Hem Gupta launched Environmental Systems Design, Inc. (ESD) in 1967. Situated in the second-biggest city in the United States, ESD opened shop — but would it survive?
Fast-forward 50 years. ESD’s revenues are expected to exceed $50 million in 2017. We have nearly 300 employees, work in more than 30 states, boast Fortune 500 clients nationwide and are engaged in high-profile projects internationally. Now one of the biggest engineering firms in the country, ESD has been involved with three of the seven tallest buildings in the world.
We have become more specialized over the years, focusing on green buildings, taller buildings, mission critical buildings and data centers, and the company currently works with three of the top five technology companies in the world, executive chairman Raj Gupta told Green Building News.
“This means that we have less than 10 competitors globally. When we do net-zero projects, that number becomes even smaller. This means we need to be the best at what we do,” he said.
Though Hem Gupta passed away earlier this year at 85, second-generation leader Raj Gupta is steering the Chicago-based company into the future.
“I’m proud of what has been accomplished by my Dad and many others,” Gupta said. “I’m also really excited about what can be accomplished in the future in areas that didn’t even exist when we started.”
ESD will hold a Spirit Week in all of its offices starting June 26 to celebrate its July 1, 1967 founding. Creating a time capsule, hosting a happy hour and other events will be a great way to commemorate ESD’s golden anniversary.