Gary Dahms’ 2022 Industry Predictions

December 1, 2021

As we continue to navigate uncertain times, T&M Associates is helping our private and public clients prepare for whatever the future may bring. Gary Dahms, PE, PP, President and CEO of T&M Associates, recently spoke to Commerce Magazine about his predictions for the civil engineering, construction management and environmental engineering industries in 2022. An expanded version of his commentary appears below.

In November, Congress passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal, which the White House has described as “a once-in-a-generation investment in our nation’s infrastructure and competitiveness.” This historic $1-trillion legislation is expected to add 1.5 million jobs per year over the next decade, and will include major investments in clean water, transportation options, and roads and bridges with a focus on storm resilience and climate change mitigation. “No one can dispute the impact that recent storms, like Henri and Ida, have had on our region,” Dahms says. “Here in New Jersey, we’ll see $12 billion invested in our infrastructure in the coming years, including more than 500 bridges in need of repair or replacement, and we can expect this to be the top trend driving our industry.”

Dahms also predicts that the industry will continue its rapid evolution into a paperless business, as companies settle into what may be a permanent remote or hybrid workforce model. Recent headlines, such as those concerning the emergence of new COVID-19 variants, are a sobering reminder that companies must remain agile and flexible. “We have moved beyond the era of engineers rolling out big plans and blueprints on a table,” Dahms says. “Here at T&M Associates, we had an entire room set up for plotting and printing and binding. We’ve basically gotten rid of it. Technology is advancing rapidly, and we not only have new and improved ways of sharing and presenting information, but also more sophisticated tools for designing, modeling, and forecasting every ‘what if’ scenario.”

The industry’s approach to social responsibility has become a driving focus for countless companies, and Dahms is encouraging the company’s partners and clients to pay close attention to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) considerations. “Investors and M&A professionals have long known that ESG plays a key role in valuation, but it also impacts how clients view a company, as well as both long-term employees and new recruits,” he says. “Our economy is rebounding, and the Department of Labor made headlines recently when they announced that U.S. jobless claims have plunged to their lowest levels in more than 50 years. It’s a very competitive labor market, and companies seeking to recruit and retain strong talent must do much more than offer a steady paycheck.” Lastly, Dahms is paying close attention to the region’s shift toward a future that is less dependent on fossil fuels. “This comes back to the topic of resilience and infrastructure,” Dahms says. “Our carbon footprint won’t shrink overnight, but companies and municipalities should be thinking about what infrastructure changes will be needed to accommodate a greener tomorrow. Will gas stations become charging stations? What are the implications of New Jersey’s Ocean Wind project? The time for stakeholders to be thinking about and preparing for a carbon-neutral future is now — today.”