Engineering excellence recognised in new video series

Innovative engineering projects to support climate ambitions and communities in Ireland and overseas have been recognised by Engineers Ireland in their newly released Engineering Excellence Digital Series, in association with ESB.

Recognising Ireland’s engineering talent

Launched this week, the five-part video series shines a light on some of the top engineering projects delivered by Ireland’s engineering community over the past 12 months and the positive impact that engineers have made to society.

Following a free-to-enter competition and judging process, four engineering projects were selected to represent the top engineering initiatives undertaken in the fields of innovation, sustainability, buildings and structures, and infrastructure in 2022.

The four projects that feature in the video series and now available to view are:

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Dublin Airport North Runway by Arup, SENER and FCC Construcción

Dublin Airport’s North Runway is one of the largest infrastructure projects in Ireland. It is the first international runway constructed in Ireland in over 30 years. The international project team, comprising of Arup, SENER, FCC Construcción and Roadbridge, brought together the expertise of engineers from Ireland, Spain, the UK and other projects globally, to develop this best-in-class runway to support DAA’s future plans and ambitions. This huge project involved the building and installation of over 340,000m² of new runway and taxiways, 6km of internal airport roads, 425km of electrical cable and 2,500 runway and taxiway lights.

Glasgow Airport Investment Area – Ancillary Infrastructure by RPS Group and Wills Bros Civil Engineering Ltd

From their offices in Dublin, Cork and Galway, RPS Group provided design services for Wills Bros Civil Engineering on the Glasgow Airport Investment Area – Ancillary Infrastructure project, which is being led by Renfrewshire Council. This project has been jointly funded by the UK and Scottish governments through the £1.13bn Glasgow City Region Deal. RPS developed an innovative, unique and low carbon solution to the problem of constructing a new road over a set of buried electrical cables in a soft floodplain environment. The innovative, and alternative, design developed by RPS comprised of an ‘embankment’ formed with recycled plastic geocellular units. The carbon footprint for this geocellular design was 197t CO2e, 87 per cent lower than the original design which had a carbon footprint of 1,546t CO2e.

The Deep Retrofit of Lahinch Leisure Centre by Tipperary Energy Agency

Lahinch Leisure Centre in Co Clare is a community managed facility which was constructed in 1950 and extended in 1996. Prior to Tipperary Energy Agency’s appointment as the energy efficiency consultants and mechanical and electrical design engineers, the facility had unsustainable energy costs, with a heavy reliance on fossil fuels. Today, the facility proudly displays an A3 non-domestic BER. The deep retrofit and energy efficiency upgrade works completed by Tipperary Energy Agency will also achieve a 56 per cent reduction in running costs and a 55 per cent reduction in CO2 emissions.

The Redevelopment of Bolands Quay by Arup and project partners

The urban regeneration scheme behind Bolands Quay in Dublin breathes new life into this formerly derelict industrial site. Important Irish industrial heritage has been protected and incorporated into a live, modern, multi-use development. Arup, and their project partners, incorporated passive design features to reduce the energy footprint of the buildings. The design sought to achieve best-in-class status for commercial space in Dublin and delivered on the client’s high-performance brief with a BER A3 certification. In addition to the office, residential and retail space, a new cultural quarter will be created, as well as a new route for the public from MacMahon Bridge through the site onto Barrow Street.

Engineer of the Year

In addition, Mary Hurley, a major linear infrastructure project manager with engineering consultancy firm Arup, also features in the series having been chosen as Engineers Ireland’s Engineer of the Year.

The UCC graduate strives to make a positive impact and create sustainable solutions for communities across Ireland. Throughout her 20-year career to date, she has challenged preconceived ideas by developing innovative approaches to sustainable transport projects. She believes that adaptability, communication and empathy are three of the greatest skill sets that engineers can possess, and that people should be at the heart of all engineering projects.

Damien Owens, director general of Engineers Ireland, commented: “The engineering initiatives profiled in our Engineering Excellence Digital Series remind us of the positive impact that the engineering profession has on the daily lives of communities in Ireland and overseas. We are very pleased to have the support of our title sponsor ESB who is helping us to bring this series to fruition once again in 2022.

“The challenges we face as a society all require and benefit from engineering innovation. By providing the public with an insight into the lived experiences and people behind Ireland’s top engineering projects of 2022, we hope to highlight the diversity of the profession and the many ways engineers are vital to delivering creative and sustainable solutions for modern society,” Mr Owens added.

Marguerite Sayers, deputy chief executive of ESB, added: “ESB is proud to support Engineers Ireland’s Engineering Excellence Digital Series and its celebration of Ireland’s rich and diverse engineering talent. Engineering is integral to modern life and the initiatives profiled in this year’s video series demonstrate how Ireland’s engineers are leading the way to develop inclusive and sustainable solutions to drive innovation, combat climate change, and to support communities in Ireland and overseas. From national projects, such as the design and delivery of Dublin Airport’s North Runway to community projects including the deep retrofit of Lahinch Leisure Centre, this year’s series showcases how engineers play an integral role in driving growth, connecting communities, and supporting development. I would encourage the public and the wider engineering profession to view the series and to gain insight into just some of the fantastic work that is being undertaken by Ireland’s engineers.”

Cast your vote

In addition to viewing the series, Engineers Ireland is also encouraging its 25,000 member engineers and the wider public to vote for their top engineering project featured in the series for the Engineering Endeavour of 2022 Award by noon on Friday, 9 December.

Concluding, Mr Owens commented: “We look forward to the public and our broad membership engaging with the series, viewing and sharing the videos, being inspired and voting for what they believe is the top engineering project of the past 12 months.”

To view the Engineering Excellence Digital Series, held in association with ESB, and to cast your vote, visit engineersireland.ie.