We pride ourselves on the wide and varied skill set of our workforce, and Noor Haddad’s eye for detail and dedication to learning the ever-evolving rules and regulations in the industry make her an invaluable member of our team.
In this article, Noor chats to us about her role as Specification and Design Manager, her knowledge of bricks and the intricacies of balancing the needs of the client whilst managing logistics and regulations.
“I love how approachable everyone at ACS is; the directors make a conscious effort to get to know us.”
I’ve been in the industry for seven years since completing my Architectural Technology degree at Sheffield Hallam University. Before ACS, I worked as a Technical Engineer and after that with a brick manufacturer, which probably explains why I find bricks interesting!
There seems to be a current trend for projecting brickwork at the moment, as architects are always looking for ways to add texture and interest to brick facades, and the colour is usually region specific, for example in Manchester you’ll commonly find mainly red-coloured brickwork, whereas in Scotland a lighter buff shade is typically the norm.
I really enjoy my job and am constantly learning from the people around me who all specialise in different areas. It helps to evolve my own skillset and as our areas overlap, we can share our knowledge and work to create the best result for our clients.
A big part of my job is keeping up with the updated rules and regulations that are critical to how a building is created. Since the Grenfell Tower tragedy, there have been a lot of much needed changes to the regulations to ensure maximum safety in new buildings. It can sometimes be tricky explaining to people why certain things can’t be achieved, and it’s a constant balance to honour an architect’s vision whilst navigating the stringent rules we must abide by. We can’t use any flammable materials of course, and we’ve had to review all of our products to make sure they adhere to the new standards, resulting in the removal of resin in our brick-slip products.
ACS is a great place to work, I love that it’s a family business with everyone encouraged to progress in the area they want to. I feel very supported and comfortable to communicate my ideas, and there’s a really nice atmosphere with everyone, directors included stopping to chat and build a rapport.
Outside of work I love to keep fit. I used to compete in bodybuilding shows, although these days I just stick to training in the gym. As much as I loved competing, it was incredibly time consuming and took a lot of physical and mental sacrifice. Now I prefer to go on walks and hike alongside training and take a bit of pressure off myself!
Article originally published on 11th April 2024