Our forensic automotive engineering team specializes in determining if and how automotive systems may have contributed to a loss. We have expert investigators and engineers who can conduct on-site examinations of automobiles, heavy equipment, marine vessels and other vehicles. Services provided by our automotive team include:

• Single vehicle wreck investigations, to determine whether a car went out of control because of a mechanical defect in the steering, brakes, suspension or throttle
• Lock examination, to identify any signs of security devices being compromised, manipulated, picked or bypassed as part of a reported vehicle theft
• Soft tissue claims, where we provide cost-effective technical support on minor-impact vehicle accidents with the potential to produce injuries
• Vehicle accident reconstruction, which enables us to accurately report what happened and how it happened in a professional and unbiased manner

We provide a range of consulting services to help building owners, property managers, insurers and others design, construct, evaluate, and maintain commercial and residential facility building envelopes. Our consultants are specially trained in the intricate function and interaction of roofs and exterior wall systems, so they can help clients identify distress and other potential problem areas.

With roofs being particularly susceptible to weather damage and installation and maintenance issues, our services can prevent costly repairs. We offer roof consulting, uplift resistance testing, asset management, condition assessments, construction quality analysis/control, design, water and air infiltration testing and qualitative evaluation services.

Whether the result of a hurricane, earthquake, flood, hailstorm, lightning strike, blizzard, tornado or fire, our forensic engineers can deliver timely damage assessments to evaluate the impact of a natural disaster. Our catastrophe response team comprises structural, mechanical and electrical engineers, as well as roof and building envelope consultants, who can conduct a wide variety of investigative, analytical and consulting services. These include:

• Electrical/mechanical engineering
• Fire investigation
• Hail damage assessment
• Reconstruction consulting
• Roof damage investigation
• Seismic damage evaluation
• Storm surge determination
• Structural evaluation
• Water intrusion analysis
• Wind-induced failure analysis
• Wind vs. flood assessment

We’ve performed thousands of forensic structural investigations, ranging from single-family residences to multilane highway bridges and high-rise buildings. Our civil and structural engineers have the diverse experience in forensics, design and construction needed to evaluate complex, failure-related losses in all types of structures. We also have industry-specific specialization in particular systems, components and facility types. Our core services in this area include structural condition assessments, cause of loss determinations, destructive and non-destructive qualitative analysis, retrofit design, third party review and construction oversight and coordination.

From planning and design through post-construction, our dedicated professionals can ensure that each phase of your project — whether it’s a retrofit design, remediation, renovation or new facility — is executed correctly. Our multidisciplinary team offers feasibility level planning, design, construction, engineering and management expertise. These services are often required on remediation projects to ensure regulatory compliance. The EFI Global team has thorough knowledge of the model law codes, applicable regulations, costs and construction methods and the means to orchestrate effective and cross-disciplinary oversight.

When equipment is damaged or contaminated, our team of experts can serve as a technical liaison between equipment owners, service vendors/original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and insurance carriers to help restore equipment and operations to pre-loss condition. Bringing evidence-based data to equipment assessments, our consultants offer clients innovative solutions for mitigating damage, minimizing business income loss, and evaluating viable repair and replacement options. Click here to learn more about our equipment consulting solutions.

EFI Global’s seasoned experts have years of experience in their respective fields and provide unbiased conclusions supported with expert witness testimony that can withstand the rigors of litigation. Our certified and highly trained engineers have performed thousands of investigations and evaluations for disputes tried at all levels of the judicial system.

Our specialists can help you take proactive steps to protect against fires and fire damage. Based on extensive knowledge of building codes and fire protection, our forensic engineers evaluate the effectiveness of fire protection features — including sprinkler systems, fire barriers and alarm systems. EFI Global inspects facilities’ fire suppression, detection and protection systems to ensure they comply with code requirements and will perform as designed. We can also evaluate whether the presence of undue hazards may challenge those systems. Our engineers can even develop fire models to assess the potential impact of fire scenarios on specific facilities.

Using accident reconstruction, cause analysis and product evaluation, our qualified investigators and engineers consider the role of people throughout system lifecycles, with an eye toward identifying design choices that promote safe and effective use and operation. We review projects from conception through to design, testing, manufacture, distribution, installation, training, operating, supervision, maintenance, repair, recycling and disposal. Our human factor analyses help designers plan for not only intended uses and users, but also unintended but foreseeable misuse in order to mitigate risk.

Our materials science team has comprehensive expertise in all components of engineering, ranging from consulting, project management, design and risk-based inspection to failure analysis, research and testing and expert witness testimony. We have experience that spans all material applications, including metallurgy, polymers, composites and ceramics. Our engineers and scientists observe, analyze, and base conclusions on available data to determine whether the failure of a component, fixture or piece of equipment is the result of a fabrication, material or other defect.

EFI Global’s mechanical and electrical engineers have the extensive training needed to handle losses of any size. We provide expert investigations, analysis and reporting in a timely, professional manner for a range of clients. Our team specializes in analyzing electrical failures associated with fires, explosions, mechanical system malfunctions, electrocutions, lightning strikes and other perils. We also perform energy audits, power/mechanical equipment inspections, electrical installation reviews, safety appraisals and cost containments. Our mechanical and electrical engineering services include:

• Agricultural machinery inspection and analysis
• Automotive accident reconstruction
• Building energy audit
• Computer system, appliance and furnace malfunction
• Grain elevator investigation
• HVAC equipment evaluation
• Petroleum storage and distribution system evaluations
• Product failure analysis
• Refinery and petrochemical plant control system assessment
• Sprinkler/fire suppression design and failure analysis

Our assessment professionals help clients determine whether the current condition of a facility may interfere with operational continuity, lead to depreciated property value, or create an ongoing maintenance issue due to materials or system defects. We conduct thorough site evaluations; visual inspections of building system components; interviews with personnel and tenants; inquiries to the local fire prevention, building, planning and zoning departments; and reviews of available construction documents, plans, capital expenditure schedules and specifications. Our team can provide professional opinions on probable costs to correct deficiencies or to complete work during a reserve term. We can also perform detailed roof assessments; lead, mold or asbestos consulting; water and air infiltration testing; and qualitative evaluation services, such as infrared thermography. Our unique, multidisciplinary perspective on design, condition assessment, building management and quality assurance enables us to identify and solve issues during the design and construction phase — before they turn into larger, costlier and more disruptive problems.

EFI Global has a dedicated network of engineers, geologists, industrial hygienists and environmental scientists with specialized expertise in the architectural and engineering (A&E) needs and compliance requirements of the telecommunications industry. We offer a broad array of solutions to businesses in this complex space, including real estate services, A&E services, field surveys, site assessments, forensic engineering and more.