Andrew Chad

Principal | P.Eng., Struct.Eng., M.Eng.
Surfer, skier, new(ish) dad, the voice of reason

Born and raised in Montreal, Andrew moved west to Vancouver in 2004 to be closer to the ocean and the mountains – places you can still find him on skis or a surfboard when he’s outside the office.

Andrew has over 12 years of structural engineering experience, working on a wide range of projects; from simple houses to $30M+ schools, and community centers. He is adept in designing with all major building materials and specializes in architectural and specialty structures as well as timber design.

Prior to founding ACC Structural Engineers in 2014, Andrew worked at Fast + Epp Structural Engineers, an engineering firm renowned for its architecturally expressive structures and innovative designs with wood and heavy timber. There Andrew fostered a deep appreciation for the inherent beauty of timber, and the many advantages and solutions it can bring to structure. Working with top architects, he was able to combine this passion for timber design and (sometimes) challenging geometries, in providing state-of-the-art, architecturally expressive structural solutions. An overall experience that furthered his love for great design and architecture.

Before F+E, Andrew worked at Chiu Hippmann Engineering where he primarily designed and worked on light woodframe and heavy timber custom homes and residences. His time spent there provided him with the baseline and know-how for clear, concise and logical engineering decision making; as well as the client-centric personable service that comes with working at a small firm.

Andrew holds a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from McGill University as well as a Master’s degree in Structural and Earthquake Engineering from the University of British Columbia. Andrew is a registered to practice in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario. He’s a member of the Structural Engineers Association of BC and is on the advisory board of Builders Without Borders, a Canadian non-profit organization that facilitates the transfer of construction knowledge to areas of the world where it’s lacking.