David Featherstone MBA C.Eng FCIBSE Consultant, Dispute Resolution
Areas of expertise
David has acted as a Expert Witness/Independent Technical Expert in a variety of cases including:
Technical Expert for a dispute between FM contractor and consultant involving gas pressure on a large office boiler replacement project in Warwick.
Technical Expert for a dispute concerning a large hotel operator in Liverpool and contractor which involved incorrect specification of the chiller plant.
Technical Expert for a dispute between client consultant and contractor which involved the assessment of the employer’s requirements and heating performance specifications.
Assisting in resolving a large quantum PI claim between contractor and consultant.
Dispute at an office development in Milton Keynes involving mechanical and natural ventilation.
David also has expertise in project management involving liaison with Lead Project Managers and other team disciplines on engineering issues and providing technical direction. He has supervised and coordinated with contractors and engineers on a range of projects, including hotels, fit-out, churn and implementation of PPM. David has excellent detailed technical report writing skills including property estate condition surveys as well as creative engineering management techniques with up to date working knowledge of BSRIA CIBSE standards and requirements.
Qualifications
Chartered Engineer
Fellow Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers
Academy of Experts, Practicing Associate
BSRIA Council Member 2012 to 2021
De Montfort University Leicester, Masters Degree Business Administration MBA
De Montfort University Leicester, Diploma Management Studies DMS
University of Northumbria at Tyneside, Diploma Building Services Engineering
Basford College, Nottingham, TEC HVCA Building Services Engineering
Memberships
Council Member of BSRIA
Associate Academy of Experts
Society of Construction Lawyers
Experience as an Expert Witness/ Independent Technical Expert in disputes:
· Acting as Technical Expert for a dispute at an office development in Milton Keynes involving mechanical and natural ventilation
· Acting as Technical Expert for a dispute between an FM contractor and consultant involving gas pressure on a large office boiler replacement project in Warwick
· Acting as Technical Expert for a dispute concerning a large hotel operator in Liverpool and contractor involving incorrect specification of the chiller plant
· Acting as Technical Expert for a dispute between a client consultant and contractor involving the assessment of the employer’s requirements and heating performance specifications
· Acting as Technical Expert for a dispute at a private school in Herts between a consultant and contractor concerning a mixed-mode ventilation specification
· Acting as Technical Expert for a quantum variation claim on a large secondary school in Corby
· Sizeable quantum PI claim between contractor and consultant
· NHS client Kettering v contractor concerning the performance specification and workmanship for key workers’ accommodation block, involving mechanical ventilation
· Resolving a review of post completion at a large secondary school in Corby, involving domestic hot and cold water defects
· Primary school in Kettering resolving post completion defects involving boiler specification
· Secondary school in Leicester resolving gas main pressure defect to operate boilers
· Secondary school in Milton Keynes post completion defects on the natural ventilation systems
· Zoo in the Midlands to establish failure of an open-loop ground source heat pump system and remedial plant replacement
· Landlord Nottingham involving dilapidations and quantum for a night club
· NHS neuro-disability hospital in London involving underheating of wards post completion defects
· CHP operation technical review for a leisure centre in Nottingham
· Consultant’s energy centre strategy technical review for a large office and residential scheme in London recommending changing from centralised to decentralised air source heat pumps plant
· Consultant’s energy centre strategy technical review for a large student accommodation project in Lincoln involving changing from centralised to decentralised plant rooms
· Consultants air conditioning and ventilation design technical review for a large budget hostel in London, recommending wholesale system change of specification
· MEP contractor technical review of displacement ventilation design at a theatre in London
· Consultant’s Technical review of ventilation and cooling design for a theatre in Sheffield
· Technical review of district heating energy costs for a supermarket in Milton Keynes
· Technical Expert for a hotel tenant on lease dilapidations involving heating, ventilation, air conditioning replacement, legionella, ventilation fire and ventilation hygiene risk in London
· Technical Expert for a large hotel portfolio across the UK involving agreeing MEP condition and FM maintenance plan.
· Technical Expert for a large police estate portfolio in the Midlands involving MEP condition and FM maintenance plan with quantum
· Technical review of a swimming pool energy saving consultant’s report and recommendation that remedial work should be ignored
· Post completion technical review of underfloor fresh air ventilation system at a large office in Paris
· Acting as expert for a biomass log gasification boiler on a Derbyshire farm, recommending that installation is not fit for purpose and requires replacement
· Assisting in resolving technical issues at a leisure centre in Grantham between client operator and CHP energy contractor involving plant room overheating.
· Acting as Expert Witness for a new built high end dwelling in London, recommending that HVAC systems are not fit for purpose and should be replaced.
· Expert Witness for HVAC and Electrical defects for a theatre in Kent.
· Expert Witness for over-heating issues for a new apartment building St. Pancras, London
· Acting as Expert Witness for a new high end apartment in Holland Park, London.
· Acting as Expert Witness for MEP for 32 new build dwellings in Norwich
Skills and Experience
· Project management involving liaison with Lead Project Managers and other team disciplines on engineering issues and providing technical direction.
· Supervising and co-ordinating contractors and engineers on a range of projects across all construction sectors, including hotels, fit-out, churn and implementation of PPM.
· Responsibility for planning staffing requirements using time forecasts based on engineers’ skill and experience,
· Laying down parameters of a project Building Services engineering work, and procedures involved in it.
· Skilled in dealing with essential building Services documents, guidelines, specifications, PPM’s etc.
· Excellent detailed technical report writing skills, including property estate condition surveys.
· Excellent MEP project management skills for design and implementation for new build, refurbishment and plant replacement projects, including preparation of tender documents and managing the tender process.
· Creative engineering management techniques with up to date working knowledge of BSRIA CIBSE standards and requirements.
Experience Summary
· Over 40 years in mechanical building services engineering, expert in all aspects of HVAC and heating, air conditioning, ventilation and overheating of buildings. Also domestic hot and cold water services of public health enquiry
· 30 years as an engineering director and building services professional consultant and project manager for the implementation of mechanical and electrical installations.
· 28 years building services design technical lead project manager, client and external design team liaison with architects, Professional QS, Project Managers, Facilities Managers and Contractors.
· 15 years as expert in leading carbon emissions studies, including carbon neutral buildings and sustainability strategies.
· Over 40 years as mechanical and electrical quantity surveyor, preparation of cost estimates, analysis of tenders, life cycles, planned and preventative maintenance forecasts
· 2 Years HVAC Engineer in South Africa
· HVAC Concept, energy strategies and feasibility studies, cost and benefits life cycle analysis.
· Expert Witness HVAC in legal cases
· HVAC Troubleshooting
· Excellent communication skills, team motivation and interpersonal management style.
Building Services Projects
Experience across construction sectors including:
· Hotels: Fully familiar with all HVAC strategies and systems, including VRF, Mitsubishi, Daikin A/C product, large chilled water installations
· Education: Universities, Schools, Higher Education.
· Health: Hospitals, Health Care
· Retail: Supermarkets, retail parks
· Industrial: Print, food, distribution
· Residential: Hotels, Student Accommodation, Large Residential and High End Residential
· Commercial: Offices - New Build, Refurbishment, Large Fit-Outs
· Defence
· Sports and Leisure
· Arts and Heritage
My achievements include the delivery of hundreds of successful projects over 40 years in the industry. As a business owner I have excellent social and networking skills (please see LinkedIn profile)