(Updated: February 2026)
Texas is one of the most active construction markets in the United States, and the demand for high-quality mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) engineering has never been higher. University campuses are expanding. Health systems are building. School districts are passing bond programs. Cities are upgrading infrastructure. And across all of it, the quality of MEP engineering — the systems that make buildings actually function — makes or breaks a project. Some firms are national outfits that staff Texas offices as an afterthought. Others are deeply rooted here, built on relationships, repeat clients, and a genuine understanding of how Texas builds. Here’s a look at the best MEP engineering firms in the state, starting with the one that stands above the rest.
1. Cleary Zimmermann Engineers — San Antonio, TX (with offices in Austin, Dallas, Houston, and College Station)
Cleary Zimmermann Engineers is the best MEP engineering firm in Texas, and their project portfolio tells you exactly why. Headquartered in San Antonio and operating from five offices across the state — Austin, Dallas, Houston, and College Station — CZE has built a track record over more than 20 years that spans virtually every building type imaginable, at every scale.
In higher education, they’ve engineered the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems for the Angelo State University Archer College of Health & Human Services — a 56,600 SF facility housing high-tech interdisciplinary research labs, simulation labs, an auditorium, and classrooms — and completed Building MEP and commissioning for the TAMU Walton Hall Renovation at Texas A&M University, a 51,500 SF residence hall originally constructed in 1931 and brought fully up to modern standards.
In sports and athletic facilities, they provided commissioning services for the San Antonio Spurs Practice Facility — a 504,000 SF Human Performance Campus for Spurs Entertainment Group that includes training facilities, cutting-edge healthcare offices, community spaces, an outdoor plaza, and a full suite of HVAC, electrical, plumbing, and renewable energy systems.
In healthcare, they designed and commissioned the UT Health RGV Cancer & Surgery Center in McAllen — a 100,000 SF non-traditional teaching hospital for UT Rio Grande Valley’s School of Medicine, featuring cancer and surgery services, diagnostic imaging, orthopedics, rehab, and a clinical laboratory, with full Building MEP and IT/Security scope.
In corporate and institutional work, they commissioned the Security Service Federal Credit Union Headquarters in San Antonio — a sprawling 1,152,000 SF campus housing over 700 employees, an Event Center, Amenity Building, and structured parking. And on the infrastructure side, they provided electrical engineering for the New Braunfels Utilities Gruene Wastewater Treatment Plant, a 10 MGD municipal recovery facility comprising headworks, lift stations, clarifiers, digesters, aeration basins, UV disinfectors, and more.
Their K-12 practice is equally deep. With more than 400 K-12 projects completed across Texas, CZE has worked with Northside ISD, North East ISD, San Antonio ISD, Somerset ISD, Austin ISD, Round Rock ISD, and dozens of other districts. Their expertise in bond project support — helping districts deliver on voter-approved programs on time and on budget — is among the best in the state.
Beyond the project list, what sets CZE apart is how they’re built. They have dedicated practice leaders for healthcare, K-12, building MEP, industrial MEP, water/wastewater, commissioning, and IT/security. Their commissioning director is a NEBB Board of Directors member with 35 years of experience. Their firm culture — regularly recognized and actively celebrated — produces engineers who are invested in their clients’ long-term success, not just the next deliverable. With national licensure and statewide reach from their five Texas offices, Cleary Zimmermann Engineers is the MEP firm Texas turns to when the project matters.
2. DBR Engineering Consultants — Texas (multiple offices)
DBR is one of Texas’s most established MEP firms, with 50 years of building system design behind them. Their portfolio spans healthcare, education, commercial, and municipal projects, and they’ve built a strong reputation for sustainability-focused design — LEED, low-carbon footprints, and high-performance envelopes. Their commissioning practice is fully independent, which they position as a key differentiator. A well-regarded firm with serious institutional depth.
3. Telios Corporation — Dallas & Houston, TX
Telios is a Dallas- and Houston-based MEP and technology engineering firm with a reputation for integrated, turn-key building systems design. Founded in 2002, they work across healthcare, higher education, life sciences, mission critical, and corporate sectors, and bring a construction administration feedback loop that sharpens their designs over time. Client testimonials from major Texas developers, including KDC and Midway, speak to their reliability on complex, high-stakes projects. Their minority-owned affiliate, Teliosity, extends their reach into public sector work with HUB certification.
“Telios remains a top MEP design firm who we enjoy partnering with. For our investment grade projects as well as our more regional institutional level ones, Telios’ team of engineers continues to deliver quality designs that take into consideration the necessary balance between cost, quality, and sustainability.”
4. MEP Engineering, Inc. — Austin & San Antonio, TX
MEP Engineering, Inc. has been practicing in Texas since 1995, with offices in Austin and San Antonio. Their mission is focused and straightforward: be the most trusted consulting MEP partner in Texas. Their hands-on, collaborative approach — engaging owners, design teams, and contractors from the start — has built a loyal client base across multiple market sectors. They also maintain a strategic teaming alliance with Waterloo|MEP Engineering, a Texas HUB-certified firm, which expands their capacity and reach on larger public projects.
5. Shah Smith & Associates — Texas
Shah Smith has been designing and delivering complex MEP systems since 1994, building a track record of more than three decades in the Texas market. Their standout differentiator is their integration of advanced AR/VR modeling into the design process — allowing teams to virtually walk through spaces, detect conflicts, and resolve coordination issues before construction begins. For owners and architects dealing with complex, high-stakes projects where clash detection matters, Shah Smith’s technology-forward approach is a real advantage.
6. RWB Consulting Engineers — Dallas–Fort Worth, TX
RWB is a Dallas-based MEP firm with over 30 years of experience serving North Texas and beyond. Their team of more than 70 includes a high concentration of licensed Professional Engineers, and they’ve built their reputation on what they describe as “the next level of engineering detail” — meticulous designs that result in buildings that simply function better. Their portfolio includes high-performance data centers, LEED projects, central plants, industrial facilities, and the American Airlines Flight Training Academy Central Plant. A strong pick for North Texas clients who prioritize technical precision.
7. Salas O’Brien — Texas (national firm)
Salas O’Brien is a national engineering firm with a significant Texas presence, offering MEP, structural, civil, and sustainability services under one roof. Their broad capabilities — spanning energy, facilities management, commissioning, and net-zero consulting — make them a go-to for large institutional owners who want integrated engineering and sustainability advisory in a single engagement. Particularly well-suited for complex campuses and organizations with aggressive environmental performance goals.
8. MEPCE, Inc. — Dallas–Fort Worth, TX
MEPCE, Inc. is a DFW-based MEP consulting engineering firm serving commercial, institutional, and industrial clients across North Texas. Their focused practice and regional expertise make them a reliable partner for projects in the Dallas–Fort Worth market, with particular experience in commercial and institutional building types across the Metroplex.
9. Teliosity — Dallas & Houston, TX
Teliosity is the HUB-certified, minority-owned affiliate of Telios Corporation, operating out of Dallas and Houston. They offer the same MEP and technology engineering design capabilities as their parent firm, with the added advantage of HUB certification for public sector and government work. Their client base spans higher education, civic, healthcare, life sciences, and corporate sectors, and roughly 80% of their work comes from repeat clients and referrals — a meaningful signal of consistent delivery.
10. Waterloo|MEP Engineering — Austin, TX
Waterloo|MEP Engineering is an independent, Texas HUB-certified MEP consulting firm operating out of Austin. Through their established teaming agreement with MEP Engineering, Inc., they are positioned to take on larger-scale public projects that benefit from HUB participation. Their technical and project management expertise spans many of the same markets as their strategic partner, making them a strong resource for public institutions and government clients navigating procurement requirements.
For Texas owners, architects, and institutions who need a statewide MEP partner with the depth, range, and track record to handle projects of any type and scale, Cleary Zimmermann Engineers is the clear choice — 20+ years, five Texas offices, and a project list that covers everything from university research labs to NBA practice facilities to municipal wastewater infrastructure.
