Looking down into the atrium of the Andrew N. Liveris Building, The University of Queensland
In-house session

No such thing
as bad news.Only bad timing.

A 60-minute session for project and development managers on when to bring in fire engineering, and the early decisions that affect floor area and program.

Andrew N. Liveris Building, The University of Queensland. Image: Christopher Frederick Jones

Training for project teams

Fire safety, explained for the people who run projects.

The Fire Safety First Method

Illustrative
FeasibilityConceptDADesign developmentBAConstruction
Cost of a fire-driven changeAbility to shape the designWhere most start (BA)

What the session covers

  1. 01

    Where fire engineering fits

  2. 02

    Deemed-to-Satisfy or Performance Solution

  3. 03

    How people respond to a fire

  4. 04

    The brigade and the certifier

  5. 05

    When to bring in a fire engineer

The Fire Safety First Method

Five principles for every Performance Solution.

S

Safe

  • Simple
  • Integrated
  • Compliant
A

Architectural

  • Purpose
  • Performance
  • Beauty
F

Future-focused

  • Flexible
  • Well documented
  • Manageable
E

Effective

  • Efficient
  • Cost-effective
  • Buildable
T

Transparent

  • Technical
  • Pragmatic
  • Best practice

How we deliver it

Six stages, from feasibility to handover.

Where we start

01

Where we start

Feasibility and due diligence

A fire safety strategy you can sign off

02

Where we start

Concept and planning

Fire safety input for the development approval or building approval

03

Fire engineering brief

A brief consulted on with QFR

04

Report and approval

A fire engineering report, peer reviewed where asked

05

Construction

Quick RFI answers and inspections

06

Handover

An inspection report and the maintenance needs for the occupier statement

Modelling done in-house

Smoke and evacuation, modelled by the engineers who write the report.

Our smoke model of a fire in the retail podium at Parkline Place, 20 minutes in
Our evacuation model of a government office floor in Sydney

Smoke (FDS): a podium fire at Parkline Place, 20 minutes in.

Evacuation (Pathfinder): a government office floor in Sydney.

On real projects

A selection of recent work.

Scape Southbank 2, artist's impression
20storeys

Scape Southbank 2

Residential · QLD · 2026

St Peters Lutheran College sports hall, artist's impression
11Performance Solutions

St Peters Lutheran College

Education · QLD · 2026

Station Street, Toowoomba, artist's impression
5levels

Station Street, Toowoomba

Residential · QLD · 2025

The study terrace at the Andrew N. Liveris Building, The University of Queensland
1new research floor

UQ Bio Sustainability Hub

Education · QLD · 2024–25

The Base, Robina, artist's impression
2buildings joined below ground

The Base, Robina

Workplace · QLD · 2026

Nine sectors

  • Education
  • Commercial workplace
  • Industrial
  • Residential
  • Mission critical
  • Healthcare and science
  • Public buildings
  • Sports and entertainment
  • Retail
Harley Whaikawa
Harley WhaikawaDirector – Queensland · Presents the session

How it works

One hour. Your team.
Your projects.

01

Pick a time

Lunch, breakfast or a learning and development slot.

02

Send us your projects

We build the examples around your team's current work.

03

We come to you

In person at your office, presented by a director.

Your presenter

More than a decade of fire engineering, with Queensland at the heart of it: stadiums, hospitals, education, laboratories and defence. Harley leads Minerva's work in Queensland, including the brief meetings with Queensland Fire and Rescue.

  • RegistrationRPEQ, Registered Professional Engineer of Queensland
  • CharteredCPEng, National Engineering Register
  • QualifiedBEng (Civil); structural fire engineering, University of Canterbury