Should lifts be used for evacuation of tall buildings? Can we fight and extinguish full height tall building fires?
Just three of the presentations confirmed for the Tall Building Fire Safety Network’s meeting and seminar at FIREX International.
Taking place at London’s ExCeL on Wednesday 22 June, the programme includes presentations from chartered engineer Eoin O’Loughlin, Hilti’s Andrew Kay and Wilf Butcher of the Association for Specialist Fire Protection, among others.
In terms of frequency and complexity – especially over evacuation and tackling fires raging several stories from the ground – tall buildings are a particularly difficult proposition when it comes to fire protection. The UAE, which has a particularly high concentration of skyscrapers, has witnessed several major fires in recent years.
It’s an issue that facilities managers, insurers, architects, developers and firefighters all have a stake in combatting.
The programme reflects the Tall Building Fire Safety Network’s mission statement: “To collectively advance the understanding of fire risk management in tall buildings, during design, construction, occupation and firefighting operations. This will be achieved by group scrutiny of available research data, relevant innovative products and development of a guidance document for fire safety in tall buildings.”
The total cost to attend the event, per person, is £125.94 including booking fee and VAT.
Andrew Kay has over 30 years’ experience in the construction industry. The bulk of this was gained in his 25 years spent at Hilti (GB) Ltd where he managed a variety of different markets. His last 10 years were spent managing Hilti’s fire protection team where he wasresponsible for bringing the first curtain wall spray firestops into the UK market. Prior to joining Siderise he gained invaluable experience at Exova Warringtonfire working on 3rd party certification schemes, CE marking and fire testing.
He is an ex-chairman of both the Association for Specialist Fire Protection and the Firestopping Forum as well as vice chair of the Fire Safety Development Group. His passion is ensuring the correct supply and install of fire protection materials to ensure a safer environment for all.
Eoin O’Loughlin is a chartered engineer with 4 years of experience in fire engineering consultancy. Prior to his current role leading Trenton Fire’s London team, he worked with AECOM for over 3 years in the UK and abroad. He provides and oversees fire safety consultancy from concept design through to construction, handover and ongoing operation, for a wide range of projects including numerous landmark schemes. landmark schemes. With an academic background in structural engineering, and as a contributor to the IFE SIG on Fire Resistance, Eoin takes a particular interest in developing and promoting best practice in the design of structures for fire.
Tom Gilbert is a qualified Fire safety manager, 3rd party certificated Fire risk assessor and has over15 years’ experience in the fire safety industry. Prior to his current role leading Frankham RMS’s fire division,Tom worked as an operational firefighter in the royal air force, a fire safety supervisor at Goldmans Sachs international and then headed fire risk management at Affinity Sutton Homes Group and BB7 Fire risk and resilience. Tom has extensive experience across a number of sectors including manufacturing, hospitality, universities, museums and residential housing for both private and social landlords. Tom is the residential lead on the Tall buildings fire safety network, a council member of the institute of fire safety managers and previously chairman of the technical committee of the National social housing Fire safety Group. Tom is passionate about the implementation of strategic fire risk management at organisational level and is an expert in the application of PAS7:2013 “Fire risk management system –specification”
Mark Fishlock worked as a response manager with Kent Fire and Rescue Service UK, gaining over 30 years of operational experience. He is a highly motivated operational tactician with specific interests in High-Rise fire-fighting, large building fires, Premise Risk Management (SSRI) and pre-planned tactical guidance. His extensive research and development work in firefighting response to High-rise fires is been referenced and used globally. He was seconded the Fire Service College, to work on the High rise firefighting element of the UK Buildings Disaster Assessment Group (BDAG) and was a technical consult to UK: GRA3.2. Following a UK wide review of High rise firefighting procedures by the HSE, his proposed tactical intervention approach was deemed UK “best practice”, Mark has acted as technical advisor and consultant to various UK and Worldwide Fire and Rescue Services and the Fire Brigades Union. Mark has designed and delivered a wide range of High rise firefighting training programs within numerous UK Fire Services. He owns the not-for-profit website www.highrisefire.co.uk, a reference source for all aspects of High-rise fire response.
Martin Edwards is a Chartered Architect, with over 35 years’ experience in the construction industry. He is an Associate Director at Probyn Miers, the UK’s leading team of Architects in Forensic Analysis and International Dispute Avoidance & Resolution, with offices in London and Dubai. Martin is a Member of the Academy of Experts and the Institution of Fire Engineers. He has specialist knowledge and experience in fire safety, with extensive experience of negotiations with Fire Brigades and Local Authorities on the fire strategies for large and unique buildings. He has cooperated with fire engineers as Architect and Expert Witness and reported on fire damage claims up to £80m arising from arson, hot work, electrical faults, equipment overheating, saunas and lightning strike. Quoted as “The Architect Who Knew Too Much About Fire” https://www.ifsecglobal.com/the-architect-who-knew-too-much-about-fire/. His latest papers are ’Fire Risks from External Cladding Panels’ (http://www.probyn-miers.com/news/newsletter-2/) and ‘UAE Fire Risks: A Tall Concern ’( Middle East Insurance Review journal ).
Aston Bowles is marketing manager of Advanced, which develops and manufactures the automatic fire systems used in many tall buildings around the world.
Advanced’s relentless pursuit of performance and ease-of-use has delivered the industry with stand out solutions driven by the extensive challenges of large and complex sites.
Wilf Butcher – has worked within the Passive Fire Protection sector of the fire community, on an international basis, for just over forty years, twenty nine of which within manufacturing management and in 2003 establishing his own marketing consultancy, WJB Marketing.
As part of his consultancy, Wilf took over the role of CEO for the Association for Specialist Fire Protection in 2007 and also sits of the Executive Councils of the Fire Sector Federation, the Fire Protection Association and the Passive Fire Protection Federation and is the immediate past President of the European Association for Passive Fire Protection.
Santeri Suoranta – Head of Technology, Major Projects, KONE. Since 2015, Mr. Suoranta has worked as Head of Technology in KONE’s Global Major Projects business line. He joined KONE in 2007 as a Project Manager in the R&D department.
In his present function, Suoranta works closely with R&D to enable the needs and dreams of KONE’s Major Project clients. His task is to ensure that KONE’s solutions are state-of–the-art for Major Projects, including High-Rise buildings, Infra, Medical facilities and Marine projects. He has been heavily involved in the creation of KONE’s innovative high-rise offering, covering the highest travels and speeds available. He has also been one of the key persons developing KONE’s innovative JumpLift technology to increase building efficiency on large tower projects.
Before joining KONE, Suoranta worked in the aerospace industry in R&D projects, for example on structural parts of the Airbus A380. He received his M.Sc. Eng. from Helsinki University of Technology in 2004.
Sascha Brozek – Senior Vice President, KONE Major Projects, joined Kone Corporation in 2014 as the global head of its Major Projects Business Unit. Major Projects (MP) is KONE’s international unit dedicated to its customers’ most demanding large and complex projects like high-rise buildings, airports, metro stations, large medical facilities, stadiums or cruise ships. Before joining KONE, Dr. Brozek worked at Siemens AG in different international management functions, including Siemens Building Technologies. He graduated from Hannover University, Germany and holds a PhD in Applied Physics.
Enjoy the latest fire and security news, updates and expert opinions sent straight to your inbox with IFSEC Insider's essential weekly newsletters. Subscribe today to make sure you're never left behind by the fast-evolving industry landscape.
Sign up now!
