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Thomas Bell-Wright International Consultants
Thomas Bell-Wright International Consultants (TBWIC) is a specialist Curtain Wall & Cladding Consultancy, a Mock-Up Testing Laboratory for full scale testing of Curtain Walling, Cladding and Fenestration, has a "reaction to" & "resistance to" fire testing laboratory, and are experts in the field of Special Inspections. TBWIC was the first independently owned company to have permanent curtain wall testing apparatus in the UAE, and has a range of test chambers and support structures in place at their fully equipped Façade Testing Laboratory in the Al Awir Industrial Area near the center of Dubai, U.A.E.
The laboratory is accredited to ISO 17025 by Dubai Municipality and is a member of the UK Source Testing Association
History
Started in 1995 by Tom Bell-Wright, providing specialist third-party consulting to architects and developers for their curtain wall projects, the business has grown to be the major company in the region providing both consulting and full scale testing for curtain walls, and most recently the only facility capable of testing fire rated doors, walls, partitions, and flame resistant materials. Between the different departments, Consulting, Curtain Wall Testing, Site Inspection and Testing, Fire Testing, Special Inspections, Administration, and Management, the TBWIC team is focused on the company's brand values of Experience, Integrity, and Professionalism.
Thomas Bell-Wright, Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering (Structural), Magna Cum Laude, University of Maryland (USA) 1988, came to the UAE from the USA in June 1993 to supervise the curtain wall works for the Baynunah Tower on the Corniche in Abu Dhabi. At forty stories tall, Baynunah was then the tallest building in the region. Seconded to the Main Consultant (Arkan Architects), Mr. Bell-Wright provided full time monitoring of the assembly and glazing of the unitized frames, and ensured adherence to strict quality control requirements. He also directed quality control monitoring on site, and the satisfactory resolution of numerous difficult issues.
Tom was approached for his assistance with a number of other projects, and the need for a resident specialist consultancy in the area was clearly demonstrated. At the completion of Baynunah Tower, a company was formed in Dubai through which Mr. Bell-Wright has provided expert specialist consulting, inspection, and testing services on numerous projects in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, other Gulf States, and expanded to India and further afield.
Tom has worked with glazed aluminium systems since 1979, and has specialized exclusively in the inspection and technical requirements of curtain wall for the last eighteen years. He has lived in the UAE since June 1993, and before that, in the USA since 1974. Tom is a member of the U.A.E. Society of Engineers, the American Society of Civil Engineers, the American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA), the Architectural Engineering Institute and of Mensa.
Sandy Dweik, Bachelor of Science, Architectural Engineering, University of Jordan, Amman, 1995, joined the company in 1998 and became a partner in 2003. She now heads a team of consultants working out of a dedicated office on the laboratory premises. With her vast knowledge, Sandy is often asked to share her knowledge by invitation to lecture to students and fellows upon her specialzed subject.
Service
TBWIC provides independent quality assurance and testing services for the exterior wall systems of large buildings, testing of fire containment systems in buildings and fire resistant materials, Special Inspections and testing of concrete, steel, welding etc., as mandated under Chapter 17 of the International Building Code. The testing laboratory in Dubai holds accreditations by UKAS and ENAS to ISO 17025 for a number of curtain wall and fire tests. The company has two branches, one in Dubai (the main test lab, plus Facade Consulting Division) and the other in Abu Dhabi (Special Inspections). Services are broadly divided between consulting and testing and since establishing in the UAE in 1995 the company has been involved in over 300 major projects in the region. The full range of tests for curtain walls and windows are regularly performed including Dynamic, Thermal Cycling, Seismic and Jacking as well as Air, Water and Structural Load. It pioneered the concept of providing Acoustic testing on the same mock-up as the regular tests.
Notable Projects
TBWIC has been involved in over 300 projects since 1995 in the Middle Eastern region. Tabled below is a sample of some of their contributions.
| Project | Location | Contribution |
|---|---|---|
| Burj Dubai Podium PTM-1 | Dubai, UAE | Laboratory Testing |
| Liwa Heights, JLT | Dubai, UAE | Site Hose Testing |
| Dubai International Airport | Dubai, UAE | Anchor Bolt Site Test |
| Nirlon Knowledge Park | Mumbai, India | Shop Drawing Review and Structural Calculations Review |
| Al Mafraq Hospital | Abu Dhabi, UAE | Laboratory Testing |
| Pullman Hotel | Dubai, UAE | Shop Drawing and Structural calculation review, site inspections, mock-up installation |
| New Doha International Airport | Doha, Qatar | Laboratory Testing |
| Burj Lake Tower | Dubai, UAE | Site Hose Test |
| Emirates Bank | Sharjah, UAE | Site Testing & Site Hose Test |
| Yohan Tower | Doha, Qatar | Structural Calculation Review |
| Reem Island Development | Abu Dhabi, UAE | Third Party Quality Assurance |
| Index Tower | Dubai, UAE | Glass Inspection |
| Sheikh Hamdan Awards Building | Dubai, UAE | Laboratory Testing |
| Sama Dubai-The lagoons | Dubai, UAE | Glass Reviews, Shop Drawing Reviews |
| Julfar Towers | Ras-Al-Khaimah, UAE | Site Testing & Laboratory Testing |
Links
Did you know?
- TBWIC performed laboratory testing on the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world at 829.84 m (2,723 ft.) tall.
- TBWIC uses an airplane engine as part of its apparatus for the dynamic water penetration testing at the laboratory.
- TBWIC has a Fire testing Furnace and is the only company in the Middle Eastern Region to offer Fire Resistance Testing & Reaction to Fire Testing.
Accreditation
Staff:
- Thomas Bell-Wright, CEO & CTO
- Sandy Dweik, Vice President & Chief Consultant
- Jean Phillipe-Kayl, Fire Testing & Operations Manager
- Danuta Dunin, Business Development Manager
- Clay Salzman, Special Inspections Managing Director