18 October 2015

Fire engineers push the boundaries with challenging, innovative designs

It became clear to fire engineering professionals just how challenging it might be for approval authorities to explore and approve unconventional fire engineering designs when they attended the Fire NZ 2015 Conference and Exhibition held in Wellington on 15-16 October.

In a workshop led by the Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE) that let them fully explore the creative design process and enhance their skills in presenting challenging concepts to approval authorities, participants gained a greater appreciation of the process of designing, presenting and approving fire safety and engineering concepts that push the limits of possibility.

Michael James, one of the organisers responsible for the SPFE workshop at the Conference said the workshop proved to be their best ever. “The workshop was about driving creativity and innovation in a regulated fire engineering environment. Fire engineering professionals got the chance to enhance skills in presenting challenging concepts to an approval authority. Playing the role of the approval authority also gave participants a chance to really understand what approval authorities face when they are presented with excellent but unconventional designs,” he said. “Presenters from Weta Digital, the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment, and Holmes Solutions also offered fascinating perspectives to the workshop and further informed participants wanting to push the boundaries with sound alternative solutions to building design scenarios.”

The Fire NZ 2015 Conference and Exhibition showcased advanced cutting-edge practices in leading edge fire protection and engineering used to protect people, property and the environment through design, safety and innovation. It provided a comprehensive national forum for fire industry professionals.

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