What KCL Engineering does

KCL Engineering is a privately held, employee-owned MEPT (Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, Technology) consulting engineering firm founded in 2008 by Kris Kunze and headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa. With approximately 80 team members across six U.S. offices (Des Moines, Eugene, Phoenix, Iowa City, Oklahoma City, and Atlanta) plus project offices in Portland and Melbourne, FL, the firm delivers integrated engineering design services to commercial, institutional, government, and industrial clients. Service lines span mechanical engineering (HVAC, plumbing, geothermal, central plant), electrical engineering (power distribution, arc flash hazard studies, lighting design), technology systems (telecom, security, A/V, IoT), and building energy and performance consulting (energy modeling, commissioning, life cycle analysis).

The firm operates a portfolio of specialty practices alongside its core MEPT offering, including Theme and Thrill Lighting (proprietary effects software distributed through Ride Entertainment and applied to attractions at Knott's Berry Farm and Adventureland Park), Sports Lighting Design (Yankee Stadium, Hard Rock Stadium, Safeco Field, Wells Fargo Arena), Mission Critical Engineering (data center work for Nationwide, Wells Fargo, Wellmark, Aviva, and the U.S. Department of Defense), Performance Venue Engineering (via a partnership with About The Stage), and Arc Flash Hazard Studies using SKM PTW32 and EasyPower. Technical recognition includes ASHRAE Region VI Technology Awards, multiple IES Illumination Awards, and EPA-recognized energy performance work.

Revenue is generated through project-based professional services fees under consultative pricing; specific pricing is not publicly disclosed. The go-to-market model is enterprise-field sales oriented, combining direct project engagements with end clients, design-team collaborations with architects and general contractors, and referrals from prior engagements. The firm segments its work by vertical: K-12 education (125+ school districts), higher education, healthcare, government and military (US Air Force, Iowa National Guard, Iowa Veterans Home, DoD), industrial and manufacturing (John Deere, Danfoss, Catalao Brazil facility), mission critical data centers, sports venues, theme parks, and commercial (Edward Jones, VooDoo Doughnuts). Ownership rests with 14 employee principals under an internal promotion model, with no disclosed external institutional investors.

Name

KCL Engineering

Legal name

KCL Engineering

Website

https://kclengineering.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

KCL Engineering is an employee-owned MEPT (Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, Technology) consulting firm delivering integrated engineering design and specialty services such as sports, mission critical, and theme lighting to commercial, institutional, government, and industrial clients from six U.S. offices.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Engineering Consulting Services

NAICS

Engineering Services (54133)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro primary industry

MEP (Mechanical, Electrical & Plumbing) Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAE)

Keywords

• Mechanical engineering consulting
• Electrical engineering services
• Building systems design
• MEP engineering services
• Energy efficiency consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

West Des Moines

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Engineering Consulting Services: Project-based consulting fees for mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and technology engineering design services across commercial, institutional, and industrial sectors.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

KCL Engineering is a MEPT (Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, Technology) consulting engineering firm that delivers integrated building systems design, commissioning, energy consulting, and specialty lighting design for commercial, institutional, industrial, and mission critical facilities. The firm operates through four core service lines (mechanical, electrical, plumbing, technology) plus specialized practices including theme and thrill lighting, sports lighting, performance venue engineering, and mission critical infrastructure.

Product overview

KCL Engineering is a MEPT (Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, Technology) consulting engineering firm offering a unified portfolio of integrated engineering services rather than discrete software products. The core offering consists of four interconnected service lines: Mechanical Engineering Services (HVAC, plumbing, fire protection), Electrical Engineering Services (power distribution, lighting, arc flash studies), Technology Engineering Services (telecommunications, security, audio/video), and Building Energy & Performance Services. These are supplemented by specialized practice areas including Theme & Thrill Lighting for entertainment venues, Sports Lighting Design for athletic facilities, Performance Venue Engineering through a partnership with About The Stage, and Mission Critical Engineering for data centers. The firm also operates KCL University as a professional development and training hub. Services are delivered across six office locations serving markets including K-12 education, healthcare, higher education, industrial, civic, senior living, commercial, and mission critical facilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mechanical Engineering Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 54% Annual kBTU Savings - Knoxville CSD Middle School
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers27 records

Segments11 records

Ideal customer profiles8 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Vets2PMcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Vets2PM's SkillBridge Initiative offering veterans a focused pathway into MEPT consulting. Vets2PM has supported more than 18,000 individuals in successfully launching post-service careers. KCL University is a 90-day immersive training program mirroring collegiate engineering internship experience with hands-on training, mentorship, and real-world project exposure.
• Ride EntertainmentcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerIndustry giant Ride Entertainment offers KCL Engineering's lighting system as part of their product line. The partnership reinforces Ride Entertainment's promise to continuously seek out and provide clients the most value-added features on the market. KCL's effects software is offered through Ride Entertainment's distribution.
• About The StagecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with About The Stage, a specialized theatre consulting firm led by Chris Tilton with 25 years of experience in venue operations, functional planning, and theatrical design. The partnership provides integrated artistic, operational, and technical viewpoints for performance venue projects.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• IMEG Corp: Top-tier U.S. MEP/technology engineering consulting firm with comparable service portfolio (mechanical, electrical, plumbing, technology, building performance) and similar vertical mix including healthcare, higher education, mission critical, and government. Closest scaling comp in scale, multi-office delivery, and owner/employee culture.
• Henderson Engineers: Privately-held building engineering consultancy specializing in MEP, lighting, and technology systems. Highly comparable in service mix, employee-ownership culture, multi-office model, and entertainment/sports client wins.
• Interface Engineering: MEP and technology engineering consultancy with comparable integrated MEPT service offering and similar higher education, healthcare, and commercial/institutional client base. Closely aligned on technology engineering and energy performance focus.
• HEAPY: Mid-size MEP engineering firm with comparable service breadth across healthcare, higher education, and government markets. Similar right-size profile to KCL, including energy/sustainability practice and integrated MEPT delivery.
• Smith Seckman Reid: Multi-discipline engineering consultancy (MEP, structural, technology, commissioning) serving healthcare, higher education, government, and industrial clients — directly overlapping KCL's vertical specialization and project-based consulting model.
• ME Engineers: MEP/technology engineering consultancy with a specifically analogous specialty in sports venues, entertainment facilities, and theme parks — directly competing for the same marquee entertainment projects (stadiums, arenas, amusement parks) KCL targets.
• CMTA: Engineering consultancy known for MEP systems and energy/sustainability consulting across healthcare, education, government, and commercial markets. Comparable to KCL's energy modeling, commissioning, and institutional client focus.

Broad incumbents

• Burns & McDonnell: Large, employee-owned engineering, architecture, and construction firm with broad MEP and mission critical practice across industrial, healthcare, and government — competes with KCL on large mission critical and federal work but operates at much greater scale with broader service line.
• Stantec: Global engineering services firm offering MEP/technology and mission critical design at much larger scale, often selected by Fortune 500 enterprise clients for national multi-site programs where KCL operates regionally.
• Affiliated Engineers: Established engineering consultancy specializing in MEP, central plants, and mission critical facilities for universities, healthcare, and industry — broader portfolio than KCL with deeper tenured institutional client relationships and similar employee-ownership roots.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/kclengineering
• Facebookfacebook.com/KCLEngineering
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kcl-engineering
• Instagraminstagram.com/kcl_engineering

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 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 KCL Engineering