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About Stuart Macdougald-Denton
Stuart is an architectural and construction expert witness who, over a period of 25 years, has prepared independent reports and given expert opinion in over 300 disputes. He has been cross-examined on seventeen occasions in international arbitration, the TCC, the Court of Session and other dispute fora. Stuart has also assisted in mediations and adjudications, and has acted as an Adjudicator on ten occasions.
Stuart has worked in private architectural practice and for main contractors. He has designed and/or delivered a diverse range of projects, internationally, including non-process buildings on oil refineries and an aluminium plant, the Stirling Prize-winning botanical sciences laboratories Cambridge, neurological sciences labs and other Further Education projects, 30+ PFI and academy framework schools, a recording studio, offices, cardiothoracic, A&E and mental health hospitals, residential and student accommodation, a 1480-cell prison, defence and retail projects.
As Head of Design for Kier Construction Major Projects, Stuart was extensively involved in reviewing Employer’s Requirements, value engineering solutions for tenders, change management and developing Design & Build proposals for construction. He led the standardising of consultant appointment scopes and design responsibilities matrix and re-writing of Kier’s pre-construction and construction processes.
Expertise
- Design & Build/EPC contracting, tendering, compliance, change control, etc.
- Professional negligence and defects, design stage completion
- Building Regulation compliance
- CDM Regulations, slips, trips, falls, falling objects and collapses
- Contract/Construction administration
- Defective design and/or construction (including concrete, steel, timber, glass, tensile and demountable structures, brickwork & blockwork, fire protection/separation, ceilings, cladding in its many forms, curtain walling, facades, finishes, flooring, glazing, material performance, roofing, etc.)
- Disability access
- Historic buildings
- Means of escape in case of fire
Professional Experience
WITH THE COMPANY SINCE 2024 | OVER 35 YEARS IN THE INDUSTRY
Before joining SOCOTEC Advisory in 2024, Stuart was head of the Expert Witness Team at Diales Technical. Prior to this, he gained experience working at various companies such as CAPITA, Kier Construction, and Robertson Group Ltd.
Qualifications
Education
- Bachelor of Science in Architecture; Dundee University
- Post-graduate Diploma in Architecture with Honours; University of Greenwich
- Architectural Professional Practice Exams; University of Greenwich
- Certification in ‘Excellence in Report Writing’, ‘Courtroom Skills Training’, ‘Cross-Examination Day Training’ and ‘Discussion between Experts’; Bond Solon
Professional Licences and Certification
- Chartered Member of the Royal Institute of British Architects
- Fellow of the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland
- Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
- Member of the Academy of Experts
- Member of the National Fire Protection Association