10 Aug 2021

As a young child raised on the NSW north coast, Northrop's Group Manager, Structural Drafting, Amanda Thomas, was brought up with the firm belief that she could do anything she wanted to do. Certainly, anything a man could do. 

2 Aug 2021

So you have assembled a great sustainable design team with the best intentions, but do they have a deep understanding of the project’s place and its ecological, social and economic context?

25 Jun 2021

Northrop has opened a new office in Bowral in the NSW Southern Highlands, expanding its regional presence further after its launch in Coffs Harbour earlier this year.

10 Jun 2021

A cold start to the day broke to reveal beautiful weather as 136 golfers took part in Northrop’s annual Golf Day, now in its 23rd year. An incredible success, the day raised a whopping $41K which has been donated to Ronald McDonald House. This money will cover the cost of 303 nights of accommodation for families in need.

26 May 2021

As part of its continual evolution to create an increasingly diverse, inclusive and flexible workplace that enables people to realise their potential, Northrop has introduced a range of initiatives that it hopes will further increase its appeal as an employer of choice for talented, ambitious professionals within the engineering consulting industry.

30 Apr 2021

Good design is about striking a balance between cost and performance, whilst ensuring compliance standards are met. Successfully achieving this relies on having clearly defined goals and access to the right tools and expertise. 

27 Apr 2021

Amendments to the Retirement Villages Act 1999 mean that all NSW retirement living facilities are required to have an asset management plan in place, and available to current and prospective residents, by 1 September 2021.

19 Apr 2021

The Living Building Challenge has be referred to as the “Everest of green building rating tools” and it’s not a bad analogy. Certification is likely to be an uphill battle with the elements against you, but getting to the top will be exhilarating and transformative. But unlike an ascent of Everest, which is life changing, LBC is world changing.

16 Apr 2021

By failing to prepare, you’re preparing to fail, the adage goes. And this is particularly true when it comes to replacing mechanical systems in existing buildings. Northrop associate and mechanical engineer Robert Boland outlines the key considerations and discusses why long-term planning has all manner of benefits.

Starting out her career as an interior designer and decorator, Northrop’s Fairouz Ghanem always saw buildings from the point of view of how they were used or how people interacted with the space. Only later, when Fairouz shifted careers becoming a sustainability consultant for Northrop, did she appreciate that beauty in a building needed to be more than skin deep.

14 Apr 2021

At Northrop, our ethos is about helping to realise potential. Often, that’s focused on the projects we work on, but it applies equally to our people too – both inside and outside of engineering. Mechanical Engineer Roberta Brosco has been in the industry for almost a decade and has been a key part of Northrop for the past five years.

12 Apr 2021

Northrop has partnered with the Property Council of Australia to sponsor its Victorian Mentoring Program, in a move that both underlines its commitment to the property sector as a whole, as well as a strong belief in the power of mentoring.

30 Mar 2021

One of the key considerations of any new project are the acoustics. They can have a major impact on a number of factors, including human health and wellbeing, performance, communication and privacy. Recently, Northrop completed two healthcare projects that, while similar in some respects, had some very different acoustic challenges – the solutions to which, of course, needed to comply with NSW Health Engineering Services Guidelines. 

29 Mar 2021

Since 2019, Northrop’s Remedial & Diagnostic team has grown significantly. The founding member of the team, Leo Meng, who is now the Team Leader, attributes the growth to Northrop’s dedication to – and growing reputation for – identifying and addressing the root cause of an issue rather than just treating the symptoms.

5 Mar 2021

On International Women’s Day, we’d like to take a moment to recognise some of the fabulous women we have here at Northrop, especially acknowledging some of the people that recently joined the Northrop family and those who have been promoted.

 

Northrop’s new office in Coffs Harbour on NSW’s mid-north coast is testament to both the company’s growth trajectory and its commitment to helping employees develop their own careers.

12 Feb 2021

For Surekha Parajuli, the opportunity to progress her career in engineering was a major drawcard when she joined Northrop. Seven years on and now a Principal (owner), Surekha continues to deliver successful projects, build high performing and stable teams, and is inspiring the next generation that follow.

15 Dec 2020

Unveiled in October, the new Green Star Buildings tool from the Green Building Council is a game changer, ushering in a new era of buildings that contribute positively to people and planet. Coupled with a compelling sustainability brief, it will deliver truly transformational project outcomes.

14 Dec 2020

We’re excited to announce the appointment of four new Northrop Principals (owners); Graham Coles, Jonathan Low, Robert Boland and Surekha Parajuli. These appointments recognise their contribution and influence as leaders within Northrop and the industry, their passionate commitment to the success of our business, and the value they provide to our clients.

30 Nov 2020

We’re excited to announce ten new Northrop Associates; Brian O’Halloran, Elli Painter, Gareth Collins, Katie Malvaso, Lawrence Robinson, Leo Meng, Mitch Blyth, Pratik Shah, Richard Officer and Shane Miley.

Over time existing buildings become non-compliant with current construction codes. How to deal with this when it becomes time to renovate the existing building is a key challenge, and one that needs to be properly addressed.

Buildings are not supposed to float – but nestled in the fig trees at the University of Sydney, the Chau Chak Wing Museum does just that. Designed as a teaching space, the building also shares the University’s vast art and artifact collections with the broader community.

10 Nov 2020

Unlike other property markets in the construction industry, the industrial sector remains well placed to ride out the uncertainty caused by COVID-19. Northrop’s Brisbane office has seen the completion of several large-scale industrial projects over the last six months, with more in the pipeline.

30 Oct 2020

Northrop has introduced a new 3D scanning and BIM integration solution into its technology stack. The new addition will enable the Northrop team to capture high-resolution 3D data of existing sites during a one-off site visit, offering more effective and higher quality outcomes.

16 Oct 2020

Beiersdorf, the brand owners of NIVEA and Elastoplast, recently achieved the coveted WELL Certification from the International WELL Building Institute, for the refurbishment of their Head Office in a 30-year-old building in North Ryde. Northrop’s Pratik Shah assisted with the project as a WELL Accredited Professional.

2 Oct 2020

It’s with great sadness that we share that our founder and very good friend, Murray Northrop passed away this past Friday, surrounded by family. An inspirational business leader, highly skilled engineer and cherished husband and father, our hearts go out to Diane, Justin and Elissa Northrop as we commemorate this extraordinary man.

17 Sep 2020

As part of Northrop’s commitment made with Engineers Declare recognising a climate and biodiversity emergency, we’re excited to be embarking on an internal Climate Emergency Training Series. Chris Buntine, Northrop’s Sustainability Lead, talks us through why this training is critical to embed climate leadership in our work.

7 Aug 2020

"We don’t have a vertical hierarchy here," says Justin Davies, Chief Operating Officer at Northrop. “We have a very flat structure, and business support sits alongside everything else. It’s a critical function. The people doing those roles are crucial, because if they’re not there nothing else happens."

24 Jul 2020

Systems thinking can be a game changer for design teams, unlocking the potential for design integration that drives performance, innovation and cost savings. In addition to project design issues, a holistic approach also considers the larger impact on social and ecological systems. 

6 Jul 2020

The use of collaboration tools in building information modelling (BIM) is critical to achieving the very best outcomes for our clients. Dane Murphy, our Building Services BIM Leader in Sydney, explains all. 

24 Jun 2020

We’re excited to announce the appointment of five new Northrop Principals (owners); Aaron Hughes, Angus Brien, Josh Neil, Kieran Steele and Simon Matthews.

18 Jun 2020

Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA) may be a new term for some, but it’s the way Northrop’s been primarily working for a long time. So, what exactly is DfMA and what are the benefits of working this way? 

11 Jun 2020

If you work in property, development and construction, chances are that when you think of the health, well-being and safety of your team, you might understandably first think of hard hats and hi-vis vests. But what lies beneath needs as much attention – our mental health. Northrop's Mal Brown shares his own personal journey with stress and anxiety.

Recent events have highlighted the importance of having access to modern and well-equipped hospitals and healthcare facilities. Northrop’s civil engineers Nick Gill and Mitch Blyth, and structural engineer Craig Hinton discuss the key considerations involved in upgrading or renovating healthcare facilities.

1 Jun 2020

At Northrop, our project coordinators work on some of our more complex multidisciplinary projects, ensuring everything happens when it needs to happen, and preventing things from falling through the cracks. Brian O’Halloran is an experienced project coordinator in our building services team in Sydney. He tells us all about the day-to-day realities of project coordination.

26 May 2020

As part of Northrop’s accelerating climate action, we have achieved another significant milestone by switching our default superannuation fund to Australian Ethical. Australian Ethical directs investment towards renewable and restorative activities, helping us move towards a more sustainable future.

21 May 2020

Disruption feeds innovation. COVID-19 has been the biggest disrupting factor to our economy, working habits, and social lives in generations. It has forced many of us to move our workspaces to our homes; to swap our boardrooms for our bedrooms. The availability and accessibility of video conferencing has changed how people meet and collaborate. Now that we are coming close to a return to the office, is your workplace prepared for people enlightened by this new wave of working from home, to be faced with the old way of doing things? 

19 May 2020

Think flood-prone sites and your mind may spring to a coastal location. Or maybe a building on the banks of a heavy-flowing river. But it’s not always the most obvious sites that are high-risk. Northrop associate and flood engineer Angus Brien explains why it’s prudent to get a flood assessment done as part of the due diligence process on any proposed project. 

12 May 2020

While sustainability may be seen by some as a ‘nice to have’ business owners and directors are running a serious reputational and legal risk by failing to embed defined sustainability practices into the construction and running of their buildings. 

7 May 2020

“I always say that, if you can see our designs, we’ve done a bad job,” says Cathy Lean, Northrop’s Senior Electrical Level 3 Engineer. “No one wants to have decorative electrical infrastructure!” Cathy, who leads Northrop’s Level 3 Accredited Service Providers (ASP3) team, has – among other things – been creating electrical connections, designing and relocating substations and liaising with the NSW state grid for over 20 years.

4 May 2020

If you’re amongst the current first wave of those off-loading a commercial building or looking to pick up a bargain, then you need to understand the new paradigm of asset valuation. As tenants strive to compete in the post-COVID-19 economy, value must be derived from their changed needs. Not only the tightening of floor space but the sale of entire assets. This doesn’t necessarily represent a contracting of their businesses but instead can be a sign of a tighter focus on value creation.

1 May 2020

After an extended grace period due to COVID-19, NSW fire safety reforms are set to be enforced from July 1, 2020. Only persons accredited as competent fire safety practitioners (CFSPs) will be authorised to endorse plans and specifications of fire safety systems. Northrop's Alan Zois Margaris jumped at the opportunity to become qualified.

28 Apr 2020

With half of the world’s population in lockdown due to Covid-19, where airports are silent, roads are empty and factories are closed, we have seen global carbon emissions fall by a mere 5.5%. The climate emergency has not gone away, and this gives us some idea of how much work there is to do.

21 Apr 2020

Northrop's expert panel of engineers; Todd Bailey (Structural), Peter Young (Mechanical), Craig Hinton (Structural), Mitch Blyth (Civil) and Chris Buntine (Sustainability) discuss the key considerations of converting a building into a temporary hospital.

 

16 Apr 2020

With the recent appointment of Chris Buntine as their Melbourne Sustainability Manager, Northrop is keen to apply its sustainable engineering expertise to the Victorian property industry which is increasingly embracing sustainability as mission critical in a time of climate emergency.

1 Apr 2020

As Northrop's new structural manager in Victoria, Katie Malvaso is excited about the prospect of both influencing the state's aesthetic over the coming years – and helping Northrop grow, too. And, while global events, of course, provide some unforeseen challenges, Katie and the team at Northrop are focusing on what is needed to keep delivering to clients in the short, medium and longer-term.

31 Mar 2020

When working on heritage projects, it’s critical to understand the history of the building and the context of the work you’re doing – otherwise your name may be added to the history books for all the wrong reasons!

 

24 Mar 2020

As the current situation is rapidly evolving, Northrop has been reviewing and preparing to ensure we protect our staff, their families and all who we work with. In the event of a mandated shutdown, we assure you that we will remain open for business, continue to achieve deadlines and provide the high level of service that our clients expect from us.

2 Mar 2020

Evolving tenancy requirements, heritage listing (prohibiting loss of historic fabric) and tight space constraints are some of the key challenges Northrop overcame on the $32M renovation of Cambell's Stores as it was transformed into a pre-eminent harbourside dining precinct.

A medical linear accelerator (LINAC) is a device used for external beam radiation treatment of patients with cancer. It delivers high-energy x-rays or electrons to the region of the patient's tumour. It's critical that the LINAC is shielded to prevent high-energy rays from escaping the treatment room. Here's what you need to consider.

 

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