The Engineers Collective

Discussing the Structures of the Year with the IStructE

In the latest episode of The Engineers Collective from New Civil Engineer, host Rob Hakimian welcomes Professor John Orr from the Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE) and Cambridge University Department of Engineering.

They discuss the IStructE’s upcoming 2024 Structural Awards, which seeks to honour the outstanding structures from all over the globe that have been completed in the last year.

After discussing the history of the awards and how they’ve evolved over the years, John talks about what the IStructE looks for in the outstanding candidates. These are centred around the four key judging attributes: planet, people, process and profession. John highlights four entries from this year’s Structural Awards, which offer variety of type, purpose and location and were emblematic of each of those four attributes.

The discussion concludes with looking ahead to further editions of the Structural Awards and what factors John would like to see more of from entries going forward.

Prior to the interview portion, Rob welcomes NCE’s senior reporters Tom Pashby and Thomas Johnson to discuss recent site visits to GE Vernova’s new valve manufacturing facility, Tottenham Hotspur’s stadium and under construction nuclear power plant Hinkley Point C.

Why developing more pumped storage hydro is crucial in the energy transition

The latest episode of the Engineers Collective is out now: listen in on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or your usual platform.

This month we’re joined by the International Hydropower Association (IHA) to discuss the “grandfather” of renewable energy. IHA senior energy policy manager Rebecca Ellis chats to NCE news editor Rob Hakimian about the history and importance of pumped storage hydro, covering how it works, its ability to “store” energy and why this is so crucial as the world transitions to a zero carbon energy system.

Rebecca also tells us about the engineering and risks involved with developing pumped storage hydro schemes, talks about the appetite for pumped storage hydro projects in the UK and around the globe and highlights some of the exciting new schemes and technologies that are emerging in the sector.

Prior to the interview portion, Rob is joined by NCE senior reporter Tom Pashby to discuss the potential impact of Hinkley Point C on fish populations in the Bristol Estuary and how a recent legal ruling could impact its plans, as well as the news that Liverpool City Region’s Mersey Tidal barrage scheme is moving forward.

Building a railway fit for the future with East West Rail

The latest episode of The Engineers Collective from New Civil Engineer is all about the development and construction of East West Rail (EWR), the brand new railway being built between Oxford and Cambridge. Our interviewee is former East West Rail Company innovation manager Daisy Chapman-Chamberlain, who was involved with all the future-facing elements of this exciting project. It should be noted that since this interview was recorded in early May she moved on to a new role at Transport for the North.

Nevertheless, Chapman-Chamberlain’s insights about the way that EWR has been designed and specified to be a “railway fit for the future” are still relevant and pertinent not only to this project but to all railway developments. We also broaden out the conversation to hear her valuable insights on the state of the UK rail sector, innovating to improve areas including efficiency and accessibility, the challenges of inclusion and diversity in the rail sector and the prospect of rail reform.

Prior to the interview section, NCE news editor and podcast host Rob Hakimian chats with senior reporter Tom Pashby about the first weeks of the new government and what the infrastructure, energy and railway Bills announced in the King’s Speech signal to the civil engineering sector.

The Regenerative Structural Engineer and Infrastructure related pledges in the UK General Election

In the new episode the we meet the authors of new book The Regenerative Structural Engineer, Oliver Broadbent and James Norman. The book, published by the Institution of Structural Engineers, draws on the two authors’ years of experience of civil and structural engineering. Today, Oliver is founder and co-leader of regenerative engineering training Constructivist and James is professor of sustainable design at the University of Bristol.

Their passion for engineering and helping to promote the inherent benevolence of the vocation is clear in our discussion. We talk about the process of writing and designing The Regenerative Structural Engineer then dive into some of its themes including regenerative thinking, the construction site as a system, learning from living systems and transitioning to a future where healing the environment is a natural outcome of design, construction and engineering.

Prior to that, the NCE team discusses the infrastructure related pledges in the manifestos of the major UK political parties as we build towards the General Election.

Celebrating 40 years of the Thames Barrier

This month’s episode is dedicated to celebrating 40 years since Queen Elizabeth II officially opened the Thames Barrier in London, the engineering marvel that protects London from disastrous flooding. We speak to two engineers who worked on its construction, which commenced nearly half a century ago.

Rory O’Grady was a section engineer for Costain on the project between 1975 and 1980 and has just published a book called We Gave A Dam: The Epic Race To Build The Thames Barrier, which recollects the people, struggles and ingenuity that contributed to the creation of the landmark infrastructure.

We also have future ICE president Richard Bayfield who spent six months in the very early part of his career on the barrier as an assistant planning engineer for Costain.

Together they discuss the Thames Barrier’s creation, its legacy and what its future looks like.

Prior to that, host Rob Hakimian and NCE reporter Thomas Johnson briefly discuss the announcement of a General Election in the UK and what that means for the country’s major infrastructure projects and policies.

Francis Scott Key collapse and Everton's new stadium - Plus ICE President Anusha Shah on biodiversity and nature based solutions

In this episode of The Engineers Collective we speak to ICE president Anusha Shah about the importance of biodiversity net gain (BNG).

This year has seen BNG of 10% become mandatory for new developments. Shah has committed her year in office to pushing the agenda of nature-based solutions in civil engineering. The two themes are intertwined and she explains how they are essential for driving forward sustainability in the built environment and are essential in how construction must be shaped moving into the future.

Prior to the interview, NCE editor Gavin Pearson, news editor Rob Hakimian and report Tom Johnson discuss some of the biggest stories of the last month. There is a chat about the Francis Scott Key collapse and what we have learned from the engineers they’ve spoken to, Tom talks about his chat with Jacobs about San Francisco’s hugely ambitious $13bn plan to protect against inevitable sea level rise and finally the trio discuss the latest developments at Everton FC’s new stadium on Merseyside.

Implications of the budget, new reservoirs on the way and mining in Yorkshire, plus PAS 2080 and systems thinking with Mott MacDonald

In this month’s episode of The Engineers Collective podcast from New Civil Engineer we mark one year since the publication of the 2023 update to the PAS 2080 standard for carbon management in infrastructure.

 

We’ve gathered representatives from Mott MacDonald, the Department for Transport and Anglian Water to gain insight a series of roundtables held by Mott MacDonald where industry stakeholders discussed and debated how PAS 2080 should be implemented in their businesses and projects.

 

DfT head of systems Tom McLenachan tells us about the systems thinking outcomes from the roundtables, Mott MacDonald water and infrastructure technical principal Heather Marshall discusses the procurement outcomes from the debate and Anglian Water @one Alliance carbon sustainability manager Alex Herridge provides insight on the decision making outcomes from the discussions.

 

Prior to the interview portion, NCE editor Gavin Pearson, news editor Rob Hakimian and reporter Tom Johnson discuss some of the month’s biggest stories, touching on the lack of infrastructure in the recent Budget and Anglian Water’s development of its £2.2bn Fenlands Reservoir. Lastly, Tom tells us about his recent visit to the Woodsmith polyhalite mine in Yorkshire.

 

The Engineers Collective is available via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, A-cast, Stitcher, PodBean and via newcivilengineer.com/podcast

In the news: climate, rail reform, and space weather? Plus, building theworkforce of the future at the Constructionarium with Julia Stevens

In this month’s episode of The Engineers Collective podcast from New Civil Engineer we speak to Julia Stevens, the chief executive of the Constructionarium, about how the facility is preparing budding construction workers and engineers for life on a work site.

Stevens tells us about the Constructionarium, a 7.5ha site at Bircharm Newton in Norfolk, which features a range of work areas including scaled down rivers, lakes, stabilised flatlands, mountainous terrain. We hear about the rigorous week-long courses which encompass everything from pre-construction documentation to client engagement to the actual construction task itself. In this way, participants experience the true breadth of what it is like to work for a contractor.

Prior to the interview portion, NCE editor Gavin Pearson, news editor Rob Hakimian and senior reporter Tom Pashby discuss some of the month’s biggest stories, touching on the draft Rail Reform Bill, the potential impacts of space weather on infrastructure and the need for resilience in the wake of the news that global temperatures breached the 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels barrier for a year straight.

How hydrogen could ‘electroshock’ the energy transition, with Arthur D Little

This month’s episode of The Engineers Collective from New Civil Engineer focuses on the role that hydrogen could play in the global effort to transition to a zero-carbon world.

International management consultancy Arthur D. Little recently put out a report entitled Hydrogen: The electroshock to the energy transition and in this episode NCE acting news editor Rob Hakimian is joined by three experts from the consultancy to discuss just how this might happen. They discuss where it’s already being used, the barriers to greater adoption, the UK’s recently published hydrogen strategy, National Highways’ commitment to using hydrogen plant on its landmark Lower Thames Crossing road tunnel and much more.

Read Arthur D Little’s full report here.

Prior to the interview portion, Rob is joined by NCE editor Gavin Pearson and reporter Tom Johnson to discuss some of the stories from the civil engineering world that have caught their attention in the early portion of 2024. They discuss Thames Water’s controversial Teddington Direct River Abstraction, the government’s pledge to work with the tidal range sector and Balfour Beatty’s ill-fated attempts to carry out net zero construction at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.

What does ‘transforming infrastructure performance’ mean?

The new episode of the Engineers Collective podcast is out now.

This month’s episode focuses on ‘transforming infrastructure performance’.

The UK’s Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) released two papers, in 2017 and 2021, called Transforming infrastructure performance in which it set out a vision for the future of infrastructure delivery. This process embeds the use of modern tools and greater project integration to make delivery less expensive and less unpredictable, while increasing safety, learning, efficiency and future readiness.

Since then, there have been regular Transforming Infrastructure Performance (TIP) live summits where stakeholders from government, consultants and engineering contractors convene to discuss the developments towards – and hurdles that stand in the way of – reaching the IPA’s vision for infrastructure delivery by 2030.

This year saw TIP events in both Singapore and London, organised by Bentley Systems and supported by Turner & Townsend in association with the IPA.

This year’s summits focused on the implementation of digital tools, artificial intelligence, creating more synergy between delivery bodies, utilisation of modern methods of construction, the need to upskill and maintain talent, decarbonisation and much more.

More about the lessons shared at TIP and videos of some of the sessions can be found at infrastructurepolicyadvancement.com.

On this month’s episode we have an international panel of experts who were involved in the TIP events in both Singapore and London, to discuss some of TIP 2023’s key themes even further.

Alongside NCE assistant news editor Rob Hakimian, the panel includes Bentley Systems senior international director of infrastructure advancement Mark Coates, Turner & Townsend director, infrastructure and design management lead Glenda Ho and Turner & Townsend director of portfolio management Liam Bray.

The panel starts by discussing what TIP is and why it is valuable, before moving onto some of the meaty topics.

Opinions are shared on how AI can be used to support supply chains a sustainability before the discussions turns to how firms can further their adoption of new technologies.

There are some interesting comparisons on the way infrastructure is delivered in both the UK and Singapore and how the two nations are approaching the challenge of net zero.

There is also a debate about whether it is the clients holding back the implementation of new technologies in construction or whether the blame lies elsewhere.

The panel then concludes by discussing what concrete steps need to be taken to ensure the industry is on course to meet the IPA’s expectations by 2030.

The value of place making in construction and engineering

This episode focuses on the value of place making within construction and engineering projects.

Place making is the practice of ensuring that a project goes beyond functionality and delivers something that benefits the society in which it is being constructed. It is ensuring that there is space above and around it for public use, which will bolster a community with new resources.

Fitting in the requirements of a client while also providing wider benefit for the community can make place making feel like a difficult jigsaw, but it has wide-ranging knock-on effects that make it worthwhile. These include improved mental health, physical health, pride of place and economic uplift. These are long-term positives for a broad swatch of society.

We’ve seen plenty of placemaking within cities with the likes of the Battersea and Nine Elms developments around the Northern Line extension or the creation of MediaCity at the previously derelict Salford Quay docklands. However, these types of regenerative projects can also be smaller but just as transformational in smaller locations.

The guests joining NCE assistant news editor Rob Hakimian on this month’s episode have plenty of experience in place making initiatives.

Alex Scott-Whitby is the founder and director of Scott Whitby Studios, the architectural firm that walked away with the Place Making Initiative of the Year award at this year’s British Construction Industry Awards for its Jubilee Pool project in Penzance – a project that is discussed in the podcast.

Alongside Alex is Chris Short, iconic bridge director at Arcadis. Chris’ work also sees him sit on Arcadis’ infrastructure group, which focuses on urban development – something that he is passionate about.

In this conversation, Alex and Chris discuss the importance of place making and how it should be embedded into projects. They talk specifically about the ScottWhitby Studio’s Jubilee Pool and the benefits it has brought to the people of Penzance. They also discuss the makeup of the current urban landscape and how it can be redressed to better serve the public.

The discussion also takes a broader view to discuss the implementation of place making; who has the responsibility to make sure it happens and what is the best way for those working on a project to bring it into a design. Lastly, they look to the future to imagine what towns and cities might look and feel like in the future if place making is instilled in all future developments.

The importance of collaborative reporting to ensure structural and fire safety

Safety is paramount in construction. Safety of the people who work on constructing a scheme – and safety of those people who will eventually make use of the scheme.

On this month’s episode of the Engineers Collective, NCE assistant news editor Rob Hakimian is joined by CROSS scheme manager Paul Livesey to discuss the history of CROSS, how it has grown and its importance in today’s construction landscape.

In the conversation, Paul talks about the establishment of CROSS, the sector’s response and how it has developed over its nearly 50 years in existence, bolstered by support from the ICE and IStructE. They discuss how it has proliferated internationally in countries such as Australia and the USA.

Paul also reveals how the publication of the Hackitt Report into the Grenfell tragedy was a watershed moment for CROSS and changed the organisation’s visibility and remit. There is also discussion of the significant input that CROSS has had in the RAAC crisis that has recently been in the mainstream headlines in the UK.

They also discuss the importance of other reports from recent years on CROSS and Paul gives advice, encouragement and instruction to those who feel they would want to report something to the organisation to spread awareness.

The Engineers Collective is powered by Bentley Systems.

Bentley Systems provide innovative software to advance the world’s infrastructure – sustaining both the global economy and environment – for improved quality of life. Its industry-leading software solutions are used by professionals, and organizations of every size, for the design, construction, and operations of roads and bridges, rail and transit, water and wastewater, public works and utilities, buildings and campuses, mining, and industrial facilities.

Find out more at bentley.com

How cloud based data management is improving delivery of major infrastructure projects

Over recent years we have all seen our pictures, music and other prized documents migrate to the cloud, which has presented a new kind of convenience and accessibility.

The same is true in the construction industry, where some projects have seen vital documents, plans and information become stored on a shared cloud. This increases the ways that these documents can be accessed and also ensures that everyone is working from the same update, rather than sifting through various downloaded versions that might not tally with what other people on the project are referencing.

In this episode, former NCE editor Claire Smith and NCE assistant news editor Rob Hakimian are joined by AtkinsRéalis chief geotechnical engineer Simon Miles and AtkinsRéalis senior 3D geological modeller and spatial data specialist Stephanie Boffey-Rawlings to discuss the adoption of cloud-based data management in the ground engineering sector specifically.

Claire starts the podcast with some interesting figures about uptake of the cloud among geoprofessionals, collected from a recent survey carried out by subsurface software firm Seequent. These show that the desire for the transition to the cloud is there, but there are perceived barriers.

We then move on to our discussion with Stephanie and Simon, who start by giving an overview of how cloud-based data management is used on civil engineering projects and the benefits it brings such as a single source of truth and greater collaborative working. They also discuss their own experience with overcoming the barriers to its implementation, but the ultimate benefits it has brought in comparison to traditional data management.

Stephanie and Simon later discuss specific projects, such as the M25, and how it augments every stage of a scheme from design through to delivery. They discuss the lessons learned and how receptive people have been to the change.

Finally, we look into the future to discuss where cloud-based data management could guide the future of civil engineering.

The Engineer’s Collective is powered by Seequent, the subsurface software specialists.

Around the world, teams are using PLAXIS, OpenGround, Leapfrog Works, and GeoStudio to design, build and operate safe, sustainable, and long-lasting infrastructure, from roads to rail, bridges to tunnels, and buildings, dams and levees.

Find out more at seequent.com/civil.

How smart data could improve flood management to create climate resilient infrastructure

Urban populations are growing while climate change means both droughts, as well as sudden intense rainfall events, are on the rise. However, existing urban infrastructure in UK has not caught up with the water management challenges presented by these scenarios. We need to be much smarter about the capture, usage and planned management of water going forward. This is critical to reduce flood risk and to be prepared for periods of drought.

 

In this episode, New Civil Engineer assistant news editor Rob Hakimian is joined by two guests to discuss the topic - Charlotte Markey, who is green urbanisation innovation manager at Polypipe, and John Griffiths, who is national account manager at environmental data management solutions company Kisters..

 

In conversation with Rob, Charlotte and John outline the opportunities for upgrading existing infrastructure to blue green infrastructure in the UK, explaining examples including tree pits, rain gardens and blue green roof systems. They also explain the growing importance of data collection – particularly using smart sensors. Both Charlotte and John suggest that this data could be an untapped resource that might be better leveraged with a more strategic “joined up” approach on the part of government, utilities providers and other water management stakeholders.

They also talk about on their involvement a recent pilot project in Manchester that saw the installation of a climate and water resilience research roof in the heart of the city. The project is helping to drive understanding of how a combination of construction and data technologies can help mitigate the impacts of climate change and urbanisation. It demonstrates how storing and re-using rainwater can reduce the volume of surface run-off impacting important assets such as sewer networks. 

Charlotte and John compare the approach in the UK to elsewhere globally and consider the implications of not changing the approach to surface water management and the role smart data can play in that.

Listen now to hear about how blue green infrastructure and smart rainwater management can play an ongoing role in the UK’s climate resilience.

The Engineers Collective is proving truly global in reach, with a third of listeners based outside the UK. It is also appealing to an inquisitive, career-builder demographic, with 80% of listeners under 35.

Special guests on previous episodes have included Crossrail managing director Mark Wild, HS2 Ltd special advisor Andrew McNaughton and ICE president Ed McCann. All are available for download and all address current and ongoing issues around skills and major project delivery.

The Engineers Collective is available via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, A-cast, Stitcher, PodBean and via newcivilengineer.com/podcast

The Engineer’s Collective is powered by Seequent, the subsurface software specialists.

Around the world, teams are using PLAXIS, OpenGround, Leapfrog Works, and GeoStudio to design, build and operate safe, sustainable, and long-lasting infrastructure, from roads to rail, bridges to tunnels, and buildings, dams and levees.

Find out more at seequent.com/civil.

Making a visible difference to tackling mental health and suicide risk in construction

Workers in the construction industry are three times more likely to commit suicide than the general population but for those working in the building trades the risk is much higher at eight times. These are stark figures but construction industry charity the Lighthouse Club launched a new campaign called #Makeitvisible at the start of this year that is already making a difference.

Lighthouse Club chief executive Bill Hill joined NCE editor Claire Smith and assistant news editor Rob Hakimian for this episode to talk about why the Construction Leadership Council called on the charity to take the lead on the issue and what the campaign involves.

Bill outlines the four elements of the work which cover reactive and proactive strategies, research into delivering long term cultural change and how the impact will be measured.

During the conversation, Bill talks about how Ford and Speedy Hire have sponsored vans for people from the construction industry who have been affected by poor mental health but have since trained as mental health first aider to go out and visit sites to talk about the issues and resources available. Bill shared with Claire and Rob that the programme has already delivered 87 interventions for people who were suicidal demonstrating the potential impact this initiative could have in the long term.

One of the key factors of #Makeitvisible to ensuring people know how to access support and Bill calls on all firms to include the campaign’s video within safety briefings for every site. It can be viewed and downloaded by clicking here.

As well as talking about #Makeitvisible, Bill also gives advice specific to both business owners and employees about what they could do today to support colleagues and improve wellbeing in the sector.

Claire concludes the podcast by urging anyone dealing with any of the issues discussed to seek help and support as early as possible and not to struggle alone. She also shares a number of resources, which are listed here:

Any construction worker or their family can access the MakeItVisible.info portal, you can call the Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity 24/7 Helpline on 0345 605 1956 or you can text HARDHAT to 85258 for immediate text back support.

Also remember that the Samaritans helpline is available to everyone and you can call them at anytime to talk about yourself, a friend or a colleague on 116 123.

Mates in Mind also has a lot of resources specific to the construction sector, which businesses can use to support staff or individuals and is also available to people working in the sector and you can find these at www.matesinmind.org

Since the pandemic the Institution of Civil Engineers’ Benevolent Fund has also evolved its services to go beyond financially helping members who are struggling to include outreach on wellbeing issues too. There is a free 24 hour wellbeing helpline that you can access by calling 0800 587 3428 from the UK or for international callers, it is available on +44 1482 699 177 and there are more details online at www.icebenfund.com

The Engineer’s Collective is powered by Seequent, the subsurface software specialists.

Around the world, teams are using PLAXIS, OpenGround, Leapfrog Works, and GeoStudio to design, build and operate safe, sustainable, and long-lasting infrastructure, from roads to rail, bridges to tunnels, and buildings, dams and levees.

Find out more at seequent.com/civil.

Technology has changed the face of construction over the last 40 years but further change is needed

Engineers need to be ready to embrace change when it comes to adopting new technology, according to Keith Bentley who has just retired from the post of chief technology officer at Bentley Systems, the firm he founded with his brother Barry almost 40 years ago in 1984.

Speaking to NCE editor Claire Smith on the latest episode of The Engineers Collective podcast, Keith reflects back on how far the industry has come in terms of technological change in the last 40 years. He also talks about the challenges the sector has faced in taking on new practices but says he has enjoyed seeing projects thrive when they have used new approaches to project design and delivery.

As he prepares to hand over his role at Bentley to Julien Moutte, Keith gives some advice to firms about how to drive technological change and gives a word of caution for businesses who have not yet fully moved to digital delivery and are not yet eying up the potential digital twins have to offer in delivering more improvements.

Success of megaprojects is down to a handful of key factors

Megaprojects are what take society forward, whether building new transport infrastructure, creating new technology networks or decarbonising the energy system. However, according to this month’s guest on The Engineers Collective, across sectors and around the world, megaprojects almost always overrun their budgets and timescales.

In this episode, NCE editor Claire Smith is joined by NCE reporter Rob Hakimian as they speak to Bent Flyvbjerg, the first ET professor of major programme management at Oxford University’s Said Business School and professor of major programme management at IT University of Copenhagen. He is the most cited scholar in the world on megaprojects, having authored and edited 10 books, including his brand new one, How Things Get Done, which was co-authored with Dan Gardner.

Having amassed a database of over 16,000 megaprojects of 25 types and from 130 countries, Flyvbjerg has found that only around 8.5% successfully meet their time and cost projections. He tells us about the most common failures, which often happen in the earliest stages such as planning and picking the right team. He also pinpoints the factors that drive success for megaprojects, such as governance and modularity.

Bent explains the challenges using projects such the Elizabeth line and High Speed 2 in the UK.

The conversation also touches on decarbonising the energy system, which Flyvbjerg considers the most important megaproject in the world. Finally, we ponder whether assessing megaprojects on how they match up against their time and cost projections is as important as judging them based on their outcomes.

Listen now to hear about the best practice when approaching a big project – which Bent believes can also be applied to smaller schemes, as well as home tasks such as remodelling your kitchen.

Artificial Intelligence will supercharge engineers rather than replace them

The rise and rise in the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in every part of our lives has led to questions about what it could mean for the way construction projects are planned, designed and delivered.

In this episode of The Engineers Collective NCE editor Claire Smith is joined by NCE reporter Rob Hakimian as co-host as they speak to Dev Amratia, who is co-founder and CEO of nPlan, which is a machine learning company that uses AI to learn how completed construction projects performed to forecast the outcomes on future projects. Dev also worked with the government to launch and deliver the national review on AI, which was published as part of the Industrial Strategy in 2017.

To set the scene for the conversation, Claire asked AI chatbot ChatGPT what Isambard Kingdom Brunel would have made of the use of AI in civil engineering and it responded in the form of a letter from Brunel.

While Dev said ChatGPT’s assessment of AI’s potential to advance construction was “spot on” there was still much to discuss on the topic. During the conversation Dev told Rob and Claire that AI is unlikely to replace engineers on projects, instead it will “supercharge” them and allow them to get on with the interesting bits of their work and leave the boring analysis to AI.

Dev also said that firms not engaging with AI will be left behind and gave advice for both individual engineers and firms on how to take their first steps with AI and prepare themselves for a future where AI is business as usual for the construction sector.

How dialogue and collaboration delivered the Bank Station Capacity Upgrade on budget

Almost 20 years of planning and work came together at the end of February when Transport for London opened the final parts of the £655M Bank Station Capacity Upgrade project.

The station now boast 40% more capacity, new entrances and step free access and in this new episode NCE editor Claire Smith explores the story behind this outcome.

Claire is joined by University College London associate professor of project management Simon Addyman, Dragados operations director Stephen Holmes and HS2 Euston Station project director Andy Swift to do a deep dive on the planning, procurement and delivery of the project.

While each of the guests have now moved onto other roles, they talk about how the “Bank Station family” was brought together by taking a different approach to project delivery.

Andy, Simon and Stephen explain why that approach was needed to create a workable project and the benefits that brought when it came to dealing with the technical challenges of the work too.

Simon emphasises the dialogue and collaboration environment that the set up created to allow innovation to be fostered and “give people working on the project a real voice” too. Andy also points to Dragados’ focus on the outcome of the project right from the outset as a real enabler as well.

While all three believe that every infrastructure project is different, they each believe that there is much for the civil engineering industry to learn from the successes of the project.

The Engineers Collective is powered by Bentley Systems. Around the world, engineers and architects, constructors and owner-operators are using Bentley’s software solutions to accelerate project delivery and improve asset performance for transportation infrastructure that sustains our economy and our environment. Together, we are advancing infrastructure.

Find out more at www.bentley.com

How technology uptake is the key to delivering work faster with fewer people

Many firms working in construction are reporting increasing workloads but the challenge of finding skilled staff to deliver that work is not becoming easier.

Bentley Systems chief information officer champion Claire Rutkowski joins NCE editor Claire Smith to talk about the problem and the role technology will play in addressing it.

Claire also spends much of her time out working with architecture, engineering and construction firms to understand their challenges first hand to ensure Bentley’s products meet their needs. However, this also means she has a good understanding of emerging trends from the sector and what those could mean for future business and both Claires explore her insight during the conversation.

On the back of NCE having just concluded its 50th anniversary celebrations, the discussion around emerging trends turns to look much further into the future and the pair consider what infrastructure projects might look like in the 2070s.

The Engineers Collective is powered by Bentley Systems. Around the world, engineers and architects, constructors and owner-operators are using Bentley’s software solutions to accelerate project delivery and improve asset performance for transportation infrastructure that sustains our economy and our environment. Together, we are advancing infrastructure.

Find out more at www.bentley.com

Lessons to be learned 10 years on from completion of the Shard

As the London’s iconic Shard skyscraper, which is the UK’s tallest building at 309.6m, gets ready to mark the 10th anniversary of its opening on 1 February, this episode catches up with Flan McNamara who led the construction project for Sellar Property Group.

As well as exploring the logistical challenges of bringing the architectural design of Renzo Piano and the engineering work of WSP to life, Flan and NCE editor Claire Smith talk about lessons learned during the life of the project.

Flan talks about how digital technology evolved during the lifespan of the Shard Quarter project, which transformed both the skyline around London Bridge station and was integral to the modernisation of the station itself. He talks about BIM being in its infancy when the Shard itself was conceived and the potential benefits such technology could bring to the project if it was starting today.

Flan also discusses the pace of change that saw a huge leap forward in the technology used to deliver the buildings surrounding the Shard that came later in the programme. However, he believes that the industry needs to go further and faster with adopting digital twin technology to really drive construction efficiency and productivity.

Flan and Claire conclude the conversation by considering what the tall buildings sector might look like in another 10 years when the Shard marks its 20th anniversary. Flan believes that it is only airport flight paths holding London back from another building taking the Shard’s record but whatever the height of future tall buildings, he thinks that mixed use developments are the key to success both for the climate and commercially.

The Engineers Collective is powered by Bentley Systems. Around the world, engineers and architects, constructors and owner-operators are using Bentley’s software solutions to accelerate project delivery and improve asset performance for transportation infrastructure that sustains our economy and our environment. Together, we are advancing infrastructure.

Find out more at www.bentley.com

 

2022 recap featuring HS2 costs, Norway bridge collapse and imperial measurements backlash

NCE editor Claire Smith is joined by deputy editor Rob Horgan and acting news editor Catherine Moore, for the final episode of the year.

The trio cast their minds back over the past 12 months, recapping the biggest and most popular news stories of 2022.

Taking a look at the top five most read stories on NCE’s website, the trio start their recap by re-exploring the proposed switch to imperial measurements so heavily opposed by NCE readers and engineers earlier this year.

Other popular stories discussed on the podcast include a proposed £2bn tidal barrage, the collapse of a timber bridge in Norway and rising costs on HS2’s Euston station proposal.

The trio then recap their favourite site visits of the year with trips to Germany and Scotland to see major infrastructure projects fondly remembered as well as a trip to the Silvertown Tunnel site in London.

Before wrapping for the last time this year, the Engineers Collective team looks forward to 2023 and discusses the important milestones coming in the next year.

The Engineers Collective is powered by Bentley Systems. Around the world, engineers and architects, constructors and owner-operators are using Bentley’s software solutions to accelerate project delivery and improve asset performance for transportation infrastructure that sustains our economy and our environment. Together, we are advancing infrastructure.

Find out more at www.bentley.com

Why civil engineers and financiers need to build better relationships to deliver on net zero

With the ink barely dried on the agreements drawn up at COP27 in Egypt, this episode looks at the need for civil engineers to work more closely with the financial industry to delivery on the commitments made at COP.

NCE editor Claire Smith is joined by Mott MacDonald decarbonisation discipline lead Mark Crouch to talk through the challenge and the drivers behind a report published by the Institution of Civil Engineers at COP27 on Financing Low Carbon Infrastructure.

After exploring what was agreed at COP27 and what it means for civil engineers, Mark and Claire talk about what civil engineers need to know about low-carbon financing models in order to get funding for their schemes. The pair look at the current relationship between the two sectors and the obstacles that exist to building better understanding, as well as the opportunities that exist if these barriers can be overcome.

Listen in to learn more about the report, the industry reaction to it and what Mark and his co-authors plan to do next in order to improve funding for low carbon, resilient infrastructure.

The Engineers Collective is powered by Bentley Systems. Around the world, engineers and architects, constructors and owner-operators are using Bentley’s software solutions to accelerate project delivery and improve asset performance for transportation infrastructure that sustains our economy and our environment. Together, we are advancing infrastructure.

Find out more at www.bentley.com

Barriers to adopting digital technology in construction

This episode of The Engineers Collective podcast explores the barriers to adopting digital technology in construction and how they can be overcome.

Joining NCE deputy editor Rob Horgan is Helen Samuels from EKFB and Alex Wraight from Allies and Morrison.

Helen is a chartered civil engineer with a masters in environmental management and a fellow of the ICE. She has served as industry advisor for Plymouth, Cardiff and UCL universities, and was working group chair and report author of a review of infrastructure governance, as part of a wider review of asset safety post Grenfell. She is currently Managing Director for EKFB, delivery an 80km stretch of the HS2 civils programme, with former roles including Managing Director at CH2M Hill (now part of Jacobs), and Engineering Director for United Utilities and Network Rail.

Meanwhile, Alex is an experienced architect. Alex has been at Allies and Morrison for 22 years and a Partner since 2015, leading on a variety of complex projects in the public eye. A champion for technical excellence, Alex is also an active member of the British Council of Offices (BCO) and sat on the Technical Affairs Committee that produced the 2009 Guide to Specification. He is also a board member for Better Bankside and sits on the St Albans and Watford Design Review Panels.

Alex and Helen were recently involved in judging the British Construction Industry Awards and during the podcast, they look at the common problems and issues that they saw during the judging process in terms of adoption and implementation of digital technology in construction.

While celebrating innovation within the industry, the pair highlight barriers around data sharing and explore how the industry can move away from working in siloes and towards a common set of goals.

The Engineers Collective is powered by Bentley Systems. Around the world, engineers and architects, constructors and owner-operators are using Bentley’s software solutions to accelerate project delivery and improve asset performance for transportation infrastructure that sustains our economy and our environment. Together, we are advancing infrastructure.

Find out more at www.bentley.com

 

Designing to create space rather than a building is key to regeneration

Concept design of a timber high rise building in Oslo is attracting both awards and attention globally for its sustainable regeneration potential, even without firm plans to put the proposal into construction.

 

The masterminds behind the Regenerative Highrise scheme are Haptic Architects director Tomas Stokke and Ramboll director Ollie Wildman who join NCE editor Claire Smith to talk through the new approach and how other projects are looking to copy the idea.

Both Tomas and Ollie call for greater consideration of the ability of tall buildings – in the right place – as a means to meet urbanisation without creating urban sprawl. They both suggest that cities need to consider vertical masterplanning in the same way they create horizontal masterplans but they also believe new buildings need to more carefully plan for future use.

 

The Oslo project, which recently won the Tall Building category at NCE’s sister title Architectural Review’s Future Projects Awards, is a concept to regenerate a socially challenging site in central Oslo. Ollie describes it as a concept to create conversation. As well as addressing the site’s existing issues, the future-proofed design aims to create a building that can be adapted to meet future needs rather than being demolished and rebuilt after a few decades. The structure also features a range of materials, including major use of timber.

Tomas talks about the need to focus on the ground floor interaction with the surrounding area in order to deliver on regeneration, explaining that we can’t look at buildings in isolation and calls for them to be considered in context of the local environment. The Oslo design features three “ground floor levels” – one facing onto a road viaduct, another onto a river frontage and the third connects with public transport links.

 

Ollie then goes onto explain the structural design that allows for floor heights and layouts to be changed in the future to adapt to changing needs over the building’s lifespan. In doing so he calls for more focus on creating space and less on designing buildings. “Without a single end use in mind, it becomes about creating space,” he said.

How flexible working on construction sites could be a ‘win-win’

Pandemic restrictions brought working from home to the lives of many, which worked well for office-based roles, but what about those on site? This episode of The Engineers Collective podcast explores a major industry trial of flexible working practices by leading contractors in the UK.

“During the first lockdown many sites shut down for a few weeks but workers soon returned with social distancing precautions in place,” said NCE editor Claire Smith, who hosts the latest episode. “That could have meant back to business as usual for contractors, however, there were a group of businesses – Bam, Skanska and Willmott Dixon – that used the situation as an opportunity to try to do things differently and worked with flexible working consultancy Timewise and Build UK, with the support of the Construction Industry Training Board and Barclays Life Skills, to explore how that might work.”

Claire is joined by Timewise co-founder and development director Emma Stewart and Skanska project director Shaun Sheppard to discuss how the Construction Pioneers Programme came about and what has been learned over the last 12 months.

Emma discusses knowledge her business brought to the project from other sectors, while Shaun talks about the practicalities of applying a more flexible approach to work on site on High Speed 2  and the benefits that has brought.

Both Emma and Shaun use the phrase “win-win” when talking about the outcome of the programme as the research has shown the approach has no negative impact on construction costs or programmes but a huge positive impact on staff wellbeing.

To listen to the podcast click here and then read the Construction Pioneers Programme report to learn how you could bring the same benefits to your sites.

Arup’s role in levelling up the Humber

With the UK’s ‘levelling up’ agenda in full swing, the latest episode of The Engineers Collective looks at how one region is taking a different approach to regeneration.

Joining NCE head of content and engagement Rob Horgan on the episode is Krishanthi Carfrae, Arup’s lead Cities Advisory and Economics associate across the North West and Yorkshire.

The episode focusses on Opportunity Humber; a new cross-Humber private sector-led partnership established to drive greater investment in the region which benefits all areas along the Humber.

Krishanthi explains how Opportunity Humber was devised and runs listeners through the scheme’s objectives.

She gives an insight into the particular challenges and opportunities in the region and explains why other regions are looking closely at emulating the Opportunity Humber model.

Still in its early days, Krishanthi looks forward to the types of schemes that the Opportunity Humber backers will be looking to support, with energy identified as a key area of growth.

How evolution of sensor technology has empowered complex engineering projects

Fast paced development of electronics technology over the last decade has enable wireless sensors to go from being unproven but innovative solutions for monitoring complex engineering projects to become the go-to option for many schemes.

The benefits for project delivery and reduced risk that this evolution in sensor technology is explored in this episode, which is sponsored by Farnell Electronics.

NCE editor Claire Smith is joined by Bryn Smith, who is chief technical officer with wireless condition monitoring systems and technology firm Senceive, to discuss the change and look ahead to what technology advancements are expected in the future.

Bryn starts by using one of Senceive’s first projects, which involved work on Bond Steet tube station for Costain and Laing O’Rourke, to demonstrate how the technology has changed in the last 10 years. He explains how the limitations of the solutions used on that scheme have been overcome and the benefits the technology can now deliver on current projects.

While advances in electronics has enabled more rapid reporting and longer battery life to improve the quality of the data collected, Bryn said that there are still misconceptions about sensor technology.

As NCE marks it’s 50^th anniversary this year, Claire asks Bryn to make some predictions about what sensor technology will look like in another 50 years from now. Listen to the podcast to find out what he thinks is in store for the industry and the opportunities this will present to major project delivery in 2072.

This episode is sponsored by Farnell.

Farnell is a global electronics and industrial solution provider, part of the Avnet group. We deliver products, services, and solutions to thousands of customers around the world who focus on electronic system design, manufacturing, industrial environments, as well as across maintenance and repair sectors. We offer a portfolio of close to 1 million products from thousands of world-leading supplier brands. Engineers come to us at any and every stage of their process, as we are well equipped to offer support with the products they need as well as adding value.

Farnell carry a vast product portfolio of around 80,000 industrial products to support customers in their Industrial Automation journey – all available for fast delivery. We are well placed to offer support across multiple leading supplier brands such as Omega, Schneider, Eaton, ABB, Omron, Siemens, Festo, Mitsubishi, and Phoenix Contact. Our Industrial Automation & Control Hub provides access to a wide range of technical resources to facilitate factory floor design and upgrade of existing systems.

Find out more at uk.farnell.com

Speaking out about opportunities for women is critical to solving the skills crisis

Making more women aware of the opportunities a career in construction can offer is critical to attracting more people into the sector and resolving the ongoing skills crisis the industry faces.

In this episode of The Engineers Collective, NCE editor Claire Smith speaks to Willmott Dixon construction manager Lianne Lawson and Mott MacDonald development manager for energy Clare Rhodes James about their experiences coming into the sector as women as the industry prepared to mark International Women in Engineering Day last week.

The three start by discussing how they each came to study engineering and construction and the issues they experienced with people either being firmly behind them or trying to discourage them from that career path.

The group consider how the sector has changed for young women coming into it now compared to when they were early in their careers. They mostly see positive change but believe that more needs to be done to ensure school children understand the opportunities and have the chance to choose construction rather than being guided down other career paths.

Claire referenced her recent interview with Women’s Engineering Society CEO Elizabeth Donnelly on the need for more engineering role models in society. Elizabeth told Claire that the general public still don’t see engineers in the way they do doctors or lawyers. “Elizabeth said that you see doctors and lawyers portrayed on television and in fiction, but engineering only has visibility in documentary formats,” explained Claire. “As a result she says that most women who come into the engineering profession already have family or a family friend in the industry, which is why International Women in Engineering Day is so important.”

Clare and Lianne agreed that greater outreach was needed and that gender parity in the construction sector was possible, in time, particularly with an emphasis that working in construction does not always mean being on site and wearing PPE.

The Engineers Collective is powered by Bentley Systems. Around the world, engineers and architects, constructors and owner-operators are using Bentley’s software solutions to accelerate project delivery and improve asset performance for transportation infrastructure that sustains our economy and our environment. Together, we are advancing infrastructure.

Find out more at www.bentley.com

How is 3D printing changing construction techniques?

Growing use of 3D printing for concrete structures, metal bridges and composite forms by the construction industry is discussed in this episode, which is sponsored by Farnell Electronics.

NCE editor Claire Smith and senior reporter Catherine Kennedy are joined by Bam Nuttall head of innovation Colin Evison to chart how 3D printing first started to influence the civil engineering sector, where the industry is now and what opportunities lie ahead.

Colin shares his experience of working with 3D printed concrete structures on projects with clients like the Environment Agency and talks about the opportunity it presents for engineers to tap into their creative side as they work outside of existing design codes.

Claire and Catherine discuss the construction risks that come with using innovative technology with Colin, along with the potential 3D printing offers to reaching carbon net zero. Colin also shares some lessons learned around where 3D printing techniques work best and some considerations when planning to use such methods.

While Colin doesn’t believe 3D printing will solve every construction problem, he does expect its used to grow in the next decade.

This episode is sponsored by Farnell.

Farnell is a global electronics and industrial solution provider, part of the Avnet group. We deliver products, services, and solutions to thousands of customers around the world who focus on electronic system design, manufacturing, industrial environments, as well as across maintenance and repair sectors. We offer a portfolio of close to 1 million products from thousands of world-leading supplier brands. Engineers come to us at any and every stage of their process, as we are well equipped to offer support with the products they need as well as adding value.

Farnell carry a vast product portfolio of around 80,000 industrial products to support customers in their Industrial Automation journey – all available for fast delivery. We are well placed to offer support across multiple leading supplier brands such as Omega, Schneider, Eaton, ABB, Omron, Siemens, Festo, Mitsubishi, and Phoenix Contact. Our Industrial Automation & Control Hub provides access to a wide range of technical resources to facilitate factory floor design and upgrade of existing systems.

Find out more at uk.farnell.com

The role of digital twins in influencing infrastructure investment

Think of digital twins in a construction setting and what usually comes to mind is a digital representation of physical asset that aids planning, design, delivery and operation of the infrastructure but what if they were used to help drive informed investment decisions too?

The investment opportunity is subject of the latest episode of The Engineers Collective. At the start of the episode NCE editor Claire Smith is joined by former executive director of the Centre for Digital Built Britain, Alexandra Bolton who discusses the findings of some work with the finance industry to look at the broader role of digital twins. Later on Claire looks at how the Cross River Rail project in Brisbane is putting the financial planning aspect of digital twins into action and speaks to the project’s CEO Graeme Newton and digital delivery manager Andrew Curthoys.

Before looking at the project case study, Claire and Alexandra explore the background behind the How finance and digital twins shape a better future for the planet report and look at the recommendations from the report that aim to drive greater use of digital twins for broader benefits and better outcomes.

In Brisbane, Claire discovers from Graeme and Andrew that Cross River Rail is already helping to drive investment decisions beyond the new rail route, even though it is not due to open for several years. According to Graeme, the data generated by the project’s digital twin - as well as the infrastructure itself - was a key part of the city winning the bid to host the 2032 Olympic Games.

One of the key messages from Alexandra, Graeme and Andrew is that infrastructure clients need to be bold when making the decision to use digital twins and take a leap of faith around the use of data that they can bring together, rather than trying to predict how it will be used in the future.

 

Did you enjoy this episode? Get involved and complete our Digital Twin Adoption and Deployment Survey:

https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=MpZ-Bkzq2U6ebeKUlW4oS68kcPWtiANHh_fR1lzduxxUN0RWNkswRjFVOVVQQTVHVlhMRE5XRTJHUi4u

What does intelligent infrastructure mean for future design, maintenance and operation?

The role of Internet of Things to empower fully intelligent infrastructure comes under the spotlight with a look at what it means for the future of civil engineering in this episode, which is sponsored by Farnell Electronics.

NCE editor Claire Smith is joined by Arup associate director Rory McCully to look back at the evolution embedded sensor technology has brought to infrastructure over the last 25 years and consider what the next 25 years might bring.

Claire starts off with some predictions that were made at NCE’s 25th anniversary in 1997 where it was anticipated by 2022 that there would be self-monitoring, self-policing bridges. These were expected to have their own repair robots and be able to forecast when they had reached their design life.

Rory and Claire conclude that the industry hasn’t quite reached that point yet and that it is still some way off but look at what has been achieved and consider the benefits that Internet of Things and intelligent infrastructure could bring in the future.

Rory also outlines some of the barriers that the industry faces in terms of reaching these benefits, as well as the need for such technology to look at systems rather than infrastructure on a structure by structure level to gain the maximum advantages.

 

This episode is sponsored by Farnell.

Farnell is a global electronics and industrial solution provider, part of the Avnet group. We deliver products, services, and solutions to thousands of customers around the world who focus on electronic system design, manufacturing, industrial environments, as well as across maintenance and repair sectors. We offer a portfolio of close to 1 million products from thousands of world-leading supplier brands. Engineers come to us at any and every stage of their process, as we are well equipped to offer support with the products they need as well as adding value.

 

Farnell carry a vast product portfolio of around 80,000 industrial products to support customers in their Industrial Automation journey – all available for fast delivery. We are well placed to offer support across multiple leading supplier brands such as Omega, Schneider, Eaton, ABB, Omron, Siemens, Festo, Mitsubishi, and Phoenix Contact. Our Industrial Automation & Control Hub provides access to a wide range of technical resources to facilitate factory floor design and upgrade of existing systems.

 

Find out more at uk.farnell.com

Addressing the greater cancer risk faced by construction workers

Research by Cancer Research UK has shown that one in two people born after 1960 will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime and only half of those diagnosed will survive for 10 years or more. However, the charity’s evidence suggests that people working in the construction industry are more likely to get cancer and die from the disease compared to the national population.

To look at the factors that raise the risk for employees in the sector and work underway to address those, NCE editor Claire Smith is joined by Cancer Research UK senior cancer awareness nurse Jackie Kelly, Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA) national civil engineering director Peter Crosland and Amey managing director for transport infrastructure Peter Anderson.

Together they discuss both lifestyle factors and work-related risks that workers in the construction industry face that increase the potential for them to be diagnosed with cancer.

Jackie talks about how Cancer Research UK works with industry to address cancer risk and the work it is undertaken with Amey and the Stop make a change programme with CECA.

Peter from Amey explains how the firm’s partnership with Cancer Research UK came about and the positive change the workers driving through the business. Meanwhile Peter from CECA explains how his organisation has also been working with Cancer Research UK to create broader industry awareness.

The group discuss lessons they’ve learnt along the way by working in partnership and share those to help other companies looking to emulate the work that Amey and CECA have done.

Finally, Jackie shares some resources for people whose companies have not yet engaged at a corporate level and are looking for better information about cancer and support if they have been diagnosed with cancer. Jackie urged people to use current, credible, research-based information rather than general Internet searches and urge people to visit the Cancer Research UK website at CRUK.org or the NHS website at NHS.uk

Cancer Research UK also has a free helpline staffed by specialist nurses open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm that anyone can call to get advice. To access that resource please call 0808 800 4040.

The Engineers Collective is powered by Bentley Systems. Around the world, engineers and architects, constructors and owner-operators are using Bentley’s software solutions to accelerate project delivery and improve asset performance for transportation infrastructure that sustains our economy and our environment. Together, we are advancing infrastructure.

Reflecting on the lessons from the Stonehaven derailment tragedy

Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) chief inspector Simon French joins NCE senior reporter Catherine Kennedy to discuss the final report into the fatal Carmont derailment in August 2020.

 

The accident occurred after a passenger train collided with debris washed from a drain onto the track following very heavy rainfall. Tragically three people died and the remaining six people on the train were injured.

 

French reflects on the key learnings from the report, which found that a drainage system and associated earthworks constructed by Carillion had not been built in accordance with the original design and so were not able to safely accommodate the water flows on the morning of the derailment.

 

He considers the importance of change management and the challenges posed by extreme weather, before reflecting back on how the rail industry has changed and improved since the RAIB was first set up.

 

He also reflects on what the industry still needs to address in terms of improving safety and fully embracing a safety culture going forward.

 

The Engineers Collective is powered by Bentley Systems. Around the world, engineers and architects, constructors and owner-operators are using Bentley’s software solutions to accelerate project delivery and improve asset performance for transportation infrastructure that sustains our economy and our environment. Together, we are advancing infrastructure.

 

Considering carbon as a currency will drive circularity in civil engineering

Introducing circular economies into construction projects has been discussed as a concept for a number of years but this episode of the podcast looks at some projects that have actually put it into action.

 

Following some discussion on the main news stories of the month, NCE’s editor Claire Smith and head of content and engagement Rob Horgan are joined by Sweco Architects head of sustainability Elise Grosse and Sweco’s UK Buildings Division digital manager Andrew Krebs to explore the practicalities of using circular economies.

 

The group set out by defining what a circular economy is and the drivers for the construction sector to adopt them.

 

Elise explains that the industry must start to consider carbon as a currency in order for circular economies to become central to projects. Nonetheless, both she and Andrew believe that data digital tools are also critical to the success of a circular economy, particularly when it comes to using material passports to track and plan reuse of demolition waste.

 

The pair tell Claire and Rob that civil engineering is increasingly coming under the spotlight when it comes to material use and must take big steps to ensure it is focusing on achieving net zero rather than greenwashing. Elise added that recycling is often driven from an economic position rather than a moral one and urged the industry to consider whether the value and cost delivered by decisions today are at the expense of tomorrow.

 

The Engineers Collective is powered by Bentley Systems. Around the world, engineers and architects, constructors and owner-operators are using Bentley’s software solutions to accelerate project delivery and improve asset performance for transportation infrastructure that sustains our economy and our environment. Together, we are advancing infrastructure.

Find out more at www.bentley.com

What does the future of hybrid working in civil engineering look like?

With the work from home guidance being relaxed in the UK following the latest wave of Covid, many civil engineers are now starting to return to some office-based working or more site-based activities. But after two years of working through a pandemic and embracing new ways of working, has the industry’s approach to how work is undertaken changed forever?

 

To talk through the learnings since March 2020 and the opportunities and challenges a new approach presents, NCE editor Claire Smith is joined by Aecom chief operating officer for Europe and India Andy Barker and Ferrovial strategy and preconstruction director Grant Mobbs to discuss the changing dynamic from the consultants’ and contractors’ perspective.

 

All three are agreed that the end of working from home guidance does not mean that the industry will revert to exactly how it was two years ago and that hybrid working is here to stay.

 

Andy and Grant started by talking about the policies and approaches their firms had in place in early 2020 before discussing how their approach to work changed dramatically in March 2020. While the changes were challenging both employees and employers learned a lot along the way and both Grant and Andy add some detail to the positives and negatives the change brought.

 

The trio acknowledge that the change to home working, and now hybrid working, is not felt in the same way for everyone and they look at the impact it has had for early career engineers. Grant and Andy talk about the strategies that their firms have put in place to support this part of the workforce.

 

The greater focus on wellbeing that emerged during the last two years of working from home is a theme throughout, along with the potential for the change in working patterns to be more inclusive and welcome a more diverse workforce in the long term.

 

The group conclude that there is no one size fits all approach to hybrid working but the move to more trust and grown up conversations about the topic means the industry has come a long way in two years.

 

The Engineers Collective is powered by Bentley Systems. Around the world, engineers and architects, constructors and owner-operators are using Bentley’s software solutions to accelerate project delivery and improve asset performance for transportation infrastructure that sustains our economy and our environment. Together, we are advancing infrastructure.

Find out more at www.bentley.com

How privately owned public space could add climate resilience to cities

Creating new public realm as part of commercial development is becoming commonplace in order to meet planning requirements but could these be obligations be extended to add climate resilience too?

The question is explored by founding director of Madeleine Kessler Architecture and Unscene Architecture Madeleine Kessler and Civic Engineers director Gareth Atkinson in the latest episode. Following the monthly news update from NCE editor Claire Smith and senior reporter Catherine Kennedy, the pair join Claire and features editor Sotiris Kanaris to look at the growth in privatised public space and the potential it presents.

Both Madeleine and Gareth use examples from their day to day work to explore what works well in terms of well designed privately owned public realm, as well as share a few stories about what has worked less well. The conversation then turns to how the owners of these spaces could adapt designs to become better neighbours within their communities and include features such as rain gardens and sustainable drainage systems to reduce flood risk in the surrounding area.

The discussion concludes with a look at the barriers to adapting existing spaces to include climate mitigation, which range from planning bureaucracy through to the charging of VAT on upgrades, which is not levelled on new build.

In the absence of an existing planning mandate, Madeleine and Gareth both urge the industry to use new – and review existing – public space as an opportunity to improve both the sense of place in a community, as well as the climate resilience.

The Engineers Collective is powered by Bentley Systems. Around the world, engineers and architects, constructors and owner-operators are using Bentley’s software solutions to accelerate project delivery and improve asset performance for transportation infrastructure that sustains our economy and our environment. Together, we are advancing infrastructure.

Find out more at www.bentley.com

How digital engineering is improving project delivery

Jacobs senior associate director and practice group lead for intelligent asset management Steve Yule and Collins Engineers director of unmanned aircraft systems, artificial intelligence and reality modelling Barritt Lovelace join NCE editor Claire Smith and reporter Catherine Kennedy to discuss the use of digital engineering on their projects.

Network Rail and Jacobs have used digital twins on the Transpennine Route Upgrade, while Collins Engineers has adopted digital methods for the surveying work ahead of the Stone Arch Bridge Rehabilitation project in Minneapolis.

Both projects were winners in Bentley Systems’ Going Digital Awards in Infrastructure in December. Steve and Barritt discuss how these new approaches can improve project delivery, reduce risk and create better outcomes. They also consider what the future looks like for digital technologies, and lessons learned so far.

At Jacobs, Steve leads on technical input globally for high-profile infrastructure projects across the highway, rail, and utilities sectors, focusing on asset management, digital delivery, and digital twins. He has in-depth experience at working across all stages of the infrastructure lifecycle, giving him a clear perspective of the opportunities and challenges of ensuring alignment between each lifecycle stage.

Barritt is a licenced professional engineer and has over 25 years of bridge design and inspection experience. He has designed over 50 bridges and has performed over 3,000 bridge inspections.

Listeners can learn more about these and other projects in the Mobility gallery of Bentley’s Going Digital Awards in Infrastructure at: https://yii.bentley.com/en/award-finalists/mobility

The Engineers Collective is powered by Bentley Systems. Around the world, engineers and architects, constructors and owner-operators are using Bentley’s software solutions to accelerate project delivery and improve asset performance for transportation infrastructure that sustains our economy and our environment. Together, we are advancing infrastructure.

2021 in review - The top news stories and features of the year

Welcome to the final episode of The Engineers Collective for 2021!

In this episode editor of New Civil Engineer Claire Smith, head of content and engagement Rob Horgan, and reporter Catherine Kennedy take a look at the top news stories and features of the year so far, and the background behind those headlines.

The team run through the top five most read news stories, and the top five most popular features published by New Civil Engineer this year.

The Engineers Collective will return in 2022. In the meantime, the whole New Civil Engineer team wishes you a very merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year.

The Engineers Collective is powered by Bentley Systems. Around the world, engineers and architects, constructors and owner-operators are using Bentley’s software solutions to accelerate project delivery and improve asset performance for transportation infrastructure that sustains our economy and our environment. Together, we are advancing infrastructure.

Find out more at www.bentley.com

ICE President Ed McCann on rail uncertainty, COP26 and secrets behind London’s Olympic velodrome

Fresh of the back of being inaugurated as ICE President, Ed McCann joins NCE editor Claire Smith and head of content & engagement Rob Horgan on the podcast to go over the latest news.

Recorded ahead of the Integrated Rail Plan’s publication, Ed explains how a year of uncertainty has affected the industry while remaining sympathetic to the difficult position the government found itself in amid the pandemic.

Ed also looks over the Spending Review as well as announcements made at COP26 and gives his take alongside Claire and Rob on what it means for civil engineers.

The ICE’s 157th President then moves on to discuss his upcoming year at the helm of the Institution, mapping out how he plans to take on the good work done by Rachel Skinner in terms of addressing the climate crisis.

The trio then wind the clock back and discuss how Ed came to be an engineer, uncover how he ended up studying for a masters in Mexico and reminisce about iconic projects in Ed's past such as Heathrow’s Terminal 5 and the Olympic Velodrome.

The Engineers Collective is powered by Bentley Systems. Around the world, engineers and architects, constructors and owner-operators are using Bentley’s software solutions to accelerate project delivery and improve asset performance for transportation infrastructure that sustains our economy and our environment. Together, we are advancing infrastructure.

How EDF plans to mitigate the environmental impact of Sizewell C

Sizewell C consents manager Stephen Mannings and head of regional affairs Tom McGarry talked to NCE former features editor Nadine Buddoo and current features editor Sotiris Kanaris about EDF Energy’s efforts to alleviate concerns about the project's environmental impact.

 

Like Sizewell B, the proposed nuclear power station Sizewell C will be located within the Suffolk Coast and Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. For the construction of the new power station, Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) land will also be needed. For these reasons, local communities and environmental groups have raised concerns over the environmental impact of the project.

 

During the podcast discussion, Stephen and Tom run through several measures devised to minimise the construction phase’s environmental impact. They also talk about the proposed plant design changes aiming to preserve a specific area of habitat and lower disturbance to wildlife.

 

EDF Energy has also invested in creating new habitat, the Aldhurst Farm, which Stephen explains in more detail on the podcast.

 

The Engineers Collective is powered by Bentley Systems. Around the world, engineers and architects, constructors and owner-operators are using Bentley’s software solutions to accelerate project delivery and improve asset performance for transportation infrastructure that sustains our economy and our environment. Together, we are advancing infrastructure.

Contracting to collaborate and drive industry change

The role of forms on contract have played over the last 30 years in moving the construction sector from an adversarial one to a collaborative one is explored in the latest episode.

New Engineering Contracts (NEC) Users’ Group Chair John Welch, who is also currently deputy director for construction at Crown Commercial Service, and Andrew McNaughton who has recently joined Aczel as infrastructure lead join NCE editor Claire Smith and features editor Nadine Buddoo to talk about the impact NEC has had on the industry.

John and Andrew discuss the drivers for the NEC contracts to be used on smaller projects now, as well as major schemes, and look at why the system is gaining ground internationally too. Both guests point to NEC’s basis as a simple form of contract that uses plain English as the main reason for widening adoption. They also discuss how evolution of the contracts has set out the principles for collaboration but say that it is really up to the project partners to foster those principles and put them into action.

Before the interview, Claire chats with NCE’s head of content and engagement Rob Horgan and reporter Catherine Kennedy about what is likely to come out the Spending Review last today (27 October) and what the industry hopes will come out of COP26 in Glasgow. The news team also talk about the stories that have caught the interest of readers in the last month from National Highways’ historic rail bridge infilling to the fifth anniversary of construction work starting at Hinkley Point C nuclear power station.

The Engineers Collective is powered by Bentley Systems. Around the world, engineers and architects, constructors and owner-operators are using Bentley’s software solutions to accelerate project delivery and improve asset performance for transportation infrastructure that sustains our economy and our environment. Together, we are advancing infrastructure.

Why engineers need to prioritise nature-based solutions over ‘grey’ alternatives

With COP26 just weeks away, the need to design in sustainability and climate resilience into every element of the built environment has never been more in the spotlight and is the focus of the latest episode.

NCE editor Claire Smith and reporter Catherine Kennedy are joined by Rodrigo Fernandes who is director of empowering sustainable development goals with Bentley Systems to talk about the role of engineers – and the tools available to them – to drive change through design.

Before talking about the solutions and option available, Rodrigo talks to Claire and Catherine about progress on sustainability in the last decade and the scale of the challenge facing the engineering profession as it looks to increase the pace of change.

Rodrigo discusses the need to have collaboration at ecosystem level to deliver real benefits for the environment and the need for engineers to prioritise nature-based solutions over “grey” [concrete] alternatives. He also calls on engineers to advocate for resiliency early in the lifecycle of a project and for the industry to make better use of lifecycle tools to facilitate more environmentally conscious decision making.

The trio explore projects that are already doing good work in terms of improved sustainability with Rodrigo highlighting construction of High Speed 2 rail line as taking an innovative approach to design and delivery for sustainability. Nonetheless, he suggests that the construction industry needs to consider moving more to retrofitting and refurbishment over new build in the future to deliver on environmental promises.

The Engineers Collective is powered by Bentley Systems. Around the world, engineers and architects, constructors and owner-operators are using Bentley’s software solutions to accelerate project delivery and improve asset performance for transportation infrastructure that sustains our economy and our environment. Together, we are advancing infrastructure.

Find out more at www.bentley.com

Transport for London’s Michèle Dix announces her retirement

Transport for London (TfL) Crossrail 2 managing director Michèle Dix joins NCE editor Claire Smith and head of content and engagement Rob Horgan on the latest episode of The Engineers Collective to talk about her 21 year career with the organisation as she prepares for retirement.

Michèle talks about her work on London’s congestion charging scheme, which first took her to TfL in 2000 and how she was an early pioneer of job sharing when she jointly delivered the role of director for the project with Malcolm Murray-Clark. She continued to work with Malcolm as the scheme was extended westwards and they evolved the role to deliver London’s Low Emission Zone too.

Michèle also discusses some of her favourite projects, including delivery of London’s cable car, before exploring the challenges faced by her last project – Crossrail 2 – which has now been mothballed as a result of TfL’s pandemic funding issues.

In reflecting back on her career, Michèle also puts forward advice for young engineers hoping to emulate her success and considers what advice she’d give her younger self too.

Ahead of the interview with Michèle, Claire, Rob and reporter Catherine Kennedy explore some of the latest news stories including some intriguing innovations such as the role of fungi in preventing landslides, tunnel boring machines that can 3D print tunnel linings or bore square section tunnels through rock and how graphene might change construction materials.

Full steam ahead: Setting the strategy for transport decarbonisation

In this episode Transport for the North’s new chief executive Martin Tugwell joins NCE editor Claire Smith and features editor Nadine Buddoo to discuss the decarbonisation of regional transport networks. Tune in to find out how sustainable growth can be tackled by finding the economic benefits, utilising current budgets and thinking systematically to create a long-term strategy.

While the discussion is focused on the recently completed consultation for Transport for the North’s decarbonisation strategy, challenges faced in other regions of the UK also come under the spotlight. Martin, Claire and Nadine explore the potential solutions including the use of hydrogen in transport. Martin also considers how the challenges can be overcome through innovation, flexibility and long-term mindsets, which are considered key to moving forward towards becoming carbon net zero  transport industry.

Let's talk about menopause: the importance of supporting employees in the industry

In this episode Amanda Fisher, chief executive of Amey, and Mandy Willis, Mace group board director of corporate strategy, join NCE editor Claire Smith and Nadine Buddoo to discuss a new initiative they've launched to support staff through menopause in the workplace.

The group discuss how menopause is the skills issue that is rarely spoken about in the construction sector and how an online platform like Peppy allows staff to gain the support they need.

Peppy were unable to join the interview on the podcast, but co-founder Max Landry commended Amey and Mace for taking the lead on the matter. “Mace and Amey are leading the way for the construction industry by normalising the menopause and offering personalised support to their people,” he said.

“We have already hit our expected usage numbers for the companies which highlights the demand for support. Setting up this kind of support is quick, easy and cost efficient, with Mace and Amey going from initial discussions to launch in less than six weeks – testament to the commitment to change made by the leaders there."

Before the interview with Amanda and Mandy, Claire speaks to NCE’s head of content and engagement Rob Horgan and reporter Catherine Kennedy about the main news stories over the last month.

The Engineers Collective is powered by Bentley Systems. Around the world, engineers and architects, constructors and owner-operators are using Bentley’s software solutions to accelerate project delivery and improve asset performance for transportation infrastructure that sustains our economy and our environment. Together, we are advancing infrastructure.

Find out more at www.bentley.com

Creating a ‘construction time machine’ to de-risk construction with John Sisk and Sons

Creation of 3D models of different phases of construction is allowing civil engineers to move into the world of 4D and digitally rehearse the work before ever setting foot on site.

Speaking to The Engineers Collective host Claire Smith, who is editor on NCE, John Sisk and Sons head of 4D planning Josh Hanson refers to this as effectively having a construction time machine to scroll forward and back through to work to reduce risk on site. Claire and Josh are also joined by Sisk’s regional 4D planning manager Liam Clarke and BIM Lead for UK Civils and Rail Rupinder Wilkhu.

The group discuss how BIM models and animation of design 10 years ago has now evolved to allow digital rehearsal and how Sisk has moved on that journey using Bentley System’s Synchro software. Liam, Josh and Rupinder explore how the techniques have benefitted projects they are currently working on and what the challenges might have been if they had not had the technology available to them.

The trio also share their expertise to give advice to engineer and businesses that haven’t yet fully embraced the potential of digital engineering in this way before exploring how the techniques might evolve in the next decade to give closer control on cost, carbon and quality.

The Engineers Collective is powered by Bentley Systems. Around the world, engineers and architects, constructors and owner-operators are using Bentley’s software solutions to accelerate project delivery and improve asset performance for transportation infrastructure that sustains our economy and our environment. Together, we are advancing infrastructure.

Find out more at www.bentley.com

The importance of collaboration between architects and engineers with Martin Knight and Michelle McDowell

This month's episode features a chat with founding director of Knight Architects, Martin Knight, and BDP principal and civil and structural engineering group leader Michelle McDowell.

The two join our editorial panel to talk about the need for engineers and architects to work together more collaboratively in the future. With the two disciplines working closer together than they used to, we ask about the biggest misconceptions they have about each other, and what benefits could arise from a better understanding on both sides. We talk about how delivery with consideration from all corners can improve the experience for the end user, and what barriers currently exist which prevent closer collaboration. 

We often talk about the need for early engagement at all levels in the supply chain, but do we procure projects in the right way to create the opportunity for improved design and multidisciplinary collaboration?

All of this and more is on the table in July's episode of The Engineers Collective.

The Engineers Collective is powered by Bentley Systems. Around the world, engineers and architects, constructors and owner-operators are using Bentley’s software solutions to accelerate project delivery and improve asset performance for transportation infrastructure that sustains our economy and our environment. Together, we are advancing infrastructure.

Find out more at www.bentley.com

In the news: the Miami Champlain Towers South collapse with the NCE editorial team

In this month’s news special, Claire Smith (editor), Catherine Kennedy (reporter) and Rob Horgan (news editor) discuss the recent tragic events in Miami, with the collapse in June of the Champlain Towers South building.

Then, Claire is joined by former New Civil Engineer editor Ty Byrd, who joined what is now NCE’s sister title, Construction News in the wake the collapse of the Ronan Point tower block in East London. Ty tells us about the changes in the construction industry which came about as a result of the collapse.

Health, Safety, Wellbeing and data: The ‘Discovering Safety’ programme, with HSE and Atkins

In this month’s episode of The Engineers Collective, news editor Rob Horgan and reporter Catherine Kennedy discuss the top news stories of the month, and Catherine tells us a bit about her most recent site visit in Belfast.

Later, Nadine Buddoo (features editor at NCE) is joined by Zane Ulhaq, associate director for Atkins, and Helen Balmforth, the head of data analytics at the Health and Safety Executive.

Zane is a leader for change in the construction and healthcare sectors. He has digitally transformed a business unit of over 3,000 staff and is a key leader of Atkins’ global digital programme. Helen provides data analytical expertise across HSE, the wider UK government and the private sector. She has over 18 years’ experience of developing and delivering analytical solutions for a range of health and safety issues. Helen has led the development of the Regulatory Intelligence programme of work at HSE and sits on the cross government Data Leaders Network.

Together they discuss health, safety and wellbeing issues affecting the industry, and help us understand how data science and tools can be applied to make improvements and innovations.

They tell us all about the ‘Discovering Safety’ programme and how successes and challenges will be shared with industry, and reference examples of best practice.
As with all topics, there is also some Covid-forced innovation to be highlighted, as well as a general shift within industry in data culture (and HSE’s change in mindset to match pace).