Engineering the future: How Designer Group is balancing scale with sustainability – Q&A with Group Managing Director Paul Nicholls
From hitting zero-waste targets ahead of schedule to investing in structured AI training, Designer Group is positioning itself at the vanguard of a modern engineering sector. Group Managing Director PAUL NICHOLLS speaks with Irish Construction News about the business’s standout milestones, expanding European pipeline and his vision for leading a resilient, values-led company.
ICN: WHAT WERE THE KEY DESIGNER GROUP PROJECT AND MILESTONE ACHIEVEMENTS OF 2025?
PN: 2025 was a very positive year for Designer Group, reflecting the continued growth and development of the business.
Across the year, we continued to deliver projects in our core sectors, Energy & Industrial, Data Centre and Building Services. What is encouraging is the breadth of that work and the progress we are making as a business as we move into increasingly complex project environments.
There have been a number of important milestones during the year, including our involvement in Diageo’s new brewery in Newbridge, our continued work in the data centre sector throughout Ireland and Europe, and the progress made on major energy infrastructure projects. Each of these projects represents an important step in the continued development of the business.
We have also continued to perform strongly in the building services sector, delivering high-quality commercial projects across Ireland and the UK, including major office developments for A&L Goodbody in Dublin and ongoing work in live operational environments such as London’s Heathrow airport.
Beyond project delivery, 2025 has also been a year of continued investment in the business. We have strengthened our systems, developed our people and continued to build the structures needed to support sustainable growth. That is important because the scale and complexity of the work we are undertaking continue to increase.
Overall, I would describe 2025 as a year of strong progress. The business has grown, but more importantly, it has continued to mature. We are building capability, strengthening client relationships and positioning Designer Group to play a meaningful role in delivering the infrastructure that will support Ireland, the UK and Europe in the years ahead.
ICN: WHAT KEY PROJECTS ARE IN THE PIPELINE IN IRELAND?
PN: Ireland remains very important to Designer Group. We are an Irish-founded business, and Ireland will always be central to our identity, our operations and our future. Over the next 24 months, we see continued opportunity in Ireland, particularly in projects aligned with critical infrastructure, healthcare, energy and high-quality building services.
At the same time, our growth over the next five years will increasingly come from Europe, particularly across energy infrastructure, advanced technology and data centres, where we are establishing a good European footprint.
So, while our international growth will continue to accelerate, Ireland remains our home and an important market in its own right to the business we are building for the future.
ICN: HOW IS THE DESIGNER GROUP MITIGATING INFLATIONARY PRESSURES TO ENSURE PROJECT DELIVERY SCHEDULES REMAIN ON TRACK?
PN: Inflationary pressure remains a real challenge for the construction and engineering sector, particularly around materials, labour, logistics, energy and wider macroeconomic uncertainty. For Designer Group, the key is to be proactive rather than reactive.
Early engagement is critical. The earlier we are involved in a project, the more value we can bring through procurement strategy, design coordination, buildability reviews and programme planning. Early decision making gives clients greater visibility around cost, risk and delivery.
Supply chain relationships are equally important. We work hard to maintain strong, long-term relationships with trusted suppliers and subcontractors, which helps us manage availability, secure key packages earlier and reduce the risk of disruption.
Our modular manufacturing and offsite capability also support this approach. By moving more work into controlled environments, we can improve productivity, reduce waste, enhance quality and create greater programme certainty.
Ultimately, managing inflationary pressure comes down to discipline: planning early, communicating clearly, managing risk transparently and making the right decisions at the right time.
ICN: WHAT INNOVATIVE MEASURES HAVE YOU INTRODUCED TO IMPROVE EFFICIENCY AND SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES?
PN: One of the biggest lessons for our industry is that efficiency and sustainability can no longer be treated as separate priorities. The more efficiently we design, procure, manufacture and deliver, the more we reduce waste, improve productivity and support better environmental outcomes.
At Designer Group, we continue to invest in innovation and digital transformation because we see them as essential to the future of construction. AI and new technologies are creating opportunities to work smarter, safer and more efficiently, and we have provided in-house AI training to help our teams explore how these tools can enhance productivity and decision-making.
The important thing is to introduce it in a structured and responsible way. AI has to support human expertise, not replace it, and it is about giving our people better tools, better information and more efficient ways of working. Used properly, AI can support areas such as engineering, estimating, project controls, reporting and knowledge-sharing across the business.
From a sustainability perspective, we launched our latest ESG Report in November, capturing our progress across environmental, social and governance areas. We committed to achieving zero waste to landfill by 2026 for waste streams under our operational control. We are delighted to say that this target has already been met, with 99% of managed waste diverted through prevention, reuse, recycling and energy recovery.
Since our 2019 baseline, we have expanded the scope, depth and ambition of our reporting, moving beyond compliance towards greater accountability. For us, sustainable growth means growing in a way that remains aligned with our values, our clients’ expectations and the direction of the wider economy.
ICN: WHAT ADDITIONAL STRUCTURAL BARRIERS NEED TO BE CLEARED TO TRULY UNLOCK IRISH MARKET ACTIVITY?
PN: There has been progress made in Ireland, and that should be acknowledged. However, I think most people involved in construction, engineering and infrastructure delivery would agree that the pace of administrative reform still needs to improve if Ireland is to fully unlock the level of investment required.
Ireland has an enormous opportunity. We have the talent, location, international reputation and sectoral strengths to continue attracting major investment in data centres, life sciences, advanced manufacturing, energy and infrastructure. But opportunity alone is not enough. We need planning, policy, grid infrastructure, utilities and delivery frameworks to move at a pace that matches market demand.
Certainty is critical. Clients and investors need clarity around timelines, approvals, energy availability and infrastructure capacity. When there is uncertainty, projects slow down, decisions are delayed, and investment can move elsewhere.
The Large Energy Action Plan (LEAP) is a positive step because it recognises the scale of the energy challenge and the need to align large energy users with grid capacity, renewable generation and strengthened infrastructure. That is the right direction of travel and should support sectors such as data centres, life sciences and advanced manufacturing.
The key now is implementation. Ambition has to translate into practical delivery. We need continued investment in grid resilience, faster decision-making, better alignment between agencies, and a planning and approvals environment that supports responsible development. That does not mean lowering standards. It means creating a system that is efficient, coordinated and capable of supporting sustainable growth.
For Designer Group, the opportunity is clear. The projects that will define Ireland’s next phase of growth will be technically demanding, and we are well placed to deliver them. They will require high-spec mechanical and electrical systems, energy-efficient infrastructure, cooling, heat recovery, decarbonisation solutions and strong delivery capability – all areas where we have a strong track record and expertise.
ICN: WHAT DOES DESIGNER GROUP HAVE TO OFFER ENGINEERING GRADUATES, PROFESSIONALS OR TRADESPEOPLE BEGINNING OR DEVELOPING THEIR CAREERS?
PN: People are central to Designer Group’s growth, and attracting the right talent is a major priority for us.
As the business continues to expand across Ireland, the UK and Europe, we are very focused on creating opportunities for graduates, engineers, project leaders, commercial professionals and experienced managers who want to develop their careers in a growing international business. We also want to attract strong mid-level and senior management talent, people who have already built experience in the industry and are now looking for the next stage of their career.
One of our strongest propositions is the level of hands-on experience we can offer. Designer Group gives people the opportunity to work directly on complex, high-value projects across energy, data centres, life sciences, industrial and building services. They are live, technically demanding projects where people gain real exposure, real responsibility and real ownership.
That is an important difference for us. We offer the structure and scale of an international engineering contractor, but with a culture where people are close to the work, close to decision-making and close to the client. For ambitious professionals, particularly those moving into project leadership, commercial management, engineering management or operations roles, that combination is very powerful.
We want people to feel that they can make an impact here. The pace of the business means there are opportunities to step up, lead teams, solve complex problems and contribute directly to the continued growth of the company.
For graduates and early-career professionals, that hands-on experience provides a strong foundation, while for experienced professionals it creates a platform to take on greater responsibility and work on some of the most important engineering projects in the market. Ultimately, Designer Group is a place where graduates, professionals, tradespeople and apprentices can build meaningful careers through practical experience, strong support and exposure to projects that matter. We are particularly proud to have seen apprentice electrician Chatreen O’Connor recognised as Apprentice of the Year at Ireland’s Electrical Awards 2026, highlighting the opportunities to develop skills, gain hands-on experience and build successful long-term careers within Designer Group.
ICN: LOOKING TOWARDS 2030, HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE YOUR PERIOD OF LEADERSHIP AT DESIGNER GROUP DEFINED?
PN: By 2030, I would like my leadership to be defined by the strength of the business we have built and the opportunities we have created for our people.
Of course, scale matters. The type of projects we deliver matters. We want Designer Group to continue playing a leading role in major infrastructure across energy, data centres, life sciences, industrial and building services. We want to continue to be trusted by our clients to deliver complex, high-value projects that are essential to economic growth, energy resilience and the transition to a more sustainable future.
But leadership cannot be measured by project scale alone. For me, it is also about building a business that is resilient, progressive and values-led. A business that invests in its people. A business that embraces digital transformation and innovation in a practical, meaningful way. A business that takes sustainability seriously and can demonstrate real progress, not just ambition.
The construction and engineering industry will change significantly between now and 2030. Digital tools, AI, modular construction, ESG expectations, energy transition and skills development will all reshape how we work. My role is to ensure that Designer Group is not simply responding to those changes, but actively preparing for them and helping to lead in those areas.
I would also like our leadership to be defined by consistency. Consistency in how we deliver for clients. Consistency in how we develop our people. Consistency in how we uphold our values. Growth is important, but sustainable growth is what really matters.
If, by 2030, Designer Group is recognised as a business that delivered critical infrastructure, embraced innovation, strengthened sustainability, developed exceptional people and stayed true to its values, then I think that would be a leadership legacy of which to be proud.
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