Building design now sits under far greater scrutiny than it did years ago. Building Regulations have tightened, documentation requirements have increased, and there’s more responsibility across design teams as a whole. Decisions around fire safety, acoustics, facade performance, energy use and existing building condition are examined in greater detail and at earlier stages.
These disciplines require specialist input, and they rarely sit in isolation. A change to a facade detail can affect fire performance and acoustic separation. For example, increasing glazing to improve daylight may introduce overheating risk. In practice, technical decisions overlap and influence one another throughout the design process.
At Cahill Design Consultants, we provide coordinated engineering consultancy across acoustic design, fire and facade engineering, building physics and building surveying. Our role is to help you move from concept to completion with clear, pragmatic guidance that fits into real world applications.
In this article, we outline how each discipline contributes to the success of a project and why joined up advice often makes the difference.
Fire strategy now carries greater weight at every stage of a project. From early feasibility through to Gateway submissions and final sign off, the approach must be clearly defined, well documented and coordinated with the wider design.
At the planning stage, we prepare Gateway 1 fire statements and provide early advice to help shape layouts and site strategy. As the design develops through RIBA Stages 3 and 4, we produce detailed fire strategy reports and drawings, and support Gateway 2 and 3 submissions where robust compliance evidence is required.
On more complex schemes, CFD modelling allows us to test design assumptions and provide technical justification where prescriptive guidance alone isn’t sufficient. During construction and at completion, we carry out inspections and wider site reviews to confirm that what has been built reflects the agreed strategy.
For existing buildings, we also undertake fire compartmentation surveys and fire door inspections where required. Our advice is grounded in practical delivery, ensuring that compliance solutions remain realistic to construct.
Acoustic engineering plays an important role in shaping successful buildings and developments, particularly within residential and mixed‑use schemes. Our building and environmental acoustics team provides engineering‑led advice across the full project lifecycle, from early masterplanning through detailed design, construction, and handover.
At the outset of a project, we support site feasibility and masterplanning by assessing environmental noise constraints and advising on layout, massing, and land‑use compatibility. Early acoustic input is often critical in responding to local authority policy and Building Regulations, helping to establish viable and compliant development strategies from the start.
We prepare environmental noise assessments and acoustic design statements to support planning applications, offering clear, proportionate guidance on façade performance, glazing, ventilation, and external amenity areas. This advice is developed in close coordination with architectural, façade, and fire engineering teams to ensure practical and cost‑effective solutions.
As projects progress, we provide detailed building acoustic design, site support, and pre‑completion sound insulation testing. We also investigate acoustic performance issues in completed buildings, delivering pragmatic recommendations where standards are not being met. By integrating acoustics with the wider design, we help deliver robust outcomes and smooth project approvals.
The facade is where many technical requirements converge. Fire performance, thermal efficiency and weather resistance are all influenced by its design and installation. Decisions around materials affect not only compliance, but also durability and long term maintenance.
Our involvement can begin at the concept stage, reviewing architects facade design intent and advising on materiality, design life, performance and sustainability before specifications are fixed. We support design teams in developing compliant facade strategies and assessing proposals against current Building Regulations and project requirements.
Through RIBA Stages 4 to 6, we continue to support the technical design, coordination and construction process. We review detailed drawings and specifications, respond to contractor queries and provide clear guidance where design adjustments are required to maintain compliance and performance.
During construction, we attend site to review installation against approved drawings and specifications, identifying gaps or inconsistencies early so they can be addressed without wider disruption.
For existing buildings and remediation schemes, we carry out facade inspections, EWS 1 assessments and FRAEW assessments where external wall performance must be formally reviewed.
Clear communication is central to this process. We help teams understand how facade design decisions interact with fire, acoustics and energy performance, providing advice that reflects the realities of construction on site.
Building physics considerations including daylight provision, solar gains, overheating risk, energy demand, and fabric performance are fundamental to delivering comfortable, efficient, and compliant buildings. Within the current regulatory framework, these issues are central to meeting Building Regulations requirements, particularly Part L, and satisfying planning policy objectives around energy use and sustainability.
We undertake daylight and sunlight assessments to support planning submissions, alongside overheating risk analysis in accordance with Approved Document O, using CIBSE TM52 for non‑domestic spaces and TM59 for residential schemes. Energy and carbon performance is assessed through SAP modelling, informing early decisions on glazing ratios, U‑values, thermal bridging, airtightness, and building services efficiencies. This enables design teams to test compliance strategies and understand performance trade‑offs before details are fixed. We also provide Energy Performance Certificates and wider Part L compliance support where required.
Our advice is interpretative rather than purely numerical, ensuring results are understood in the context of the overall design. By embedding building physics input early, projects can achieve compliance through coordinated design rather than reactive mitigation later.
Refurbishment, change of use and extension schemes rely on a clear understanding of the existing building. Assumptions at this stage can lead to delays, cost variation and compliance issues later down the line. This is often where building surveying input becomes essential.
We carry out measured surveys, condition surveys and defect investigations to establish a reliable baseline. This allows design teams to understand structural constraints, material condition and potential compliance challenges before proposals are finalised.
Where works affect fire safety, facade performance or thermal upgrades, surveying input helps identify risks that may not be obvious from drawings alone. We also support clients with dilapidation advice and ongoing building condition assessments where required.
By clarifying what is already there, we help reduce uncertainty and support realistic design decisions from the outset.
In practice, building projects rarely sit neatly within a single discipline. Decisions around façade design can have direct implications for both fire performance and acoustic outcomes, while measures introduced to improve thermal efficiency may affect internal comfort, condensation risk, or ventilation strategy.
Similarly, alterations to existing buildings often require a coordinated response that spans surveying, regulatory compliance, and performance assessment.
When technical advice is delivered in isolation, these interdependencies can be overlooked, leading to conflicting recommendations, redesign, or unnecessary delay.
At Cahill Design Consultants, our teams work collaboratively rather than in silos. We understand how changes in one area influence another and coordinate our advice accordingly. This integrated approach gives design teams confidence that safety, performance, and buildability are being considered together, supporting clearer decisions and more efficient project delivery.
Bringing the right engineering advice into a project at the right time can reduce risk, avoid redesign and support smooth approval. Whether you need input on a single discipline or coordinated support across multiple areas, early discussion helps define a clear and proportionate scope.
If you’d like to discuss your project, our team is happy to provide practical guidance on the level of support required. You can explore our full range of services or get in touch by calling +44 (0) 1206 809 598 or using our online enquiry form.