PartB is a specialist fire consultancy dedicated to fire safety design, fire risk management, forensic fire engineering and training. Jamie and Joe wanted to build a team of like-minded people who were smart, hard-working and determined to improve the fire safety industry. We're passionate about doing things the right way. We make use of the latest technology to deliver our services, from innovative surveying techniques to bring unique insights to our clients' projects, to creative solutions that meet the challenges of complex architectural designs. We understand that compliance isn’t 'one size fits all' so we believe in solving problems creatively. And simply.
Diversity, openness to change and technology makes the PartB team strong. We believe in building an open, supportive workplace that promotes happiness and wellbeing. You're encouraged to be yourself and you'll be supported by the whole team. Brilliance comes from different places and diversity makes us better.
PartB offers a range of fire engineering and fire safety related services across the UK and Ireland. These include fire engineering services such as the creation of FRAEW reports following the PAS 9980 or SAN guidance as applicable. We also offer expert service consultancy work, performance-based design, fire safety training, intrusive external wall investigation reviews, internal compartmentation survey works, FRM and more. Our clients include residents' associations, property and building managers as well as construction service companies. We understand that compliance isn’t 'one size fits all' so you'll find we solve problems creatively. Whatever consultancy service we're providing, we believe in doing it with transparency, innovation and ingenuity
We’ve gone beyond the traditional written fire safety report to create something more immersive and more informative for our clients. By using 3D scanning technology, we can create a report presented as a visual tour. This can replace or supplement the more traditional written report. Along with a walk-through of every space, presented with comment, observation and fire engineering expert analysis, clients can explore closeups, wall cavity images, materials, measurements and data. The result is a fully immersive report that illustrates how a building functions on a real, everyday level. This technology can also integrate with BIM, creating a more streamlined process for the design and construction teams and contributing to the Golden Thread, so it's a great way to ensure accountability and traceability for the lifetime of the building. A privacy setting allows residents, staff or members of the public to be blurred so they remain anonymous. The process is quicker than traditional reporting, as one fire engineer can create a 3D scan of a 10-storey building in just one day, with no interruption to the daily running of the building or its occupants.
We help clients get the complete picture with our elevation surveys. Our drone survey brings a superior perspective to their projects that they won’t find anywhere else. Drone allows us to provide quick, detailed and accurate surveying with minimal disruption to business. And it's great for hard-to-access areas too (think busy city locations or tough planning permission zones). We can often get surveys booked in and completed in a matter of weeks.
Our expert fire engineering teams offer performance-based design work for new-build and existing buildings in the form of fire strategies. Whether you are keen to create an open spatial masterpiece or looking at how your building was designed to operate, our experts will assist.
PartB is with you from concept to the completion of your new build. We provide fire engineering advice and guidance including computational fluid dynamics analysis. The service is all about creatively consulting with you to ensure your idea becomes a reality.
Looking to understand how your building is designed to perform in a fire? PartB will confirm your building’s behaviour. We will provide confirmation on the expected design from ‘cause’ and ‘effect’ to the construction materials used. We’ll do this through forensic intrusive investigation and fire engineering assessments. This service is all about delivering definitive answers to questions about your building.
We have the skills, experience, accreditations and necessary insurances (including £5m PI) to deliver a host of external wall review services – from FRAEW and PAS 9980 to EWS1. Tell us what you’re looking for and we will provide expert advice for your complete peace of mind.
We carry out FRAs for a wide range of buildings, taking a careful look at your premises and the people who use them from a fire prevention perspective. It's about understanding the potential risks, then improving your fire safety precautions to keep people safe.
Our senior expert staff and technical directors work in a variety of specialisms relating to fire - architecture, building services, rendered façades and fire engineering. This perfectly places us as one point of contact and allows us to offer an integrated and collaborative review of complex issues more quickly. We have taken on a significant number of expert witness instructions and have the experience to offer a fully comprehensive understanding of technical matters and the legal process.
We offer a range of fire safety training courses to keep you up to date and compliant. Each course is carefully tailored to individual requirements and delivered by our experienced and dedicated team. Steve Willett, our head of specialist training, has years of experience teaching fire safety legislation and how it works in the real world. Courses are created in partnership with CABE and many are IFE-certified, awarding delegates CPD hours.
Need to know what lies beneath? Our skilled site team are on hand to intrusively investigate, detail and comment on what lies beneath the surface of your building. Whether external or internal, our forensic surveying services team use innovative tech to quickly and cohesively gather information about your building.
Our team provides more than design services. We take pride in being able to provide performancebased design as well as to validate and monitor your project to ensure your design becomes reality.
Whether it’s reclad works or new-build design, our site technicians can closely monitor your project to ensure the selected products are installed correctly as intended, in full accordance with the manufacturer's requirements or as tested by an approved and accredited third party following the agreed approach. This service is great for peace of mind that everything is being carried out correctly, from the ground up.
Looking for third-party assurance on firestopping?
PartB is able to offer assurance services which will confirm suitability and then confirm the adequacy of the install.
Retrospective, mixed-use, student accommodation
Nottingham
TFT Consultants
June 2023
Reclad Support
FRAEW
Retrospective Fire Strategy
The Trinity Square development consists of two blocks, which are the 11-storey Shakespeare House (approx. 30 metres tall) and 6storey Milton House (approx. 21 metres tall). Both these buildings are mixed-use, they contain commercial units on the basements and first floors, carparks on the middle floors (Shakespeare House only) and student accommodation on the upper floors.
PartB was appointed to provide fire engineering support to the reclad works. This was in the form of carrying out a technical design review of the cladding contractor's proposed design, and then providing support throughout the remediation works.
PartB's approach to retrospective fire strategies is to confirm what is there and try to minimise the 'expected' and 'should be' by following a few steps.
• Step 1 Review and Mark-Up Plans - the plans are reviewed to identify and determine the age of the building and what year it was built. The plans are marked-up to highlight the expected fire resistance and fire strategy principles.
• Step 2 Site Visits - based on the mark-ups, intrusive survey is undertaken to confirm the compartment wall build-ups. A fire engineer also attends site to assess the means of escape, fire service access and active fire safety systems.
• Step 3 Fire Strategy - based on the visits and the determined design guidance at the time of build, the fire strategy is developed. This contains a GAP analysis which highlights recommendations to bring the building back up to the required standard for when it was built.
Residential
Gloucester
Crest Nicholson
May 2021
Reclad support FRAEW
Retrospective Fire Strategy
FRAEW Peer Review
Merchants Quay is a waterside property consisting of two blocks, joined by walkways. The ground floor is occupied by shop units (presently used as restaurants), while the upper floors are residential apartments The building consists of two blocks, joined by walkways on the first, second, third and fourth levels. The height of the building is 17.8 metres while the height of the uppermost occupied storey is 14.56 metres. On the first, second, and third floors, the apartments are single-storey. The fourth floor consists of duplex apartments A stair links the ground and first floors at the north-east elevation There is a separate stair linking the second, third, and fourth floors at the south-west elevation. A lift serves all floors up to the fourth floor at the south-east elevation.
Merchants Quay is a waterside property consisting of two blocks, joined by walkways. The ground floor is occupied by shop units (presently used as restaurants), while the upper floors are residential apartments
PartB was approached to carry out an FRAEW as the building had an enforcement notice.
PartB liaised with the fire service to assess the items noted on the notice, which involved a peer review of the building's fire strategy and justifications used
PartB worked with the client and fire service to address the items and meet an agreeable solution.
PartB’s methodology was based on PAS 9980 Guidance PartB’s approach to the FRAEW process is:
• Step 1 - Document Review - The documents relating to the building were reviewed to allow an understanding of the design and the arrangements
• Step 2 - Site Familiarisation - This was carried out in two parts, the first to confirm the access requirements for the intrusive investigation, and the second to allow the fire engineers to confirm the building arrangements (escape routes, smoke control, fire service access, etc )
• Step 3 - Intrusive Investigation - This confirms the build-ups of the walls and assesses the provision, suitability and adequacy of the cavity barriers
• Step 4 - Develop FRAEW Report - Based on the information provided and surveyed, the report is developed
Call: 020 3935 6427
E: info@partb.co.uk
clientservices@partb.co.uk
020 3935 6427
