Category: Community

Scholarship award for Timber Conference in Norway

Michael Williamson, Design Engineer at Holmes ANZ recently attended the World Conference on Timber Engineering (WCTE) in Oslo, Norway, after being awarded a scholarship by the NZ Timber Design Society. We had the pleasure of catching up with Michael to hear more about his amazing trip and what he learned about what’s new in the world of timber.

 

Q: How did you end up going on this trip? What was the process for being selected?

Michael: I was awarded a scholarship from the Timber Design Society. The application was a two-page proposal about how to increase the uptake of engineered timber in NZ. My proposal focused on how to give NZ practitioners the confidence to solve engineered timber challenges through sharing challenges and solutions on real world projects. There is plenty of uncertainty around many aspects of the delivery of engineered timber projects, and we need to share successes and failures on our NZ projects to help reduce this uncertainty and advance our industry.

 

Q: What inspired you to apply?

Michael: After working on a mass timber project, I found that I enjoyed the technical challenge of timber, so I to gain exposure to the wider industry. Designing in timber is a great way to reduce carbon emissions from construction, so it’s an opportunity for us structural engineers make a difference towards mitigating climate change. Going to Europe was a bonus too!”

 

Q: What was the top 3 take aways from the event?

Michael: My main learnings were around how the the world of timber is changing in regard to structural engineering.

  • Fire performance is still the most limiting, challenging and contentious aspect of mass timber buildings. There were a lot more questions than answers.
  • CLT is really becoming the hot engineered timber product. It’s being used for diaphragms, floor plates in point supported contexts (no gravity beams) and walls as part of the lateral frame. There appears to be strong potential for CLT, but there is still plenty of research and work to be done to increase its uptake.
  • It’s a lot easier to design a mid or high rise mass timber building in regions without earthquakes, but there are some cutting-edge, seismically resistant timber buildings coming out of the West Coast of the States and the Pacific Northwest. We should start to see similar buildings popping up around NZ in the next few years.

 

Q: In your opinion, where do you think NZ ranks currently in relation to the rest of the engineering world when it comes to mass timber and sustainability?

Michael: NZ is a bit behind Europe in regard to the uptake of mass timber, however, our regulations around reducing our construction emissions to achieve the national net zero carbon emissions 2050 target should push us to be a leader in sustainability. There is good reason why NZ is probably a bit behind – we have to deal with a significant seismic hazard, and the knowledge around the seismic performance of mass timber buildings is still developing. In my opinion, NZ ranks near the front for mass timber engineering in regions of high seismicity – perhaps this also says that there is still a bit of work to do in this field.

Q: Tell us one weird thing you ate/drank/saw/did while at the conference. 

Michael: I tried reindeer at a restaurant after the conference!

Congratulations from all of us at Holmes ANZ on winning the scholarship! 

Meet Daly Peeti – Drafter and creative.

ANZAC Day is happening tomorrow (in Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia), and we had the pleasure of speaking with Daly Peeti, one of our Drafters who is part of the Infrastructure Team in Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland)—but did you know she also served in the Royal New Zealand Navy?

 

Question: So, Daly, tell us a little about yourself and your former career.

Daly: I was part of the Royal New Zealand Navy for eight years; I joined straight out of High School. During my time with the Navy, I have been a Systems Combat Specialist and an Electronic Technician (specialising in Radars). I have completed six deployments: an Ice Trip to Antarctica, a six-month tour of Southeast Asia, deployment to Canada, various shorter deployments here in Aotearoa NZ, an anti-piracy tour in the Seychelles, East Coast tour of the US, and I even went on an exchange with the Royal Navy for a year based in Portsmouth.

 

Q: That’s such an amazing list of experiences and an incredible life to lead! So, what made you decide to change careers and become a Drafter? Can you tell us a little more about that?

Daly: Sure! I was ready to settle down. Not seeing my partner for nine months out of the year (he was also in the Navy) and being away from family–I was looking for something a little closer to home. I wanted to pursue something I was really passionate about, and after trying different placements and discovering what I enjoyed most I realised I really enjoyed the papers I was doing part-time online while still in the Navy.

Q: Wow! So, you were still in the Navy full time and studying as well? That’s impressive! Was there something that inspired you to choose Drafting?

Daly: I’d done Graphic Design in High School. And after doing Unitec part-time for one and a half years I decided I wanted to do it full-time to complete my studies. So, I left the Navy to focus on finishing my studies, but I am still a Reservist with the Royal New Zealand Navy.

 

Q: Was there a particular reason you chose a Drafting career in Engineering?

Daly: Yes! Jess Baker and Mark Polglase came to do a presentation at Unitec about Holmes, and what they talked about sounded really interesting. After chatting with Jess a bit more I discovered I could do a six-month placement in the Infrastructure Team and then swap (with Sara, who has now left) to do a six month placement in the Structures team. But I’ve really liked learning everything here in the Infrastructure team, so I am quite happy to stay here for now and progress more with my skills.

Interviewer: That’s really cool that you get the opportunity to influence and shape where your career takes you!

Q: What does ANZAC Day mean to you?

Daly: It’s about honouring the people who put their lives on the line. The sacrifice they made by leaving their families.
At the RSA on ANZAC Day, it’s incredible to hear the stories from the older guys on what it was like for them, and as time goes on these opportunities to hear their stories are fewer–there isn’t many of them left. And, as a Reservist I still can help and give back too.

Q: Do you have plans for ANZAC Day tomorrow?

Daly: Yes. I’ll be taking my Nana to see the local ANZAC Day parade. Reservists are allowed to attend services in their uniform–but that’s a personal choice to do so.
It’s been so long since we have been able to hold celebrations on ANZAC Day, it’s nice to have the freedom to get together. I remember during the height of COVID lockdown I lived in a Navy house, on a street with quite a few Navy houses, and we all dressed up in our uniforms and went to our Letterboxes for ANZAC Day–it was quite moving.

Q: Thank you so much for sharing with us Daly, I really appreciate the time. It’s been incredible hearing about this amazing life you’ve already led prior to joining Holmes!

Daly: Thanks for having me!

Advancing fire safety through standards: Sarnia Rusbridge’s contribution to shaping industry best practice

“Involvement does not take up a huge part of your time, and the contribution you make has a lasting benefit for the industry – and for the country.”

Sarnia Rusbridge, Principal here at Holmes and National Chair of the Society of Fire Safety was recently interviewed by Engineers Australia about her contribution to shaping industry best practice.

Read about her career journey and the value of practical, people-focused design in the snippet below and the full interview here.

Sarnia Rusbridge has built a distinguished career in fire safety engineering, applying her expertise to major infrastructure projects and championing practical, people-focused safety solutions. As National Chair of the Society of Fire Safety, she has helped guide the profession’s future direction and strengthen collaboration across the industry.

We spoke to Sarnia about her journey into fire engineering, the importance of diversity in standards development and how more engineers can play a role in shaping the standards that underpin the built environment.

What initially drew you to engineering, and how did you discover your interest in fire safety engineering?

I had just finished a degree in mechanical engineering and was eager to get out of uni and move into the real world. Unfortunately, New Zealand was going through a bit of a recession and there was very little mechanical engineering work available. 

I remembered that we had someone come in and speak to our final year class about fire engineering, and it struck me as a field with good work opportunity and strong prospects. I didn’t know much about it going in, but pursuing fire safety engineering turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve made…

Continue reading the full interview here: Sarnia Rusbridge’s contribution to shaping industry best practice.

Going Green: Sustainability in engineering. An interview with Lisa Oliver, Project Director

‘For returning Kiwi with offshore experience in sustainability and design there has never been a better opportunity to bring those skills home and get involved in a wide variety of projects.’

Lisa Oliver, Project Director here at Holmes was recently interviewed by Kea New Zealand about her passion for mass timber design, her involvement in sustainability, and how Aotearoa New Zealand is well placed to lead the repurposing and strengthening of existing buildings.

Read her interesting insights and where structural engineering has taken her (and her family!) in the world here: Lisa’s Kea Interview

 

Assessing buildings after the 2011 Christchurch earthquake.

Who runs the (engineering) world

A Holmes Fire Engineer is a challenger to the expected, motivated to find the best solution for all, and is curious in the face of a new problem. 

Making up nearly 15% of our current team, the women at Holmes have played an important role in our success across Australia, New Zealand and the US. From graduate roles to branch managers, Holmes firmly believes in giving women the tools and support they need to reach their professional goals. As the industry continues to expand and engineering becomes a more common career choice for women, we believe that we have been extremely fortunate to find the right engineers for our team so far but also look forward to discovering talented female fire engineers to join us.

This International Women in Engineering Day #INWED2021, we’ve chosen to shine the spotlight on a few of the women engineers in our Leadership team. In each of their roles and as engineers, they’ve brought their own talents, skills and drive to the table to support Holmes and the wider team as mentors, educators, problem-solvers and luminaries.

Click on their images below to find out a little more about each of these inspiring women.

Sarnia Rusbridge

Project Director

Sydney AU

Kathryn Devine

Business Manager | Project Director

Auckland NZ

Keryn Goble

Project Director

Auckland NZ

Alyson Blair, Senior Fire Engineer Downtown

Alyson Blair

Senior Fire Engineer

San Francisco US

Celebrating diversity at Holmes

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We know diversity and inclusion is a significant opportunity to build stronger, more creative, more resilient teams at Holmes. Each member’s personal journey, vibrant personalities and aspirations offer unique perspectives to complex problems and contribute to the culture we’re so proud of.

This past week, we joined our colleagues in Sydney celebrating Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras and those in Aotearoa New Zealand celebrating Pride Month. Holmes is committed to ensuring our people are comfortable and feel respected in their environment—regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

To provide an opportunity to grow and prioritise diversity at Holmes, Together@Holmes (TAHi) was born. TAHi has been formed with a group of people around the business who are passionate about Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion (DEI) at Holmes.

Our long-term vision at Holmes is to be more representative of the communities we serve— and the places we live and work.

At Holmes, we encourage our team to dream big and therefore, empower them to achieve their goals;

  • In an environment where you can relax and be yourself.
  • Where we recognise and value diversity of thought and approach.
  • With equal support and equal opportunity to grow and develop.

Holmes opens in Melbourne

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We’re excited to announce Holmes is now operating in Melbourne!

Following the success of over 20 years in Sydney, and two years in Brisbane—our Melbourne office will allow us to more easily service and add value for our increasing number of clients in Victoria.

We will be bringing the high levels of quality and service that Holmes is renowned for. In addition, we want to open the Melbourne market’s eyes to the cost savings and design potential that performance-based structural fire engineering can bring to projects of all sectors.

Launching the expansion south will be Mathew Freeman (CPEng), a Technical Director here with us at Holmes.

In the 11+ years Matt has been with Holmes, he’s become a Chartered Professional Engineer on the National Engineers Register in Fire Safety and is an accredited Fire Safety Engineer [QLD, NSW & VIC]. Matt specialises in Fire Safety Engineering, Infrastructure Fire Safety, CFD Modelling, Evacuation Assessments, Interim Fire Safety Strategies, Building Code of Australia (BCA) Assessments and has had extensive experience on projects from all sectors.

Matt not only brings a wealth of technical knowledge with him but also has the necessary business experience, having successfully managed the Sydney office as Branch Manager. We have no doubt that Matt will bring his secrets of success to the Melbourne market.

Matt will continue to be supported by the 25+ engineers in our Sydney and Brisbane offices, and our greater international team.

Get in touch to find out more about Holmes and how we can develop fire safety strategies that work best for you.

Providing Global Perspectives for University of Maryland Students

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In what’s becoming an annual tradition and anticipated start to the year, Holmes Fire, once again, hosted a small number of engineering students from the University of Maryland. As part of their short course ‘Australia: Global Perspectives of International Business in Engineering & Technology’, students spend nearly 3 weeks visiting some of Sydney’s iconic venues and meeting a variety of people in the industry. With the students coming from all engineering majors, the course exposes these future engineers to the differences in workplace culture and industry requirements in Australia and broader insight into what opportunities are available for them as a career.

The presentation covered life at Holmes and the Australian fire engineering industry with several of our staff joining to speak about their experiences followed by a case study presentation and a site visit to one of Sydney’s most well-known heritage sites.

University of Maryland students visit Holmes Fire Sydney

Alyson, Nick and Sean, Fire Engineers from the US themselves, spoke to the students about how they’ve benefitted from life at Holmes Fire Sydney so far and the industry differences they’ve found working in Australia.

Structural Fire Engineer, Linus, gave the students an introduction into Structural Fire Engineering, its’ growing importance internationally and how Holmes is leading the way.

Concluding the presentation, Michael, a Senior Fire Engineer who has been involved with the ongoing project since 2010, gave the students an overview of Sydney Town Hall, the issues involved and the Performace Solutions applied to the project before escorting the students on a tour of the heritage site.

 

University of Maryland students visit Holmes Fire Sydney

University of Maryland students visit Holmes Fire Sydney

We look forward to continuing to educate future UMD students on the differences in business cultures on the other side of the world and, hopefully, encourage them to come back and visit Sydney and maybe, stay awhile.

Celebrating 30 years with Martin Feeney!

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Our Holmes team in Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland) recently celebrated the 30th anniversary of their Principal, Martin Feeney at Holmes Group with a morning tea. As one of the founders of Holmes Fire, Martin has had a pivotal role in shaping the company and its success as well as within the fire engineering industry.

Martin started as a structural engineer in May 1986 when Holmes Consulting (the name our Structures and Infrastructures Practices used to be called) was Holmes Wood Poole and Johnson and after a brief stint at Hera, he joined the newly formed ‘Holmes Fire’ team (the name our Fire Practice was called) in 1996. It is fair to say Martin’s contribution, not only to Holmes Fire, but the fire engineering community, in general, is unsurpassed. He has been a leader in all aspects of fire engineering, and a huge part of the success of Holmes.

Congratulations on this amazing achievement Martin!

University of Maryland visits Holmes

University of Maryland visits Holmes

For a number of years now, Holmes Fire has formed part of an industry tour for students from the University of Maryland participating in a program abroad studying the ‘Global Leadership & International Business in Engineering and Technology’. The course is designed at creating exposure to engineering practice in a global economy. Open to all disciplines of engineering and business students, the group this year included mechanical and aerospace engineering students keen in understanding the broader engineering industry from a global perspective.

Understanding the impact of technology solutions in a global context is crucial for students planning a career in engineering. As part of this course, these students are offered a 3 week trip in Sydney, where they are educated on the cultural aspects of global business and global leadership skills in Australia. The goal of the course is to facilitate the acquisition of these global capabilities in the area of technology and engineering.

Members of our Holmes Fire Sydney team, Alyson & Nick, also graduates of the University of Maryland, presented the principles of Fire Engineering in Australia, and explained to students the differences they face working as Fire Engineers outside of the US. They also discussed the opportunities they have been granted, both cultural and professionally, including the travel and personal development they have been able to experience through working for Holmes Fire. The students were then given an introduction to Structural Fire Engineering and its growing importance to fire engineering, both locally and globally. Prior to being lead on a project site tour, students were given an overview of the complicated fire engineering performance solutions for the iconic Sydney Town Hall, a heritage building project completed by Holmes Fire in 2010 which at present is still undergoing works. During the tour, they were shown the detailed aspects of the fire engineering solutions that were implemented during the building refurbishments and the involvement Holmes Fire had on its delivery.

Sydney Town Hall
Sydney Town Hall

We welcome students of engineering courses to take advantage of opportunities such as these and for us, it’s great to be able to open our doors to students joining the engineering industry and offer them an insight into our world.

For further information on the course, visit University of Maryland’s course overview.

Holmes opens office in Brisbane, Queensland

Holmes opens office in Brisbane, Queensland

Holmes is pleased to announce the official opening of an office in Brisbane. This expansion will enable the Holmes team to more easily service the increasing number of clients in Queensland who are adding value to their projects through the implementation of Performance Based Fire Engineering.

The office will be led by James O’Neill, who is already hard at work on local projects. With support from the Sydney team, we’re able to service Queensland projects of any size. So, if you have a project in Queensland that is on the horizon, let us know and we will tell you about all the benefits the project can achieve through a fire engineering approach.