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Hawkins was well represented at this year’s Asia-Pacific Claims Convention in Phuket, with colleagues contributing technical expertise, strengthening industry relationships, and highlighting our capabilities across the Asia-Pacific region.
David Reid Rowland, a Mechanical Engineer based in the Hawkins Singapore office, delivered a presentation titled Understanding Escape of Water Incidents. His session provided a comprehensive overview of the causes, impacts, investigation methods, and strategies for the mitigation and prevention of such events.
Key points from David’s presentation included:
> Common causes of water escape incidents: Including failures of hot and cold water systems, HVAC pipework, and sprinkler systems, often linked to installation or workmanship issues, corrosion, material degradation, pressure surges, and manufacturing defects.
> Real-world case insights: Demonstrating how issues such as poorly installed joints, chemical incompatibility (e.g. Chlorinated Polyvinyl Chloride (CPCV) degradation), contamination, and unintended sprinkler activation can lead to significant losses, sometimes months or years after installation.
> Impact of water damage: Highlighting the impact on buildings, Monitoring & Evaluation systems, equipment, and stock, as well as create secondary risks such as electrical faults, corrosion, and contamination, depending on the water source.
> Importance of rapid assessment and forensic investigation: Including contamination identification, determining appropriate remediation (clean, repair, or replace), and minimising business interruption through informed decision-making.
> Prevention and mitigation strategies: Including correct installation practices, routine maintenance, material compatibility checks, leak detection systems, and measures to control pressure surges and flood risks.
David’s presentation emphasised the value of early intervention and proactive risk management in reducing damage, cost, and operational disruption.
Also attending the conference was Shimin Zhuang, a Civil Engineer working across the Singapore and Hong Kong offices. Shimin played an active role at the exhibition, engaging with delegates and discussing Hawkins’ multidisciplinary capabilities and experience across complex engineering investigations.
Hawkins was further supported by Zac Oliver of A.Lamb Associates. Zac, Regional Director of ALA’s newly opened Melbourne office, joined the team in connecting with attendees and exploring collaborative opportunities between Hawkins and ALA.
The conference provided an excellent platform to share knowledge, engage with industry peers, and reinforce Hawkins’ strong presence across the Asia-Pacific region.
