Robert (Rob) Simpson, a former Principal at Glotman•Simpson, is senior engineer whose extensive experience is still pivotal within our team. Rob is currently called upon to get involved in our technically challenging and complex projects and focuses his time on conceptual design with the aim of improving design on all our projects. His deep knowledge of all building materials and construction types assists project engineers to achieve exceptional results in their design of reinforced concrete, post-tensioned concrete, masonry, structural steel, wood frame, heavy timber, precast and special/hybrid structures.
Rob enjoys a personal interest in all aspects of buildings from, geothermal heating to LEED Certification, and is also a certified installer of green roof systems. Rob’s practical sense of construction methods and his deep understanding of building performance has helped Glotman•Simpson build its reputation for deriving economical and safe building solutions for structures of all types.
His projects have met the greatest challenges and have won some of the most prestigious awards: the Vancouver Convention Centre won the 2009 Consulting Engineers of British Columbia Award of Excellence for Structural Engineering, the 2009 CISC Hugh Krentz Award given just once a decade, and the 2009 Canadian Consulting Engineers Award of Merit for Building Structures; the Richmond Olympic Oval won the 2010 Consulting Engineers of Canada Award of Excellence for Building Structures; and The Salt Building (in Olympic Village) won the 2011 WoodWORKS! BC Green Building Award, to name a few.
Earthquake preparedness and design is one of Rob’s passions. He has travelled to many earthquake sites to see their effects firsthand, including to Chile after their earthquake in 2010. With improved knowledge, he has applied leading edge technology to improve building performance without added costs, such as a unique self-centering mechanism for the Vancouver Convention Centre to counter the thrust of leaning columns.
Learning from earthquake disaster not only improves Rob’s work; he has also written articles and led expert discussion panels on earthquake effects to help our community prepare, including the BC Construction Roundtable “Shaken not Stirred! How will the Lower Mainland Survive an Earthquake?”