Resource Library.

Case Studies

Shaping the brief through informed choices

How material placement and coil-stacking arrangements affected factory floor loading, foundation design and estimated construction costs.

Case Studies

Cost efficiency in context

Why material quantities need to be considered alongside the architectural and structural requirements of Pantai Residence.

Case Studies

The cost of architectural decisions

How the spatial arrangement of a building influences structural behaviour and material cost across seven comparative models.

Case Studies

The right choice of materials

How a comparison of steel, concrete and hybrid structures helped realise the slender cantilevered roof at Izmir’s House.

October 15, 2026

Case Studies

Flat slab vs beam and post

Reconsidering a tower’s structural system: at least RM4.74 million in estimated direct savings and 28% less estimated embodied carbon.

October 15, 2026

Industry engagement

FELDA 2.0 Timber design competition

Ohr's participation on the jury for a national timber design competition for FELDA Lurah Bilut.

October 12, 2018

Industry engagement

Paving the way for structural timber in Malaysia

Ohr's participation in the MTIB task force proposing amendments to enable the use of structural timber in Malaysia.

October 27, 2018

Pink Musings

Rethinking erosion and sedimentation control

How contractor control of construction operations, comprehensive ESCPs and effective enforcement can improve erosion and sediment management.

April 30, 2022

Pink Musings

Penny wise, pound foolish?

Why investing in good engineering can achieve better design, coordination, cost and value.

December 1, 2019

Pink Musings

The bridge over the river Tempasuk

A reflection on rural suspension bridges in Sabah and the importance of their maintenance.

August 14, 2019

Pink Musings

Hillslopes and mark of a developed nation

An argument for properly engineered hillslope development, technical judgement, quality and effective enforcement.

October 30, 2018

Pink Musings

Will I live to an old age asketh the building

Why the nominal design working life of a building is not its actual lifespan, and the importance of materials, construction and maintenance.

April 8, 2018

Pink Musings

Reducing embodied carbon in structural materials

An examination of why structural material choices matter, how lean engineering can reduce embodied carbon, and the changes needed to encourage wider uptake in Malaysia.

July 16, 2021

Best Practice

Why is high performance important and how to sustain it

Why high performance matters to consulting engineers, the difference between excellence and perfection, and practical habits that sustain good work.

June 18, 2023

Best Practice

Attention to details - for a consulting engineer

How consulting engineers can develop sustained attention to detail, avoiding errors, abortive work and risks to safety and quality.

December 1, 2014

Ohr Notes

Minimum dimensions for fire resistance of private residences constructed in reinforced concrete

Minimum periods of structural fire resistance and dimensional guidance for reinforced-concrete private residences, referencing the UBBL and structural design standards.

February 1, 2023

Ohr Notes

Need waterproofing if the water table is lower than basement level?

Examines whether basement waterproofing may still be required when the measured water table is below basement level, taking account of perched groundwater and risk assessment.

July 1, 2021

Ohr Notes

Refurbishment and change of use: Flowchart of the design assessment process

A flowchart showing the typical staged structural assessment process for refurbishment and change of use of existing buildings.

June 1, 2019

Ohr Notes

Mengkulang GLULAM

Timber engineering for the Malaysian Timber Council’s Archidex 2015 exhibition booth, including the characteristics, certification and treatment of Mengkulang glulam.

January 1, 2015

Ohr Notes

The JPPKSAS approval process

A general guide to the JPPKSAS approval process for development in environmentally sensitive areas and the information required from the design team.

January 1, 2019

Ohr Notes

When to consider IBS systems in a project life cycle

An illustrated comparison of conventional and holistic approaches to incorporating industrialised building systems into the project life cycle.

May 1, 2015

Ohr Notes

Containers as load-bearing structures for buildings

The use of containers as primary load-bearing structures requires structural design and specification by a professional structural engineer to satisfy code and UBBL requirements.

October 1, 2015

Ohr Notes

Using responsibly sourced timber

Using responsibly sourced timber helps promote forest management that considers environmental, social and economic impacts.

December 1, 2014