Category: News

  • Mind matters; today and every day

    Mind matters; today and every day

    Our Mind Matters team is made up of mental health first aid trained individuals who are passionate about supporting their colleagues and raising awareness of issues such as anxiety and depression. With Mental Health Awareness Week underway, we look at how the team has been helping others throughout the year and the topics they have…

  • Built by Nature awards €200,000 grant toward development of a Commercial Timber Guidebook

    Built by Nature awards €200,000 grant toward development of a Commercial Timber Guidebook

    To foster cross-sector industry alignment on solutions to ensure the widespread adoption of large-scale mass timber offices, the Built by Nature Fund has awarded a €200,000 grant to a diverse UK consortium – including OFR Consultants – focused on unlocking the barriers to structural timber through the development of a technical Commercial Timber Guidebook.

  • Waste to Energy: how our team is expanding its portfolio with progressive sustainability-focused projects

    Waste to Energy: how our team is expanding its portfolio with progressive sustainability-focused projects

    Having completed works at the Baldovie Waste to Energy plant at Dundee, we are bringing our expertise to a number of other projects in the UK. Here OFR director Jamie Gibson explains more…

  • Our work at Smithfield in Birmingham

    Our work at Smithfield in Birmingham

    The 17-hectare Smithfield regeneration scheme in Birmingham is set to transform this historic market site into a people-centred yet sustainable, low-carbon destination. Here, our project director, Stewart Dabin talks about our involvement.

  • Fire strategies for prisons; our latest projects further diversify our OFR portfolio

    Fire strategies for prisons; our latest projects further diversify our OFR portfolio

    Our OFR portfolio spans multiple sectors and multiple countries. From shopping malls in Africa, to a research centre in Antarctica, to Google’s new HQ in London. Recently we’ve expanded that offering again working with the Ministry of Justice on fire strategies as part of a £1bn project that will upgrade four prisons across England.

  • Our work in the arts and culture sector

    Our work in the arts and culture sector

    We’ve been privileged to be involved in some of the UK’s most ground-breaking projects – but it’s our growth within the arts and cultural sector following previous project successes that has seen our team build on its industry-leading experience. Here, our director Andy Passingham talks about how we are providing the knowledge and skills to…

  • Seven interesting projects from seven great years!

    Seven interesting projects from seven great years!

    Our jobs as fire engineers are always interesting, with a broad portfolio that covers everything from the world’s tallest Octagon-shaped tower to a research station in the Antarctic, to… a new music studio for an 80s pop band. Here we look at some of our most unique OFR projects.

  • Helping deliver the UK’s lowest carbon new build workspace 

    Helping deliver the UK’s lowest carbon new build workspace 

    It’s an exciting time for construction, with innovations that are making the creation of truly sustainable buildings a reality. In Manchester, members of our team are providing fire engineering advice on what is set to be the UK’s lowest carbon new build workspace, Ev0. Our associate director Jamie Gibson explains how we are providing fire engineering support…

  • Collaboration is key in spreading the word on fire safety

    Collaboration is key in spreading the word on fire safety

    Following the news of our partnership with the Fire Science Show – a weekly podcast connecting fire researchers and practitioners with fire engineers – we’ve invited the podcast’s founder Wojciech Wegryznski to tell us more about his mission.

  • Our newest partner – the Fire Science Show! 

    Our newest partner – the Fire Science Show! 

    We are always looking for ways to amplify our work, share best practice and engage with more great engineers in our sector to pioneer new ways to protect people, place and planet. Today we have announced a new partnership with the Fire Science Show – a weekly podcast connecting fire researchers and practitioners with fire engineers. Here,…

  • From water tanks in Mexico to protecting primates in Vietnam, we’re proud to have supported the WLT this year

    From water tanks in Mexico to protecting primates in Vietnam, we’re proud to have supported the WLT this year

    This year, as we continued our OFR journey to Net Zero, we set upon our Carbon Balancing journey with the World Land Trust (WLT).  The partnership has helped us balance our carbon emissions through funding which directly contributes to the protection of critically threatened tropical forest and the restoration of degraded habitats. This week, the…

  • Setting a fire engineering precedent with significant Midlands development

    Setting a fire engineering precedent with significant Midlands development

    As a significant development project, the £110m Octagon in Birmingham will put the great Midlands city once again on the global stage. Upon completion, this progressive project will be the tallest octagonal-shaped residential building, not only in the UK but throughout the world. Here our colleague Rich Rankin tells us more about OFR’s role in…