Best Wojciech Wegrzynski Podcasts (2024)

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152 - Why we need good standards with Björn Sundström 50:40

1d ago50:40

50:40

In this episode, we dive into standardization efforts for fire safety. An entire universe of testing laboratories, committees, auditors, and certifiers work together to provide product end-user fire safety classification. So, in the end, the user does not have to worry about what the product will do, as its relevant characteristics are well known f…

1
151 - Elevator evacuation with Axel Mossberg 55:08

5d ago55:08

55:08

The fire is detected in the building. Please evacuate. Do not use the elevator. I’ve heard this emergency message perhaps a thousand times. It is deeply engraved in my mind to the extent that the moment I hear the first beep of the fire alarm, I know this message will come up. I heard the chime sound, and I knew I should evacuate and not use the el…

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150 - Wind Turbine Fires with Guillermo Rein 52:08

5d ago52:08

52:08

Wind turbine fires - are they an issue, or are they not? In this episode, I am joined by Prof. Guillermo Rein of the Imperial College London, who raised this issue 10 years ago at the IAFSS conference, and I believe we still do not have a clear answer. In this episode, we discuss the fire safety of wind turbines using the layers of protection frame…

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149 - CROSS UK with Neil Gibbins and Peter Wilkinson 56:31

13d ago56:31

56:31

CROSS UK is Collaborative Reporting for Safer Structures in UK. CROSS is a confidential reporting system which allows professionals working in the built environment to report on fire and structural safety issues. These are then published anonymously to share lessons learned, create positive change, and improve safety. Find out more about the safety…

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148 - Building Integrated Photovoltaics with Reidar Stølen 46:51

20d ago46:51

46:51

In this episode of the Fire Science Show we go in depth on the Building Integrated Photo-Voltaic systems (BIPV). It is a topic relevant to many fire engineers, and one on which it is very difficult to find a lot of information about. For this purpose I’ve invited Reidar Stølen from RISE and a PhD candidate at Norwegian University of Science and Tec…

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Means of Escape pt. 3 - The Good and the Bad Signage 44:31

1M ago44:31

44:31

In this mini-series of the Uncovered Witness - Fire Science Revelations, we cover the subject of the means of escape - the technical solutions in our buildings meant to allow for human evacuation in case of a fire. In the third and final episode of the mini-series, we discuss what makes or breaks the design of an evacuation sign. While it may seem …

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Means of Escape pt. 2 - The Building Automation 45:02

1M ago45:02

45:02

In this mini-series of the Uncovered Witness - Fire Science Revelations, we cover the subject of the means of escape - the technical solutions in our buildings meant to allow for human evacuation in case of a fire. In the second episode of this mini-series, we cover the fire engineering solutions for building automation that influence the evacuatio…

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Means of Escape pt. 1 - The Exit Capacity 50:08

1M ago50:08

50:08

In this mini-series of the Uncovered Witness - Fire Science Revelations, we cover the subject of the means of escape - the technical solutions in our buildings meant to allow for human evacuation in case of a fire. In the first episode of the series, we discuss exit capacities and flow rates. How do we know how many people can fit in the building? …

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147 - Wildfire Industrial Interface and risk assessment with Eulàlia Planas 55:20

27d ago55:20

55:20

In this episode, we explore wildfire's impact on industrial fire safety with Professor Eulàlia Planas from Universitat Politécnica de Catalunya. Eulalia defines the term Wildland Industrial Interface (WII), a realm where the forces of nature clash with safety and process engineering. In the episode, we highlight that it is not just the exposure to …

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Trailer episode for the Uncovered Witness: Fire Science Revelations 5:41

1M ago5:41

5:41

My name is Wojciech Węgrzyński. I'm a professor at the Building Research Institute in Poland, a fire safety engineer, and an enthusiast for fire. In my podcast, Fire Science Show, I interview experts in the field every week on the newest and best knowledge about fire. Catering to fresh and seasoned engineers, it provides unparalleled professional d…

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146 - Take care of your mental health with Ann Jeffers 57:45

1M ago57:45

57:45

Depression and anxiety are on the rise in both academia and engineering consultancies. Everyone is constantly stressed and pushed to their limits. The system is built this way... And imagine that on top of the inadequate mental health related to the stressful environment, you also struggle with a mental illness. A health condition you did not choos…

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145 - Fire Safety Engineering in South Africa and Beyond with Richard Walls 54:01

2M ago54:01

54:01

In this episode, we discuss the stark realities of fire safety engineering in South Africa (and beyond) as we sit down with Professor Richard Walls from Stellenbosch University. Our journey through the recent history of devastating fires, from truck blasts to the fire that took down the SA Parliament building, lays bare the critical gaps in resourc…

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144 - Design fire generator with Greg Baker 53:57

2M ago53:57

53:57

Imagine if we had a tool that we could use to design a design fire. Instead of simply assuming fire growth characteristics by slapping the alpha-t2 function, use a tool that could tell us which items in a compartment burn and what the characteristics of that fire are. I would say this dream is shared among many fire safety engineers - I think we ca…

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143 - Fire Fundamentals pt 7 - CFD simulations of fires 48:53

2M ago48:53

48:53

In today's fire fundamentals episode, I have chosen a difficult job: explaining how CFD modelling works without the ability to put a single equation out there! It's much tougher than I thought! I hope I've done a decent job, though. I am trying to fill out this niche of talking about CFD at an approachable level. I've noticed there is a ton of 'int…

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142 - Uncertainty in fire measurements with David Morrisset 56:15

2M ago56:15

56:15

If the word 'uncertainty' sounds extremely boring to you, this episode will prove you wrong. I have invited David Morrisset from the University of Edinburgh to discuss his research on the subject. Whereas in fact David is establishing standard deviations, means and other statistical means of quantifying uncertainty in core fire measurements, the re…

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141 - Smouldering in Mass Timber with Harry Mitchell 51:53

2M ago51:53

51:53

This week, I am meeting up with Imperial Hazelab's Harry Mitchell, who is finalizing his PhD thesis on mass timber fires and, quite uniquely - including the smouldering phenomena in those fires. As a part of Code Red experiments run by Arup, Imperial College London and Cerib (which you can learn more about from episode 111 with Panos Kotsovinos) Ha…

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140 - Development and implementation of the SBI test with Rudolf van Mierlo 51:13

3M ago51:13

51:13

Tests in the world of reaction to fire are supposed to be representations of real fire scenarios, allowing us to grasp the characteristics of building products against them. While for the worst scenario (flashover fire) or the smallest ignition source (small flame), the definition is pretty straightforward. However, creating the intermediate method…

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139 - Wind and Fire Interactions for Safer Open Car Park Design 46:36

3M ago46:36

46:36

I've finished my first large research grant! I guess that makes me a 'real' scientist now. Came here today to share some most interesting aspects of this project with you. Not going to bore you all about the wind and fire interaction physics (hey, there is an entire episode 50 devoted to that!), but rather talk about challenges and stuff that perha…

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138 - Getting ready for the Wildfires in Northern Europe with Nieves Fernandez-Anez 53:57

3M ago53:57

53:57

It is interesting to see changes in our profession that happen directly in front of our lives. Climate change and in consequence the changes in the wildfire patterns are one such obvious shift. In Poland, we do not ever have a ‘wildfire’ season, and I was kind of surprised when I discovered this is a thing in the South or in other parts of the worl…

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137 - e-mobility fires with Adam Barowy 58:54

4M ago58:54

58:54

This episode of the Fire Science Show welcomes once again Adam Barowy from the Fire Safety Research Institute to shed light on the pressing issue of fire hazards in electric mobility devices. In this episode, we give a follow-up to ep. 085 with Adam, which was published one year ago. One year in the world of e-mobility is a lot of time, so we have …

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136 - Fire Fundamentals pt 6 - The fire automation in a building 52:43

4M ago52:43

52:43

In this episode of Fire Fundamentals, we dive into the life-saving choreography of fire detection and building automation systems that must work together in case of a fire. We discuss the roles and challenges related to: fire detection and signalling; control panels and fire scenarios; smoke control and compartmentalization; power and water supply …

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135 - Contemplating a design fire for car parks 49:29

4M ago49:29

49:29

In episode 48, my guest Mike Spearpoint said that in mid '90s, he participated in experiments on vehicle fires, as at that time, there were doubts if the design fires of that time (developed in the '80s) were representative of modern cars. Fast forward 30 years ahead, and we seem to be in a very similar situation. We have limited knowledge on vehic…

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134 - Fire Fundamentals pt 5 - The Evacuation Equation with David Purser 1:03:07

4M ago1:03:07

1:03:07

It's time to learn about "the evacuation equation" from one of its creators. This week I interview prof. David Purser about the elements that go into the evacuation process that help us determine the fire safety of buildings. We go through the components of the Required Safe Evacuation Time (RSET) one by one: detection time alarm time pre-movement …

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QA6 - Reflecting on 2023 and Igniting the Future 25:50

5M ago25:50

25:50

As we close the curtains on 2023, take a walk with me through the unforgettable milestones that have shaped the Fire Science Show. This isn't just a recap; it's a treasure trove of insights and a roadmap to the innovations just over the horizon. We've come so far together, with download numbers soaring and our influence deepening within the fire sc…

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133: Managing EV Fires at Sea with Elena Funk and Magnus Arvidson 1:02:03

5M ago1:02:03

1:02:03

Welcome aboard a journey through the challenges of managing electric vehicle fires at sea with Elena Funk of DBI and Magnus Arvidson from RISE. In this podcast episode, we discuss two large projects devoted to understanding how we can mitigate, suppress and manage EV fires - project Elbas at DBI and project Lash Fire at RISE. Even though the aim of…

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132 - Dis-abling buildings - fire safety features from wheelchair user perspective with Mary Button 45:02

5M ago45:02

45:02

This is an important episode. Our guest for today, UK fire engineer Mary Button, who uses a wheelchair herself, shares some of her own stories and feelings describing the reality for many disabled individuals. Drawing from her own experiences, Mary shares invaluable insights into the cognitive complexities individuals with mobility issues face, phy…

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131 - Experiments that changed fire science pt. 8 - Modelling Cardington Fire Tests with Asif Usmani 51:32

5M ago51:32

51:32

In this part 8 of Experiments that changed fire science series we revisit Cardington (previously covered in part 2 - https://www.firescienceshow.com/078-experiments-that-changed-fire-science-pt-2-bre-cardington-with-tom-lennon/), but this time from the perspective of modeling the structure. My guest prof. Asif Usmani of the HK PolyU takes us on how…

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130 - Mass timber fire dynamics with Dr. Carmen Górska 49:33

6M ago49:33

49:33

In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Carmen Górska from OFR Consultants, the recent IAFSS Phillip Thomas Award recipient for the best paper at the previous IAFSS Symposium. In this interview, we touch on preconceived notions about fire dynamics in timber compartments, and Carmen explains how she has learned the intricate physics behind it. The resea…

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129 - Backdraught and Underventilated Fires with Dr. Ricky Carvel 47:19

6M ago47:19

47:19

In today's episode, we go into the practical consequences of having an underventilated fire - that is the possibility of backdraught or other similar smoke explosion phenomena. My guest Dr Ricky Carvel from the University of Edinburgh, touches on the chemistry of combustion, explaining why the underventilated fire is different than the oxygen-rich …

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128 - Fire Safety Engineering with Dr. Ricky Carvel 39:10

6M ago39:10

39:10

Dear friends of the Fire Science Show, and listeners of the Smart Passive Income Podcast - today is some sort of a special broadcast. As I have just been featured in THE podcast https://www.smartpassiveincome.com/shows/spi/ I've chosen to create a lightweight episode on what Fire Safety Engineering is. I hope this is interesting to people who never…

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127 Introducing the Book of Fire: An Online Resource Hub for Fire Engineers 28:12

6M ago28:12

28:12

Dear friends, I am building something new for you. Something that should be very useful, something that I wish I had when I started my journey as a fresh fire safety engineer. And I’ve reached a point where I’m comfortable sharing it is being built and that the first useful version will be available by the end of the month. So what is this mysterio…

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126 - Where is the challenge with tunnel smoke control? with Wojciech 44:35

6M ago44:35

44:35

I'm known for my rant about critical velocity concept in tunnel ventilation systems, and I tried to really control myself and not go into podcast with it :) But in recent weeks, when I was enjoying sake at IAFSS in Tsukuba two important things happened. We have received the PASCAL award from the Polish Ventilation Association for the best ventilati…

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125 - Enhancing Fire Safety Through Data: EU FireStat Project with Martina Manes and Mohamad El Houssami 54:03

7M ago54:03

54:03

Today we go deep into how statistical data about fires is gathered, processed, and used around the world, and what are the ideas on how to improve this in the future. My guests represent the EU FireStat Project - Dr Mohamad El Houssami from Effectis and Dr Martina Manes from the University of Liverpool. EU FireStat is a groundbreaking initiative th…

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124 - Advancements in Fire Safety of Facades with Eleni Asimakopoulou 44:07

7M ago44:07

44:07

In today's episode, I have invited dr Eleni Asimakopoulou from the University of Central Lancashire to discuss her extensive expertise on fire behaviour of facades. In the talk, we will go through Elenis' experiments on ventilated facades (and clear out what they are and why we use them). We do discuss the complexities of testing facade systems. We…

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123 - Futureproofing fire safety systems with Jaime Cadena Gomez 51:32

7M ago51:32

51:32

Balancing the cost and the potential to change a system in the future is a difficult act. Discover a new perspective on this aspect of fire safety systems with our guest, Jaime Cadena Gomez. We discuss the significance of longevity and sturdiness in these systems, bringing examples of technologies that have not withstood the test of time such as PF…

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122 - Compartment Fire Behaviour Training with Shan Raffel, CFBT Roy and Szymon Kokot 1:14:53

7M ago1:14:53

1:14:53

When I heard that two legends of firefighting training Shan Raffel and CFBT Roy will be visiting my friend Szymon Kokot, I packed my stuff and went to meet them with a microphone and a ton of questions. What I received was a brilliant discussion on how firefighting instructors are trained - from the history of CFBT (Compartment Fire Behaviour Train…

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121 - Revolutionizing Civil Engineering Through AI with MZ Nasser 47:59

8M ago47:59

47:59

Have you ever wondered how the understanding of AI can revolutionize the field of civil engineering? Today I am discovering this together with our own AI trendsetter, MZ Nasser. His latest book "Machine Learning for Civil and Environmental Engineers: A Practical Approach to Data-Driven Analysis, Explainability, and Causality" is the focal point of …

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120 - How we have designed a fire safe green wall 39:45

8M ago39:45

39:45

What happens when fire meets a green facade? Tune in as we journey through the unexpected world of green facades and their interaction with fire. For the first time, I am sharing the story of how we built up an interest in this subject, first by my PhD student Jakub's burning question and a client's unique request for an office space resembling a j…

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119 - Different scales needed to model fires with Lukas Arnold 54:40

8M ago54:40

54:40

If someone ever tells you they have modelled fire spread for a commercial project, with 20 cm grids and using generic materials from (old) FDS database, please do me a favour and redirect them to this episode. Because modelling fire is a seriously challenging thing. And by modelling, I really mean it. Not to apply a surrogate source based on a stat…

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118 - Different batteries different challanges with Francesco Restuccia 53:12

8M ago53:12

53:12

In this episode dr. Francesco Restuccia from Kings College London takes me on a journey through different types of batteries, and what fire challenges relate to them. We discuss how the batteries burn, and how internal systems (Battery Management System) influence that behavior. From the size and type limitations to the potential perils of a cell t…

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117 - Global wildfire emergency and the key role of FSEs with Albert Simeoni 58:36

9M ago58:36

58:36

In the midst of horrible wildfire season around the globe, I have reached out to Prof. Albert Simeoni from Worcester Polytechnic Institute for some hands-on commentary on what is happening around, and why fires all over the globe are constantly on the front pages of mainstream media. I am not sure if I was ready for all the answers received (especi…

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116 - Fire Fundamentals pt. 4 - Natural and Powered Smoke Vents with Wojciech 46:40

9M ago46:40

46:40

It is time for some engineering fundamentals in the show. This time in the fire fundamentals series we delve into the details of natural and powered smoke ventilators - what they are, how they work, how they are tested and what interesting mechanics impact their performance in fire. I hope this episode is valuable for all engineers who would love t…

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115 - Update on the (near) future of fire engineers toolbox with Bryan Klein 1:03:49

9M ago1:03:49

1:03:49

in Episode 39 I had the pleasure to interview Bryan Klein from Thunderhead Engineering on some views and predictions for the near future of fire modelling. Even though it was only 1,5 year ago, some major things have already happened (release of Ventus - CONTAM GUI by Thunderhead) or snuck on us unseen as the large language model revolution. In thi…

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114 - Ventilation and fire flow paths with Craig Weinschenk 56:36

9M ago56:36

56:36

Most fire engineers would be aware of how openings like doors and windows, the stack effect, and even wind can significantly alter fire outcomes. But there is a considerable difference between knowing that it does, and knowing how much that changes fire growth, size and the internal building environment. I've invited FSRIs dr Craig Weinschenk to di…

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113 - Exploring Maritime Fire Safety with Bogdan Racięga 58:30

10M ago58:30

58:30

My knowledge about fire safety at sea was pretty limited, at best. I was planning this episode for a long time, and then the disastrous fire happened at a car carrier near the Netherlands coast. In light of these events, I've reached out to Bogdan Racięga of the Baltic Fire Laboratory, a Polish maritime fire safety expert to discuss this particular…

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112 - Fire Safety for Energy Storage Systems with Ali Ashrafi and Paweł Woelke 55:48

10M ago55:48

55:48

Energy storage systems are vital systems in fuel transition and as a part of technology responding to the challenges of climate change. Not only for their capability to store energy but also for exploring strategies like peak shaving or allowing for more distributed energy generation. In this discussion, we consider them as fixed storage systems bu…

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111 - Experiments that will change fire science pt. 7 - CodeRed with Panos Kotsovinos 1:03:38

10M ago1:03:38

1:03:38

In this week's series covering experimental fire science, we venture into a recently finished Code Red project by ARUP, led by my today's guest Dr Panos Kotsovinos. The project was carried out in CERIB with the collaboration of the Imperial College London. History will tell if this experiment will change fire science, but I truly believe it is at l…

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110 - NIST Fire Calorimetry Database with Matt Bundy 52:51

10M ago52:51

52:51

Ever wonder how scientists measure the intensity of a fire? Join us on this episode as we invite Dr. Matt Bundy from NIST. We discuss the intricacies of heat release rate, calorimetry, and how NIST is championing open data with their astonishing database. You can learn more about the database here: https://www.nist.gov/blogs/taking-measure/new-nist…

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109 - Forensic Fire Science with Richard Roby 1:04:20

10M ago1:04:20

1:04:20

In this episode, we uncover the intricate process of fire investigations with renowned combustion scientist and fire investigator, Dr. Richard J. Roby from Combustion Science and Engineering. With over five decades of experience in the field, Dr Roby helps us navigate the critical role of the scientific method in fire investigations. From the analy…

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QA5 - Brainstorming fire safe Mars habitats with Ruben van Coile, Jaime Cadena Gomez and Szymek Matkowski 1:00:22

11M ago1:00:22

1:00:22

This time we try out something new! Instead of interviewing experts on subjects of their expertise, this time I took world-class risk specialists for a brainstorming session. And while sitting together, we discussed something out of this world - the fire safety of Mars habitats. This podcast episode is literally a recording of the conversation betw…

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Wojciech Wegrzynski Podcasts

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