Defects and failures of building systems: an expert’s view

By Rose Campbell, forensic and expert services manager at CEERISK Consulting Ltd.

[BUILDING SERVICES such as mechanical, electrical and public health systems bring a structure to life. Lighting, telecommunications, heating and ventilation, smoke management, fire alarm and firefighting, energy and building management systems all make up building services.

From the early design, through construction, testing and commissioning to operation and maintenance, building services engineers work alongside owners, developers, architects, contractors, occupants and fire and building inspectors throughout the development and occupancy of the building to ensure safe, secure and comfortable living for the public.

In addition to the contractual legal issues involved in defect claims, complex engineering issues are also involved and must be addressed. Because of their familiarity with the engineering principles in building services and the way they operate, building services engineers are best suited to review, analyse and provide opinions on defect claims involving building systems.

Simon Barrows, a chartered electrical building services engineer and one of CEERISK’s experts, has observed that: “The problem with litigation is that it centres around contract, programme and cost, whereas the root cause is usually something technical.”

Problems involving building services can be technically complex and stem from actions or omissions over a period spanning design, construction and operation. Therefore, instructing the right expert early can quickly identify issues, highlight disagreements and assist in the resolution of problems – thus saving time and money for everyone involved.

The variety of failure scenarios involving electrical building services can also be broad and involve many types of building system that are typically interconnected to provide the desired functionality. Investigating failures in building systems may require a team approach, where input from different subject experts is required to sort through liability and assign responsibility.

A fire in a building, for example, may require input from a chemist, fire investigator, electrical engineer and a mechanical engineering expert to sort through the responsibility matrix. A building services engineer can provide the right mix of basic expertise and create the proper framework to deal with the engineering issues. q

• Rose Campbell is the forensic and expert services manager at CEERISK Consulting, a global engineering consultancy that specialises in providing clients in the insurance and legal fields with engineering expertise in different disciplines. Rose oversees the delivery of expert services to insurance and legal clients by identifying and managing the team of experts with the necessary expertise required to assist clients with legal disputes.