TAE Accreditations
- Expert Witness
- Expert Determiner
Specialist Registers
- Expert Determiner
Mrs Catherine Simpson
Chartered Building Services Engineer
Qualifications
- Industrial Technology - Bradford University BSc (1981)
- Energy in Buildings - Cranfield University MSc (1986)
- Chartered Engineer C.Eng (1993)
- Fellow of the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers FCIBSE (2009)
- Fellow of Engergy Institute FEI (2009)
- Chartered Environmentalist C.Env (2009)
- Expert Witness Certificate CUBS (2010)
- Fellow of the Institute of Engineering and Technology FIET (2020)
Expert Witness Snapshot
I am an expert witness in the field of computer modelling for the purposes of demonstrating design performance, regulatory compliance or post construction design evaluation. I am a CUBS accredited expert witness certified for civil disputes. I am recognised for my ability to explain complex modelling issues clearly and simply for the Court. My professional approach to engineering disputes has enabled successful outcomes to high-value, diverse and challenging claims, often settling without resorting to a court hearing although when a gross negligence claim recently went to tribunal, the tribunal award stated:“… where uncertainty exists as to which experts’ views are to be preferred or where each experts’ views appear equally plausible, the Tribunal is inclined to prefer Mrs Simpson’s evidence.”
I believe this was in recognition of my professional approach, technical expertise, the quality of my written reports, the clarity of my presentation to the tribunal, the provision of clear evidence and dealing authoritatively with cross-examination.
I am a Chartered Engineer, and recognised leader in my field with more than 35 years’ construction industry experience applying Dynamic Simulation Modelling (DSM) and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to design, environmental and energy performance modelling. There is more information about my extensive experience on my website.
I have worked as a consultant engineer within my own practice for almost 35 years, and during the last 15 years I have combined my building services and computer modelling expertise to assist the legal process where an understanding of computer modelling is fundamental to a claim. I am aware of the differences between compliance modelling and building performance modelling because whilst I do not undertake compliance work, I have completed the required training to produce Building Regulation Compliance BRUKL reports, Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs), Display Energy Certificates (DECs), Air Conditioning Certificates, and BREEAM assessments. Therefore, I can opine on the application of compliance modelling.
I take any appointment as an expert seriously and I have completed the CUBS Expert Witness Certificate and complementary courses on determination and mediation to assist my focus on expressing an impartial independent opinion. I undertake meticulous research to thoroughly understand the context of a claim and I can disseminate information to explain complex ideas comprehensively and coherently.
I have successfully developed remedial design measures on behalf of respondents during mediation and have successfully demonstrated the effectiveness of those measures using computer modelling and on-site mock-ups to the satisfaction of the opposing experts. I have also successfully undertaken CFD and DSM simulations to match actual recorded event data with simulated dynamic events such as natural ventilation and gas dispersal to clarify and verify parties’ positions. These skills have been fundamental to achieving several successful outcomes where uncertainty existed.