These guidelines were first published in 2013 and recently revised to provide additional clarity on:
- Fire protection engineering services for existing buildings.
- Letters of assurance.
- Alternative solutions
- Conformance to the BC Fire Code and the Vancouver Fire By-law.
This webinar will provide a high-level overview of the revisions to the guidelines as well as cover the general expectations and obligations of professional practice that remain from the previous version including:
- Fire protection engineering services for new buildings.
- Roles and responsibilities.
- Education and experience.
- Quality management.
This webinar will conclude with a brief Q & A session.
Practice Advisor, Professional Practice, Engineers and Geoscientists BC
As a Practice Advisor with Engineers and Geoscientists BC, Allison is responsible for managing the development of professional practice guidelines and practice advisories for a variety of different areas of practice, providing practice advice services, as well as liaising with industry stakeholders and supporting a number of advisory and working groups for the development of professional practice guidance.
Allison is a registered professional engineer with experience in the structural design of buildings. She holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree in civil engineering from McGill University. Prior to joining Engineers and Geoscientists BC, Allison worked as a project engineer designing a variety of buildings from high-end custom homes to recreation centres to mid-rise concrete towers. The majority of her experience is on the design and project management of custom high-end homes and estates.
Director, Jensen Hughes
Robert (Bob) Heikkila has a diverse background with wide experience in Building Code consulting and fire protection engineering. Mr. Heikkila provides Building Code and fire protection consulting services on various projects throughout BC and in Alberta, as well as Certified Professional services in participating municipalities. He has been involved in all aspects of Building and Fire Code consulting and fire protection engineering, including Code reviews, specialized analyses, computer fire modelling, inspections, systems review and approvals, and client relations. Mr. Heikkila has extensive experience with a wide variety of projects over his career including multi-tower mixed-use highrise developments, industrial facilities, hospitals, major residential developments, and institutional facilities such as schools and penitentiaries.
Principal, Murray Johnson Engineering Ltd.
Murray Johnson is a professional engineer registered with Engineers and Geoscientists BC, with over 40 years experience in Fire Protection Engineering and more than 30 years of more general Building Code experience. He is a past member of the Engineers and Geoscientists BC Building Codes Committee and currently a member of the Certified Professional Advisory Group. Murray became a P.E.(Fire Protection) in Washington and a Certified Professional in 1991 and has been a regular presenter at Code courses for the Certified Professional program. He has been a member of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers since 1979 and is a former president of the BC chapter.
Murray has an M.Sc. in Nuclear Physics. He has worked for various firms including Viking Sprinkler, MCW, and Protection Engineering before founding Murray Johnson Engineering Ltd. He taught the Fire Suppression part of the M.Eng. programme at UBC in the late 1990's and early 2000's and shares a patent for a high building smoke management system. He developed models for heat transfer (used for FT ratings and conductor protection systems), spatial separation, and other Code requirements as well as editing Vancouver’s conductor protection Appendix entry, the Guidelines for the Fire Protection Engineering, and what is now the Schedule S-B and S-C.
Principal, John Ivison & Associates Ltd.
John Ivison graduated as a chemical engineer from the University of Edinburgh, UK. In Toronto he was the Director of the IAO training school for fire protection engineers from 1976–1979. In 1979 he moved to BC as fire protection manager of BC Forest Products. In that role he was responsible for fire protection in newly designed/constructed sawmills and existing sawmills, pulp mills, and logging camps. He established Protection Engineering Inc. in 1982 and led that company’s efforts in fire protection engineering designs for hospitals and upgrades of commercial buildings including many of the historic buildings in Gastown and Yaletown. He was appointed an Adjunct professor of Chemical Engineering at UBC and spearheaded the creation of a Masters programme in fire protection engineering at UBC, which closed in the late 1990s.
He returned to Canada in 2011 following his return to the UK for 10 years where he participated in major projects including important listed buildings, the Royal Ascot emergency plan, and had a brief role in the London Olympics. He spearheaded the rejuvenation of the BC Chapter of SFPE BC—twice appointed as BC president—and chaired the task group responsible for updating the Guidelines for the provision of FPE services on Construction projects in BC for Engineers and Geoscientists BC. He is a former director and fellow of SFPE international in Boston and Chair of the CP Committee and former spokesman on fire for the Engineers and Geoscientists of BC.
Principal, GHL Consultants Ltd.
Khash Vorell is a professional engineer with 20 years of experience in Building Code consulting and fire protection engineering in addition to his structural background. Khash holds a master’s degree in fire protection engineering and a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from UBC. He is a member of Engineers and Geoscientists BC, Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA), the Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE), and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Khash is an active registrant of Engineers and Geoscientists BC and is a past Chair of the Building Codes Committee, as well as a past board member of the Fire Protection Subcommittee.
Khash has extensive experience in fire sciences, material behaviour, and performance-based approaches to Building Code Compliance. Khash also has a wide range of experience in a variety of new and existing projects, including residential, assembly, care, office, and industrial use facilities.
