Fire Engineering Services
✓ Fire safety strategies from inception to completion
Independent fire engineering consultancy ensuring your buildings meet the highest fire safety standards
Enquiring about: General enquiry | Fire Safety Strategies (New Build, Extensions, Refurbishments) | Retrospective Fire Strategies (Existing Buildings) | Construction Support | Occupancy Assessments | Fire Safety Assessments | Fire Risk Appraisals of External Walls (FRAEW) & EWS1 forms | Peer Reviews | Fire Safety Management Plans | CFD Modelling | Smoke Control Calculations | Structural Fire Protection Analysis | Evacuation Modelling
contact us
Head of Fire Engineering
Bureau Veritas
Whether we're supporting design teams with fire strategies for new builds or documenting the fire safety measures in existing buildings under the Building Safety Act, our focus is always on clarity, compliance, and practical implementation.
-
WHAT IS FIRE ENGINEERING?
Fire engineering is the application of scientific and engineering principles to protect people, property, and the environment from the destructive effects of fire. It encompasses the design of fire safety systems, the assessment of fire risk, and the development of strategies to prevent, detect, suppress, and manage fire incidents.
For construction projects, fire engineering requires a carefully considered, bespoke approach that balances robust safety standards with the aesthetic and functional requirements of modern building design. Whether you're developing a new commercial property, converting an existing structure, or managing a portfolio of residential buildings under the Building Safety Act 2022, expert fire engineering is essential.
Bureau Veritas delivers comprehensive fire engineering services across two key areas:
- Fire Safety Engineering (New Build/Refurbishments/Extensions): Designing and coordinating fire safety strategies from project inception through to completion, ensuring compliance with Building Regulations while enabling architectural creativity and cost-efficiency.
- Retrospective Fire Strategy (Existing Buildings): Documenting how existing buildings meet fire safety requirements, providing clarity for landlords, fire risk assessors, and building safety cases under the Building Safety Act 2022 and to demonstrate compliance with the Fire Safety Order 2005.
Our experienced team utilises all current international technical guidance and tools, staying at the forefront of legislative change to deliver innovative, risk-based design solutions.
OUR FIRE ENGINEERING SERVICES
FIRE SAFETY ENGINEERING (NEW BUILD/REFURBISHMENTS/EXTENSIONS)
Our fire safety engineering service provides bespoke fire safety strategies tailored to your project's unique requirements. We coordinate fire safety from inception to completion, taking advantage of early involvement to deliver cutting-edge commercial concepts and cost-efficiencies.
RETROSPECTIVE FIRE STRATEGY (EXISTING BUILDINGS)
A retrospective fire strategy documents how an existing building met fire safety requirements in Building Regulations when it was constructed. This service is essential for building owners, landlords, and Responsible Persons under the Building Safety Act 2022.
FIRE RISK APPRAISALS OF EXTERNAL WALLS
A Fire Risk Appraisal of External Walls (FRAEW) is a fire safety assessment, typically undertaken in accordance with PAS 9980, to evaluate the risk of fire spread via a building’s external wall system and identify any necessary mitigation measures. An EWS1 form is a standardised assessment used by lenders and valuers to confirm whether a residential building’s external wall system has been reviewed for fire safety and whether remedial works are required. We offer both services, supporting design team through façade remediation schemes and providing EWS1 forms to our clients to allow them to sell the properties.
FIRE SAFETY MANAGEMENT PLANS
Fire safety management plans provide a framework for the ongoing management of fire safety within a building, ensuring that fire safety measures remain effective throughout the building's lifecycle.
ADVANCED FIRE MODELLING & CFD ANALYSIS
For complex buildings or innovative designs, we provide advanced fire modelling using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to predict fire behaviour, smoke movement, and the effectiveness of fire safety measures.
SECTORS WE SERVE
Bureau Veritas delivers construction consultancy services across all major UK sectors, including:
Social Infrastructure | Higher-Risk Buildings | Infrastructure | Commercial & Industrial | Clean Energy |
Education Health Custodial Defense Residential | Build-to-Rent and Student Accommodation Super Prime and Non-HRB developments Senior and Assisted Living | Rail Airports Roads and Highways Ports and Maritime | Logistics and Manufacturing Life Sciences and Pharma Data Centres Office and Commercial | Renewable Energy Retrofit and Decarbonisation |
BENEFITS OF FIRE ENGINEERING WITH BUREAU VERITAS
-
Ensure Full Regulatory Compliance
Demonstrate compliance with Building Regulations, the Building Safety Act 2022, and all applicable fire safety legislation, protecting your organisation from enforcement action and reputational risk.
-
Enable Architectural Creativity
Our bespoke fire engineering approach provides greater freedom for architectural design, using innovative tools and risk-based methodologies to accommodate unique aesthetic requirements while maintaining robust safety standards.
-
Achieve Cost and Programme Certainty
Early involvement in the design process identifies fire safety requirements upfront, avoiding costly late-stage design changes, site stoppages, and programme delays during construction.
-
Benefit from Expert, Independent Advice
Work with a team of over 35 highly experienced and qualified fire safety engineers operating nationwide, delivering consistent, objective guidance with no commercial interest in design or construction.
-
Integrate with Wider Construction Services
Leverage Bureau Veritas' broader capabilities in building control, CDM consultancy, structural inspections, and RAAC surveys for a comprehensive, coordinated project solution with a single point of contact.
-
Support Building Safety Act Compliance
For existing buildings, our retrospective fire strategies provide the clarity and documentation needed to meet the best practice standards of the Building Safety Act 2022, contributing to the "Golden Thread of Information" and supporting building safety cases.
WHY CHOOSE BUREAU VERITAS FOR FIRE ENGINEERING?
Over 35 Highly Experienced Fire Safety Engineers
Our nationwide team of qualified fire safety engineers has extensive experience across commercial, residential, industrial, and infrastructure projects, delivering bespoke solutions for diverse sectors.
Bespoke, Risk-Based Design Methodology
We utilise all current international technical guidance and tools, including BS 7974, CFD modelling, and advanced fire engineering principles, to deliver innovative solutions that balance safety, compliance, and design intent.
Independent, Third-Party Assurance
As a global testing, inspection, and certification provider with no design or construction interests, we deliver unbiased fire engineering advice focused solely on safety and compliance.
Early Involvement for Cost-Efficiency
Our proactive approach to fire safety design, with early involvement in the project lifecycle, helps bring cutting-edge commercial concepts to the design process while delivering cost-efficiencies and minimising late-stage changes.
Integrated Construction Consultancy
Combine fire engineering with our building control, CDM consultancy, and structural engineering services for a coordinated, multi-discipline solution with a single point of contact—delivering efficiency, administration, and cost-savings.
Building Safety Act Expertise
Our retrospective fire strategy service supports building owners, landlords, and Responsible Persons in meeting the requirements of the Building Safety Act 2022, providing clarity on fire safety measures and contributing to the "Golden Thread of Information".
Discover our related services:
Director (UK Building & Infrastructure CAPEX)
Bureau Veritas
Our fire engineering services represent the perfect integration of technical excellence and strategic project support. We don't just ensure compliance—we partner with clients to deliver buildings that are fundamentally safe, architecturally innovative, and commercially viable.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
-
What is the difference between fire safety engineering and fire risk assessment?
Fire safety engineering is the application of scientific and engineering principles to design fire safety systems and strategies for buildings, typically during the design and construction phase. Fire risk assessment is the process of identifying fire hazards and evaluating the risk to people and property in an existing building, typically as part of ongoing fire safety management under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. Bureau Veritas provides both services.
-
When should I engage a fire engineer?
The earlier, the better. Early involvement of a fire engineer in the design process allows for proactive identification of fire safety requirements, enabling architectural creativity and avoiding costly late-stage design changes. For existing buildings, a retrospective fire strategy should be commissioned when clarity is needed on fire safety measures, particularly in preparation for a Fire Safety Review or to support a building safety case under the Building Safety Act 2022.
-
What is a retrospective fire strategy, and when is it needed?
A retrospective fire strategy establishes how an existing building met fire safety requirements in Building Regulations when it was constructed. It is particularly useful for building owners, landlords, and Responsible Persons under the Building Safety Act 2022, providing clarity on fire safety measures, supporting Fire Safety Reviews and Fire Risk Assessments, and contributing to the "Golden Thread of Information".
-
Can Bureau Veritas support buildings under the Building Safety Act 2022?
Yes. Bureau Veritas provides comprehensive fire engineering services for higher-risk buildings (HRBs) under the Building Safety Act 2022, including retrospective fire strategies, fire safety reviews, and ongoing fire safety management support. Our services help building owners and Responsible Persons meet their obligations under the Act and demonstrate their commitment to fire safety.