About
As the UK market leader in delivering strategic advice and service activation to the built environment, our mission is to create a world we want to live in.
We are a worldwide, partner-managed team of 5,100 people across 59 offices – seven of which are in key UK regions. This allows us to support companies of all sizes with a desire to create positive change across their industries and beyond.
Global change starts locally
With experts across local, national and international real estate, industrial, energy and infrastructure sectors, we deliver hyper-local and nuanced solutions to our clients. We think holistically, combining creativity with analytical thinking.
As a result we like to say we bring ‘the blue way’ to every project. An approach that features in everything we do, it guides us in ensuring that both economic and ecological concerns are always taken into consideration.
Our history
The history of Drees & Sommer starts in 1970, when Gerhard Drees and Hans Sommer started a small engineering firm in Stuttgart. This once three-person team is now a team of more than 5,100 employees, working internationally in over 59 locations.
Within the UK, the history of the firm starts with the acquisition of Procore back in 2017. Working with international clients, the team had a stronghold in London and Kent delivering a range of projects for clients across the Automotive, Logistics and Property sectors.
In 2022, we wanted to expand further into the UK market, so, in 2023, after a year of successful collaboration, we accelerated our acquisition of UK property and construction consultants, AA Projects.
Founded in 1999, AA Projects had 6 offices across the UK. This means we now have a team of over 230 experts who are spread across 7 locations.
From healthcare to hospitality, our team support on all things built environment.
Corporate Philosophy
The Drees & Sommer corporate philosophy consists of nine statements that express how we think, how we work together, and what sets us apart.
the blue way
We think and act sustainably and holistically. Economy, ecology and functionality are inseparable for us.
We call this basic principle ‘the blue way’. It pervades our entire company – internally and externally. We bring 'the blue way' to every project.
‘the blue way’ combines reason and emotion. Stringent, goal-oriented processes that allow space for creative freedom. In our projects, we always include the creative right hemisphere of the brain and the rational left hemisphere. This results in holistic thinking.
Learning
As a business, we are built on a commitment to learn and grow. We provide our staff with the infrastructure to deliver excellence through clear development programmes, peer support, and the time to make each project unique.
We share knowledge in our delivery across our clients and communities. We run CPD sessions, host conference panels, and create learning networks.
Drees & Sommer is becoming a Beneficial Company
As a Beneficial Company, we give more back to the environment than we consume from it through our business activities. In this regard, we make long-lasting positive contributions to the environment and society while bringing about maximum benefit in these areas.