Connecting Clients: DEP Consulting 

DEP Consulting is a Sydney-based electrical engineering consultancy with more than 27 years of experience in electrical distribution network design. Founded in 1998 by Managing Director Charles Rheinberger, the business has grown from a small specialist practice into a firm of 21 people operating at the highest level of the industry. As a Level 3 Accredited Service Provider (ASP) – the highest accreditation available in NSW for electrical distribution network design – DEP Consulting is authorised to design connections to the Ausgrid, Endeavour Energy, and Essential Energy networks, covering high voltage and low voltage systems, building services, lighting design, and substation design.

The business holds ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001 certifications, and its project portfolio includes some of the most complex and recognisable developments in the state. We sat down with General Manager Jack Rheinberger to learn more about the business, the market it operates in, and what the partnership means for the team.

Where did it all start for DEP Consulting?

DEP Consulting has been operating from Sutherland in Sydney’s south since its founding in 1998. What began as a small team built on Charles Rheinberger’s expertise in electrical distribution network design has grown steadily over nearly three decades into a firm with a significant foothold in the NSW market. The business now employs a team of 21 people across a range of technical and support roles.

Jack Rheinberger joined as General Manager two years ago and has overseen a period of significant growth:

“I’ve been here for two years in a couple of weeks, and I’ve gone from 9 to 21 staff. That’s been a bit of a busy period.”

The philosophy that has guided DEP Consulting from day one remains central to everything the business does:

“What DEP does is we connect power to people. If there’s new infrastructure going up, we’re in the pre-engineering phase – right at the start, making sure the power gets there.”

What does DEP Consulting do and what makes them unique?

DEP Consulting’s core offering spans three disciplines: consulting, design, and project management. As a Level 3 ASP, the firm works across the full project lifecycle – from early feasibility and network connection design through to delivery and commissioning. Their work covers greenfield developments (newly developed areas), brownfield redevelopments (rebuilds of existing networks), high voltage and low voltage systems, lighting design, and substation design.

The depth of specialist knowledge in the business is a genuine differentiator. Level 3 ASP design for major networks in NSW is a narrow field, and DEP Consulting occupies a strong position within it. That expertise comes with its own challenge – building a team with the capability to take on the most complex jobs – and it is something Jack is actively focused on as the business grows.

Can you tell us about a project you’re particularly proud of?

DEP Consulting’s portfolio of completed projects spans some of NSW’s most high-profile developments across commercial, health, sporting, and precinct infrastructure.

The Salesforce Tower – Sydney’s tallest commercial building at 61 floors – is among their most significant achievements. DEP Consulting designed the entire electrical distribution network for the development, which achieved a 6 Green Star and 5.5 NABERS energy rating: among the highest sustainability benchmarks achieved by any commercial building in Australia. Connecting that volume of power demand to Sydney’s CBD network, while meeting those standards, required precisely the kind of specialist expertise DEP Consulting has built over nearly three decades.

Allianz Stadium, the redeveloped 42,500-seat venue in Moore Park, required 25 kilometres of cable and a complete rebuild of the venue’s electrical infrastructure. DEP Consulting managed the design of a system that now powers one of Australia’s premier sporting and entertainment venues.

Sydney Motorsport Park involved the integration of solar systems alongside a comprehensive lighting upgrade across the entire precinct. Prince of Wales Hospital represents their work in health infrastructure – a sector where the consequences of electrical failure are critical and the design standards are among the most exacting in any industry.

For a business of its size, DEP Consulting holds a significant position in the Sydney CBD market – one built over decades of delivering on complex, high-profile projects where technical capability and accreditation are non-negotiable.

The Salesforce Tower

Allianz Stadium

Sydney Motorsport Park

What is DEP Consulting seeing in the market right now?

The electrical engineering consultancy market in NSW shifts in cycles – driven by a combination of factors including government priorities, private development pipelines, and technology-driven demand. Importantly, government projects make up only a portion of DEP Consulting’s work; much of their pipeline comes from private development, which moves to its own rhythms.

What gives DEP Consulting an edge in reading those shifts is their position in the design phase – typically 12 or more months ahead of construction. Jack explains:

“We always see the construction coming before it happens. When people are committing money to design, you know what they’re going to build. And having strong relationships with certain contractors and designers really helps with knowing what’s coming and where things are heading.”

That visibility has been valuable over the past 12 to 24 months, as a clear shift back into the major Sydney CBD development market has emerged – one DEP Consulting was well positioned to move with.

“There’s been a real big shift in the major developments coming back on board. It’s a really interesting space to be in at the moment.”

Two sectors are emerging as the most significant growth areas for the business: data centres and renewable energy. Both demand the kind of large-scale, complex electrical design that sits squarely in DEP Consulting’s area of expertise.

“We’re seeing a big shift into data centres. Renewable energy – solar farms, batteries – we’re really into that market. It’s usually doing work for the run-of-the-mill mum-and-dad developers, and now we’re doing major projects, major infrastructure. It’s a really interesting space to be in at the moment.”

What’s next for DEP Consulting?

DEP Consulting’s near-term focus is on consolidating its position in the Sydney CBD market while building capability in data centres and renewables. Looking further ahead, the business is actively developing its high voltage and transmission design capability – a move that would open up a new tier of large-scale infrastructure projects.

Jack sees the data centre pipeline as particularly significant:

“Data centres are probably the fastest-growing area. There’s a real fight for network capacity coming up in the next year or two before major transmission infrastructure is built out. That’s where a lot of the work is going to be.”

Alongside the market opportunity, the business is focused on the team that will deliver it. Having grown from 9 to 21 people in two years, the priority now is building depth in the right specialist areas – bringing in engineers who can handle the complexity of Level 3 ASP design for major projects, and maintaining the standards that have built DEP Consulting’s reputation in the market.

The business is also set to expand its physical footprint, with a second office opening in Parramatta. The new location will strengthen DEP Consulting’s ability to resource projects across greater Sydney and build networks in Western Sydney’s growing infrastructure market – delivering better outcomes for both the team and clients.

DEP Consulting and Infrastructure People

For a specialist firm where every hire needs to be technically capable and culturally aligned, finding the right people is not a simple exercise. Jack describes how the partnership with Infrastructure People has changed the way DEP Consulting approaches workforce growth.

A key part of what works is the flexibility of the embedded model. DEP Consulting can scale activity up or down in line with business demand – and Jack notes that even when they step back, they tend to re-engage sooner than expected, because the need for good people never really goes away. What the model has consistently delivered is quality: the right people, placed through a process that genuinely understands the business.

It is that depth of relationship – the ongoing weekly touchpoint with a consultant who knows what DEP Consulting is looking for – that Jack values most, rather than a transactional brief placed and forgotten.

“Having that weekly meeting, you really feel like you get a working relationship with the person. They actually know who you want, and they can vet candidates and give you ideas of people that should work for your business. It means you’re not chasing phone calls all the time. It really takes you out of the grind of having to find people yourself.”

The early-stage work – the sourcing, the calls, the filtering – is where the partnership earns its place. For Jack, the best part of bringing someone new into the business is the onboarding: getting them set up, integrated, and contributing. Infrastructure People handle everything that comes before that, and they do it well.

“They take on all the hard work upfront – and they seem to genuinely enjoy it, which tells you something. By the time we’re involved, we’re at the part we actually want to be at.”

Having taken the team from 9 to 21 people in two years, with strong retention throughout, Jack’s assessment of the model is clear:

“It’s definitely the way most recruitment should go, if I’m being completely honest. As a small business owner, it’s really comforting to know who you’re talking with every week in that market.”

DEP Consulting is a Sydney-based electrical engineering consultancy and Level 3 Accredited Service Provider specialising in electrical distribution network design, consulting, and project management. Founded in 1998, the business has delivered electrical infrastructure for some of NSW’s most iconic developments, including Salesforce Tower, Allianz Stadium, Sydney Motorsport Park, and Prince of Wales Hospital. For more information, visit depconsulting.com.au.