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Buro Happold
Fire Engineering Capability Statement

Fire Engineering
Overview
Buro Happold
Buro Happold Fire Engineering is a significant part
of Buro Happold Specialist Disciplines, a world class,
multidisciplinary consultancy operating out of an
international network of offices. Fire Engineering in Buro
Happold began in 1980. Since then we have grown with
offices in London, Bath, Leeds, Manchester, Glasgow,
Edinburgh, New York and Dubai.
Our approach to fire safety design is to assess each
building individually and tailor the fire safety measures
to suit the specific hazards in the building. We work
closely with the architects and design team to fully
understand the design aspirations for the building,
and seek to facilitate these through imaginative and
innovative fire engineering techniques.
We provide design solutions which are easily
constructed, responsive to the environment and
efficient in their use of materials, energy and space.
Our fire engineering skills have been developed to
design safe buildings but also to deliver viable creative
solutions to the modern built environment. Business
continuity, protection of property and contents and
the reputation of our clients are strong features of the
service that we offer.
Fire safety engineering has the benefit of allowing
increased flexibility from the strict confines of
prescription regulations. As fire safety engineers, we
insist that there is more than one way to obtain a safe
solution. Our experience throughout the world supports
this and enables us to advise on the best approach to
negotiate with a particular authority having jurisdiction.
The approval process varies between countries and so
our experience in working in a wide variety of locations
from the UK and US to Europe and the Middle East
brings an appropriate approach to the handling of the
regulatory process in any country.
Performance based fire engineering is a complex
discipline but our holistic and innovative approach
has been developed not only to deliver constructible
solutions, but strategies that are practical and realistic
to manage once a building is occupied. We also provide
Image: Mecanoo
a comprehensive fire safety management and risk
assessment consultancy service.
Our fire engineering services can be provided as part
of a specialist consulting package or independently
direct to the client to meet the specific needs of the
project and at any stage where a valuable contribution is
needed. Our philosophy is to become an integrated part
of the design team collaborating, listening and advising
on the approach and its benefits.
O2 Arena, London, UK
Architect: Populous
Image: Buro Happold / Adam Wilson
5 Broadgate, London, UK
Architect: Make
Battersea Power Station, London, UK
Architect: drmm + Ian Simpson architects

Ascot Racecourse, Ascot, UK
Image: HOK SVE
Emirates Stadium, London, UK
Image: Simon Warren
ME London Hotel, London, UK
Image: Foster + Partners
The London Clinic, London, UK
Image: Buro Happold/Andy Passingham
KAFD, Plot 2.07, Saudi Arabia
Image: Foster + Partners
Imperial War Museum, London, UK
Image: Buro Happold/David Black
Exeter Forum, Exeter, UK
Image: Wilkinson Eyre

Fire Engineering
Aviation
Buro Happold
Fire safety design for modern aviation facilities needs to address more than life safety. A clear
understanding and focus on reducing business interruption and understanding the interaction
between fire safety and security is essential to produce an effective fire strategy.
Increases in air passenger numbers have had several
consequences for today’s airport designers. Airports
have become multifunctional spaces which offer
retail and catering facilities, and which must be easily
accessible in terms of bus/rail links.
This diversity of function has manifested itself by an
increase in open spaces, making traditional fire safety
compartmentation and travel distances difficult to
achieve. Prescriptive building codes have not kept pace
with developments in airport design and do not fully
address the need for integration with other disciplines
such as security.
In order to develop the most appropriate fire safety
strategy for these multifunctional and complex
buildings, our fire engineers will carry out a design fire
risk assessment, often going back to first principles to
achieve clarity of design that can be lost through a code
based process.
To achieve these non- standard solutions, our fire
engineers apply lateral thinking combined with a
thorough awareness of airport design. We use state
of the art fire engineering modelling tools to provide
safe, secure and cost effective solutions that fulfil client,
designer and passenger’s needs.
Case Study : Gibraltar Airport
Image: bblur Architecture
Our involvement with the new Gibraltar airport
is an example of our full service provision. We
have worked closely with the team from early
conceptual design, through detailed strategy
review, implementation and site inspection, to
carrying out risk assessments for the operators
to allow partial occupation and operation of the
building.
Edinburgh Airport, Edinburgh, Scotland
Architect: 3D Reid
TAG McLaren Airport, Farnborough, UK
Architect: bblur
Image: Buro Happold/Adam Wilson
Delhi Air Traffic Control Tower, Delhi, India
Architect: HOK
Image: HOK

Fire Engineering
Culture and Civic
Buro Happold
Cultural and Civic buildings present exciting challenges to the fire engineer as the form of these
buildings must not be compromised by intrusive fire safety measures. More than any other type of
building, we have to understand the architectural vision and strive to facilitate this.
Our approach is to understand the architectural and
functional intent and practical limitations by engaging
key stakeholders during the early stages of the design.
We find efficient solutions that achieve high standards
of life safety without compromising cultural experience.
To achieve this it is often necessary to adopt fire
engineered solutions to solve unique challenges.
Using qualitative and analytical tools with design
awareness, we provide bespoke strategies that meet the
client’s needs, reflect a realistic management regime,
and give cost effective solutions.
Benefits we deliver to projects include rationalisation
of escape routes, extended travel distances, flexibility
through open spatial planning and reduced
compartmentation, and cost effective solutions to
property protection and fire fighting.
In addition to life safety, we have a wealth of experience
in advising on property protection, business continuity
and risk assessments, which allows us to provide a
full service to users of buildings that house valuable
artefacts and exhibits.
Image: RSC
Case Study : Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford
on Avon, UK
Our fire strategy for this world class theatre
used an innovative approach which ensured
that theatrical requirements led the design. We
worked with the existing and new build areas
to design out the traditional fire safety curtain.
We also created greater connectivity within the
foyer areas and maximised disabled evacuation
opportunities, which has reduced the burden on
the theatres’ fire safety management team.
Glasgow Riverside Museum
Glasgow, Scotland
Architect: Zaha Hadid Architects
Image: Buro Happold
The British Museum, London, UK
Architect: Foster + Partners
Image: copyright Mandy Reynolds
The Louvre, Abu Dhabi
Architect: Ateliers Jean Nouvel
Image: copyright AJN Architects
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Fire Engineering
Education
Buro Happold
The role of educational buildings in society, and the higher level of risk that they can be exposed to
through arson, means that fire safety is a key element of the design from the very earliest stages of
each project.
Education buildings have a crucial part to play in
helping raise educational standards. Architects and
consortia are being challenged to deliver attractive,
imaginative and stimulating environments which are
safe and secure places for children to learn while at
the same time giving a cost effective design . These
buildings must be inclusive so that no student is left out
and all can achieve their full potential.
Education buildings are a complex mix of differing
uses, spaces and users, resulting in a variety of fire
hazards and risks. Fire Safety Engineering and Fire Safety
Management have an important part to play in enabling
and facilitating the creation of quality spaces, buildings
and safe environments for learning.
Buro Happold fire engineers have developed fire
strategies for all types of educational buildings, from
small primary schools through to entire University
campus developments and refurbishment of historic
buildings. Our role enables design concepts such as
open plan design, which can be at odds with code
guidance. To achieve this we work closely with the
design team and clients to produce a fully integrated
solution.
Copyright: Foster + Partners
Case Study : Dr Patil University Business School
To allow the architectural and client aspirations
for this new college building, we had to move
away from the prescriptive Indian Building Codes.
Using a fire engineering approach has greatly
simplified the means of escape in the building,
reduced the smoke control requirements and
allowed expressed steel structure in several
areas by omitting the passive fire protection
recommended by the code.
Syddansk University, Denmark
Architect: 3XNielsen Architects
Image: Adam Mork
Thomas Deacon Academy, Peterborough, UK
Architect: Forster + Partners
Image: Buro Happold/Robert Greshoff
Exeter Forum, Exeter, UK
Architect: Wilkinson Eyre
Image: Wilkinson Eyre
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Fire Engineering
Health & Scientific
Buro Happold
Modern healthcare facilities embody more than just medical accommodation. Atria, retail and
display areas contribute to the function of these buildings, and need an integrated approach to fire
safety design to facilitate the architectural intent and functional needs of the building.
Hospitals and other healthcare buildings can be
occupied by patients who are reliant on staff for their
mobility in an emergency. During a fire incident, the
emphasis is on horizontal evacuation and ‘defend in
place’ rather than removing patients from the building.
Prescriptive fire safety codes are based around
conventional passive compartmentation and hence do
not reflect modern healthcare design, which focuses
on clarity, transparency and the inclusion of open
communal spaces and atria, which provide better
environments for patients, visitors and staff.
In complex modern hospitals, or in older buildings
undergoing refurbishment, compliance with code
guidance may be impractical, and a performance based
fire engineering approach may be necessary. This
requires an in depth knowledge of fire engineering,
codes and the regulatory process, allied with a rigorous
risk management strategy.
Buro Happold have significant experience in the
Healthcare sector. We participate in the development of
national standards, strategies and guidelines and have
intimate knowledge of healthcare standards and their
fire engineering and performance requirements.
Case Study : The London Clinic, London
Image: Andy Passingham/Buro Happold
Our fire strategy for the refurbishment of this
prestigious private hospital addresses challenges
beyond the scope of design guidance. Existing
building constraints, and the need for business
continuity during construction means that our
strategy is based on a phased approach. We are
involved from design, through construction to
handover, including assistance with production
of fire safety management documentation.
Evelina Children’s Hospital, London, UK
Architect: Michael Hopkins and Partners
Image: Buro Happold/Mandy Reynolds
Bluestone Unit Craigavon Area Hospital
Northern Ireland, UK
Architect: David Morley Architects/ Hall Black Douglas
Image: Chris Hill Photography
Queen Alexander Hospital, Portsmouth, UK
Architect: Building Design Partnership
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Fire Engineering
High Rise
Buro Happold
Tall buildings are essential to meet the increasing demand for working and living space in major
cities. While dealing with demands of land availability, by accommodating large numbers of people
into constrained footprints, high rise buildings create unique fire safety challenges.
Buro Happold fire engineers have been involved in the
design of some of the most innovative and inspiring
tall buildings in the world. We use our experience and
innovative approach to fire engineering design to
help achieve client and architectural aspirations while
maintaining a safe place to work or live.
Ensuring adequate egress over extended vertical
distances, fire fighting access to areas far above ground
level, structural fire resistance and the increasing calls
to provide refuge floors all need to be addressed as part
of an integrated fire strategy that also needs to produce
an efficient floor plate. Our innovative approach,
such as using lifts to assist egress, and bespoke smoke
ventilation design often produces space savings,
releasing valuable lettable floor area. Our structural
fire engineering can also produce significant cost
efficiencies by reducing or eliminating protection based
on analysis of the response of the structure to fire.
We have experience of high rise developments around
the world, using many different building codes. This
international expertise of high rise fire safety design has
led to us being part of the Fire Working Group of the
Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, developing
a guide to evacuation of high rise buildings.
Case Study : Tameer Towers, Abu Dhabi
Our fire strategy for this development included
complex smoke modelling of atria, people
flow modelling in high-rise towers and the
development of a bespoke fire fighting strategy
using a transfer floor.
KAFD,Plot 5.06
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Architect: Foster + Partners,
Image: Foster + Partners
Ras Al Khaimah, UAE
Architect: Snohetta
Image: Snohetta
Abu Dhabi Media Zone, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Architect: Adamson Associates International, UN Studio,
Diller Scofidio + Renfro
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Fire Engineering
Hospitality
Buro Happold
The fire engineering strategy adopted for a hotel can play an important role in the space planning
and floor plate efficiency of the building. Buro Happold Fire engineering has significant experience
of designing fire strategies for the hospitality industry all over the world.
Hotel buildings vary in aspiration. High end
developments seek unique design features to
differentiate from the competition. Other chains of
hotels seek repetition and efficiency, refining designs as
they continue to develop new sites.
One of the frequent challenges in this sector is a mix of
occupant characteristics. There may be a large number
of occupants enjoying the dining and banqueting
facilities while at upper levels there is a sleeping risk.
The response characteristics and times of each to an
emergency varies significantly. There are also operator
specific requirements to take into account. Many hotel
operators expect a higher standard of safety than is
required under legislation.
Case Study : ME Hotel, London
Image: Foster + Partners
We use our experience to provide expert advice on areas
such as means of escape, smoke control and fire fighting
to cater for all occupant types and meet operator needs.
At Buro Happold we recognise that effective fire
safety does not end with the fire strategy design. We
also provide advice on fire safety management and
maintenance during the lifetime of the building to
enable successful implementation and understanding of
the fire strategy.
We have developed a detailed fire strategy for
this new build hotel that retains the original 1922
façade. Our innovative approach has reduced
the extent of fire rated structure and eliminated
sprinklers from the atrium, allowed a single stair
solution to the apartments in the building, and
facilitated open plan apartment design.
Cafe Royal, London, UK
Architect: Chipperfield Architects
Heart of Doha, Doha, Qatar
Architect: Gensler
Le Royal Hotel, Amman, Jordan
Architect: Richard Martinet Architects
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Fire Engineering
Office
Buro Happold
The highly competitive commercial office sector places particular demands on the fire engineer, to
maximise the efficiency of the floor plate, and to accelerate construction, where a smooth approval
process and careful selection of cost effective fire safety measures can save significant time on site.
Developing a coherent fire safety strategy for a
commercial office building requires the application of
established regulations and codes of practice, together
with a fundamental understanding of the dynamics
of fire as applied to the structure, service systems and
functional architectural planning of the building. It is
here that Buro Happold Fire Engineering can contribute
within the design process by supplying integrated,
creative solutions that reflect characteristics of each
building and the needs of its users.
Projects benefit from our fire engineers involvement in
their conceptual design stages. Early identification of
areas of potential added value leads to a more efficient
design process and elimination of abortive design.
Case Study : 5 Broadgate
Image: Make
Areas of added value may include evacuation and
fire-fighting assessments to reduce the floor space
required for stair cores. We work closely with the design
team to ensure that these are detailed carefully and
efficiently. Services strategies such as smoke ventilation
and suppression also form part of the integrated fire
strategy.
Structural fire engineering is increasingly being used to
reduce fire protection needed to primary and secondary
steel structure, producing significant cost savings.
Our integrated fire strategy for this landmark
office development has produced several
cost efficiencies, most notably in the area of
the structural fire protection. Complex finite
element analysis has been carried out to assess
the behaviour of the structural frame in fire and
other collapse modes, with the result of being
able to reduce or omit much of the structural fire
resistance to the structural frame.
KAFD Plot 2.07, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Architect: Foster+ Partners
Image: Foster + Partners
National Bank of Kuwait, Kuwait
Architect: Foster + Partners
Image: Foster + Partners
East Renfrewshire Council Offices
Barhead, Scotland
Architect: Reiach & Hall
Image: Reiach & Hall
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Fire Engineering
Residential
Buro Happold
The residential sector comprises a multitude of building types ranging from small houses, flats and
maisonettes to large apartment blocks. The residential market is always competitive; therefore the
number and size of the units within a development are a key success factor.
The traditional approach to residential fire safety
is to follow the prescriptive guidance contained
in contemporary guidance documents. Because
of their generic nature, such documents are often
inappropriate for the innovative schemes being
proposed by developers and architects and the use of
fire engineering can lead to more flexible, cost effective
buildings. The residential sector offers many examples
which show fire engineering need not be complicated
to still be effective.
A key area where value can be added is by designing
bespoke ventilation systems for common corridors
in apartment buildings. This can result in increased
travel distances and hence a reduction in the number
of stairs required, freeing up valuable floor space for
the building. Fire engineering is also often used to
reduce fire resistance periods for compartmentation and
elements of structure.
The use of suppression in residential buildings is
becoming increasingly common, and the fire engineer
can integrate these systems into the strategy, gaining
additional benefits. These include increased flexibility
for the internal planning, such as open plan apartments
and unprotected stairs in domestic houses.
Case Study : Battersea Power Station
We have been involved with Battersea Power
Station for several years. Our fire engineering
approach is currently based around the
residential elements of the scheme, and is
allowing open plan apartment design and
maximising the efficiency of staircase provision
in the buildings. An integrated approach is
necessary to ensure that the extensive basement,
which will link many of the blocks, is carefully
coordinated with the buildings above.
Left Bank Spinningfields
Spinningfields, UK
Architect: AEDAS
23 to 24 Newman Street, London, UK
Architect: Emrys Architects
Image: Great Portland Estates Plc
Anchor Mills, Paisley, Scotland
Architect: James F Stephen
Image: Buro Happold
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Fire Engineering
Retail
Buro Happold
Fire-engineering solutions provide clients with flexible and cost effective responses to the everchanging
demands of the retail market. This applies to the development of major retail centres
throughout the world but also to individual units where tenants need design flexibility.
Buro Happold Fire Engineering have retail experience
throughout the world.
Our approach of integrating fire safety with the
architectural and other engineering disciplines creates
the best opportunity to support innovative architectural
solutions, deliver best value and provide focussed,
efficient fire protection measures in retail centres.
We have wide experience of retail projects, ranging from
large multiple tenant malls, through to stand alone units
for high street retail chains.
The key fire safety issues are typically means of escape,
compartmentation and smoke control. We combine
these into an overall strategy, always reflecting the
commercial needs to maximise floor space efficiency
and visual clarity of the space.
Prescriptive codes do not address the commercial aspect
of retail design, and hence a fire engineering approach
to potentially reduce exit requirements and visually
intrusive compartmentation can provide significant
benefits. Our team of fire engineers have experience of
using the most up to date fire engineering techniques to
provide not only a safe design, but one that reflects the
clients commercial aspirations.
Case Study : Sainsburys
Image: Edward Farrow/Buro Happold
We have provided fire engineering services for
Sainsburys for several years, for many projects.
These have included major new stores where fire
engineering of egress provisions has improved
the usable floor space. Refurbishment projects
and multiple use projects are increasingly
common, where our innovative approach ensures
operational requirements and a consistently high
level of life safety are provided in all stores.
Audi Headquarters, Glasgow, UK
Architect: SDA Jackson Calvert
Barwa Al Doha, Doha
Architect: RTKL
Image: RTKL
Marks and Spencer, London, UK
Architect: MOM Architecture
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Fire Engineering
Risk Assessment and Building Management
Buro Happold
Building owners and operators have responsibility for the safety of the occupants of their buildings.
When the need to protect property and business continuity is added to this, the increase in
sophistication of building risk assessment and management has been both inevitable and welcome.
Buro Happold fire engineers have experience of carrying
out risk assessments and developing management
strategies for a wide variety of clients.
Organisations with wide property portfolios
benefit from a consistent, clear approach to their
risk assessments, allowing simple comparison and
implementation across their estate. We adopt a
template approach to these types of projects, first
creating a bespoke framework for the client that can
then be applied to each building. This is supported by
a comprehensive management strategy, which we work
closely with the client to develop.
We also carry out assessments for clients who may only
have a single site, or an area of specific hazard, and
are therefore potentially more vulnerable to business
continuity failure. For these projects, we spend time
making sure that we fully understand the clients’
business processes and concerns. This is essential to
allow us to focus on the business critical issues and
advise on fire protection measures to safeguard these,
based on a cost/benefit based approach.
This type of work has involved us with fundamentally
changing how some businesses address fire safety,
influencing both to building design and management.
Case Study : Pendennis Shipyard, Falmouth
Our work for this new prestigious Superyacht
construction facility has addressed both the
life safety of the building occupants and the
vital protection of highly valuable contents and
business continuity. Using a risk based approach
has allowed the client to assess additional fire
protection measures on a cost/benefit basis and
select the most appropriate for their business and
fire safety needs.
Scottish Museums, Edinburgh, Scotland
Architect: Gareth Hoskins
Image: Gareth Hoskins
Tyrrells Crisps, Herefordshire, UK
Image: Buro Happold/Andy Passingham
Health and Safety Executive
Various locations, UK
Image: Buro Happold/Paul Coyle
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Fire Engineering
Sports and Entertainment
Buro Happold
The sports and entertainment sector comprises a multitude of venues including racecourses, stadia
and arenas. While each venue is unique, with client requirements varying from ultimate flexibility to
the best for a particular sports discipline, there exist common themes in the fire safety design.
Providing adequate escape for large numbers of people
is the primary challenge for the fire engineer in the
design of sports and entertainment venues.
The traditional approach of enclosed stairs and corridors
needs to be balanced with open plan hospitality and
corporate spaces. Working closely with architects and
creative use of compartmentation can allow escape
routes to appear open while ensuring safe and efficient
egress.
Our fire strategy is typically based on an assessment of
likely fire risk and evacuation periods. Elements such
as fire load control, strategic location of fire separating
construction and smoke management are brought
together in a coherent, unobtrusive manner. This
produces a simple, robust strategy for each building,
tailored to its specific needs.
Refining the design of structural fire protection
is a common challenge for stadia - structural fire
engineering techniques assess the potential for exposed
steel structure to survive design fire scenarios without
applied fire protection, increasing cost efficiency.
Case Study : Silverstone Pit Lane
Image: Populous
The fire strategy for the Silverstone Pit Lane and
Paddock facilities provides flexibility to the client,
allowing multiple uses. The evacuation strategy
uses the length of the building to offer escape
into adjacent compartments and the paddock
behind the building without relying upon the pit
lane.
Event continuity is addressed by the race control
centre being designed to operate independently,
allowing circuit operations to continue in the
event of an incident within the building.
Emirates Stadium, Arsenal Football Club
London, UK
Architect: Populous
Image: Simon Warren
The O2 Arena, London, UK
Architect: Populous
Image: Buro Happold/Adam Wilson
London 2012 Stadium, London, UK
Architect: Populous
Image: ODA
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Fire Engineering
Transport
Buro Happold
Rail & bus stations and other transport hub buildings provide vital access and flow to transport
systems. By their very nature they are often large interconnected spaces with significant numbers of
public occupants and varied uses.
Fire strategies for transport buildings often need to
incorporate innovative solutions tailored to specific
needs of the client and end users. By combining our
expertise in fire safety design in large and complex
buildings Buro Happold Fire Engineering offer a unique
solution which is not only cost effective and efficient,
but also provides a high level of safety for occupants
and staff.
Evacuation/people movement modelling is used to
verify escape designs and help provide a bespoke and
rational solution
Fire and smoke modelling allows us to ensure that
occupants can escape in tenable conditions
Structural fire modelling ensures that premature
collapse of structure does not occur and helps to
achieve cost effective structural fire resistance
Our approach is to provide a detailed service, to ensure
that the fire strategy is fully integrated with the building
management regime. As part of this, we provide
comprehensive advice on fire safety management and
carry out risk assessments for the completed building.
Case Study : Haramain High Speed Rail
The Haramain High-Speed Railway includes 4
stations, connecting Makkah, Madinah, Jeddah
and the developing King Abdullah Economic City.
Our fire strategies were developed in parallel,
using a template approach, with similar areas of
fire engineering, code compliance and calculation
methodologies. This greatly simplified the
complex approval process, allowing a technique
or approach to be developed and approved
at a conceptual level, and then applied with
confidence to all four stations.
Heathrow Multi Storey Car Park
Heathrow, UK
Architect: Aedas
Image: Laing O’Rourke
Slough Bus Station, Slough, UK
Architect: Bblur Architecture
Image: Matthew Clayton
TAG McLaren Airport, Farnborough, UK
Architect: Bblur
Image: Buro Happold/Adam Wilson
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16
Andy Passingham
17 Newman Street
London
W1T 1PD
UK
Telephone: +44 (0)207 927 9700
Email: andy.passingham@burohappold.com
Structural Engineering Building Services / MEP Engineering
Ground Engineering Infrastructure Engineering Specialist Consulting
www.burohappold.com
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