C.J. Walsh

A Consultant Architect, Fire Engineer & Technical Controller with wide experience in both public and private practice, including the restoration of historical buildings in earthquake zones … C. J. Walsh is the Managing Director of Sustainable Design International Ltd. (Ireland, Italy & Turkey).

In the early 1980’s, he worked in Dublin Corporation’s Housing Architect’s Section, where he had responsibility for 3-Storey Standard House Types, particularly concerning fire safety, and life cycle ‘adaptability’ for people with disabilities. His innovative work on fire safety related construction was circulated to all Irish Local Authorities by the Department of Environment, i.e. the national authority having jurisdiction. During the late 1980’s and early 1990’s … he worked as Research & Technical Officer in the Building Control Section of Dublin Corporation, having responsibility for specialized technical support, EU and national legislation, complex building inspections, and the disproportionate damage certification of multi-storey buildings. In the mid-1990’s, while working in Dublin Corporation’s City Architect’s Section … he was seconded to assist Assistant City Manager, Mr. Owen Keegan, in the development of an Energy Policy for Dublin City.

Since the 1990’s … he has been very active in the EUropean Concept for Accessibility Network (EuCAN) – a voluntary network of Technical Experts co-ordinated from Luxembourg; he is a Member of the EuCAN Management Team.

In 2001, he contributed Chapter 33: ‘Disability in the Context of Sustainable Human & Social Development’ to the Universal Design Handbook, an international reference work published by McGraw-Hill (USA). During December 2004, he was a Keynote Speaker in Rio de Janeiro at the Designing for the 21^st Century Conference III. He drafted the 2004 Rio Declaration on Sustainable Social Development, Disability & Ageing, which was adopted there.

Between 2000 and 2004 … he directed the European Fire Research Project: ‘Protection of People with Activity Limitations from Fire in Buildings’, involving Belgium, Italy, Sweden and Ireland.

A Member of the NSAI (National Standards Authority of Ireland) Accessibility for All Standards Consultative Committee since June 2008 … he chaired the Fire Safety for All Task Group within ISO Technical Committee 59 / Sub-Committee 16 / Working Group 1. His fire safety texts were fully incorporated into International Standard ISO 21542: ‘Building Construction – Accessibility & Usability of the Built Environment’ (published in December 2011). He is an acknowledged international expert on this complex aspect of Architectural and Fire Engineering Design.

C.J. Walsh has travelled widely in Europe, the Americas, Asia, and the Middle East … Chairing and making Keynote Presentations at Conferences, and lecturing in the more intimate setting of Workshops … in India, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Italy, Holland, Czech Republic, Sweden, France, Luxembourg, Portugal, Spain, Finland, Denmark, GB, Austria, Belgium, Canada, USA, and Brazil.