Global engineering firm Arup opened an office in San Diego this week in La Jolla Commons at 4727 Executive Drive.
The international engineers have worked in San Diego since the 1980s. Arup has contributed engineering and design services to major San Diego institutions, including mechanical, electrical, and lighting work for Rady Children’s Hospital, and structural and seismic design for the Salk Institute’s East Building. Now they’re planting roots in the region with a staff of 12 that is expected to double in the coming months.
Ger Bythell, San Diego’s Arup office leader, wore a Padres cap during the ribbon-cutting ceremony. (San Diego Regional EDC)
Arup is a British firm founded in 1946 by Sir Ove Arup that has grown into a multinational firm with more than 27,000 employees worldwide. Arup’s most notable projects include the Sydney Opera House and the Centre Pompidou in Paris.
Arup plans to help design the next generation of smart buildings and labs in San Diego, said Mario Perez, an industry leader at Arup.
The firm’s Neuron app builds “brains” into buildings, allowing owners and tenants to monitor everything from air quality to carbon emissions in real time. Arup’s smart buildings collect the data, then make changes to become cleaner and more comfortable.
Ger Bythell, Arup’s new San Diego office leader, will oversee the next-generation projects.
Bythell, a native of Ireland, wore a yellow Padres cap during the ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday. At age 8, he went surfing in San Diego for the first time. “I haven’t bought a board yet,” he said. “I’ll probably need to buy a house first.”
Mayor Todd Gloria also attended along with Nikia Clarke, chief strategy officer of San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation.
“I’m proud to welcome Arup’s first San Diego office,” Gloria said. “Their decision to invest and grow here speaks to what we already know about San Diego: This is a city with incredible talent, a strong economy and an environment where innovative companies can succeed.”