on developers such as RWE to abandon rumored buyout negotiations.

• Sector participants are also tracking a fiscal 2027 Interior-Environment spending bill, advanced by a House Appropriations subcommittee in May, that would impose per-turbine inspection fees critics say could far exceed comparable charges on offshore oil and gas — adding cost and permitting uncertainty that bears directly on the engineering, design, and construction firms whose offshore wind project pipelines depend on lease stability and predictable federal policy.

Construction Job Openings Rose 25,000 in April as Contractors Struggle to Fill Positions

• The construction industry had 259,000 job openings on the last day of April, according to an ABC analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Openings rose by 25,000 from March and are up 52,000 from a year earlier — an increase of more than 25% over the past year.

• ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu said the data suggests contractors are increasingly struggling to fill open positions, noting that fewer construction workers were laid off in April than in any month since the first half of 2022, even as openings remain relatively low by historical standards.

• Basu attributed the dynamics largely to immigration policy and the shrinking number of undocumented workers, along with acute shortages of certain trades workers, including those involved in data center construction. Hires reached 323,000 in April, up 17,000 from March but down 26,000 year over year, while total separations fell to 295,000.

• Although contractors remain broadly optimistic about staffing levels over the next six months per ABC's Construction Confidence Index, Basu cautioned that labor availability is unlikely to improve in the near term, which places a persistent constraint on project schedules and bidding capacity for design and construction firms already navigating elevated costs and a megaproject-heavy pipeline.

June 1, 2026

EnSafe, a Tennessee-based environmental consulting and engineering firm, has acquired Porewater Solutions (Porewater), a Canada-based environmental firm specializing in PFAS modeling and visualization, NAPL characterization, site remediation, environmental forensics, litigation support, and technology development. This acquisition enhances EnSafe's ability to deliver data-driven solutions to complex environmental challenges and further strengthens its existing PFAS capabilities. "This acquisition reflects EnSafe's commitment to combining environmental expertise with advanced data and visualization technologies. Porewater's capabilities complement our EIS services and add unique modeling, visualization, and technology-development capabilities that strengthen our role as a trusted advisor in PFAS remediation and defense-related environmental programs." said Don Bradford, President & CEO of EnSafe.

June 1, 2026  

ISG, a Minnesota-based full-service architecture and engineering firm, has acquired R.E. Warner & Associates (R.E. Warner), an Ohio-based engineering and consulting firm specializing in projects requiring unique technical expertise across metals, power, industrial, surveying, chemical infrastructure, and government facilities. This acquisition strengthens ISG's Energy and Food + Industrial Business Units, adds technical depth and capacity, and grows ISG to 20 offices across nine states. "With R.E. Warner, we have added significant depth to our Energy Business Unit, including expertise in substation design and power distribution systems. Their strong background in metals and process-driven facilities also enhances our Food + Industrial work. This combination positions us to better serve clients with complex operational needs," said Lynn Bruns, CEO of ISG.

June 2, 2026 

IMEG, an Illinois-based full-service engineering firm, has acquired Rodriguez Transportation Group (RTG), a Texas-based transportation engineering and planning firm recognized for its expertise in transportation planning, roadway and highway design, traffic engineering, drainage design, and land surveying. This acquisition expands IMEG's infrastructure capabilities in Texas, adding transportation depth to the firm's existing MEP, civil, structural, and subsurface utility engineering services and extending its transportation presence across Texas and the broader southern region. "We are excited to welcome RTG to IMEG and strengthen our infrastructure capabilities in Texas," said Paul VanDuyne, President and CEO of IMEG. "RTG brings specialized expertise, strong public sector relationships, and a proven portfolio that will enhance our ability to serve clients across the state. This partnership positions IMEG for continued growth in Texas and reinforces our commitment to transportation and infrastructure development throughout the U.S. and southern region."

June 2, 2026 

Salas O'Brien, a California-based multidisciplinary engineering design firm, backed by a minority investment from Blackstone, has announced a majority investment in Evolve Steel, an Idaho-based leader in steel fabrication and erection solutions from concept through construction. This investment strengthens both teams' ability to deliver highly coordinated, schedule-driven steel solutions for complex projects across healthcare, mission-critical, manufacturing, and government markets. "Evolve Steel has an impressive reputation for bringing discipline and clarity to structural steel delivery. Their integrated approach and leadership team strengthen our ability to help clients execute complex projects with greater certainty and speed," said Darin Anderson, Chairman & CEO of Salas O'Brien.

June 4, 2026 

Ghafari Associates, a Michigan-based global architecture and engineering firm, has acquired BBG&S Engineering Consultants (BBG&S), an Alabama-based mechanical engineering firm. This acquisition doubles the size of Ghafari's Birmingham office, strengthens the firm's foothold in the Southeastern United States, and further bolsters its mechanical engineering capabilities. "With the addition of the BBG&S team, we welcome a group of experienced professionals with deep local relationships and a strong track record of technical excellence in mechanical engineering," said Kouhaila (Ki) Hammer, President and CEO of Ghafari. "We are excited to continue elevating Ghafari's profile in the burgeoning Southeast region and beyond."

The EFCG Weekly Briefing summarizes the week’s key news in the AEC industry, including M&A updates, and micro- and macro-trends, aggregated from industry-focused and global news sources. 

To send any additional press releases or news from your firm that you would like us to share please email Fatima Moumen at fmoumen@efcg.com.