Urban Design Consulting Engineers

What Urban Design Consulting Engineers does

Urban Design Consulting Engineers (UDCE) is a privately held civil engineering consulting firm headquartered in San Francisco with a second office in Oakland, founded in 2005 by Principal Jason J. Ling, PE, a UC Berkeley civil engineering graduate with 28+ years of experience. The firm provides integrated civil engineering services for urban infill sites across the San Francisco Bay Area and Northern California, including site development, grading and drainage, utility services and locating, streetscape and pedestrian design, water detention/retention/infiltration, creek improvements, and land use entitlements and permitting. UDCE holds State-Qualified Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP QSD/QSP) certification, Certified Local Business Enterprise (LBE) status with the City and County of San Francisco, and supports an in-house licensed general contractor for QA/QC.

UDCE's core service lines are Civil Engineering, Joint Trench / Dry Utilities (substructure design for gas, electric, streetlights, phone and data with multi-agency coordination), Stormwater Management (permanent and temporary SWPPP, including coordination with SFPUC), and Street Lighting Photometrics & Design. Project experience spans $600M LEED Gold mixed-use towers, the 28-acre Mission Rock master-planned development with 1,500 units, and more than 9,000 units of affordable and supportive housing delivered to the Bay Area in recent years, across families, seniors, veterans, persons with disabilities, and people experiencing homelessness.

The business operates as a project-based professional services firm billed against scope and complexity, with no publicly disclosed pricing. UDCE serves three primary customer segments: affordable housing developers (Mercy Housing California, BRIDGE Housing, MidPen Housing, Related California, Resources for Community Development, Chinatown Community Development, Episcopal Community Services, Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corp, Alta Housing), architectural firms (David Baker Architects, Paulett Taggart Architects, Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects, Van Meter Williams Pollack, Studio Gang, SOM, Gensler, WRNS Studio), and government agencies (SF Public Works, Oakland Public Works, SFUSD, OUSD, Bay Area Headquarters Authority, SFO). Distribution is 100% direct engagement, with marketing driven by website portfolio, LinkedIn, Instagram, and industry awards including the 2023 AIA National Housing Award, multiple PCBC Golden Nugget Awards, and C40 Reinventing Cities recognition.

Name

Urban Design Consulting Engineers

Legal name

Urban Design Consulting Engineers

Website

https://urbandesignce.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Urban Design Consulting Engineers (UDCE) is a San Francisco-founded civil engineering consulting firm serving affordable housing developers, architectural firms, and government agencies across the Bay Area with site development, joint trench and dry utility design, stormwater management, and street lighting services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Civil Engineering Consulting Services

NAICS

Surveying and Mapping (except Geophysical) Services (541370), Environmental Consulting Services (54162)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro primary industry

Civil & Structural Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAA)

Keywords

• Civil engineering consulting
• Urban site development
• Stormwater management design
• Joint trench utility design
• Street lighting photometrics

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Civil Engineering Consulting Services: Professional consulting fees for civil engineering design services including site development, grading and drainage, utility design, stormwater management, and street lighting. Services provided to developers, architects, and government agencies on a project-by-project basis.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

UDCE delivers civil engineering consulting services for urban site development in the San Francisco Bay Area, with four service lines: Civil Engineering (site development, grading, drainage, streetscape, water detention/retention/infiltration, and entitlements/permitting), Joint Trench/Dry Utilities (coordination and design for gas, electric, streetlights, phone and data), Stormwater Management (SWPPP QSD/QSP services for buildings, streetscapes, and construction sites), and Street Lighting Photometrics & Design. Engagements are delivered as direct, project-based consulting contracts with developers, architects, and government agencies.

Product overview

Urban Design Consulting Engineers (UDCE) is a civil engineering consulting firm offering a unified suite of services centered on sustainable urban development. The company's core offerings include Civil Engineering (site development, grading, drainage, utilities, streetscape design, and SWPPP services), Joint Trench/Dry Utilities (comprehensive utility design and coordination for gas, electric, streetlights, phone and data), Street Lighting Photometrics & Design, and Stormwater Management services. UDCE positions itself as project partners providing end-to-end civil engineering design from site assessment through permits and approvals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Civil Engineering Services Comprehensive civil engineering services for urban environments including site development, grading and drainage, utility services and locating, streetscape and pedestrian design, water detention/retention/infiltration/harvesting/re-use systems, creek improvements, SWPPP QSP/QSD services, and land use entitlements and permitting. Delivered for developers, architects, and government agencies in the San Francisco Bay Area.
• Joint Trench / Dry Utilities Design Joint trench and dry utility design and coordination services covering gas, electric, streetlights, phone, and data utilities, including substructure design, utility agency applications, vault and cabinet coordination, temporary electric service, utility scheduling, contract review, tariff review, and advocacy for sound solutions on behalf of clients.
• Stormwater Management Services Permanent and temporary stormwater management solutions for buildings, streetscapes, and construction sites, including Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) development, QSD/QSP services, and coordination with SFPUC for compliance with San Francisco's stormwater requirements.
• Street Lighting Photometrics & Design Urban street lighting design services including city/agency coordination, lighting representative and manufacturer consultation, and design through energization, covering San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, and surrounding communities using standard LED luminaires or high-design lighting fixtures.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 9,000 units of affordable and supportive housing delivered to the Bay Area
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers18 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• David Baker ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term collaborative relationship on affordable housing projects. UDCE provides joint trench design and coordination for projects including Tahanan modular housing. Partnership based on shared values and repeated successful project delivery.
• Paulett Taggart ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership on award-winning Sister Lillian Murphy Community which won 2023 AIA National Housing Award. UDCE provided dry utility/joint trench design services.
• Van Meter Williams PollackcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing partnership on multiple projects including motel conversions (Eureka House, Bell Street Gardens) and affordable housing developments. Projects have won PCBC Golden Nugget Awards.
• Mercy Housing CaliforniacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor client-partner for affordable housing development including Tahanan (145-unit), 1064 Mission Street (largest supportive housing in SF), Sister Lillian Murphy Community, and Kelsey Civic Center.
• BRIDGE HousingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on affordable housing development including Mission Bay South Block 9 and Montara (award-winning).
• Leddy Maytum Stacy ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on award-winning projects including Nueva School and Victory Village, both PCBC Golden Nugget Award winners.
• WRNS StudiocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign partnership on Kelsey Civic Center - 100% affordable, fully-accessible, all-electric zero carbon housing development that won Reinventing Cities competition.
• MidPen HousingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on Shirley Chisholm Village Educator Housing - award-winning on-the-boards project.
• Community Housing PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on Mission Bay South Block 9 affordable housing project (141 units).
• Resources for Community DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on Victory Village Senior Apartments (award-winning) and motel conversion projects.
• BKF EngineersminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCivil engineering support partnership on Mission Rock Phase 1 development. UDCE provides civil engineering services and stormwater management in support of BKF.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• GHD: Global engineering, architecture, and environmental consulting firm with California civil infrastructure and water/stormwater practices. Competes on larger public infrastructure and site development projects in the Bay Area.
• AECOM: Global infrastructure consulting firm with extensive civil, transportation, water, and environmental practices in the Bay Area. Competes for larger public works, site development, and stormwater programs where UDCE operates as a subconsultant.
• Kimley-Horn: National engineering, planning, and consulting firm with a substantial site/civil and land development practice across California. Competes with UDCE on larger residential and mixed-use pursuits with deeper staffing.
• Langan Engineering & Environmental Services: Large multi-disciplinary engineering and environmental services firm with strong Bay Area presence in site/civil, geotechnical, and environmental consulting. Overlaps UDCE's site civil work but operates at much greater scale and breadth.

Direct peers

• BKF Engineers: California-headquartered civil engineering firm providing site development, surveying, and transportation design across the Bay Area. Most directly comparable to UDCE in service mix and geography; already partners with UDCE on the Mission Rock project.
• Sandis Civil Engineers: Bay Area civil engineering and surveying firm offering land development, site design, and infrastructure services. Comparable service mix to UDCE across residential, commercial, and public-sector infill projects.
• Cornerstone Earth Group: Bay Area civil and geotechnical engineering firm serving developers, architects, and public agencies on residential, commercial, and public projects. Similar boutique scale and Bay Area infill housing exposure as UDCE.
• ENGEO: Bay Area geotechnical and civil engineering consultancy serving real estate developers, public agencies, and architects. Comparable client base and Bay Area focus, with overlapping site development and infrastructure work.
• Sherwood Design Engineers: Bay Area civil engineering firm focused on sustainable urban site design, stormwater, and utility infrastructure. Overlaps UDCE on infill housing, joint trench, and stormwater permitting work with a similar sustainability orientation.
• HMH Engineers: San Francisco-based civil and structural engineering firm serving public agencies and private developers on infrastructure, site development, and building projects. Directly comparable in size, geography, and client mix.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/urban-design-consulting-engineers
• Instagraminstagram.com/urbandesignconsultingengineers
• Xx.com/urbandesignce
• Facebookfacebook.com/urbandesignce

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Urban Design Consulting Engineers