As NDY’s Australian Regional Director, Sam maintains overall responsibility for the strategic direction and operations of all Australian offices. He has been a member of the NDY management team since 2007.

Sam has demonstrated abilities in all aspects of building services, with experience encompassing a wide range of multi-disciplinary projects. He is an experienced fire engineer as well as an industry leader. Sam’s skills are widely recognised and ensure high-quality and cost-effective fire engineering solutions.

He has significantly expanded NDY’s fire engineering capabilities.

Here, Sam talks about his childhood curiosity for building construction, how he became a fire engineering pioneer and shares his favourite project, Eureka Tower in Melbourne.

What inspired you to become an engineer?

Growing up in a building boom nurtured a curiosity of how buildings are developed and constructed. I loved watching the progress of construction in the local area and eagerly anticipating how high, how big and what it will look like.

Why fire engineering?

Fire protection services design was a topic at university, and I completed a major in the final year. I liaised with industry partners in the final year and in postgraduate studies which made the subject topical and relevant. Building codes were changing from prescriptive (deemed-to-satisfy) to performance based at the time, so I wanted to be an industry leader and pioneer the service.

What’s your career highlight project?

Eureka Tower, at the time of construction it was the tallest building in in the Southern Hemisphere!

Tell us about the fire engineering on this project.

It was the first building to develop and implement safety in place and using the lifts for evacuation in accordance with the performance requirements of the Building Code of Australia.

What innovative new approaches are you seeing when it comes to fire engineering?

New and sustainable construction techniques, methodologies and materials, like mass cross laminated timber.

Hear more from Sam on the Careers Talk podcast.

If you want more insights on the process of growing your career, listen to Sam’s guest turn on the Careers Talk podcast: Episode 2 (Part B) and Episode 3 (Part C).