Structural and Civil Engineering
Fire Engineering


Structural Engineering

Spencer Holmes Limited offers a wide range of skills and experience in the field of structural engineering. Representatives of the company have undertaken many innovative and significant engineering projects over the past 40 years and have the skills and experience to implement cost effective solutions on a wide range of engineering projects.

The Engineering section has a technical staff of 14 including five CAD Operators and nine professionally qualified engineers co-ordinated by Director Peter Smith and Associates Philip McConchie and Ian Garrett.

The company fosters a team approach on projects both small and large. This is afforded by a close working environment and the willingness of team members to interact to provide appropriate structural solutions.

The company offers expertise in residential construction and in particular for high quality architecturally designed homes. The firm also provides expertise in industrial buildings, assessment and strengthening of earthquake risk buildings, recreational structures and educational facilities.

For examples of work completed by SpencerHolmes please refer to our Portfolio.

Fire Engineering and Regulatory

The introduction of the New Zealand Building Act 1991 provided for a fundamental change in the manner in which fire safety in buildings was to be designed. The prescriptive approach of the obsolete NZS 1900 Chapter 5 was replaced by performance based requirements.

To meet this new challenge Spencer Holmes invested in the expertise to provide cost effective design solutions to the new challenges raised by a performance based system. The experience gained since the introduction of the Building Act offers benefits in current design to ensure the solutions offered maximise both the protection of life and property at a realistic cost.

In 1992 when the Fire Safety and Evacuation of Buildings Regulations were introduced, more onerous requirements were placed on building owners and managers to ensure that evacuation schemes were prepared and approved by the New Zealand Fire Service. Unlike the Building Act, the Fire Safety and Evacuation of Buildings Regulations empowered the New Zealand Fire Service to require upgrading of the installed fire safety systems in order to have evacuation schemes approved.

The company’s particular fields of expertise include the following:

· Fire Engineering Design for New Buildings

Spencer Holmes relationship with BP Oil New Zealand Limited has led to the fire design in accordance with the Approved Documents for all new BP retail developments.

Specific requirements with respect to fire safety have required detailed assessments to be undertaken for a wide range of retail and commercial developments, including work for Vehicle Testing New Zealand, the New Zealand Air Force, and Industrial Research Limited, as well as a wide range of work for other smaller clients.

Educational buildings have required specific design to ensure that the property protection issues are fully addressed. New school complexes that Spencer Holmes have undertaken specific design for are the Music and Library Blocks at Wellington High School in central Wellington, Te Aro Whanui Kura Kaupapa Maori in Lower Hutt and Rudolf Steiner in Hastings.

· Specific Fire Engineering Design for Change of Use and Alterations

Specific fire engineering was undertaken to address the fire safety aspects of the new open plan Palmerston North library, designed by Athfield Architects.

The high number of commercial buildings being converted to residential units has required a large number of fire safety assessments to be undertaken. Of particular note are QBA Apartments, Metro Thorndon and 152 The Terrace, as well as a large number of smaller residential conversions.

· Fire Safety Assessments for Existing Buildings

The requirement of the Building Act for upgrading of the fire safety features of buildings in the event of alterations being undertaken has prompted a number of property owners to undertake compliance assessments to ascertain the scope of upgrading which may be required should alteration works be proposed. All buildings within both the Capital Coast Health and Hutt Valley Health property portfolios have been assessed, and pre-emptive upgrading work undertaken as considered appropriate.

Prior to the introduction of the Crown Health Enterprises a detailed assessment was undertaken on the properties within the Waikato Area Health Board portfolio.

The majority of buildings within the property portfolio of both the Manchester Unity Friendly Society and Waltus Investments have been assessed to identify potential upgrading requirements.

· Fire Safety Assessment for Industrial Processes

Specific fire engineering design was undertaken on the Tui foods milk powder plant at Longburn to provide suitable life safety features to comply with the Building Code, whilst still allowing a functional industrial plant.

Fire safety design has been undertaken on a number of Ravensdown Fertiliser Co Operatives complexes throughout the central North Island, notably a new bulk store at Awatoto, and the new bagged fertiliser store at Ahuriri.

· Independent Qualified Persons (IQP) Inspections

Spencer Holmes undertakes IQP inspections for a wide range of commercial clients throughout the greater Wellington area. These inspections are either undertaken by ourselves, or for those aspects requiring specific expertise, particularly fire alarms and sprinkler installations, through our association with Wormald New Zealand Limited.
         
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