American Council of Engineering Companies of Florida (ACEC Florida)

ENGINEERS HELP FUEL FLORIDA’S GROWTH

In October 1966, Walt Disney introduced what was then called the “Florida Project,” a new futuristic community that would leverage new technologies and ideas. It would never be completed because it would evolve with the times.

In introducing what would become the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow, more commonly known as EPCOT, Disney noted why Florida was chosen for his sweeping new venture. “Here in Florida, we have… the blessing of size. There’s enough land here to hold all the ideas and plans we can possibly imagine.”

Indeed.

Florida has seen nearly a century of exponential population growth. Since 2010, the state has grown by an average of 1.3% per year before being named the nation’s fastest-growing state in 2022. That level of growth, that quick, requires a robust pipeline of infrastructure improvements to keep pace with the population, creating a demand for engineering professionals to support those improvements.

Conversely, it could be argued that engineering has driven that same growth. If you build it, they will come.

Engineers are building it, and people are coming –more and more every year. The influence of engineering can be felt and seen throughout Florida across all sectors of the economy. From environmental remediation to renewable energy, aerospace and defense to emerging technologies, to the real estate that houses it, and to the infrastructure that connects it all – engineers are the propellant powering the growth and expansion of this state.

Florida is one of our industry’s many, many success stories. The state of engineering is a leading indicator of our nation’s overall economic health. Our industry is responsible for nearly 3% of our total GDP and 3% of all jobs.

Engineering contributes more than $300 billion to the U.S. economy every year, with Florida among the top contributors in the nation, adding $30 billion to our nation’s GDP. If engineering is a leading indicator of our nation’s economic health, Florida’s engineering industry is a critical component of that health.

For nearly half a century, the American Council of Engineering Companies of Florida (ACEC Florida) has worked to strengthen the business of engineering through advocacy, political action, education and growth opportunities. Through various efforts on all these fronts, ACEC Florida demonstrates how doing business with member firms supports better business practices, with its members maintaining impeccable ethical and professional standards.

Florida is the country’s top destination for both factories and families. It’s a chicken-egg question whether engineering created that growth explosion, but one thing is certain: Florida’s growth would not be feasible or even desirable without our industry. A “blessing of size” can be a curse without the infrastructure to support it.

Engineers, our knowledge, and our projects are at the very heart of Florida. It’s more important than ever for engineers to be proactive in leadership and policymaking, continuing to work towards a smart, common-sense, balanced foundation focused on people, the planet, preparedness and profit.

The contributions of our industry have been vital to making the Florida of today possible, and they will be even more invaluable in sustaining it. Our growing population, increased urbanization and vulnerability to natural disasters require the expertise of engineers to design, construct and manage our state’s infrastructure.

Florida is a big state with big ideas and big plans. At 55,000 strong – and growing – Florida’s engineers are well-positioned to bring those ideas and plans to fruition, and ACEC Florida is the mechanism for all the voices of engineers to be heard as one.

The future for engineering in the Sunshine State is brighter than ever.