Dave Kelly founded Inertia Engineering in 2005 after over ten years in the industry, and the realization of the industry need for small to medium consultancy firms, and now specializes in civil, structural and environmental engineering design.

Initially working towards a career as an architect, Dave quickly found that his real strengths lay in the engineering field and switched paths. Though this brief time in architecture has taught him how to see each project from a different angle, and driven a collaborative and cooperative spirit in his work.

“There’s always been a stigma about engineers and architects not getting along – it’s all about building strong relationships that can bring out the best result for the owners,” Dave says “I’m lucky to have formed a lot of friendships over the years with great architects – again it comes back to the personal aspect of engineering that I love. Working with a lot of residential architects, they really want an engineer who has experience overseeing projects, and who’s interested in their designs and ideas.”

Before establishing Inertia, Dave worked in a number of Australian and Irish engineering consultancies as a senior engineer, gaining experience a breadth of across residential design projects; from single dwellings to multiple units.

Looking forward though, as Inertia Engineering grows, Dave Kelly is keen to observe the trends affecting the industry, and work within these while still maintaining his unique vision. As residential design shifts away from bulky walls and comes to embrace more open plan and glass based design, Dave and his team too embrace the changing face of engineering. “People are really changing the way they live, breaking down the barriers between indoor and outdoor spaces. Technology is really helping us make things possible that weren’t ten years ago.”

While admitting that engineering as a profession is becoming harder owing to the increasing complexity of housing design, Dave and Inertia are likewise seeing the increase in collaborative design between architects, owners and engineers. This can only be a good thing for both sides, as the boundaries of the design are pushed and streamlined from as early as possible.

Inertia Engineering
inertiaeng.com.au