About Us

RB Engineering Ltd was founded by Les Brown in 2004 as a full-service electrical engineering firm.  RB has developed over the years from a small partnership to an employee owned company that is known throughout the electrical industry for providing practical engineering solutions with personalised service.  The company is currently run by three principals:

Les was born and raised in Nanaimo and has over thirty years of experience in electrical design and project management.  Prior to forming RB, Les worked for many years as an electrical designer with local engineering firms.  Les has extensive local knowledge of the engineering and construction industries on Vancouver Island.  Les spends his weekends at his Mudge Island “cabin” with his wife Barb and his dog Lizzie.

Arlen joined RB in 2006 after completing his schooling in electrical design.  Arlen was born near Port Hardy and has lived on Vancouver Island his entire life.  Through his years of service, Arlen progressed from a junior designer to RB’s lead building designer.  Arlen began managing projects in 2015 and became a principal in the company in 2020.  In his off hours, Arlen pursues his passion for music by attending concerts and recording local artists in his personal basement studio.

Craig joined RB in 2013 after completing the challenging Engineering Physics program at the University of British Columbia with a focus on electrical engineering.  Originally from Calgary, Craig has built a life for himself in Nanaimo where he now has young family and lives in a three-generation house.  Craig progressed through many electrical design projects to become a project manager in 2015 and then a principal in 2020.  Craig’s hobbies include cooking, strategy games, and creating the ideal Christmas experience each December.

Under the principals’ leadership, RB’s design experience covers the full spectrum of electrical engineering with over 125 years of cumulative experience.  We are licensed and undertake design work in BC, Alberta, and Ontario.  Our goal is to provide clients with exceptional service and solutions for a cost-effective and energy efficient electrical system tailored to each project.

RB’s services include but are not limited to co-ordination of services with utility companies, facility audits, energy retrofits, and electrical design of buildings (including area and architectural lighting designs), marine terminals, water and waste water systems, PLC and low voltage systems design, transportation signals and street lighting, and communications systems.