Homan O’Brien
Homan O'Brien is an Irish consulting engineering firm providing mechanical and electrical (M&E) building services design for healthcare, commercial, residential, educational, and public-sector clients across Ireland and select international markets, now part of Black & White Engineering.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1990
- HeadquartersDublin, Ireland
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Homan O’Brien does
Homan O'Brien is an independent consulting engineering practice specializing in mechanical and electrical (M&E) building services design, headquartered in Booterstown, Dublin, Ireland. Formed in 1990 by the amalgamation of two predecessor firms — Robert Jacob and Partners (1955) and Seamus Homan Associates (1978) — the firm provides full-scope M&E design consulting for complex building projects across healthcare, commercial, residential, educational, and public-sector segments in Ireland, with select international engagements in the Middle East and Africa. Core technical capabilities include HVAC, electrical, plumbing, and fire safety system design, augmented by sustainable engineering solutions (the firm pioneered Ireland's first Ice Bank Thermal Storage System at Beresford Court in 1992), BIM/Revit 3D coordination, BER energy performance certification, and green-building advisory for LEED, BREEAM, WELL, and WiredScore ratings. Underlying technology is conventional building-services engineering practice rather than software or AI products, with dynamic system simulation used to validate energy outcomes (e.g., a 26% energy saving at 70 St Stephens Green).
The firm operates a project-based professional services revenue model, earning design fees scoped against construction value and complexity; pricing is negotiated per engagement and not publicly disclosed. Go-to-market is direct enterprise field sales, with the firm embedded into design teams alongside architects (e.g., RKD, ABK, Wejchert) and engaged via public procurement frameworks (HSE, NDFA, LDA, IDA, Dublin City Council, Roscommon County Council) and private developers/owners (Irish Life, Ballymore, Bon Secours, A&L Goodbody, UCC, Elkstone). Marketing is largely reputation-driven, anchored by ACEI, RIAI, CMG, Cityscape, and Hospital Build awards; NSAI-registered ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, and ISO 45001:2018 certifications; and affiliations with Engineers Ireland, ACEI, CIBSE, ASHRAE, IHEEM, and FEANI. As of September 2025, Homan O'Brien has been acquired by and operates as part of Black & White Engineering, transitioning from an independent Irish practice to a subsidiary within a larger international M&E engineering group.
Homan O’Brien firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Homan O’Brien
- Legal name
- Homan O'Brien
- Website
- https://homanobrien.ie
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1990
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Homan O'Brien is an Irish consulting engineering firm providing mechanical and electrical (M&E) building services design for healthcare, commercial, residential, educational, and public-sector clients across Ireland and select international markets, now part of Black & White Engineering.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Homan O’Brien industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Engineering Consulting Services
- NAICS
- Engineering Services (54133), Engineering Services (541330)
- SIC
- Services-Engineering Services (8711), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sustainable/Green Building & LEED Consulting (BPAHAKAG)
Keywords
Where Homan O’Brien is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Dublin
- HQ country
- Ireland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Homan O’Brien business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Engineering Consulting Services: Homan O'Brien provides mechanical and electrical engineering design services for construction projects, working with architects, developers, and government bodies on new builds and refurbishments across commercial, healthcare, educational, and residential sectors.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Homan O’Brien product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Homan O'Brien is a consulting engineering practice delivering mechanical and electrical (M&E) design services for buildings. The firm provides comprehensive M&E engineering design for new builds and refurbishments, including HVAC, electrical systems, plumbing, fire safety, BIM/Revit modeling, energy performance certification, and sustainability certification consulting (LEED, BREEAM, WELL, WiredScore). Services are delivered primarily to enterprise, government, healthcare, educational, and real estate developer clients in Ireland, with selected international projects in the Middle East and Africa.
Product overview
Homan O'Brien is a consulting engineering practice providing Mechanical and Electrical (M&E) Design Services. The company operates as a single unified service offering centered on engineering consulting rather than a software product or platform. Their core services include M&E engineering design, sustainable engineering design solutions, BIM/Revit services, and sustainability certification consulting. They specialize in designing complex building systems for sectors including commercial, healthcare, educational, residential, and public buildings. The company is recognized as a pioneer in sustainable engineering in Ireland since 1956.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Mechanical and Electrical (M&E) Engineering Design Services Comprehensive mechanical and electrical engineering design consulting for buildings, providing full M&E design services including heating, ventilation, air conditioning, electrical systems, plumbing, and fire safety. Delivered to enterprise, government, healthcare, educational, and real estate developer clients on new builds and refurbishments.
- Sustainable Engineering Design Solutions Pioneering sustainable engineering design solutions including renewable energy technologies, energy-efficient systems, and green building certifications. Includes the original Ice Bank Thermal Storage System design and night-time ice generation with waste heat reuse systems achieving 26% energy savings through dynamic system simulation.
- Sustainability and Green Building Certification Consulting Expert guidance and consulting on achieving green building certifications including LEED, BREEAM, WELL, and WiredScore ratings for commercial, healthcare, residential, and public buildings.
Quantifiable outcome
- Achieved 26% energy saving through dynamic system simulation (70 St Stephens Green)
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Homan O’Brien
Customer profileNamed customers15 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Homan O’Brien technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Homan O’Brien partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Black & White EngineeringcoreHoman O'Brien is now part of Black & White Engineering, expanding the combined organization's capabilities in mechanical and electrical engineering services.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Homan O’Brien competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Cundall: International multi-disciplinary engineering consultancy with strong building services (MEP) and sustainability consulting offering. Directly comparable on M&E design and net-zero / sustainable building expertise, serving similar developer and enterprise clients.
- Ethos Engineering: Irish mechanical and electrical building services engineering consultancy. Directly comparable on M&E design scope, target client base (developers, healthcare, public sector), and Irish market focus; a primary domestic competitor for Homan O'Brien on commercial and healthcare projects.
- Hoare Lea: UK-based MEP building services engineering consultancy with sustainability and net-zero design expertise. Highly comparable in service scope (M&E design, sustainability consulting) and customer segments (developers, healthcare, public sector), though primarily UK-focused rather than Irish.
- O'Connor Sutton Cronin: Irish consulting engineering firm with M&E, civil, and structural expertise serving commercial, healthcare, residential, and public sector clients. Directly comparable to Homan O'Brien in Irish M&E consulting market positioning and client mix.
- Punch Consulting Engineers: Irish multidisciplinary engineering consultancy providing civil, structural, mechanical, and electrical engineering services. Competes with Homan O'Brien on public sector infrastructure, healthcare, and commercial developments across Ireland.
Broad incumbents
- Arup: Global engineering consultancy with a large Irish presence providing multidisciplinary design services including building services engineering. Competes for the same healthcare, public sector, and developer mandates as Homan O'Brien, but at significantly larger scale with broader capabilities.
- Black & White Engineering: Parent company of Homan O'Brien since September 2025; a multi-disciplinary building services engineering consultancy with broader geographic reach and a wider service portfolio. Directly comparable as a building services design firm, but operates at significantly larger scale and brand.
- WSP: Global professional services consultancy with substantial Irish operations in buildings, healthcare, and sustainable design. A broader incumbent that overlaps with Homan O'Brien on M&E building services, sustainability certification, and large infrastructure mandates.
- Mott MacDonald: Global engineering consultancy with healthcare, buildings, and sustainability expertise and an established Irish presence. Competes on healthcare and PPP projects similar to those delivered by Homan O'Brien (Courts Bundle PPP, hospital design).
- BDP (Building Design Partnership): International interdisciplinary practice of architects, engineers, and designers with building services engineering as a core offering. Comparable as a multidisciplinary consultancy with M&E design capabilities serving healthcare, education, and commercial sectors.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Homan O’Brien social profiles
Digital presenceHoman O’Brien compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance9 records
Homan O’Brien financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Homan O’Brien leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Homan O’Brien funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Homan O’Brien M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Homan O’Brien
What does Homan O’Brien do?
Homan O'Brien is a consulting engineering practice delivering mechanical and electrical (M&E) design services for buildings. The firm provides comprehensive M&E engineering design for new builds and refurbishments, including HVAC, electrical systems, plumbing, fire safety, BIM/Revit modeling, energy performance certification, and sustainability certification consulting (LEED, BREEAM, WELL, WiredScore). Services are delivered primarily to enterprise, government, healthcare, educational, and real estate developer clients in Ireland, with selected international projects in the Middle East and Africa.
Is Homan O’Brien a public or private company?
Homan O’Brien is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Homan O’Brien founded?
Homan O’Brien was founded in 1990. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Homan O’Brien based?
Homan O’Brien is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, in the Europe region.
How does Homan O’Brien make money?
One revenue line is on record: engineering Consulting Services.
Who are Homan O’Brien's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Cundall, Ethos Engineering, Hoare Lea, O'Connor Sutton Cronin and Punch Consulting Engineers. Broad incumbents are Arup, Black & White Engineering, WSP, Mott MacDonald and BDP (Building Design Partnership).
Does Homan O’Brien have an API?
No public API is recorded for Homan O’Brien.
What industry is Homan O’Brien in?
Homan O’Brien's product category is Engineering Consulting Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAKAG, Sustainable/Green Building & LEED Consulting. Its NAICS code is 54133 and its SIC code is 8711.