Fire Engineering

Fire Safety Designed for
People, Buildings & Performance

At GDC Group, we provide practical fire engineering solutions that help protect people, property and building assets while supporting efficient, compliant and buildable design.

Our Services
Fire Engineering

Our Services

Our Fire Engineering Services

Multidisciplinary Expertise

Engineering, surveying and planning expertise within one coordinated team.

Practical Solutions

Practical, cost-effective advice tailored to each project and site.

Integrated Approach

Disciplines coordinated early to reduce conflicts and improve outcomes.

Built for New Zealand

Aligned with New Zealand standards, conditions and communities.

About this service

Fire Engineering

From new buildings and developments through to alterations, change-of-use projects and existing building assessments, our fire engineers work with clients, architects, contractors and project teams to develop solutions that address the specific fire safety requirements of each project.

Our approach considers life safety, property protection, building performance, compliance and constructability, while integrating fire engineering requirements with the wider architectural and engineering design.

Fire Engineering
GDCGDC Group · Fire Engineering

What we do

Our Fire Engineering Services

Fire Safety Design & Engineering

Effective fire engineering requires a clear understanding of how a building will be occupied, constructed and operated.

GDC Group develops fire safety solutions that respond to the characteristics and requirements of each building and project.

Our services can include:

  • Fire engineering design
  • Fire safety assessments
  • Fire safety strategies
  • Fire engineering reports
  • Fire safety reviews
  • Building Code compliance assessments
  • Alternative solution assessments
  • Performance-based fire engineering
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  • Fire safety documentation
  • Fire safety design coordination

Performance-Based Fire Engineering

Not every building can be effectively addressed through a simple prescriptive approach.

GDC Group can develop performance-based fire engineering solutions where appropriate, providing a structured assessment of the building, fire hazards, occupant characteristics and proposed fire safety systems.

Our approach can consider:

  • Fire scenarios
  • Occupant characteristics
  • Evacuation requirements
  • Fire growth and development
  • Smoke movement
  • Fire resistance
  • Structural fire performance
  • Fire brigade intervention
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  • Means of escape
  • Fire protection systems
  • Building configuration and use

The objective is to develop practical fire safety solutions that achieve the required performance while supporting the architectural and functional objectives of the project.

Alternative Solutions & Building Code Compliance

Building projects can present situations where a standard Acceptable Solution or Verification Method does not provide the most appropriate outcome.

GDC Group can assist with the development and assessment of alternative fire safety solutions, supported by appropriate engineering analysis and documentation.

We work with project teams to identify practical solutions that address the relevant performance requirements while considering:

  • Building use and occupancy
  • Fire and smoke hazards
  • Means of escape
  • Fire resistance
  • Detection and alarm systems
  • Fire suppression systems
  • Firefighting access
  • Structural considerations
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  • Architectural constraints
  • Existing building conditions

Our goal is to provide clear engineering advice that supports informed design and consenting decisions.

Evacuation & Means of Escape

Ensuring occupants can safely evacuate a building is a fundamental component of fire safety design.

GDC Group assesses evacuation and means-of-escape requirements based on the characteristics and intended use of each building.

Our services can include:

  • Means of escape assessments
  • Occupant load assessments
  • Travel distance assessments
  • Exit capacity assessments
  • Exit and corridor analysis
  • Evacuation strategy development
  • Fire and smoke separation
  • Egress assessments
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  • Accessibility considerations
  • Evacuation modelling where required

We work closely with architects and other consultants to integrate evacuation requirements into the building design from an early stage.

Fire & Smoke Control

Fire and smoke can significantly affect occupant safety and building performance.

GDC Group can assist with the assessment and design coordination of systems and measures intended to control the spread of fire and smoke.

This can include consideration of:

  • Fire separations
  • Fire cells
  • Smoke separations
  • Fire doors
  • Smoke control
  • Compartmentation
  • Protected escape routes
  • Fire-rated construction
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  • Fire stopping requirements
  • Service penetrations
  • Vertical and horizontal fire spread

Our integrated engineering approach helps ensure fire and smoke control measures are coordinated with architectural, structural and building services requirements.

Fire Protection Systems

Fire protection systems are an important part of a building's overall fire safety strategy.

GDC Group can provide engineering advice and coordination relating to fire protection systems, including:

  • Automatic sprinkler systems
  • Fire detection and alarm systems
  • Emergency warning systems
  • Fire hydrant systems
  • Fire hose reels
  • Fire extinguishing systems
  • Emergency lighting
  • Firefighting facilities
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  • Fire service access
  • Fire protection system coordination

We consider the relationship between active fire protection systems and the wider passive fire protection and building design.

Existing Buildings & Fire Safety Assessments

Existing buildings can present unique fire safety challenges, particularly where buildings are being altered, extended, repurposed or upgraded.

GDC Group can assess existing buildings and identify practical opportunities to improve fire safety and address relevant compliance requirements.

Our services can include:

  • Existing building fire safety assessments
  • Change-of-use assessments
  • Alteration and addition assessments
  • Fire safety gap analysis
  • Existing fire protection reviews
  • Means of escape assessments
  • Fire separation assessments
  • Fire safety upgrade recommendations
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  • Remediation advice
  • Fire engineering reports

We focus on practical solutions that recognise the existing building conditions, project objectives and potential construction constraints.

Commercial & Industrial Fire Engineering

Commercial and industrial buildings can involve complex fire hazards, large occupant numbers, specialised processes and significant property risks.

GDC Group provides fire engineering services for projects including:

  • Commercial buildings
  • Industrial facilities
  • Warehouses
  • Manufacturing facilities
  • Office buildings
  • Retail developments
  • Mixed-use developments
  • Multi-storey buildings
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  • Storage facilities
  • Specialised facilities

We consider the specific characteristics of each facility and develop fire safety solutions that balance life safety, operational requirements, property protection and practical construction.

Residential & Multi-Unit Developments

Fire safety is an important consideration for residential buildings, particularly multi-unit and higher-density developments.

GDC Group can assist with fire engineering requirements for:

  • New residential buildings
  • Apartment developments
  • Multi-unit developments
  • Townhouse developments
  • Residential alterations
  • Mixed-use developments
  • Common areas and shared access
  • Means of escape
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  • Fire and smoke separation
  • Fire protection systems

Our fire engineering team works alongside architects and structural engineers to ensure fire safety requirements are incorporated into the overall building design.

Fire Engineering for Structural Design

Fire engineering and structural engineering are closely connected.

Where required, GDC Group can coordinate fire engineering requirements with structural design to consider the performance of structural elements during a fire.

This may include consideration of:

  • Structural fire resistance
  • Fire exposure
  • Fire-rated structural elements
  • Protection systems
  • Structural stability
  • Steel structures
  • Concrete structures
  • Timber structures
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  • Fire engineering assessments
  • Strengthening or protection requirements

Our multidisciplinary capability helps ensure fire performance is considered alongside the structural and architectural requirements of the building.

Integrated Fire Engineering
GDCGDC Group · Fire Engineering

Integrated Fire Engineering

Fire safety does not exist in isolation.

At GDC Group, our multidisciplinary capability allows fire engineering requirements to be coordinated with:

  • Architectural design
  • Structural engineering
  • Civil engineering
  • Geotechnical engineering
  • Electrical engineering
  • Building services
  • Three waters engineering
  • Transport engineering
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  • Project management
  • Construction

This integrated approach helps identify potential fire safety issues early, reduce design conflicts and develop more efficient project outcomes.

GDC Group

Practical Fire Engineering. Designed for Performance.

At GDC Group, we believe effective fire engineering should provide more than a compliant solution.

It should provide clear, practical and technically robust advice that supports life safety, building performance and successful project delivery.

From early concept design and feasibility through to detailed design, consenting and construction, we work with our clients and project teams to develop fire engineering solutions that are appropriate for the building and its intended use.

Whether you are developing a new building, undertaking an alteration, changing the use of an existing building or addressing a complex fire safety issue, GDC Group can provide the fire engineering expertise required.

Planning a new project or need advice on an existing building? Talk to GDC Group about your fire engineering requirements.

Contact Our Team