About
Nicholas Strachan, PE
Nicholas Strachan is the president of Vilano Engineering, LLC, an electrical engineering firm in Lake Worth, Florida. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in eight states, a Licensed Plans Examiner in Florida, and a Certified Level II Thermographer.
He is retained on the electrical scope of construction defect and electrical injury matters by attorneys, insurers, condominium associations, property owners and electrical contractors, on either side of a claim. Outside of litigation, he performs building recertification and safety inspections, infrared thermography, developer turnover reports, property condition assessments, and electrical design.
Licensure and Certification
Professional Engineer
- California #E20294 (2012)
- Arizona #69256 (2019)
- New York #100905 (2019)
- Florida #PE101816 (2025)
- North Carolina #060767 (2025)
- Georgia #PE056372 (2026)
- Idaho #1981822 (2026)
- Texas #161856 (2026)
Plans Examiner
- Florida #PX4941
- ICC #9917475
Thermographer
- Level II #16287, Infraspection Institute
Experience
Nicholas has worked in engineering since 1997, in South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States.
- Vilano Engineering, LLC — President, 2025 to present. Owner of the firm, based in Lake Worth, Florida.
- Vilano Consulting, LLC — Managing Member, 2023 to present. Thermography inspection services.
- Building Mavens — Consultant, 2023 to present. Consultant to an engineering services firm in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
- m2e — Director of Expert Services, 2019 to 2023. Head of the expert services division, leading a team of engineers and architects.
- Buro Happold — Associate Principal, 2013 to 2019. Head of the electrical team in Los Angeles and Engineer of Record on California projects.
- Buro Happold — Senior Engineer, 2006 to 2012. Design engineer on projects in Scotland and Saudi Arabia.
- Harley Haddow — Engineer, 2001 to 2006. Design engineer in Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
- Quantrill Design Partnership — Lighting Designer, 2000 to 2001. Cape Town, South Africa.
- Newlands Electrical — Project Engineer, 1997 to 1999. Cape Town, South Africa.
Education
- Daytona State College — Bachelor of Science in Engineering Technology, Magna Cum Laude, 2025.
- Palm Beach Atlantic University — Bachelor of Science, major in Psychology, Summa Cum Laude, 2021.
- Cape Peninsula University of Technology — National Diploma in Electrical Engineering, studied 1996 to 1997 and 1999, not completed.
Expert Witness and Litigation Support
Nicholas has been retained on electrical construction defect matters, electrical failure investigations, and electrocution and electrical injury claims. Engagements have come from plaintiffs and defendants, and from third-party defendants, in state court and in arbitration.
Matters have arisen in Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and Sarasota Counties in Florida. He has also been retained on matters in Arizona. Building types have included condominium towers, mixed-use developments, commercial premises, hotel and lodging properties, and residential communities. Subject matter has included alleged defects in installed electrical work, deficiencies in exterior and accent lighting installations, and the conditions surrounding alleged electrocution.
He has given testimony at bench trial, in deposition, and in arbitration.
Notable Engineering Projects
As Electrical Engineer of Record or lead electrical engineer:
- Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, Los Angeles — 240,000 sf museum for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, architect Renzo Piano Building Workshop.
- Facebook Headquarters, Burlingame Point Campus, California — 767,000 sf, four high-rise office buildings and an amenity building on an 18-acre site, architect Gensler. Provided construction administration through completion.
- King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia — 900,000 sf cultural centre for Saudi Aramco, architect Snøhetta.
- Emerson College, Los Angeles — 249,000 sf, ten-story dormitory with three-level basement parking, architect Morphosis.
- Perot Museum of Nature and Science, Dallas — 180,000 sf museum, architect Morphosis.
- University of California, Los Angeles, Engineering VI Phase 1 — 130,000 sf research facility with wet and dry laboratories.
- Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center, California — 67,000 sf transit centre, architect HOK.
- Scottish Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Edinburgh — 110,000 sf stem cell research facility for the University of Edinburgh.
His design career has covered electrical, fire alarm, lighting, and telecommunications systems.
Professional Memberships
- National Society of Professional Engineers
- Florida Engineering Society
- Building Officials Association of Florida
- Arizona Board of Technical Registration, Enforcement Advisory Committee (volunteer)
Vilano Engineering, LLC is a licensed engineering firm providing building recertification and safety inspections, infrared thermography, electrical design, expert witness services, developer turnover, and property condition assessments.
Nicholas Strachan, PE
Licensed Professional Engineer — Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, New York, North Carolina, Texas
Certified Level II Thermographer
Licensed Plans Examiner — Florida
25+ years in engineering design, inspection, and quality assurance