An EconoTimes perspective

Brian Meacham

Associate Professor of Fire Protection Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Associate Professor of Fire Protection Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute BS Worcester Polytechnic Institute MS Worcester Polytechnic Institute PhD Clark University Worldwide, there are increasing efforts to better understand the performance of buildings and infrastructure under a wide range of events, from accidental to deliberate, fire to natural hazards, climate change to terrorism. There is also an increasing focus on understanding the perceptions and responses of people to these events. This knowledge can then be employed in developing technology and policy solutions that better meet societal expectations for building and infrastructure safety and performance, resulting in a better allocation of resources focused on critical needs. With current and recent funding from the Department of Homeland Security, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the National Science Foundation, the Fire Protection Research Foundation and others, my research addresses risk-informed and performance-based approaches to fire protection engineering analysis, design and regulation, fire impacts on buildings, infrastructure and the environment, and human behavior and egress during fire. In addition to creating new knowledge that is beneficial to the profession, these efforts influence regulatory decision makers in the United States and abroad, increasing safety and lowering risks to the public. This requires close collaboration with government agencies responsible for developing regulatory policy, particularly for performance-based building regulations.