Sustainable projects can contribute to promoting financial growth and stability. They can create increased living opportunities for people to live in an up and coming area.
The Shepherd Engineering Search team has decided to take it to our clients to learn more about how they are implementing sustainable practices within their organizations.
dk Consulting is among several leading firms that promote sustainable solutions whenever possible. They provide solutions that significantly impact their clients and various communities – rural, small towns, and large cities.
Today we are sharing some elements on how dk Consulting (based in Walnut Creek, California) has and is rolling out sustainable practices.
Values that set dk Consulting apart
“Our firm has always taken an active position in minimizing environmental impact and we have a passionate group of professionals working toward those interests,” said Andrew Palffy, P.E., President of dk Consulting.
dk Consulting aims to take innovative ideas and transform them into cost effective and environmentally sound working projects. They believe in collaboration, transparency and dedication to implement sustainable solutions.
They strive to create solutions that highlight the natural beauty of the environment, maximizing the benefit of their client’s projects and communities. They believe in incorporating multiple elements that respect the needs of public agencies and clients. Their desire is to create successful solutions that satisfy their requirements on each project while adding value to the environment and client.
They provide cutting-edge engineering design solutions in a wide variety of areas including windfarms, water and waste water, pavement design, adaptive re-use, and surveying.
Building a sustainable future through innovation and best practices
In both their collaborative office and in high-profile projects they execute for their clients, dk Consulting is an advocate for cutting-edge sustainable solutions.
In their office they have pro-actively adopted several business practices that limit their carbon footprint and raise environmental consciousness. One example is the use of electronic plan checks, which can be made without the need for paper, toner, and ink. dk Consulting also encourages sustainability within their office environment through controlled indoor lighting systems and office wide recycling programs. These best practices within their work environment compliment their vision of increased sustainability in all they do.
Palffy also shared that, “Our interest peaked in sustainability at the time we became involved in wind farm projects. Sustainability presented a challenge that both enthused the dk Consulting team as well as challenged us to explore new design and engineering approaches. Particularly exciting was the promise of sustainable technology to drive cleaner engineering solutions for our clients.”
As much as 30% of dk Consulting’s work today focuses on designing windfarms. They have been doing this work for over 10 years. Windfarms effectively harness natural wind energy and minimize the use of fossil fuels. Today, renewable energy projects including wind farms are essential in reducing fossil fuel use across the nation and globally.
In addition to windfarm projects, dk Consulting also strives to seamlessly integrate stormwater treatment facilities throughout projects, ensuring they are features rather than afterthoughts. These systems treat and reduce drainage flows back to pre-development conditions, lessening the impact on existing storm drain systems, further reducing potential flooding.
During one of their projects in San Ramon, California, they deployed stormwater basins and maximized infiltration by incorporating pervious concrete. The project benefited the City of San Ramon, their neighbors, and the environment by reducing existing water from the site by 70%-90%. On another project with the City of Oakley, California, they successfully incorporated pervious concrete within the public right of way. The City is using this project as a test case to potentially make pervious concrete a city standard to reduce flooding.
dk Consulting also works on adaptive re-use projects in densely urban areas. These projects prolong the life of buildings by re-using the existing structures, or portion thereof, and applying other sustainable systems. dk Consulting has worked on transforming under-performing buildings into profitable mixed-use, hotels, retail businesses, restaurants, and residential housing.
In Oakland, California, on a current project, they are preserving beautiful historical facades and other existing features and incorporating them into new building designs.
dk Consulting also uses the latest sustainable technology in their projects. One great example of that is deploying drones in surveying projects. Drones are far more economical than trucks and get the same or better results while minimizing pollution and maximizing efficiency.
How dk Consulting is driving significant change through sustainable design
dk Consulting is driven to increasing sustainability in all that they do, incorporating sustainable solutions everyday within their office and throughout their projects. Their projects benefit the respective communities and their clients. They have the rare ability to create solutions that bridge their client’s vision and public agencies’ requirements. Palffy says “the ethos of dk Consulting extends from its leadership in civil engineering, planning and surveying to the broader issues of sustainability,” adding “We also strive to create an inspirational work environment for our team, drawing on our community heart and global mind.”
Are you interested in joining dk Consulting?
Shepherd Engineering Search is currently recruiting on their behalf for team players at the Project Engineer to Project Manager levels that can contribute to civil engineering design, preparing and reviewing documents for a variety of projects, and working with clients. Please contact Stephanie Shimek directly, at 530-470-2985 or steph@shepherdsg.com, if you are interested in learning more or applying for these opportunities.
Are you interested in utilizing dk Consulting’s services for your project needs?
If so, you are welcome to contact them via dk@dkconsultinginc.com or 925-932-6868.
