Building better partnerships: How Lauren is redefining project execution in energy infrastructure

Building better partnerships: How Lauren is redefining project execution in energy infrastructure

It’s not easy maintaining a unique cultural and relationship-focused approach through rapid growth, but for Lauren, it’s just part of their DNA.

In an energy sector where execution risk, cost control, and schedule certainty are paramount, Lauren has emerged as a trusted partner by staying focused on what it does best: delivering disciplined, fit-for-purpose solutions while maintaining the flexibility and responsiveness that clients expect in today’s rapidly evolving market.

Over the past decade, the Alberta-founded firm has expanded steadily across Canada, supporting large-scale infrastructure projects in both traditional and transitional energy. Its continued growth, including plans to invest in a physical U.S. location this year, has been less about market share and more about client alignment.

“Our model is simple but effective: deliver value, earn trust, and grow alongside our clients,” says Dustin Edgren, president of Lauren. “We scale where and when it makes sense, based on relationships and being where our clients need us to be, when they need us.”

Lauren’s growth has been deliberate and grounded in its people-first philosophy. The firm has launched new offices in Canada and added specialized services to support client demand. In each case, growth has been sparked not by top-down mandates but by empowering team members to run with good ideas.

“That’s something I’m really proud of,” says Edgren. “We’ve built a culture where people have the freedom and support to lead. It’s not all centralized with the leadership team. We trust our people, and they’ve helped us grow in smart, sustainable ways.”

That culture is also part of what differentiates Lauren as it enters the U.S. and eyes other global opportunities. While the growth plan is strategic, it’s also deeply relational. “We’re expanding in tandem with our clients’ needs, not ahead of them. That keeps us grounded and focused.”

Technical Depth, Delivered with Discipline

Lauren offers full lifecycle support for energy infrastructure projects, from front-end engineering and regulatory support through detailed design, execution, and commissioning. The firm’s core service offering comprises multi-disciplinary engineering and design drafting across facilities, pipelines, electrical utility, and civil and structural projects, with full EPCM project delivery capabilities.

“Our capabilities are deep in energy infrastructure because that’s where we’ve built our bench strength and our reputation,” says Rod Phipps, managing partner and one of Lauren’s founders. “We’re not generalists, we’re subject matter experts in the systems and assets that drive this sector.”

According to Phipps, the company was founded by a group of seasoned engineers who saw a gap in the provision of expert consultancy based on a “one-team, one-goal” mentality. As energy infrastructure investment picks up pace in North America, companies are seeking engineering partners who understand both the technical and organizational intricacies of complex projects. For multinational clients, which operate throughout North America, Lauren offers an attractive blend of engineering excellence and deep internal fluency.

“We often hear that we’re easy to work with, and that we listen,” adds Edgren. “That’s a huge part of our model. We’re not coming in with ego. We’re here to solve problems and create value. And that value increases the longer we work with a client.”

That level of operational integration, developed over years of collaboration and honing project management excellence, has made Lauren a go-to partner for complex, multidisciplinary work across both operating and capital projects. This is coupled with their reputation for getting the job done in often challenging geographies and under tight deadlines and cost scenarios.

“Early on, we earned a reputation for being the ones you call when your project is in a jam. Reliable, dependable, and very adaptable,” explains Edgren, who, along with Fletcher Evans, vice-president of business operations, founded the company’s Vancouver office a decade ago. “We’ve built on that reputation by earning long-term business, so now we’re the first ones our clients call.”

Supporting Both Legacy Assets and the Energy Transition

Lauren’s project portfolio spans the full energy spectrum, from pipeline integrity and capacity upgrades to emerging hydrogen infrastructure and renewable fuel projects. As clients modernize legacy systems and invest in low-carbon alternatives, Lauren provides the engineering and execution support needed to deliver on those ambitions.

“We’re seeing a convergence of traditional and transitional energy work. Operators are under pressure to optimize existing infrastructure while preparing for the next generation of assets. Our team is well-positioned to support both,” Evans believes.

For example, Lauren has been engaged in early-stage engineering for hydrogen blending and renewable natural gas (RNG) systems, as well as regulatory and constructability planning for carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS) initiatives. “These are technically complex and often regulatory-intensive projects. Our ability to operate at the intersection of engineering and execution is a real differentiator,” Evans adds.

Growth, the Right Way

“We’ve never pursued growth for its own sake,” says Edgren. “Our approach has always been organic and built on trust, capability, and a long-term mindset.”

That mindset is reflected in how Lauren operates. Unlike larger, more siloed firms, Lauren maintains a highly integrated team structure that allows for rapid decision-making, tight feedback loops, and customized service delivery. “We’re big enough to handle complex programs, but nimble enough to stay incredibly responsive,” says Edgren. “That’s what our clients value.”

Lauren’s U.S. expansion is a case in point. The move was driven not by market speculation, but by the desire to better support existing clients with active projects. By investing in a U.S. entity and building a local execution model, including partnerships with PEs and local consultants, Lauren is ensuring continuity and compliance while delivering the same high-touch service it’s been known for in Canada for more than 46 years.

Always Earning the Work

At the heart of Lauren’s model is a people-first culture that values relationships, accountability, and operational excellence. That culture extends beyond the organization and into every client interaction.