Façade Consultancy
Jensen Hughes provides specialist façade consultancy and engineering services for new and existing buildings, supporting clients from early design and system selection through to construction, investigation, refurbishment, remediation and technical assurance.
Façade Expertise across the Building Lifecycle
Our façade specialists work across the full lifecycle of a building, combining façade engineering expertise with specialist external-wall fire and fire engineering capability. We support owners, developers, architects, contractors and managing agents in understanding façade performance, managing technical and regulatory risk, and developing practical solutions for new-build and existing buildings.
Our multidisciplinary approach brings together the relevant façade, fire and building performance considerations to support informed decisions from concept and design through to construction, investigation, remediation and assurance.
Façade Engineering + External Wall Fire
Our façade consultancy services address the technical performance, safety and compliance of external wall systems across new and existing buildings. By combining façade engineering with specialist fire expertise, we can consider external-wall performance and fire safety together, helping clients develop solutions that are technically robust, proportionate and practical.
Our expertise includes:
- Façade engineering and technical design
- Façade system and material selection
- Specification and technical detailing
- Thermal, moisture and condensation analysis
- Weatherproofing and façade performance
- Façade investigation and condition assessments
- Refurbishment, recladding and remediation
- Construction-stage inspection and technical assurance
- External-wall fire safety and fire preformance
- Fire Risk Appraisals of External Walls (FRAEW) in accordance with PAS 9980
- EWS1 assessments
- Remediation strategy and technical review
- Contractor and design review
Façade Performance + Building Regulations
Façade performance is influenced by a combination of design, materials, interfaces, workmanship and the regulatory requirements applicable to the building. Our team helps clients understand these requirements and translate them into practical design and construction solutions.
We provide technical advice relating to façade performance and compliance, including external-wall fire safety, Building Regulations, material and system selection, thermal performance, condensation risk, weatherproofing, detailing and interfaces.
Where fire safety considerations are critical, our façade specialists work alongside fire engineers to consider the interaction between the external wall, the wider building design and the applicable fire strategy.
This integrated approach helps clients identify technical risks early, make informed design decisions and maintain appropriate assurance as projects progress.
Existing Buildings + External Wall Risk
Existing buildings often require a combination of technical investigation, performance assessment and risk-based decision-making to understand the condition and performance of the façade and determine the appropriate response.
We undertake façade investigations and assessments to establish the construction, materials, condition and performance of existing external wall systems. Where external-wall fire safety is a consideration, we can undertake Fire Risk Appraisals of External Walls (FRAEW) in accordance with PAS 9980 and provide technical advice to support proportionate risk management.
Our work can support clients from initial investigation and risk assessment through to remediation strategy, design review, contractor review and construction-stage assurance.
This approach allows façade performance, fire safety, regulatory requirements and practical remediation considerations to be considered together when determining the appropriate way forward.
New-Build Façade Consultancy
We support new-build projects from early design through to construction, helping clients make informed decisions about façade systems, performance, fire safety, compliance and buildability.
Our involvement can include façade strategy and concept development, system and material selection, technical design review, specification, performance requirements, thermal and condensation analysis, weatherproofing, external-wall fire considerations and construction-stage assurance.
We work with architects, developers, contractors and design teams to identify potential technical issues early and ensure that façade design intent is appropriately translated into construction.
Where appropriate, our façade specialists work alongside fire engineers to integrate external-wall fire considerations into the wider fire strategy and building design, including the development and review of performance-based solutions.
Technical Due Diligence
We provide technical due diligence for clients acquiring, disposing of, financing or managing buildings and property portfolios, with particular consideration of façade condition, performance, compliance and external-wall risk.
Our assessments can consider existing and proposed façade systems, available design and construction information, observed condition, known defects, maintenance requirements, fire safety considerations and potential future capital expenditure.
We help clients identify material technical risks, understand the condition and performance of the façade and make better-informed decisions about acquisition, investment, refurbishment, and asset management.
Expert Witness + Litigation Support
Our façade specialists provide technical investigation, compliance assessment and expert support in disputes involving external walls, façade systems, and building performance.
Our work can include review of design information and historical requirements, assessment of existing construction, intrusive investigation, review of workmanship and consideration of defects, water ingress, fire safety and regulatory compliance.
We provide technically robust evidence and reporting to help clients understand the causes, implications and technical basis of façade-related issues, supporting legal teams, insurers, building owners and other stakeholders where disputes arise.
RELATED INSIGHTS + RESOURCES
Blog + Whitepaper
From Risk to Resolution: Taking a Holistic Approach to External-Wall Performance
Learn how a holistic approach to external-wall risk resolution brings fire and façade engineering together to develop proportionate, technically robust solutions that address fire risk while supporting the building’s wider performance.
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