Founded in 1977, Pritchard Francis is a leading civil and structural engineering consultancy. Established in Perth, the firm has associate offices in all states and territories across Australia. Pritchard Francis has undertaken work overseas and throughout all regions of Western Australia.

The range of expertise includes secondary structural consulting, principal consulting for projects with a major engineering component, and project management in civil and infrastructure engineering.

Core fundamentals of the business are:

	Employing the highest calibre people
	Providing the right engineering solution to projects
	Providing the highest level of service

Clients include private companies and developers, local and state governments and public departments. The company has been built around strong relationships with repeat clientele, working with major contractors in competitive design and construct projects, and developing a respected reputation with government authorities and departments.

We maintain excellence as civil and structural engineering consultants by indentifying the right solution and providing economical design.

We employ staff with sound technical ability, provide resources appropriate to the task, and encourage staff accountability.

We have simple and clear systems and procedures, encourage open lines of communication, and utilise the most up-to-date technical aids in design and documentation.

With thorough review processes and checking procedures, we ensure risk is managed and minimised.

We have the knowledge and experience in the construction industry to assess alternatives, understand the impact of these alternatives, and provide an authentic response to projects.

As chartered professional engineers, we are bound by a code of ethics. Our principles include honesty, confidentiality, acting without discrimination and in the interest of the client, and being accountable for conduct and behaviour.

Our aim is to provide our clients with the highest level of service by understanding their requirements, offering the right engineering solutions, and delivering our services within expected time frames.

To achieve excellence as Civil & Structural Engineering Consultants, providing clients with the highest level of service. We are bound by a common commitment based upon strong beliefs and shared values.

Quality Assurance is not only about gaining official accreditation, it is also about good systems, good people and attention to detail. Our systems and procedures are as good as any. But it is the depth our commitment to managing quality that sets us apart in the eyes of our clients.

The world is constantly changing. New materials, construction methodologies and design techniques continually enable our profession to innovate and push the frontiers. However, the importance of checking to remove errors on paper that can be expensive in the field never diminishes.

At Pritchard Francis we are equally committed to innovation and reliability. This is embodied in our company policy and is reflected in the personal commitment by every member of our team. We pursue “an authentic response” for every project – the unique solution that maintains aesthetic expression and functionality, but identifies the simplest and most economical construction. We then set about bringing that design to reality through control and checking mechanisms that ensure project success. Put simply, on each project we strive to identify the best solution – and then make an excellent job of delivering it.

Pritchard Francis operates a quality management system that is accredited to AS/NZ ISO9001:2000.

The unescapable fact about building development and design is that every client wants to get the most out of their money. This fact has often been used as the reason to neglect sustainable or “green” building principles from design. However, forward thinking designers and developers are increasingly embracing the economic advantages of including “green” building principles in design.

Well known benefits of sustainable design include decreased costs due to less raw material consumption and decreased long term energy costs, which are becoming increasingly important with rising water and energy prices. However other, more subtle economic drivers are becoming more apparent. Greater awareness within the community and a greater expectation from shareholders and taxpayers to embrace sustainability has resulted in large companies and governments increasingly viewing projects on a “triple bottom line” basis which often puts a premium on the environmental outcomes of their chosen accommodation. These clients commitment to actively contributing towards sustainability results in there willingness to pay a premium for quality, environmentally friendly workplaces, therefore creating a market demand which developers are becoming eager to fill.

This push towards a “value added” approach to building design is rapidly increasing the industry’s enthusiasm for green building practices in all fields. However, quantifying and verifying the benefits of green building practices employed in a project is often one of the greatest challenges. One group working to provide a solution to this problem is the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA).

The GBCA is a national, not-for-profit organisation whose purpose is to drive the transition of the Australian property industry towards:

• sustainability by promoting green building programs, technologies, design practices and operations;
• integration of green building initiatives into mainstream design, construction and operation of buildings.

As part of this commitment the GBCA launched the Green Star environmental rating system for buildings in 2003. Through this system, buildings which are in the top 25% and above in ecologically sustainable design can apply to receive a “Green Star” rating for the building based on predetermined criteria. Green Star rating tools help the property industry to reduce the environmental impact of buildings improve occupant health and productivity and achieve real cost savings, while verifying and showcasing innovation to the wider community.

Pritchard Francis is committed to delivering profitable projects and services in an environmentally responsible manner. As part of this ongoing commitment, Pritchard Francis has recently become a member of the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) and is proud to support the values and initiatives on which the group is based.

For more information on the GBCA visit www.gbcaus.org