Capable
Works
The Wide Range
Over the past 16+ years, I have either involved in or independently carried out a range of Façade Engineering activities on behalf of Façade contractors as well as Façade consultants. This include both technical and commercial aspects.
I have hands on experience in designing and executing building façades in the Middle East as well as in the UK; and both new buildings and refurbishment/repair projects. The projects that I have worked on include small scale dwellings to high-rise towers.
- 01
Defining Façade Systems
These days the architects often design buildings with complex building envelops. However, those architects may not necessary be having the in-depth knowledge and skills to provide all of the engineering input required to decide on the most appropriate façade materials and systems. As an experienced façade engineer, I am able to advise on a range of materials and system, which can be utilised for façade construction, in order to deliver the desired architectural intent while achieving the intended performances.
- 02
Concept Design
It is much easier and effective to convey ideas via graphical means rather than in a text format. During the concept design stage, I normally prepare a report, which generally consist of sample photographs, 2D, 3D sketches along with a very brief description of each proposed façade type in a way that can easily be understandable by people from both technical and non-technical backgrounds.
- 03
Specification
Specifications can be divided into two main categories that are performance specification and prescriptive specification. While the performance specification would set the minimum performance requirements with a flexibility for the contractor to propose the materials and systems, the prescriptive specification would generally list out the exact materials and systems to be utilised in the project. The specifications should be produced bespoke to each project in order to achieve the most suitable and cost-efficient outcome. I am very much familiar with both performance and prescriptive specifications and have produced a number of façade specification for both new built and refurbishment/remediation projects.
- 04
Cost Estimation
Estimators play a vital role in the financial stability of an organisation as it is very important to price the projects accurately. This is mainly because, under-pricing a project is highly likely to result in direct negative impact on the financial stability, while over-pricing the projects would have an indirect negative impact as the customers would not find the prices to be competitive. As such, the organisation would struggle to secure new orders, which would eventually affect the annual turnover of the organisation. During the initial 8 years of my career, I was able to secure a number of projects as a result of my accurate and competitive pricing and effective contact negotiation skills. I have also successfully negotiated many subcontract agreements with subcontractors and/or suppliers on behalf of my employers, who were façade contractors. In combination of these commercial skills and recently acquired in depth technical knowledge, I am now able to provide accurate cost estimates for various building façades.
- 05
Value Engineering
In my opinion, value engineering is a systematic approach of achieving the best possible value with the lowest possible cost in a project. Generally, value engineering would result in applying relaxation to the performance requirements outlined within the project specification and offer cost savings to the client in return. The value engineered options must meet the local authority guidelines and should be acceptable to the client as well as the insurance provider. I have produced a number of value engineering proposals, during my tenure with façade contractors and have recently reviewed several value engineering options as part of tender package reviews. With my strong technical knowledge and commercial experience, I am able to provide sensible value engineering proposals.
- 06
Façade System Design
In some instances, the pre-engineered and tested (off the shelf) façade systems may not be directly installed onto a building. This is likely to occur if the building is designed to have a complex geometry façade or the façade needs to be built to a different specification than the tested condition/s. In order to overcome this challenge, façade designers often carry out system design to develop bespoke façade systems. This may either be achieved by introducing some modifications to an existing system or design a completely new system from scratch. I have designed many bespoke façades using the components of existing systems in combination and also been involved in developing fully bespoke façade systems. Developing a fully bespoke system often include designing of new dies for extruding aluminium profiles and designing of new gasket geometries. I am confident in designing bespoke façade systems if that proves to be a feasible option for a particular project.
- 07
Structural Calculations
Structural engineering is a vast discipline on its own right. Although I am not an accredited structural engineering, I am familiar with the structural calculations that are related to building façades. As such, I am able to carry out façade related basic structural calculations.
- 08
Detail Design
The drawings considered to be the language or the main communication tool between the construction industry professionals. I am very much familiar and have produced the full range of (design, production, installation and as-built) drawings that are being utilised within the façade engineering industry.
- 09
Thermal Analysis
Being the barrier between the interior space and the external environment, façades play a major role in the overall thermal performance, which eventually influence the energy efficiency of a building. I am highly experienced in carrying out thermal analysis of various building façade to calculation the U-Values and to determine the risk of both surface and interstitial condensations.
- 10
Tender Packages Review
Tender packages are submitted by the subcontractors as part of the bidding process. These packages would often include both commercial and technical information. Façade Consultants are generally appointed (by the client’s representative or by the main contractor) for reviewing the technical contents of those tender packages. The façade consultants normally assess the compliance of the tender bids against the project specification and provide a comparison report. However, in combination of my work experience (with façade contractors and façade consultants) and strong commercial skills, I can effectively review both technical as well as commercial contents of façade tender packages, in order to assist in finalising the most suitable façade contractor/s.
- 11
Design Audit
The façade contractors produce design documents for the review and approval of the client’s design team, prior to the procurement and/or commencing the production. These design documents may consist of drawings, supporting calculations and technical information of proposed materials. As a Façade consultant, carrying out design audits to help confirm that the façade design fully complies with the project specification is one of my main tasks in the recent past.
- 12
Factory Visit and Report
Façade engineers often carry out visits to the manufacturing facilities of the façade contractors and material manufacturers. This may either be to evaluate their capacity of delivering a particular project during the tender stage or to monitor the quality of the works being carried out during the fabrication stage of a particular project. The findings of these visits are generally summarised into a formal report including the comments or recommendation of the façade engineer. Using my past experience in the manufacturing process, I am able carry out such factory visits very effectively.
- 13
Witness Performance Tests
Due to the increased number of bespoke façades being built, the number of Performance Mock-Up (PMU) tests has shown an increase in the recent past. These tests are carried out by erecting a sample/specimen of the proposed façade system in a laboratory condition; in order ensure that the proposed façade system meets the performance requirements of the project specification, prior to procuring for actual site installation. During the actual site installation, some small portion (usually 5%) of the each façade type is water tested to evaluate the quality of the site workmanship. Depending on the specification requirement, there may also be some site based tests to determine the airtightness and acoustic performance of the wall build-up. I have witnessed many such tests in my 16+ year’s career.
- 14
Site Monitoring and Report
These days Façade Engineers are appointed to carry out frequent site monitoring visits. The main purpose of these visits is to monitor the progress on site erection; check whether the works being carried out are in accordance with the specification and approved design documents. Such visits are carried out weekly or fortnightly or monthly, depending on the progress and size of the project. Following each visit, the façade engineer produces a detailed report outlining the findings and recommended actions as and when required. Carrying out site monitoring visits has become one of my main scopes of work during the last few years.
- 15
Handover Document Review
Occasionally, façade engineers are requested to review the hand over documents, which generally include as-built drawings. Operations & Maintenance (O&M) Manuals, warranty information and etc.… These documents are reviewed mainly to assess whether the original intension is realised in the final outcome or not and to ensure that a sufficient amount of information is recorded for any future reference. In a few of my project, I have carried out such reviews prior to the contractor handing over the project formally.
- 16
Façade Failure Investigation
Due to the nature of being the primary environmental barrier, façades are expected to be the most onerous part in a building fabric. Historic evidence also suggests that the building façades reported to have had highest level of failures. Façade engineers are often appointed to carry out façade failure investigations, in order to ascertain the probable cause/s for such failure and provide remedial/repair solutions. I have investigated a number of such façade failures, which ranged from water ingress issues, glass breakages and structural failures of façade components.
- 17
Fire Compliance Survey
As a result of recent building fire incidents, façade engineers are being appointed to carry out intrusive fire surveys on existing buildings to determine the compliance of original façade construction against the relevant standards and guidelines that were applicable at the time of construction. Such surveys also would generally include ascertaining the fire performance of the materials which have been utilised within the building envelope. Then suitability qualified a fire engineer utilises the façade engineer’s survey report to develop a holistic fire strategy plan for the building. I have been carrying out a large number of façade fire compliance surveys from the beginning of 2018.
- 18
Façade Condition Survey
Many building owners appoint independent façade engineers to assess the overall condition of building façades, in terms of performance and durability. This type of survey is often carried out prior to buying, selling, letting, leasing or insuring a building. The condition survey carried out for maintenance purposes commonly known as Planned Preventive Maintenance (PPM) survey, which would generally include the anticipated budget costs to maintain the façade elements in a reasonable condition, in addition to the contents of a condition survey report. I have been carrying out a considerable amount of façade condition surveys and PPM surveys for the past 5+ years.