Consultants need to provide the best design solutions that are cost-effective and performing at optimum level thinking long-term. These designs should not only employ the most recent and competent technologies but also provide foresight to ensure maximum lifecycle while looking into Operational & Maintenance of systems. INI Infrastructure & Engineering is one such organization which is providing best design solutions and is committed to becoming one of the top designs and engineering practice in India and internationally with a practice based on research, sustainability, and integrated design.
In an interview with Insights Success, the team of INI Infrastructure & Engineering shares the journey of the company and its contribution in the design and engineering solutions. Amit Mehta and Parth Joshi are the Directors of INI and Nehal Thakkar is the Senior Project Manager of INI. Below are the highlights of the interview between the team of INI Infrastructure & Engineering and Insights Success:
Please brief our audience about your organization, its values, and vision.
INI Infrastructure & Engineering (Part of INI Group) is a leading multidisciplinary consulting engineering company with a legacy of 27 years of dedicated work and noted projects in more than 50 project locations across the globe. We offer multiple services including Mechanical-Electrical- Plumbing (MEP), fire protection, infrastructure design, IBMS, sustainable design, BIM Services, PMC, and lighting design through a dedicated and proficient team working from five office locations in India and abroad.
INI stands for Integrated Ideas which reflects the integrated and collaborative nature of our practice. Our strength lies in providing one-stop solutions to our clients for all engineering & infrastructure design needs. Our team adheres to international design codes and delivers modern solutions using state-of-the-art design software and technology.
Brief us on your expertise in the MEP consultancy market.
As mentioned above, INI Infrastructure & Engineering has been a pioneer in the field of engineering design consultancy and has been providing quality service for the past 27 years across the globe. Our work integrates regional planning, infrastructure planning, urban design, transportation, architecture, engineering, and infrastructure, by incorporating cutting edge innovation for energy efficiency and sustainability into the design of all our projects.
Our strength lies in providing one-stop solutions to our clients for all planning, engineering & infrastructure design needs. Our professionals are accredited for various national & international certifications and green standards such as ASHRAE, ISHRAE, IGBC, LEED, GRIHA standards. INI team, with its rich international experience and expertise dedicated to excellence in design, has a strong record of successfully delivering sustainable designs for our clients with integrity, team spirit, and best practices, both here in India and internationally.
What are/were the challenges you and your team come across in your day-to-day operations?
Challenges are part and partial of our practice. Our culture is that we try to turn challenges into opportunities. Some of the challenges we face in our day-to-day operations: Ÿ Higher client expectations: Today’s clients expect faster responses, tighter timelines, and enhanced deliverables. Meanwhile, our consulting fees did not go necessarily higher, but they are more tied to results. It is natural. Good thing is that it is within our power to rise to the occasion, and we do it every time without compromising the quality of our design while caring for optimum performance at the right value. Ÿ Tighter timelines: We face tighter deadlines. The entire design, engineering & execution process is condensed now and as consulting practice, we need to be ready with our value proposition throughout the cycle starting from day one.
As a company, we deal with this challenge with well-trained teams, aligned resource planning, team collaboration, and wise use of technology. Ÿ Finding the right talent: With the rising expectation of clients and project complexities in India’s emerging market, finding the right talent, train them for the required skills, and retaining them is one of the most important challenges in today’s consulting market. As one of the core values of INI “We Put People First”. INI provides the best environment where our people can thrive professionally and personally with a good work life balance. We continuously invest in training & skill development for our people.
Where do you envision your organization to be in the long run and what are your future goals?
We envision INI Infrastructure & Engineering becoming one of the preferred Design and Engineering consultants across the board to all types of clients such as developers, institutions, industries, Urban Infrastructure & Govt. clients. nationally and internationally. We are growing and we plan to expand our presence in more geographical locations in India and internationally while adding more services. We strongly believe that the collaboration of Industry and Academia is critical for professional practice such as ours and are expanding our collaborations in related research, teaching, and academic fields.
Among the Stars
Amit Mehta
Director
MEPF ENGINEERING
Amit Mehta, a Mechanical Engineer, ASHRAE certified Health Care Facility Design Professional and has 25 years’ experience in the field of HVAC Product Development, Design, Planning, and Execution. Amit has led the MEPF engineering team for the design of more than 200 projects in India and internationally. He is a past president of ISHRAE (Indian Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineering) for Ahmedabad, and a Member of, Board of Governors for ASHRAE WIC (American Society of Heating Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers).
He is an IGBC Accredited Professional (IGBC AP). With his excellent project design management, INI is recognized by associated clients and architects as the most favorable MEPF engineering consulting company. Apart from design engineering, Amit has always been a management leader and has extended his services for the generation of new business, improvement of quality standards, project-based man-hour cost calculations, estimation of fees, and understanding of the market scenario and response to market needs to be based on a wide range of clientele. Amit holds a Bachelor of Engineering, Mechanical, from L.D. College of Engineering, Gujarat University.
Nehal Thakkar
SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER
MEPF ENGINEERING
Nehal, a LEED Accredited Professional (LEED AP) has over 21 years of experience in the HVAC field. She is currently the Office Head at the Mumbai office of INI. She is dedicated to her work and remains ever focused on the various projects that she handles. She is a disciplinarian and a taskmaster and directs meticulously all aspects of project work. She believes in close supervision and follows up on the work with which she is entrusted, thus maintaining the required delivery and quality standards.
Her hands-on design approach and multi-tasking ability ensure that a successful project is delivered. As Office Head in Mumbai, Nehal has successfully coordinated to completion various MEP Projects in India and overseas in the areas of Commercial, Industrial, Institutional, Health Care, and Residential. Her projects span across India and overseas in Nepal, Azerbaijan, and Libya. Nehal holds a Bachelor of Engineering, Mechanical, from Nirma University, Ahmedabad.
Parth Joshi
Director
MEPF ENGINEERING
Parth, a registered Professional Engineer (PE) in the U.S. and a LEED Accredited Professional (LEED AP), has over 15 years of global design and project management experience in the field of building systems engineering design. Parth leads a team of highly skilled and motivated individuals dedicated to delivering high-quality design solutions in Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, and Fire Protection design for INI’s MEPFP engineering department. Parth’s project experience covers a wide spectrum of building types and sizes.
Parth believes in a collaborative work environment and an exchange of ideas among clients, community, and design team to provide sustainable design excellence. He is involved in each project from concept to delivery, encompassing planning, monitoring, inter-discipline coordination, and resource planning.
Parth is actively involved in marketing, business, and client development, and forming collaborative ventures with local and global partners for INI’s engineering projects. Parth holds a Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from California State University and a Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering from L.D. College of Engineering, Gujarat University.
