May is Michael Baker International’s Founding Month. Over the past 84 years, our firm has established a strong tradition of Making a Difference, and we have evolved and grown to ensure we make an even greater impact for future generations. As part of our Founding Month celebrations, we caught up with each of the Presidents of our five distinct Verticals – Infrastructure, Design-Build Services, Federal Programs and Services, Consulting and Technology Solutions (CTS) and Sustainable and Resilient Solutions (SRS) – to discuss Michael Baker’s past, present and future.
Today, we hear from Dennis Berlien, P.E., President – Sustainable and Resilient Solutions. In this role, Dennis is focused on delivering sustainable and resilient mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP), structural and fire protection solutions to the complex infrastructure challenges of the firm’s clients. Additionally, Dennis serves as Chief Executive Officer for Akela, which serves as a sister company of Michael Baker.
Michael Baker: What is a significant change that you’ve seen at Michael Baker during your career here?
Dennis Berlien: In May 2023, we introduced the Sustainable and Resilient Solutions (SRS) Vertical, bringing together Michael Baker’s MEP, structural engineering, telecommunications, cybersecurity and fire protection services. By bringing all of these capabilities together, we are taking a national approach and have increased our knowledge-sharing across these areas.
Over the past year, I have seen the benefits of increased collaboration across offices and a commitment to thinking outside the box as we identify the right solutions to solve our clients’ most complex infrastructure challenges. We’ve already made a lot of progress with new internal promotions and I look forward to seeing where our continued evolution takes us.
Michael Baker: What is an important trend happening in our industry where Michael Baker can have a major impact in the future?
Dennis Berlien: With buildings being responsible for roughly 40% of emissions globally, Michael Baker is uniquely qualified to make an impact with our expertise in site selection, building MEP systems, energy modeling and commissioning.
Aging infrastructure in federal and commercial buildings necessitates a paradigm shift and digitizing buildings offers powerful tools to reduce carbon emissions and create a more sustainable future in several ways.
Digitalization of buildings empowers building owners and occupants. It accelerates decarbonization while enhancing comfort, productivity, and resilience. Achieving net zero emissions requires transforming our built environment and digitization is a key enabler. Once you have a digital twin of a building, smart buildings can then intelligently adapt to occupants’ needs with sensors and controls to create efficient and responsive structures.
Our SRS team is already leading the way in making buildings more sustainable and resilient, and we will continue to grow and evolve our technology-forward solutions to support the ever-changing needs of building infrastructure.
Michael Baker: What advice do you have for our fellow Wolf Pack members as we continue to write new chapters in our company’s legacy of excellence?
Dennis Berlien: Be a lifelong learner by staying current with industry trends and taking opportunities to grow. Share your thoughts with leadership and don’t be afraid to take action.
Michael Baker: What are the biggest opportunities for Michael Baker this year?
Dennis Berlien: Our company has built its legacy on a diverse culture of innovation. As technology evolves, we too are evolving our capabilities and expertise in sustainable and resilient engineering, digital twins, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence (AI). For example, we’re exploring the benefits of AI for design optimization, automating repetitive tasks, code analysis and marketing analysis.
To continue our momentum as we head toward Michael Baker’s 85th year, we will continue to act as a true Wolf Pack – that is, we are stronger together – by working across Practices and geographies to assemble the best project teams to meet our clients’ needs.
Michael Baker: ‘What’s Next’ for your vertical?
Dennis Berlien: Within SRS, we will capitalize on increased data computing around AI, which includes design for high-tech buildings infrastructure upgrades and secure facilities.
For our team, we will continue to provide opportunities for professional and leadership development, as we also continue to focus on technical excellence. We’ve already seen impressive growth within our vertical, with many promotions and new hires.
Michael Baker: Tell us about a “Making a Difference Moment” that exemplifies how our Wolf Pack is Making a Difference for our company, our clients and/or our communities.
Dennis Berlien: Within the SRS and Akela teams, there have been a few significant life challenges that our colleagues have had to face. Seeing how the teams have responded and supported each other and our clients during these challenging times has been a great reminder of “Making a Difference” in people’s and family’s lives.