Tracy Pang CEng MIFireE

Please introduce yourself and tell us about your career to date.

I am a Chartered Fire Engineer and Director of Technical Services at Arup, with BEng and MSc degrees, Chartered Engineer (CEng), IFE Member (MIFireE), Registered Professional Engineer (Fire) by Hong Kong Engineers Registration Board, Member of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (MHKIE) and Member of American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (MASHRAE) professional registrations.

I began my fire engineering career in 2005 and over the past two decades, have delivered projects across Hong Kong, Macau, Southeast Asia, the UK and the Middle East. My work spans strategy, analysis and delivery—from code compliance (IBC/NFPA) to performance based design, always grounded in practical, buildable solutions.

A major part of my career has been in Macau, serving as a third party independent checker and fire safety engineer for various mega size projects. In those projects, I have overseen means of egress strategy reviews, engaged with the Macau Fire Services Department, and performed extensive onsite inspections covering life safety systems such as sprinklers, smoke control, stair pressurisation, emergency lighting and kitchen suppression.

After working in the United Kingdom for one year, I started to explore the East and Southeast Asia markets from Japan to Thailand, and I am now the APAC fire practice leader at Arup.

Describe your role or position within your current workplace and describe what a typical working day looks like.

I am working as a project director for various projects, a team leader for the Hong Kong/Macau fire team for daily operations and an APAC fire practice leader for the regional fire team focused on business development. My typical working day involves a variety of meetings to gain a clear understanding of key issues, followed by discussions with my team to agree on the most effective approach and solutions.

Are there any particular challenges or unusual aspects to your role?

Managing people is often more challenging than addressing the technical aspects of a project, as effective communication takes time to build mutual understanding between individuals and stakeholders. Strong time management skills are therefore essential in this role.

What do you find most enjoyable about your job?

Being able to help others and contribute to a safer community is deeply rewarding. Seeing people enjoy the final outcomes of my projects makes the work especially meaningful.

Is there a great professional achievement or high-profile accomplishment that you would like to tell us about in a previous role or your current one?

I started as a project engineer, progressing to project manager and now being the project director for a couple of Macau casino resort projects. After those projects grand openings, I have been involved in their modifications, expansion and re-development throughout my 20-year life as a fire engineer. This has allowed me to continuously review the fire safety design from the outset and recommend improvements to the client to help maintain the required level of safety. Being able to continuously work on some projects for 20-years counts as one of the key achievements in my career.

What inspired you to become an engineer or pointed you towards an engineering career?

My dad worked on construction sites, and when I was young, I often went along with him. Watching buildings take shape from nothing fascinated me. Construction and engineering have long been seen as male-dominated industries, and I want to challenge that perception by showing that, as a woman, I can thrive in the engineering field too.

What contributed to your decision to become a Chartered IFE member?

Achieving Chartership has always been a key milestone in my career. It represents international recognition of my professional competence and qualification as a fire engineer, and becoming a Chartered IFE member is the essential pathway for me to achieve this.

How have you benefitted from being a Chartered member with the IFE (career, personally)?

Fire safety codes and standards are developed around fundamental fire safety theories and principles; however, when applied in practice, they are always shaped by local culture and context. It is not practical for a fire engineer to obtain every local qualification in order to work on projects in all locations. Being a Chartered IFE member provides a certain level of proof to my clients that I hold professional qualifications and will recognise me as a qualified fire engineer. Holding the CEng with IFE is just like a passport for my identity as a qualified fire engineer and allows me to work on projects globally.

Are you involved in the IFE in any other capacity (e.g. branch, volunteer, with a SIG)? If you are, could you tell us a bit more about that?

Yes. I am the council member of Hong Kong Branch since 2019, supporting the branch on CEng application and CEng interview. 

Would you recommend joining the IFE to others? If so, why?

Yes, the IFE is one of the largest fire safety focused engineering institutions. It provides a wealth of opportunities to learn the latest technical knowledge and also is a platform to connect with the industry. I join in with IFE overseas events to connect with the fire safety industry outside Hong Kong/Macau, which is really helpful for exploring what is going on in other parts of the world.

Is there any advice you would pass on to someone considering professional registration / IFE membership?

If you are working in the fire safety sector, the IFE is the right place for you to obtain professional qualifications and connect with the rest of the industry.