Engineering Matters

In this episode, we tell the story of MERMAID from the Wildlife Conservation Society, this year’s Engineering Matters Awards Environment Gold Champion. Emily Darling, director for coral reef conservation at WCS, describes why scientists need better ways of sharing coral data, and how MERMAID helps them do so. Rita Bento, a researcher at NYU Abu Dhabi joins the episode, in an interview recorded in January 2026, to describe the work the university has been doing with regional partners to map coral reefs in the Persian-Arabian Gulf. And Angie Braithwaite, co-founder of Blue Alliance, describes how the nonprofit organization is using Mermaid to understand the effectiveness of marine protected areas. MERMAID allows the scientists to more easily map and understand the world’s coral reefs, helping identify those that are more resilient to climate change. Its latest update adds more, using AI to speed up the slow work of identifying species in reefs. Guests Emily Darling, director for coral reef conservation, WCS Rita Bento, researcher, NYU Abu Dhabi Angie Braithwaite, co-founder, Blue Alliance Category sponsorSupport for this episode and the Environment Champion Category comes from FuturePlus. FuturePlus helps businesses measure, manage and improve their environmental and social impact – with a live ESG platform and a named expert to guide you through it. Three hundred businesses are already Impact Certified, from hospitality to engineering. Find out more at future-plus.co.ukThe post #364b Environment Champion – Engineering Matters Awards gold winner first appeared on Engineering Matters.

Around the world, engineers are working to protect the environment. In this episode, we introduce eight companies who are taking steps to safeguard the natural world. All have been shortlisted for the Engineering Matters Awards. The first three shortlisted entries look at ways of understanding the natural world. Petra Ringeltaube explains how RWE’s SeaMi is taking a less invasive, ecosystems-based approach to monitoring biodiversity on wind farms. Emily Darling of the Wildlife Conservation Society explains how its tool MERMAID is allowing coral scientists to share data, and now, with new AI tools, identify species on reefs. Next, Peter Salome explains a new tool from Fugro that will speed the delivery of vital new subsea powerlines. We then look at the challenges of building new homes and the infrastructure needed to support them, while limiting harmful environmental impacts. Edward Selvey, a senior ecologist with Avove describes how the company helped mitigate the biodiversity impact of a new water pipeline. Helen Gibbon, a director at Renaissance, explains how the engineers implemented sustainable drainage for a new estate in Salford. And Siobhan Warfield-Beattie talks us through how Ayesa helped lower the carbon impact of a wastewater treatment plant in Arklow. At Derne Reach, in Yorkshire, Olivia Rowe tells us, Mott MacDonald Bentley has taken a different approach to wastewater, helping build an integrated constructed wetland. Finally, we learn about two projects seeking to restore nature. Matthew Hay of Nattergal describes the company’s work at High Fen Wildland, where it is helping re-wet peatlands, in a way that shows how boosting nature can be a commercially viable investment. And Nick Cooper of Haskoning describes how the company has helped remove colliery waste from a Northumberland coastline.  Stay tuned to the end of the episode to learn which entries won a position in this year’s awards. Guests Petra Ringeltaube, environmental manager, RWE Emily Darling, director, coral reef conservation, WCS Peter Salome, innovation manager, Fugro Edward Selvey, senior ecologist, Avove Helen Gribbon, director, Renaissance Siobhan Warfield-Beattie, marketing director, Ayesa Olivia Rowe, project leader, Mott MacDonald Bentley Matthew Hay, natural capital manager, Nattergal Nick Cooper, technical director, Haskoning Category sponsor Support for this episode and the Environment Champion Category comes from FuturePlus. FuturePlus helps businesses measure, manage and improve their environmental and social impact – with a live ESG platform and a named expert to guide you through it. Three hundred businesses are already Impact Certified, from hospitality to engineering. Find out more at future-plus.co.ukThe post #364a Environment Champion – Engineering Matters Awards shortlist first appeared on Engineering Matters.

In its seventh Allocation Round the UK executed the largest offshore wind auction in European history, putting pen to paper on 8.4GW of new capacity, enough to power 10 million homes. Allocation Round 8 is expected to be even more ambitious, as the UK looks to upgrade its radar systems to enable a 10GW installation, according to Windtech International. Offshore wind projects require complete understanding of conditions on, and below, the seabed. As projects proliferate and demand for surveys and more accurate data becomes truly vast, the deployment of cutting edge technology becomes essential. Uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) patrolling the surface and remotely operated vehicles diving beneath the waves have been key to sustainable offshore operations. Not just in environmental terms and added human safety, but to achieve reasonable operational costs in increasingly asset-rich coastal seas. From the early, smaller vessels designed for a specific purpose, designers and builders have increased size and diversified the capabilities of individual platforms. Today, Fugro’s Blue Prism®, it’s first fully dedicated site screening geophysics USV –  can do much more. In this episode, we look at these state-of-the-art vessels, the challenges of multi-sensor data collection and how they can help meet the unprecedented demand for timely surveys. Guests Roger Birchall, Technical Authority – Geophysics, SSE Renewables Marco Gilissen, Global Director – Marine Geophysics, Fugro Simon McIlroy, Survey Systems Architect, Fugro Resources To learn more about the Geo Risk Management Framework mentioned in the episode, listen to the first part of a three part episode we released last year: click here Partner Fugro is the world’s leading Geo-data specialist, collecting and analysing comprehensive information about the Earth and the structures built upon it. Through integrated data acquisition, analysis and advice, Fugro unlocks insights from geo-data to help clients design, build and operate their assets in a safe, sustainable and efficient manner.The post #363 Uncrewed Vessels and Unprecedented Data first appeared on Engineering Matters.

The London skyline is undergoing perhaps its most significant transformation in decades as a new ‘vertical renaissance’ is sending tremors of excitement from Guildhall to Mansion House. The City of London Corporation says that over half a million square metres of office space was granted planning permission in the City in 2025, equivalent to more than ten ‘Gherkins’ with around half of this amount already under construction.  This includes the leviathan 309.6m ‘1 Undershaft’ which will be as tall as the Shard when completed. But it is not all about the capacity, unlike the Financial Fortresses of the 20th century, as the earlier skyscrapers in the City were sometimes called, the new structures will be more open to the street, with pedestrian access, parks and commercial arcades, to make the city feel more vibrant and  less sterile, than it has to previous generations. The City’s largest office building, 22 Bishopsgate has led the way in a period of challenging economic headwinds, fully occupied and seeing record high rents, it is perhaps the first of these post-financial crash, vertical villages in the Square Mile that can be considered part of this renaissance. Guests Paul Hargreaves, Construction Director, Lipton Rogers David Healy, Mechanical and Electrical Lead, WSP in the UK Amy Holtz, Director – Head of Sustainability, PLP Architecture Diego Padilla-Philips, Technical Director, WSP in the UK Partner As one of the world’s leading engineering professional services consultancies, WSP brings clarity and vision to complex challenges. Their team of technical specialists and strategic advisers across the UK is part of a talented global family of expertise. Together, they ensure innovative solutions solve complex problems for our clients and the communities we serve, meeting both the needs of today and addressing the challenges of the future.The post #362 Revisited: Skyscrapers, Predicting The Future first appeared on Engineering Matters.

Humanity’s furthest ever journey into space has been delayed. Again. An interruption to the flow of helium forced NASA to scrap the revised 6 March launch date of the Artemis II mission, and begin the slow process to roll the increasingly unfortunate rocket back to the vehicle assembly bay. While the delays are frustrating for the engineers involved, and space enthusiasts alike, every precaution has to be taken when a human crew is involved.  While we wait for this historic mission, we thought we would revisit an episode where we examined progress in robotic systems in space. The deployment of which removes the risk to human life and will be a critical part of the future of space operations. A future that Artemis 2 crew will spearhead. Space offers certain conditions that make it more favourable to manufacturing than Earth. Near zero gravity, extreme cold temperatures and a complete vacuum means certain industries such as quantum computing, semiconductors and human organ growth have already demonstrated the benefits of being manufactured in space. We explore how close we are to seeing manufacturing industries existing in space and what barriers there currently are.  In this episode, two experts from the Satellite Applications Catapult explain how they are working with a variety of companies in the in-orbit service and manufacturing sector to try and make the UK a world leader in this new frontier of space. Guests Mike Curtis-Rouse, Head of Access to Space, Satellite Applications Catapult Jeremy Haddall, Robotics Development Lead, Satellite Applications Catapult PartnerThe Satellite Applications Catapult is one of nine Catapults, uniquely established to transform the UK’s capability for innovation in specific areas and to help drive future economic growth. They work with companies of all sizes in the UK space sector to help with their business, access to infrastructure for testing and bringing their product to market.The post #361 Revisited: Space – The Robotic Age first appeared on Engineering Matters.

Systems thinking allows engineers to understand complex systems and the second-, third-, and nth-order effects of their interventions. It avoids the accidental creation of new problems when solving a first, and allows for the identification of effective leverage points for more impactful, sustainable change. The world, the built environment and our infrastructure all have patterns that can be understood with a few changes in thought process. In this episode we’re looking at the work Engineers Without Borders UK has done to promote systems thinking in engineering, through a programme of Systems Change Labs. Guests Mark Enzer, Strategic Advisor, Mott MacDonald Eva Fernandez, Strategic Sustainability Consultant, Ramboll Jonathan Truslove, Education and Skills Lead, EWB UK Supporter From prototyping to full-scale production, Xometry UK is the leading on-demand manufacturing marketplace. With a network of over 2,000 manufacturing partners across Europe and 10,000 worldwide, Xometry provides the capacity and expertise to handle projects of any size, making advanced manufacturing accessible to all. Resources To read the Connect to Change report from the Built Environment Connective, click hereThe post #360 Systems Change: Thinking in Patterns first appeared on Engineering Matters.

Around the world, urban planners are seeking to deliver urban growth and increase access to city centres through the development of transit-oriented communities. These combine new publicly-backed transport infrastructure, with privately-financed residential and commercial development. It’s a route to more sustainable cities, but it involves careful navigation of budgetary constraints and the needs of existing communities. Michael Matthys explains some of the challenges of delivering transit-oriented communities in Toronto. He explains some of the challenges, both in terms of engineering, and in terms of meeting community needs. For stations in crowded downtown areas, he describes the importance of maintaining local character, and explains how retrofit might be a suitable solution. Looking further out into the suburbs, he describes policies that can help maintain affordable options for residents, and the engagement needed to ensure community support. Guest Michael Matthys, Planning Lead, SvN Architects + Planners Partner Egis is a leading global architectural, consulting, construction engineering, operations and mobility services firm. Egis creates and operates intelligent infrastructure and buildings that both respond to the climate emergency and contribute to balanced, sustainable and resilient development.Its 22,000 employees operate across over 100 countries, deploying their expertise to develop and deliver cutting-edge innovations and solutions for clients. Through the wide range of its activities, Egis plays a central role in the collective organisation of society and the living environment of citizens all over the world.The post #359k Transit-Oriented Communities in Toronto first appeared on Engineering Matters.

In the 1970s, Saudi Arabia, buoyed by a surge in oil prices, embarked on an ambitious building programme. The country moved rapidly to develop its cities and infrastructure. However, Prince Salman, then the governor of Riyadh, now the country’s King, saw that this was resulting in cities that were unmoored from their local context. This episode traces the evolution of modern architecture in Saudi Arabia, from the economic boom of the 1970s and the development of a distinctive Salmani-style. We look at the national program of incorporating the vernacular in individual buildings, before moving on to the current Vision 2030, describing its approach to wider urban development, passive temperature control, and sustainability.  Lastly, we examine lessons for other nations engaged in a phase of rapid growth and urbanisation, and what they can learn from this history. Guest Lana Al-Dwehji, Lead Architect, Omrania Partner Egis is a leading global architectural, consulting, construction engineering, operations and mobility services firm. Egis creates and operates intelligent infrastructure and buildings that both respond to the climate emergency and contribute to balanced, sustainable and resilient development. Its 22,000 employees operate across over 100 countries, deploying their expertise to develop and deliver cutting-edge innovations and solutions for clients. Through the wide range of its activities, Egis plays a central role in the collective organisation of society and the living environment of citizens all over the world.The post #359j – Modern Vernacular in Saudi Arabia first appeared on Engineering Matters.

For facade specialists, stone is highly prized for its performance and character. The right choice of stone can anchor a building in its local context, or make a striking statement. While stone has fallen out of use, modern approaches mean that it could now be used in the same standardised ways as steel, concrete and glass.  In this episode we learn that it is ripe for a return as a structural material, decades after it was supplanted by concrete and steel. A series of projects demonstrate how stone can be used as a structural component. Finally, we look at the steps needed to make stone building a routine part of construction: the adoption of standards, allowing stone components to be used ‘off-the-shelf’, rather than needing to prove them each time and an understanding of its versatility. Guest David West, Technical Director, Inhabit Partner Egis is a leading global architectural, consulting, construction engineering, operations and mobility services firm. Egis creates and operates intelligent infrastructure and buildings that both respond to the climate emergency and contribute to balanced, sustainable and resilient development.Its 22,000 employees operate across over 100 countries, deploying their expertise to develop and deliver cutting-edge innovations and solutions for clients. Through the wide range of its activities, Egis plays a central role in the collective organisation of society and the living environment of citizens all over the world.The post #359i Stone as Structure first appeared on Engineering Matters.

Sustainability experts often use a hierarchy to help their thinking about interventions. The best way to limit your impact is to do nothing at all. If that’s not possible, then use as few materials as you can. And finally, if extensive work must be conducted, then replace more carbon-intensive materials with those with less impacts. In this episode, Lucas Grisoni describes three projects in Paris that demonstrate different approaches to sustainable construction. For the University of Chicago’s new campus, the focus has been on reducing the use of materials, both in order to keep the structure light—it is built over a railway—and to minimise carbon impacts. On WoodUp, one of Europe’s tallest timber structures, the focus is on selecting a lower carbon material. And on the Eiffel Tower, the historical nature of the project has demanded limited interventions—which has the benefit of reducing carbon impacts, as well as preserving the structure. Guest Lucas Grisoni, Head of Structural Engineering, Low-carbon/Complex Structures & Envelopes, Elioth, by Egis Partner Egis is a leading global architectural, consulting, construction engineering, operations and mobility services firm. Egis creates and operates intelligent infrastructure and buildings that both respond to the climate emergency and contribute to balanced, sustainable and resilient development. Its 22,000 employees operate across over 100 countries, deploying their expertise to develop and deliver cutting-edge innovations and solutions for clients. Through the wide range of its activities, Egis plays a central role in the collective organisation of society and the living environment of citizens all over the world.The post #359h Sustainability in Paris first appeared on Engineering Matters.

Lifecycle carbon assessment – the process of monitoring the total carbon footprint of a structure from the first spade in the ground to demolition – sits at the confluence of engineering and sustainability. As we adapt our processes and understanding of the built environment, LCA is a critical measure to guide our decision making. The nature of the work is truly holistic, in winter an icy road might have salt spread on it. This in turn could corrode rebar, which needs to be replaced. That work might close part of the road, which increases vehicle idling times and stop-start driving. All of this impacts LCA. Ali Amiri was an early adopter of the technique, and has devised a means of calculating a building’s carbon impact before it’s even reached the ground-breaking stage. His team now include lifecycle carbon assessment (LCA) as a routine part of their process. This episode also looks at the intergenerational aspect of the work, where, younger members of the team are bringing the data science related skills that allow them to deliver the LCA as standard. Guest Ali Amiri, Regional Director for Building Engineering and Sustainability, Egis Partner Egis is a leading global architectural, consulting, construction engineering, operations and mobility services firm. Egis creates and operates intelligent infrastructure and buildings that both respond to the climate emergency and contribute to balanced, sustainable and resilient development.Its 22,000 employees operate across over 100 countries, deploying their expertise to develop and deliver cutting-edge innovations and solutions for clients. Through the wide range of its activities, Egis plays a central role in the collective organisation of society and the living environment of citizens all over the world.The post #359g An Intergenerational Approach to Sustainability first appeared on Engineering Matters.

Retrofitting is an instrumental step in reducing the carbon footprint of a city’s building stock. It also extends the life of a building and has a lower environmental impact than demolishing inefficient properties and building anew. Even a new development, such as the East Village in Stratford London, although just 12 years old, is still largely heated by fossil fuel. Adaptable designs are critical to bring future improvements to existing structures. Marion Baeli is a pioneer of sustainable architecture, her practice identified easy-to-deliver improvements to energy use on one of the buildings in the development, at the same time as adding capacity that could finance the project.  Guest Marion Baeli, Principal, Sustainability Transformation at 10 Design Partner Egis is a leading global architectural, consulting, construction engineering, operations and mobility services firm. Egis creates and operates intelligent infrastructure and buildings that both respond to the climate emergency and contribute to balanced, sustainable and resilient development.Its 22,000 employees operate across over 100 countries, deploying their expertise to develop and deliver cutting-edge innovations and solutions for clients. Through the wide range of its activities, Egis plays a central role in the collective organisation of society and the living environment of citizens all over the world.The post #359f Sustainability and Adaptation in East London first appeared on Engineering Matters.

When you are designing a stadium for the World Cup, or any major sport, it’s vital to have a fan’s-eye view. For more than a century, the architects tasked with designing stadiums have used the C-value, developed by Victorian theatre designer John Russel. But this value just measures the view in one direction, towards the stage. Sporting events are viewed in the round, with fans all around the stadium bowl. In this episode, we hear from Mark Fenwick, whose practice has designed stadiums for the Qatar World Cup, and for leading European football teams. He explains how Fenwick Iribarren has built on the Victorian concept of C-values and sightlines in theatre design, with the FI-Factor, a new system for mapping the spectators’ view from each seat in a stadium.  Mark describes the sub-factors considered, explains how this was first used during bidding for a new world cup stadium at Education City in Qatar, its subsequent use in Valencia, and its scope for use on other stadiums. Guest Mark Fenwick, Partner, Fenwick Iribarren Architects Partner Egis is a leading global architectural, consulting, construction engineering, operations and mobility services firm. Egis creates and operates intelligent infrastructure and buildings that both respond to the climate emergency and contribute to balanced, sustainable and resilient development.Its 22,000 employees operate across over 100 countries, deploying their expertise to develop and deliver cutting-edge innovations and solutions for clients. Through the wide range of its activities, Egis plays a central role in the collective organisation of society and the living environment of citizens all over the world.The post #359e A Better View of Stadium Design first appeared on Engineering Matters.

Nuclear power promises to provide energy when other sources can’t. But nuclear plants currently take a long time to build—often more than a decade. Anthony Burch, digital manager, Egis, and his colleagues, are working on the key components of Hinkley Point C in England. These form the so-called ‘nuclear island’—the reactor building and four associated safety buildings. In this episode, Anthony describes the challenges of delivering ‘right first time’ construction on a highly complex, one off, and long term project: Hinkley Point C. He explains the challenges of clash detection on a project that has continued to evolve, and how the use of BIM and digital tools has smoothed this process. He describes how work on this project will feed into future projects, such as Sizewell C, and open the way to a new generation of nuclear power plant construction. Guest Anthony Burch, Digital Manager, BIM Partner Egis is a leading global architectural, consulting, construction engineering, operations and mobility services firm. Egis creates and operates intelligent infrastructure and buildings that both respond to the climate emergency and contribute to balanced, sustainable and resilient development.Its 22,000 employees operate across over 100 countries, deploying their expertise to develop and deliver cutting-edge innovations and solutions for clients. Through the wide range of its activities, Egis plays a central role in the collective organisation of society and the living environment of citizens all over the world.The post #359d A Digital Path to Nuclear’s New Generation first appeared on Engineering Matters.

At ITER, in France, scientists and engineers from around the world are working together to develop nuclear fusion at power plant scale. The project could one day lead to a world of truly abundant green energy.  In this episode, Caroline Dixon explains some of the logistical challenges of working on a project that is perhaps humanity’s largest ever experiment. In this decades-long project, the engineers building the reactor are in a constant race to keep up with scientists working on the cutting edge of physics. The reactor building is being constructed using thousands of steel plates, embedded in concrete. As the scientists develop their ideas, near constant changes are needed to the structure’s components. Caroline describes how a hotline was developed early in the project to allow experts to collaborate on resolving clashes.This was followed by a holistic integration team, or HIT, which brought a fusion of minds between all the project’s delivery teams, to manage this constantly evolving design and construction process—an approach that could speed construction across all major projects. Guest Caroline Dixon, Project Director, Nuclear Power, Egis Partner Egis is a leading global architectural, consulting, engineering, operations and mobility services firm with 22,000 employees across more than 100 countries. The company designs and operates intelligent infrastructure and buildings that both respond to climate emergencies and contribute to balanced, sustainable and resilient development.The post #359c A Fusion of Minds at ITER first appeared on Engineering Matters.

There is a changing view of the environment among public sector clients in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia has ambitious goals like generating 50% of electricity from renewables by 2030, the UAE has targets such as diverting 80 percent of its waste from landfill by by 2031, and Qatar is moving towards 100% treated wastewater reuse. With environmental considerations now at the core of new projects, rather than being a problem to be dealt with, each project must consider its impact on the environment. This means a shift from reacting to problems, to planning with goals being measured. Countries like UAE, Saudi and Qatar, are putting in place long-term plans for strategies that include waste diversion, emissions reductions and renewable energy. In benchmarking these strategies against international standards and best practices, the deployment of digital tools is critical. Guest Yassman AlKhatib, Regional Director for Water, Environment, and Energy Transition, Egis Partner Egis is a leading global architectural, consulting, construction engineering, operations and mobility services firm. Egis creates and operates intelligent infrastructure and buildings that both respond to the climate emergency and contribute to balanced, sustainable and resilient development. Its 22,000 employees operate across over 100 countries, deploying their expertise to develop and deliver cutting-edge innovations and solutions for clients. Through the wide range of its activities, Egis plays a central role in the collective organisation of society and the living environment of citizens all over the world.The post #359b Water, Energy and the Environment in the Middle East first appeared on Engineering Matters.

Lismore sits at the confluence of two rivers in New South Wales. Covering more than 1,300 square kilometres, it is home to more than 44,000 people. In 2022, it was hit by a huge flood, the highest on record, followed by a smaller, though still devastating, second flood. Five lives were lost in the disasters, along with 500 properties, making 2,000 people homeless at a cost of AUD 350M in damages.  The event raised critical questions about flood prevention and planning. It underscored the urgent need for more resilient approaches to town and city planning, that anticipate extreme events and protect communities and economic activities more effectively. Engeny were initially brought in to improve flood protection, before the flooding demonstrated the existential need for this work. This episode looks at the protection work so far, how it has evolved after the flood, and future plans to meet the increasing risks. Guest Mark Page, Government Sector Lead, Engeny Partner Egis is a leading global architectural, consulting, construction engineering, operations and mobility services firm. Egis creates and operates intelligent infrastructure and buildings that both respond to the climate emergency and contribute to balanced, sustainable and resilient development. Its 22,000 employees operate across over 100 countries, deploying their expertise to develop and deliver cutting-edge innovations and solutions for clients. Through the wide range of its activities, Egis plays a central role in the collective organisation of society and the living environment of citizens all over the world.The post #359a Australia’s Most Flooded Town first appeared on Engineering Matters.

Society needs to consider the impact of climate change on our cities because it is no longer a future challenge; it is a present reality. Cities with their concentrated populations, infrastructure and supply challenges are uniquely vulnerable to climate-related shocks, exposed to risks such as floods, heatwaves, water scarcity and any disruption to their systems. Engineers and decision-makers must embed sustainability and resilience into every stage of the planning and design process to ensure adaptability to these changes.  In this introduction to a series on sustainable approaches to the global built environment, we begin a journey that will take us around the world, to meet engineers on the front lines of this civilisational challenge. Guest Thomas Salvant, Chief Executive Officer – Energy and Sustainable Cities, Egis Partner Egis is a leading global architectural, consulting, construction engineering, operations and mobility services firm. Egis creates and operates intelligent infrastructure and buildings that both respond to the climate emergency and contribute to balanced, sustainable and resilient development.  Its 22,000 employees operate across over 100 countries, deploying their expertise to develop and deliver cutting-edge innovations and solutions for clients. Through the wide range of its activities, Egis plays a central role in the collective organisation of society and the living environment of citizens all over the world.The post #359 Intro – A Sustainable and Resilient World first appeared on Engineering Matters.

Residents of tall buildings can face significant risks in the event of fire or structural failure. At Grenfell Tower in the UK, a fire in a resident’s kitchen spread rapidly around the building, due to failures in the testing and installation of cladding materials, and leading to widespread loss of life.  The inquiry into the fire revealed how overlooked risks can line up, causing disaster. The 2022 Building Safety Act established that dutyholders—owners and developers—of buildings like this should employ competent professionals. The challenge these dutyholders now face is to identify those professionals. The Engineering Council in the UK has established a means to do this, through the Higher Risk Buildings Register. In this episode, Chris O’Regan, chair of the joint ICE/IStructE committee that developed the register, explains the skills and expertise needed from engineers working on these structures. This goes beyond technical expertise: Chris highlights the need for empathy with residents, and a demonstrated ability to collaborate with professionals from other disciplines. Guest Chris O’Regan, chair, ICE/IStructE Higher Risk Buildings Register Committee; associate director, Mason Navarro PledgeThe post #358 Experts in Risk first appeared on Engineering Matters.

A wise asset owner builds on solid ground. Unless ground risks are clearly identified, projects can easily be delayed or delivered over budget. Some risks may not even be fully understood until an asset begins operations. In this final episode of three on ground risks and the asset life cycle, Karim Khalaf explains how one major European vehicle manufacturer only learned how the soil beneath their new manufacturing plant would act, once steel presses started working—effectively inducing a series of small earthquakes and setting foundations floating off the apparently solid sand they stood on. Assumptions about ground conditions can lead to costly and time-consuming emergencies during construction. An unexpected cavity, for example, may mean that work has to stop until the site is properly modelled. In the past, that could involve substantial costs and lengthy delays, as heavy geotechnical equipment is deployed. But, with the careful use of geophysical screening, answers can be delivered quickly, and work resumed, with costs kept under control. Rod Eddies describes how these two sets of techniques, namely broad geophysical screening and strategic geotechnical investigations, can be used together to create a detailed 3D model of the subsurface. This can be shared and used by those making strategic decisions, as well as by technical specialists and other stakeholders. Matt Waddicor of Fermi Development, who we heard from in the first episode, rounds up the advantages of using this approach throughout the asset life cycle, and shares how early investigations may support on time and on budget delivery, across the infrastructure sector. Guests Matt Waddicor, Development Programme Director, Fermi Development Rod Eddies, Solutions Director, Land, Fugro Karim Khalaf, Regional Business Line Manager, Middle East, Fugro Partner Fugro is the world’s leading Geo-data specialist, collecting and analysing comprehensive information about the Earth and the structures built upon it. Through integrated data acquisition, analysis and advice, Fugro unlocks insights from geo-data to help clients design, build and operate their assets in a safe, sustainable and efficient manner.The post #357c Well-Grounded Decisions: Construction and Operations first appeared on Engineering Matters.