Gretchen Xie

Engineer

Gretchen joined Design Fire Consultants (DFC) in September 2022 and is based in our Manchester office. She holds an MSc in Structural and Fire Safety Engineering from the University of Edinburgh and a BSc in Building Surveying.

Before starting her career in fire engineering, Gretchen worked in the construction industry in Malaysia, contributing to various commercial, residential, and infrastructure projects, including a significant rail tunnel development. This experience with complex engineering challenges helped shape her interest in fire safety and influenced her decision to further her expertise in the UK.

Since joining DFC, Gretchen has been working on various projects in the UK and the Middle East, including residential, office, stadium, multi-storey car parks, industrial, and mixed-use developments. Her experience covers all RIBA Stages 2–6, where she has gained knowledge in prescriptive and performance-based design approaches, including CFD, radiation, zone modelling and structural fire engineering.

Gretchen takes pride in her role as a fire engineer and collaborates with different stakeholders in the construction industry. She focuses on finding fire engineering solutions that address each project’s specific needs, contributing to safety and compliance.

Qualifications: BSc, MSc(Eng), MSFPE