WSP USA Announces Creation of Innovation Advisory Practice

New Property and Buildings practice will provide clients with integrated technology services and strategies to help clients achieve their operational, financial and efficiency goals.

NEW YORK — WSP USA, a leading engineering and professional services consultancy, has announced the creation of a new Innovation Advisory practice, which will provide strategic consulting to the firm’s clients. 

The innovation advisory practice offers WSP’s clients outcomes-focused engagements in three primary areas – digital consulting, innovation project management and application of emerging technologies. The service aims to help WSP foster lasting partnerships with clients, leveraging interdisciplinary expertise within the built environment to provide added value upstream of design and construction projects.

“We believe innovation is the nexus where business strategy, human-centered design and building systems converge,” said Rick Rome, national business line leader for WSP Property and Buildings. “With WSP’s vast expertise and resources at their fingertips, we created the Innovation Advisory team to help clients define their vision and what motivates them to change business as usual, create a blueprint to determine what is necessary to achieve that vision, then chart a path to turn that vision into reality.”

Digital Consulting

Innovation Advisory’s digital consulting service covers the full lifecycle of client needs throughout strategy, design, implementation and operation. It is founded on the belief that client data contains untapped value that will establish the foundation of physical and digital infrastructure necessary to create a Future Ready™ smart and intelligent built environment.

Innovation Project Management

Innovation is nonlinear and often elusive, especially in a world of accelerating project deadlines. Innovation Advisory provides a project framework for project teams to align innovation with practical design to realize each client’s goals and ambitions for their portfolio and develop projects suited for a sustainable, equitable and connected world.

Application of Emerging Technologies

WSP’s designers and engineers are at the forefront of built environment technology, like electrification, decarbonization, transition to electric vehicles, cybersecurity and digital twins. Innovation Advisory collaborates with clients to undertake research and development initiatives, implement proof of concept and pilots, and create design standards and leasing guidelines to develop portfolio strategies that take advantage of emerging technologies to create advanced infrastructure. 

The group will be led by Jay Wratten, vice president and senior director of Innovation Advisory.  Wratten led the creation of the practice in 2021, following his work as a principal-in-charge and project manager for major clients with whom he worked to develop tactical strategies with clear alignment to people, business and technology needs. His work spans digital transformation, design standards, smart city and district technology masterplans, portfolio energy management and, more recently, adaptation to COVID-19.  

The Innovation Advisory team is the digital designer on a $750 million Hospitals of the Future program in Leeds, UK. The WSP design team is working with Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust to provide mechanical-electrical-plumbing engineering, structural, sustainability and civil engineering services. The team is engaging with client stakeholders and clinicians to define the digital transformation framework and create technical requirements for supporting systems, integrations, platforms and applications. 

“WSP’s approach with Innovation Advisory is borne out of our long history of applied engineering in the built environment.” Wratten said. “Our knowledge of buildings and the systems that support them enables us to make actionable strategies and roadmaps. Our
outcomes-based approach puts our client’s needs first and foremost in the implementation
of these initiatives.”

About WSP USA

WSP USA is the U.S. operating company of WSP, one of the world’s leading engineering and professional services firms. Dedicated to serving local communities, we are engineers, planners, technical experts, strategic advisors and construction management professionals. WSP USA designs lasting solutions in the buildings, transportation, energy, water and environment markets. With more than 12,000 employees in 200 offices across the U.S., we partner with our clients to help communities prosper. wsp.com