Crime Lab Design

What Crime Lab Design does

Crime Lab Design (CLD) is a privately held, US-based architectural and engineering firm founded in 1997 that provides integrated architecture, mechanical/electrical/plumbing engineering, lab planning, and equipment planning services exclusively for forensic science facilities. The firm designs crime laboratories, medical examiner and coroner offices, AFIS facilities, and evidence storage buildings for government clients at federal, state, and local levels, with a current portfolio exceeding 150 project assignments spanning more than 10 million square feet and $2.5 billion in construction value. The firm holds 13 national office locations and has delivered international projects in markets including Singapore and Kuwait. Its technical capabilities include needs assessment, space programming, laboratory planning, specialized equipment planning, and MEP engineering with deep expertise in forensic-specific requirements such as evidence chain of custody, hazardous ventilation, BSL-3 suites, and accreditation standards (ASCLD/LAB, NAME, ISO 17025). A proprietary tool, the Space and Budget Estimating Resource (SABER), supports early-stage space and budget projection for prospective clients.

The firm generates revenue through professional services engagements sold on a project basis via government RFP processes, with sales cycles that span from initial needs assessment through design and construction administration. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is determined by project scope, facility size, and client requirements. The go-to-market motion is direct enterprise field sales to government agencies, supplemented by industry conference participation (ASCLD, AAFS, IAC&ME), educational webinars, and articles in trade publications such as Forensic Magazine. The firm's website serves as a portfolio and lead-generation channel with RFP upload functionality. Notable clients include the FBI, Wisconsin Department of Justice, Maricopa County, Phoenix Police Department, Harris County, New Mexico Department of Public Safety, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and the US Fish & Wildlife Service, with project sizes ranging from approximately 15,000 SF to over 460,000 SF. The firm is founder-led, with Ken Mohr as Founder and Senior Forensic Laboratory Subject Matter Expert, and operates without disclosed external equity, venture capital, or private equity backing.

Name

Crime Lab Design

Legal name

Crime Lab Design

Website

https://crimelabdesign.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Crime Lab Design is a US-based architectural and engineering firm founded in 1997 that provides integrated design, engineering, and lab planning services exclusively for government forensic science facilities, including crime labs, medical examiner offices, and evidence storage buildings.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Forensic Facility Architecture and Engineering

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131), Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (5413)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Forensic Science & Crime Laboratories (Justice System Support) (BPAIAFAI)

Keywords

• Forensic facility design
• Crime laboratory planning
• Medical examiner facilities
• Forensic engineering services
• Architectural lab planning

Headquarters

HQ city

Southfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices13 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Professional Services - Architecture and Engineering: Crime Lab Design generates revenue through integrated architectural and engineering services for forensic facility projects. Services include needs assessments, programming, laboratory planning, MEP engineering, equipment planning, and construction administration. Projects range from initial planning phases through full design and construction oversight.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Crime Lab Design provides integrated architectural, engineering, and lab planning services exclusively for forensic science facilities, including crime laboratories, medical examiner offices, AFIS laboratories, and evidence storage facilities. Services span needs assessments, programming, laboratory planning, MEP engineering, and equipment planning through construction administration. The firm offers a proprietary Space and Budget Estimating Resource (SABER) tool that provides space and budget projections for early-stage facility planning.

Product overview

Crime Lab Design provides integrated architectural, engineering, and lab planning services for the forensic science community. Their core offering is the Space and Budget Estimating Resource (SABER) tool combined with comprehensive architecture, engineering, consulting, and programming/planning services. They specialize in designing forensic facilities including crime laboratories, medical examiner offices, AFIS laboratories, and evidence storage facilities. Their integrated approach combines architecture and engineering from a project's beginning to deliver collaborative design processes for facilities that house specialized spaces including DNA/forensic biology, toxicology, controlled substances, firearms, trace evidence, latent prints, autopsy suites, and evidence storage.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Space and Budget Estimating Resource (SABER)
• Architecture Services
• Engineering Services
• Consulting Services
• Programming and Planning Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 150 forensic facility assignments completed totaling more than $2.5 billion in construction value
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Dekker Perich SabatiniminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociate architect on the New Mexico Department of Public Safety project, working alongside Crime Lab Design to plan and design the new 44,000 SF forensic facility in Santa Fe, NM. CLD provided forensic laboratory planning while Dekker Perich Sabatini served as the primary architect.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• HDR, Inc. Large global A&E firm with an established justice and public safety practice that designs crime labs, courthouses, and correctional facilities. Comparable because it competes for many of the same government forensic facility RFPs, but serves a much broader portfolio.
• Stantec: Global A&E firm with a dedicated justice and public safety group that designs forensic laboratories, medical examiner facilities, and law enforcement buildings. Comparable as a large incumbent competing for state and municipal forensic projects.
• Jacobs Solutions: Global engineering and professional services firm with public safety and justice infrastructure capabilities, including forensic and laboratory facility design for federal and state clients. Comparable as a scaled competitor for large government forensic engagements.
• HOK: Major global architecture firm with a justice/civic practice designing courthouses, crime labs, and law enforcement facilities. Comparable because it pursues the same government forensic design market from a much larger institutional base.
• WSP Global: Global professional services firm with a justice and public safety practice that designs and modernizes forensic and law enforcement facilities. Comparable as a large incumbent in the same competitive set for state and federal work.
• DLR Group: Employee-owned A&E firm with a civic and public safety portfolio including justice and laboratory facilities. Comparable in competing for government science and justice facility design contracts across the U.S.

Direct peers

• SmithGroup: U.S. architecture and engineering firm with deep science & technology and justice practices, including crime laboratory and medical examiner facility design. Closest direct peer in terms of integrated A&E delivery for specialized government science facilities.
• EwingCole: Mid-size U.S. architecture and engineering firm with a dedicated public safety and forensics practice designing crime labs and medical examiner facilities. Closely comparable in scale, vertical focus, and government client base.
• CannonDesign: Integrated A&E firm with a strong science & technology and civic practice that designs laboratory and justice facilities. Comparable in delivering complex, regulated public-sector science building projects.
• Affiliated Engineers (AEI): Specialty engineering firm with deep lab and high-performance building expertise, frequently engaged on laboratory MEP design for science facilities. Comparable as a specialist partner/sub-consultant competing for technical scope on forensic lab projects.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/crime-lab-design

Compliance11 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Crime Lab Design