CJL Engineering
CJL Engineering is a privately held, multi-disciplinary MEP, fire protection, civil, structural, commissioning, lighting, and energy consulting firm with 150+ professionals across seven offices in Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, and Ohio, founded circa 1940. It serves healthcare, higher education, K-12, government, corporate, cultural, and mission-critical clients with deep long-tenured relationships, notably a 50+ year UPMC partnership.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1940
- HeadquartersPittsburgh, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What CJL Engineering does
CJL Engineering, Inc. is a privately held, multi-disciplinary mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection (MEP/FP) consulting engineering firm founded circa 1940 and headquartered in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. The firm operates across seven regional offices spanning Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, and Ohio (Johnstown, Pittsburgh/Moon Township, Erie, Baltimore, Frederick, Morgantown, and Youngstown), employing 150+ professionals including 28 LEED-accredited professionals, a WELL AP, multiple registered P.E.s, Certified Commissioning Professionals, and Healthcare Facility Design Professionals. Its core services span MEP engineering, fire protection, civil and structural engineering, commissioning and retro-commissioning, lighting design, energy modeling and auditing, and LEED/sustainability consulting, underpinned by a dedicated BIM team, LiDAR 3D scanning/Scan-to-BIM workflows, computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and an Airborne Pathogen Management service line developed with Dr. Paul K. Carlton Jr., the 17th Surgeon General of the US Air Force.
CJL's primary verticals are healthcare (notably a 50+ year MEP partnership with UPMC spanning hundreds of projects), higher education (University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon, Duquesne, Bucknell, WVU, Youngstown State, Point Park, Saint Francis, Trine, Culinary Institute of America), K-12 education (Canon-McMillan, Mars Area, Erie, Howland Local), government and federal work (Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, NCI Fort Detrick, PA National Guard Stryker Brigade Readiness Centers, NAS Oceana), cultural institutions (Carnegie Music Hall, Phipps Conservatory, Pittsburgh Zoo, Carnegie Museum), corporate/office and financial services (FNB, PNC, SunTrust/Truist, Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, Jones Day, Reed Smith), and mission-critical/data-center facilities. The firm has delivered 300+ LEED-certified projects and was ranked #40 in BD+C's 2018 Giants 300 Top 50 U.S. Engineering Firms, #65 in Consulting-Specifying Engineer's 2018 MEP Giants, and #25 in BD+C's 2018 Top 65 BIM A/E Firms.
The firm generates revenue through professional-services engineering consulting fees on a project basis, initiated via "Request for a Fee or Qualifications" submissions to a Director of Business Development and regional Office Managers; pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, with multi-year contracts on program work (e.g., national prototype programs for DaVita and SunTrust, multi-decade UPMC engagements). Go-to-market is sales-led and relationship-driven, with a long-tenured client base, regional career-fair recruiting, and earned-media/industry-award positioning rather than paid digital marketing. Notable independent recognition includes Pittsburgh Business Times Fast 50 (2018), ESWP Commercial Project of the Year (2012, 2016, 2017), ESWP Sustainable Project of the Year (2013, 2014), AIA Pittsburgh People's Choice Award (2017), IES Illumination Awards (2018, 2020), American Architecture Award (2020), and NAIOP Green Renovation Award (2018).
CJL Engineering firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CJL Engineering
- Legal name
- CJL Engineering, Inc.
- Website
- https://cjlengineering.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1940
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- CJL Engineering is a privately held, multi-disciplinary MEP, fire protection, civil, structural, commissioning, lighting, and energy consulting firm with 150+ professionals across seven offices in Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, and Ohio, founded circa 1940. It serves healthcare, higher education, K-12, government, corporate, cultural, and mission-critical clients with deep long-tenured relationships, notably a 50+ year UPMC partnership.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CJL Engineering industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Engineering Consulting Services
- NAICS
- Engineering Services (541330), Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (5413)
- SIC
- General Bldg Contractors - Nonresidential Bldgs (1540), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Civil & Structural Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Systems Engineering & Technical Program Management (BPAHAIAI), Fire Protection Systems Contracting (Sprinklers, Alarms, Suppression) (IMAFALAD), Security, Safety & Fire/Life Safety Management (BPABAAAE)
Keywords
Where CJL Engineering is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Pittsburgh
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices7 records
Markets served
CJL Engineering business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Engineering consulting fees: Project-based professional service revenue earned via "Request for a Fee or Qualifications" submissions to clients across healthcare, higher education, K-12, government, commercial, cultural, data center, and energy sectors. Multi-disciplinary MEP, fire protection, civil, structural, commissioning, lighting, energy modeling, BIM and LiDAR services are bundled per project.
- Commissioning (Cx) and retro-commissioning: Standalone commissioning services for new buildings (LEED Fundamental and Enhanced Cx) and existing-building commissioning to optimize performance and lower operating costs; recurring engagement model with healthcare and institutional clients.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Quote-based engineering consulting fees per project |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
CJL Engineering product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CJL Engineering is a multi-disciplinary engineering consulting firm that designs and commissions the mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection, civil, structural, lighting, energy and commissioning systems of complex buildings across healthcare, higher education, K-12, government, corporate, cultural, mission-critical and recreation sectors. Its offering is anchored by core MEP/FP design, complemented by building commissioning, energy modeling and high-performance/LEED green building services, and supported by Building Information Modeling (BIM), LiDAR 3D scanning, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and airborne pathogen management practices.
Product overview
CJL Engineering delivers a full-service, multi-disciplined engineering platform rather than a single product. Their core service is Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing (MEP) engineering, which they extend across Fire Protection (FP), Civil, Structural, Commissioning (Cx), Lighting Design, and Energy Modeling/Energy Solutions practices. Underpinning the consulting practice are two technology-enabled service lines — Building Information Modeling (BIM) and LiDAR 3D Scanning — which feed Scan-to-BIM workflows and coordinated 3D MEP/FP system models. High Performance & Green Building (LEED) and Airborne Pathogen Management are specialty service lines layered onto the core MEP and commissioning offerings. Together these eleven service lines, anchored by a 150+ person professional team across seven regional offices, constitute CJL's integrated consulting portfolio serving healthcare, higher education, K-12, government, cultural, corporate, mission-critical, energy, and historic retrofit clients.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing (MEP) Engineering Design of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems for healthcare facilities, colleges and universities, K-12 schools, data centers, central plants and utilities, government facilities, research facilities, office buildings, airports, hotels, assisted living communities, and historic and adaptive retrofit projects. Includes utility master plans and facility systems assessments.
- Fire Protection (FP) Engineering Design of fire protection systems, specifications and management for hospitals, universities, schools, office buildings, high-rise condominiums, mission critical facilities, eCommerce warehouses and personal care homes, including fire suppression and fire alarm engineering plus code consulting.
- Civil Engineering Civil engineering services for commercial, residential, government and industrial facilities, covering site plan development, water and sanitary sewer extensions, pavement rehabilitation design, parking lot design, storm water management, erosion and sedimentation control design, roadway design, ADA accessibility design, and permitting services.
- Structural Engineering Structural engineering services for commercial, residential, government and industrial facilities, including structural design, building evaluation, site plan development, water and sanitary sewer extensions, pavement rehabilitation design, parking lot expansion, storm water management analysis, erosion and sedimentation control facility design, roadway design, and ADA accessibility design.
- Building Commissioning (Cx) Methodical quality assurance process verifying that building systems are fully operational and performing interactively according to design intent and owner's requirements. Includes existing building (retro-)commissioning to identify opportunities for improvement, economic analysis of conservation opportunities, and LEED commissioning.
- Lighting Design Holistic lighting design approach balancing aesthetics, energy efficiency, constructability and budget, integrating lighting with architectural elements to enhance mood while increasing productivity and performance for indoor and outdoor environments.
- Energy Modeling and Energy Solutions Improves energy performance of building HVAC and lighting systems to reduce utility and maintenance costs. Services include energy audits and assessments, benchmarking, utility master planning, energy modeling, measurement and verification, existing building commissioning, LEED certification, Pittsburgh 2030 compliance, carbon and emissions reduction analysis, Energy Star certification, and economic analysis of energy and water conservation measures.
- High Performance and Green Building (LEED) Design, construction and commissioning of high-performance and LEED-certified buildings with more than 300 LEED-certified projects completed. Staff includes a WELL Accredited Professional and 28 LEED-accredited professionals, supporting integrated design for sustainable site, water conservation, energy efficiency, resource conservation and indoor environmental quality.
- Building Information Modeling (BIM) Collaborative BIM process supported by various tools and technologies fostering intelligent design and decision-making throughout the project life-cycle. Begins with the creation of a unified, data-rich MEP/FP 3D systems model containing mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection designs specific to each project, with a dedicated BIM Support team for clash detection and rapid revision handling.
- LiDAR 3D Scanning LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) technology for evaluation, measurement and verification of MEP/FP systems, including Scan-to-BIM workflows. Captures highly accurate 3D representations of existing structures for digital modeling, optimized design processes, measurements without physical access, future reference and documentation, and enhanced visualization and analysis.
- Airborne Pathogen Management Engineering strategies to improve indoor air quality and slow the spread of airborne pathogens, with operating strategies including HVAC bipolar ionization, HVAC ultraviolet (UV-C) germicidal irradiation, HVAC humidity control, and HVAC filtration (MERV 13 / HEPA). Includes fast-track team services such as expedited professional services, retro-commissioning, BAS analysis, improved controls performance, and emergency HVAC, electrical and plumbing design services.
Quantifiable outcome
- Forum Health Northside Medical Center plant efficiency increased by 17% via chilled water/boiler/electrical upgrades.
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use CJL Engineering
Customer profileNamed customers57 records
Segments11 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
CJL Engineering technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
CJL Engineering partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- Green Building Alliance (GBA)flagshipLongtime and active supporter of Pittsburgh's Green Building Alliance. CJL staff includes LEED APs and a WELL AP and advocates integrated design for sustainable sites, water/energy/resource conservation and IEQ. CJL is referenced among GBA's 25 Western Pennsylvania honorees for sustainable design over 25 years, and multiple CJL clients appear in the GBA 25-year honoree list.
- AUROS GroupcoreJoint team with Pfaffmann + Associates on the East Liberty Presbyterian Church RESET Air Certification project (the world's first RESET Air Certified cathedral). AUROS Group acted as passive-first sustainability consultant; CJL designed the mechanical and engineering systems enabling the certification.
- Pfaffmann + AssociatescoreArchitectural partner on the East Liberty Presbyterian Church RESET Air Certified cathedral project (the world's first), coordinating with CJL Engineering and AUROS Group to deliver high indoor air quality and energy efficiency in an 83-year-old building.
- HOK (Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum)coreCJL teamed with HOK on the design of the new UPMC Vision and Rehabilitation Institute in Pittsburgh's Uptown neighborhood, advising alongside blind architect Chris Downey. CJL provided MEP engineering for the facility.
- Michael Baker CorporationminorCJL partnered with Michael Baker Corporation on fast-track redevelopment strategies in Afghanistan, including standard designs for border patrol stations (22–24 buildings per compound) with site/generator power and explosion-proof lighting.
- HHSDR Architects (Sharon, PA)minorJoint engagement with the Erie School District on a $60M+ multi-building renovation plan; CJL's Tom Kapcsos worked alongside HHSDR's architects during site tours of Burton Elementary and other buildings.
- Eckles Architecture / Thomas & Williamson / McFarland Kistlerminor"Alternative contract" team for the Mars Area Middle School renovation: Eckles (architecture, $286,905), CJL (MEP engineering, $289,500), and McFarland Kistler (food service design, $14,400), with Thomas & Williamson as construction manager. CJL designed 49% of the project scope.
- GBBN Architects (Pittsburgh)minorArchitectural partner on CMU's Hamerschlag Hall Makerspace (HH-1107) project; CJL handled MEP engineering, ventilation upgrades and faculty office improvements.
- Celli-Flynn ArchitectsminorArchitectural partner (with Dimtcho Tilev, Sofia) on the American College of Sofia campus renovation; CJL developed the campus-wide master plan for water separation, electrical upgrade, and central heating/geothermal rebuild.
- The Davis Companies / Mascaro Construction / Perfido Weiskopf / Clista ArchitecturecoreJoint team that delivered the $25M Union Trust Building restoration in Pittsburgh; the team won the ESWP Commercial Project of the Year for 2017. CJL implemented the comprehensive MEP, IT and plumbing retrofit for the 517,376 SF Class A office tower (LEED Silver, May 2019).
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
CJL Engineering competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Kohrs Lonnemann Heil Engineers (KLH): Regional MEP/FP consulting engineering firm serving healthcare, higher education, and institutional clients; comparable firm size and service mix to CJL.
- CMTA: Engineering firm with strong MEP and energy solutions/commissioning practice; directly comparable on energy modeling, commissioning, and high-performance building design that are CJL's differentiated offerings.
- KLH Engineers: Mid-size MEP consulting engineering firm with offices across OH, KY, and PA; directly comparable on multi-discipline MEP/FP services and the K-12, higher-ed, and healthcare verticals where CJL operates.
- Jordan & Skala Engineers: MEP/FP consulting engineering firm with national footprint; comparable on multi-discipline design services and large institutional/healthcare project delivery.
- RMF Engineering: Mid-Atlantic-based MEP/FP consulting engineering firm of comparable scale with multiple regional offices; competes directly with CJL for healthcare, higher education, and institutional clients across PA, MD, OH, and the Carolinas.
- Affiliated Engineers (AEI): National MEP/FP consulting engineering firm specializing in mission-critical, healthcare, and higher education projects; comparable service portfolio and project complexity, but at significantly greater national scale than CJL.
- ME Engineers: MEP consulting engineering firm specializing in complex, high-performance buildings including healthcare, cultural, and sports venues — closely aligned with CJL's project types and technical depth.
- Heapy Engineering: Ohio-based MEP/FP, commissioning, and energy engineering consulting firm with similar headcount; directly comparable in size, service mix (MEP + Cx + energy), and regional institutional focus in the Midwest.
Broad incumbents
- Stantec: Global A&E consulting firm with a major North American buildings practice; competes with CJL for healthcare, higher-ed, and institutional MEP work but at significantly larger scale and geographic reach.
- Burns & McDonnell: Large, diversified engineering, architecture, and construction firm with broad infrastructure, healthcare, and energy practices; overlaps with CJL in MEP/FP design but operates at much greater national scale and scope.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
CJL Engineering social profiles
Digital presenceCJL Engineering financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CJL Engineering leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles26 records
CJL Engineering funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CJL Engineering 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 CJL Engineering
What does CJL Engineering do?
CJL Engineering is a multi-disciplinary engineering consulting firm that designs and commissions the mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection, civil, structural, lighting, energy and commissioning systems of complex buildings across healthcare, higher education, K-12, government, corporate, cultural, mission-critical and recreation sectors. Its offering is anchored by core MEP/FP design, complemented by building commissioning, energy modeling and high-performance/LEED green building services, and supported by Building Information Modeling (BIM), LiDAR 3D scanning, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and airborne pathogen management practices.
Is CJL Engineering a public or private company?
CJL Engineering is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was CJL Engineering founded?
CJL Engineering was founded in 1940. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is CJL Engineering based?
CJL Engineering is headquartered in Pittsburgh, United States, in the North America region.
How does CJL Engineering make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Engineering consulting fees are the primary driver. The others are commissioning (Cx) and retro-commissioning.
Who are CJL Engineering's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Kohrs Lonnemann Heil Engineers (KLH), CMTA, KLH Engineers, Jordan & Skala Engineers, RMF Engineering, Affiliated Engineers (AEI), ME Engineers and Heapy Engineering. Broad incumbents are Stantec and Burns & McDonnell.
Does CJL Engineering have an API?
No public API is recorded for CJL Engineering.
What industry is CJL Engineering in?
CJL Engineering's product category is Engineering Consulting Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAIAA, Civil & Structural Engineering Consulting, with a secondary code of BPAHAIAI, Systems Engineering & Technical Program Management. Its NAICS code is 541330 and its SIC code is 1540.