Fire Hazards of Electric Vehicles (EVs) Located within Buildings

Matt Booth is a senior fire safety consultant at Warringtonfire Australia, a Jensen Hughes Company, in Sydney with eight years of experience working in the broader fire industry. Prior to his employment at Warringtonfire, he worked for a product developer and supplier in the fire industry with experience in R&D, sales and project management. He has completed his Master of Fire Safety Engineering at Western Sydney University where he was awarded the Dean’s Medal for academic achievement.

Matt is responsible for completing fire safety engineering assessments and preparing performance solution reports for a wide range of new and existing buildings – including residential, office buildings, retail buildings, health and educational facilities.

Matt completed his Master’s thesis on the topic of fire protection of lithium-ion battery systems within buildings which carries across a lot of relevant information to the topic of electric vehicles. He is part of the electric vehicle working group that Society of Fire Safety have formed to prepare guidance on the topic for the fire industry. He has also remained highly involved in Warringtonfire’s response to the emerging hazard that electric vehicles represent in building design and continually seeks the newest information on this topic.

Project experience

• Electric vehicle risk reviews – One Circular Quay, Ashfield Mall, One Sydney Harbour and Prime Minister’s residences – Kirribilli House, NSW and The Lodge, ACT
• One Sydney Harbour, Barangaroo
• One Circular Quay
• Plaza Building, Sydney Place
• WeWork fitout, Daramu House, Barangaroo
• KPMG fitout, International Tower 3, Sydney
• 6-8 Central Avenue, Eveleigh – Channel 7 studio and office fitout
• Eurobodalla Hospital
• Caroline Chisholm College, Glenmore Park
• Woolworths store refurbishments – Marketown, Neutral Bay, Dapto Mall, Lake Munmorah, Bega and Avalon
• Woolworths store fitouts – Lidcombe CFC, Double Bay and Avalon
• Costco, Lake Macquarie
• Costco regional office, Lidcombe
• F21 library, UNSW, Kensington
• 2 Lawrence Avenue, Nowra
• 11-13 The Seven Ways, Rockdale

Education

Master of Fire Safety Engineering (Distinction) – Western Sydney University

Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical), Diploma in Engineering Practice with First Class Honours – University of Technology Sydney

Bachelor of Business – University of Technology Sydney

Professional affiliations

Member – Engineers Australia

Member – Society of Fire Safety