In any walk of life, it is always best to get advice or consult with a reliable source and this certainly applies to the construction industry.
Being involved in multi-euro building projects, sees a lot of consultation take place and there are companies that offer expert advice in their area of expertise.
One of the leading consulting engineering practices in Ireland are Homan O’Brien Associates which was established in 1990.
Indeed, the company’s experience goes way back before that as the amalgamation of Robert Jacobs and Partners and Seamus Homan Associates brought together two firms that collectively had more experience that many of their competitors put together.
Homan O’Brien Associates has been firmly established as a company that provides excellence in its design concepts and its commitment to delivering the highest standard or work possible.
These days joint managing directors Brian Homan and Simon O’Brien are joined on the board by directors James Reilly and Gerard Keating.
For this month’s edition of Building Ireland, we profile the Dublin based company and speak to Brian about the success they have achieved over the past 26 years.
“Seamus Homan Associates had been successfully operating since 1978 and Robert Jacob and Partners had been going since 1955, so between them there was a wealth of experience when they amalgamated in 1990,” said Brian.
“We are a leading Consulting Engineering Practice specialising in the design and management of mechanical and electrical services to all building types.”
Brian revealed that they are currently quite busy and from their headquarters in Blackrock, they are involved in quite a few projects.
“There are 30 employed here at the moment and we are very busy and involved in projects in Schools, Office Buildings, works for the Department of Defence, and the current PPP Courts Bundle, which sees us work on seven major courts around the country.”
Homan O’Brien Associates have been involved in projects in the healthcare, laboratory buildings, residential, retail, hotels, education and commercial sectors.
Their list of services include Hospital Engineering, HVAC, Low Energy Building Design, Building Dynamic Simulation, Building 3D Modelling, Building Energy Rating (BER), BREEAM Assessments, Vertical Transport Analysis and Design, Building Energy Audits and Expert Witness.
“We provide a wide range of services to a large customer base. Our client list would include the top construction and architectural companies in the country.
“This experience that we have allows us to tender for some of the most prestigious contracts that have been carried out in Ireland in recent years.”
Some of these contracts included the Mater Hospital extension and the renowned Sports Surgery Clinic, Santry as well as the Merrion Hotel extension, nationwide Dunne Stores upgrade, Bank of Ireland Burlington Plaza and many more.
“Through the quality professional service that we offer, our work has taken us out of Ireland on occasion and to as far away places as Abu Dhabi, Qatar and Africa.
“We have worked for Tullow Oil on a number of projects and we are well equipped to deal with the international market.”
Of course, Health & Safety and environmental management are a massive part of the business and their management systems have been registered to NSAI standards.
“In Quality Management we have the ISO 9001:2008 and for Environmental Management we have the ISO 14001:2004.
“It is the policy of Homan O’Brien Associates to provide a quality service and to minimise the impact of our activities on the environment where practicable. To this end we have evolved unique systems of work and a management programme to monitor and control all impacts associated with our design activities.”
Homan O’Brien Associates have committed to ensure that continued improvement in every sector of the business is sought.
Being associated with many professional bodies relays the regard that the company is held in by their peers.
“We are affiliated to a number of professional bodies including Engineers Ireland, Association of Consulting Engineers of Ireland, Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers, American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Institute of Healthcare Engineers and Estate Managers and the European Federation of National Engineering Associations.”
A company’s success can be gauged by the awards that they have obtained over the years and on this front Homan O’Brien Associates have certainly being recognised by the industry.
Recent awards include: RIAI 2016 Sustainability Award for Roscommon Co. Council Offices, Opus Award – Cork Civic Offices, RIBA European Award – Cork Civic Offices, RIAI Best Accessible Project, Best Public Building, Best Sustainable Project – Cork Civic Offices; RIAI Best Health Building, Dublin Dental Hospital; ACEI Presidents Award Winners for Excellence in the M&E Design of the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital; ACEI Presidents Award Winners for Excellence in the M&E Design of Tullow Oil Technology Centre.
“We are pleased with the direction that the company is heading and workwise we have a lot ongoing at the moment, but it is essential to maintain and try to improve the standards that we have set ourselves and that our clients have become accustomed too.”
Contact Details:
Homan O’Brien Associates
89 Booterstown Avenue,
Blackrock
Co. Dublin,
Ireland.
Tel: +353 1 205 6300
Email: [email protected]
Taken from Building Ireland Magazine, July 2016, Vol 2 No 3
