Sereca, an international fire engineering consulting firm, provides authoritative advice and innovative solutions to the most complex issues in fire and life safety. From our offices in Canada and Singapore, we work closely with architects, developers, authorities and operators to help them plan and implement their designs while meeting the safety objectives required by codes and standards.
Fire and life safety engineering services
Through schematic design, design development, construction and commissioning, Sereca provides a full range of fire and life safety engineering services. We provide building and fire code consulting, develop performance-based alternative solutions, facilitate approval of unique products and materials, and perform risk assessments.
Airport fire and life safety design and operations expertise
Sereca is skilled at resolving the complex fire and life safety issues inherent in airport design and operations. In design, we conduct design reviews, apply performance-based principles to address passenger egress issues, and plan specialised smoke control systems.
For operations, we assist in scenario development and develop cohesive strategies for appropriate response to potential fire incidents by using a risk management approach. Taking into consideration the complex interaction of people in large open spaces, we develop operational procedures that integrate emergency response and security concerns.
Alternative solution design for modern airports
Variances from prescriptive code requirements are often a feature of large-scale assembly construction such as airports. For example, strategies for exiting defined in building codes may not be appropriate for today’s security-driven, tightly controlled, and business-friendly airports.
Our deep knowledge of international codes and standards provides us with the insight to facilitate new designs; our experience with materials and testing procedures enables us to address issues where materials fall outside the limits of existing codes; and our research into the history and technical basis of the codes allows us to evaluate and recommend approaches that vary from the prescriptive criteria while still meeting the objectives.
Fire protection specialists for airports
Our diverse, skilled staff are fire protection specialists with backgrounds in civil, mechanical, electrical, fluids, materials and chemical engineering.
We invest in comprehensive, ongoing research to challenge broadly defined areas of fire theory, to probe gaps in our profession’s knowledge of fire protection design, and to develop a more complete understanding of fire behaviour. Our engineers leverage this knowledge on a daily basis to serve our clients.
Computer modelling for airport life safety design
We use our extensive computer modelling facilities to assist with predicting and visualising the impact of fire on airport design. Our computer models guide our clients in improving life safety through architectural and construction planning, material selection, and egress strategies.
We apply zone, CFD and other advanced modelling tools and methods to analyse fire growth and spread, smoke development and spread, detector/sprinkler activation, structural response, and people movement.
Forensic fire investigations for airports
Unique amongst fire engineering firms is our knowledge acquired through hundreds of forensic fire investigations each year. This provides our staff with a greater understanding of real-world matters pertaining to building design, risk and fire spread.
This knowledge is applied routinely to address safety in a cautious manner while allowing good design to proceed. After an incident, we provide clients with origin and cause analysis, fire-spread determination, compliance audits and failure assessments.
Fire engineering and life safety advice
At Sereca, with a creative approach to problem-solving, we are committed to help our clients succeed. By combining our knowledge of fire science with our professional expertise and our use of advanced technology, our clients know that we advise with authority.