Fairhurst is delighted to introduce the new façade and forensic engineering team. Growing the firm’s structural expertise, this significant step marks the expansion of our capabilities across the United Kingdom. The team specialises in delivering innovative solutions for building envelope design and diagnostics with a focus on solving complex structural challenges and ensuring durability and sustainability. The leadership team includes Bill Keane (Principal Director), Dimitar Simitchiyski (Technical Director), and Alfred Tsang (Technical Manager).

From left: Dimitar Simitchiyski, Bill Keane, Alfred Tsang 

With the introduction of our new team, Fairhurst will be able to offer enhanced services to our clients, including:

  • Façade building systems and interfaces design, engineering and specification
  • Development, testing and appraisal of systemised building envelopes
  • Building fabric structural design, heat loss and condensation risk analysis
  • Façade, technical and structural peer review and on-site construction appraisals
  • Technical due diligence and development monitoring
  • Façade fire safety remediation and high-performance façade design
  • Fire and blast mitigation, disaster and major incident management
  • Building pathology, defects diagnosis and expert advice
  • Asset condition, planned preventive maintenance, cause and origin evaluation
  • Regent Street Disease assessment and treatment options

Bill Keane, leading disaster management and recovery specialist, has been appointed to lead both teams at Fairhurst. He brings a wealth of experience in terrorist incidents and major disasters in the UK, advising on the St. Mary Axe, Bishopsgate, Manchester and Ealing Broadway bombings and the Buncefield Oil Depot explosion. Bill sat on the RICS President’s Commission for Major Disaster Management, leading the research and development of protocols for government agencies NGO’s, contractors, architects and consultants. Bill’s diverse experience in façade and forensic engineering ranges from designing the façade of multistorey residential towers to evaluating the damage from the 2010 earthquake in Haiti.

Façade Engineering

Façade engineering design combines the art and science of crafting a building envelope that balances aesthetics, functionality, safety, performance, and durability. This discipline merges architectural aesthetics with technical precision to address complex aesthetic, environmental, and structural challenges. By transforming creative concepts into high-performance building envelopes, façade design ensures the effective and efficient enclosure of buildings. Given that façades account for a significant portion of construction costs, their design is crucial as an environmental modifier, influencing factors such as energy efficiency, acoustic performance, natural light, fire safety, and structural integrity.

Image: WPP London, One Southwark Bridge (2025)  

Forensic Engineering

Our forensic engineers are the detectives of the built environment, specialising in diagnostic damage assessment, providing recommended solutions and determining the liability for the failure. We can identify the root cause of the observed damage, develop accurate remedial measures to fix the problem and advise on the repairability. Consisting of multidisciplinary professionals, the team are experts in advising on building defects and failures covering civil/structural, facades, system defects, as well as code and compliance requirements.

Image: Hasilwood House, Bishopsgate (1993)

Our team demonstrates advanced technical expertise in materials, manufacturing processes, and advanced scientific analysis. Collaborating closely with building owners, insurers, architects, and specialised contractors and testing houses to identify the underlying cause(s) and develop appropriate repairs to rectify the design and/or installation fault(s).

With our approach, we focus on creating solutions that are visually appealing, cost-effective, and sustainable, meeting the demands of modern construction while enhancing both the appearance and functionality of the built environment.

To get in touch with our team, please contact facade@fairhurst.co.uk or forensic@fairhurst.co.uk.

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