Chartered Engineer Insights - with Daniel Thomson CEng MIFireE
Introduction:
Daniel Thomson is a Chartered Engineer, Principal Engineer and leader of our Edinburgh office. With a decade of experience in fire safety engineering across a range of sectors, Daniel brings expertise and energy to projects throughout the UK.
What inspired you to become an engineer?
As a child I was obsessed with taking things to pieces to understand how they worked; to the extent that my parents had to lock any tools and screwdrivers away. Whilst I never got an A for art, nor was I particularly creative, I was fortunate to travel a lot growing up and was fascinated by the different architectural styles. Naturally, this led me to a career in the built environment.
Tell us about your career to date:
I graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 2015 with a degree in structural and fire safety engineering. Since then I have worked in the industry, living in London, Bristol and Edinburgh along the way. I have worked on a wide range of projects, from sports stadia in Peru, to an airport in India, and historic buildings in Scotland and England.
Describe your role at Trigon Fire Safety:
I am a Principal Engineer and leader of Trigon’s Edinburgh office. In my role I am responsible for leading the delivery of fire safety consultancy work across different sectors and buildings; this includes the operational, technical and commercial delivery. I am also responsible for growing the Edinburgh office, attracting new clients and future employees to our company, contributing to overall company’s growth and culture.
What’s a typical working day?
Fortunately, my working days are varied; I like to get out and about, meeting people in person and spending time in and around the exciting projects I am involved with. This can be new buildings or repurposing old historic / listed buildings; undertaking site visits, calculations, report writing or presentations and meetings with stakeholders.
Continual professional development (CPD) is very important to me. I like to attend events and seminars on emerging trends and technologies within the industry. I also enjoy attending events to encourage people to consider a career in fire safety engineering; but also mentoring and supporting the development of others within Trigon.
What are the key challenges in the role?
Over the last decade, the attitudes and regulatory landscape regarding fire safety in the United Kingdom have changed dramatically in that time and continue to change. Alongside this, construction methodologies, such as modular construction and mass timber, are becoming more popular. Staying abreast of all the change and communicating that effectively with clients and project teams can be challenging especially when it’s the first time they are going to do something new.
What do you find most enjoyable about your job?
Variety. I have worked on great projects, with great people, across a wide range of sectors and locations. Solving new challenges with people I enjoy working with keeps me motivated.
Describe any professional highlights or achievements:
One of my first main projects after graduating was the refurbishment of a Grade II listed building in central London, transforming it into a modern teaching facility for a leading university. Seeing the layers of intervention which had been applied over the years being peeled back to show original ornate period features to be enjoyed once again was very satisfying. Being able to repurpose existing buildings and make use of what we have now is essential with the drive for sustainability.
Source:
The above is an abridged version of an article written by the Institute of Fire Engineers (IFE).
You can read it in full here: IFE > Career Spotlight > Daniel Thomson CEng MIFireE