The Ipswich Tidal Flood Barrier has won a top award from the leading international engineering institution. The project, which better protects over 1,600 homes and 400 businesses from the risk of flooding, has won an Exceptional Merit Award from the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) East of England Merit Awards.
Multidisciplinary main contractor, Winvic Construction Ltd, announced its partnership with the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) yesterday, to offer graduates a training programme in order to gain the specialist skills, knowledge and professional approach required to practice as a civil engineer. The ICE Training Scheme forms part of an employee’s
The Institution joins a prestigious group of engineering projects that includes San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, the Forth Bridge in Scotland and the Statue of Liberty in New York. The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) has designated the Institution of Civil Engineers as a Historic Civil Engineering Landmark, in the Institution’s 200th anniversary
Perhaps as a nod to events over the past 12 months, it has been reported that a number of lobbyists in representation of industry professionals have been fighting for assurances on the creation of new housing legislation to better protect residential homes from future flooding. As of present, the bill
BDC 319 : Aug 2024
The Ipswich Tidal Flood Barrier has won a top award from the leading international engineering institution. The project, which better protects over 1,600 homes and 400 businesses from the risk of flooding, has won an Exceptional Merit Award from the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) East of England Merit Awards. The Barrier was recognised in the Technical Excellence and Innovation category. ICE is a professional membership body, supporting more than 90,000 engineers around the world. Costing almost £70million, the Ipswich Flood Defence Management Strategy comprises a mix of new and refurbished flood walls and gates along 1,100 metres of the River Orwell. The barrier’s centrepiece is a 200-tonne rotating Radial Sector Gate, which can be raised in minutes in the event of a tidal surge. The barrier was officially unveiled by Floods Minister Dr Thérese Coffey in February. The flood gate has a design similar to that of the Thames Barrier and is so large that it is coated with 6 tonnes of protective paint. The flood gate rotates upwards out of the sea floor into the closed position, holding back dangerous tidal surges that could flood the town. The new defences provide a much higher level of protection from the type of tidal surge which threatened the town in 2007 and 2013, both of which were close to spilling over the existing defences. Aside from the reduced flood risk benefits, the flood defence scheme has the added advantage of helping to boost the local economy through freeing up hectares of land for regeneration. The Environment Agency project was approved by Defra in 2006 and has been delivered by contractor VBA – a joint venture between VolkerStevin, Boskalis Westminster and Atkins. The barrier scheme has an exemplary health and safety record. Risk on the project was designed using 3D and physical modelling, along with VolkerStevin’s behavioural safety programme. This resulted in no reportable incidents throughout the three year construction process, which comprised more than 300,000 hours of work. As a result, the project is now being used as a case study for other Environment Agency works including the Boston Barrier. Andrew Usborne, the lead officer on the scheme, said the award was welcome recognition for the Environment Agency and its partners.
Multidisciplinary main contractor, Winvic Construction Ltd, announced its partnership with the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) yesterday, to offer graduates a training programme in order to gain the specialist skills, knowledge and professional approach required to practice as a civil engineer. The ICE Training Scheme forms part of an employee’s 12 month initial professional development period, which bridges the gap between education and professional qualifications. The structured training will be delivered in-house by Winvic and this leads to sitting the EngTech (MICE) Professional Review as a stepping stone to onward progression to IEng or CEng status. The diverse and thorough framework is tailored in relation to the individual’s previous, and often very recent, education route, specialist discipline and desired future professional qualification. The Scheme’s content is overseen by ICE, ensuring quality and methods, in order to maintain the highest standards. Tim Reeve, Winvic Technical Director, commented: “We have always taken the personal and professional development of our employees very seriously but with a significant increase in staff over the last few years we felt it was time to offer even more support. Our 93 percent staff retention rate indicates that the individuals who join our team after completing an Undergraduate or Master’s Degree are with us for a long time to come; it’s the people that make our business thrive and we owe it to them to help them be the best they can be.” Winvic will provide each trainee with a supervising civil engineer (SCE) and a delegated engineer (DE who will be experienced ICE Members; their roles will be to support and mentor, helping the individual to become multi-skilled, possess good technical, communication, commercial, people and legal knowledge, and understand the implications of their work across these areas. HR and Training Manager at Winvic, Rebecca Schwarz, added: “We are thrilled that ICE – such an important body within the global construction industry – sees our commitment for developing our employees, and that we have been chosen as a training partner. Educational qualifications contribute hugely in giving people the required competencies, but some things just can’t be taught in the classroom, as our year in industry students so often tell us. Winvic’s new ICE Training Scheme will help to create the next wave of innovative, first-class engineers that also share Winvic’s esteemed values.” Cath Mansell, Membership Manager, Mid England said, “It is great for ICE to see new companies implementing the ICE Training Scheme. I know that Winvic have been working hard with Ray Hulse, ICE Membership Development Officer, to get this off the ground and it shows an impressive focus on the professional development of their staff.” For more information about joining Winvic, please visit our Careers page, or contact the HR Department. Vacancies can also be found on LinkedIn and Twitter pages.
The Institution joins a prestigious group of engineering projects that includes San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, the Forth Bridge in Scotland and the Statue of Liberty in New York. The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) has designated the Institution of Civil Engineers as a Historic Civil Engineering Landmark, in the Institution’s 200th anniversary year. More than 200 projects worldwide have earned this title, which recognises historically significant civil engineering projects, structures and sites around the world. A physical plaque has been installed at ICE’s London headquarters to mark the award. It was unveiled today during the Global Engineering Congress. “For more than 40 years, ASCE has recognised civil engineering achievements that have played a unique role in the development of America and the world as Historic Civil Engineering Landmarks,” said Robin Kemper, President of ASCE, said at the unveiling. She said that the programme highlights the “pioneering spirit” of civil engineers. ICE as a pioneer Kemper recapped the ICE’s history, which demonstrates this trait, during the dedication. “In 1818, a small group of young engineers met in a London coffee shop and founded the Institution of Civil Engineers, the world’s first professional engineering body. “After two years of struggling to attract new members, ICE asked Thomas Telford to become its first president. “His appointment in 1820 not only gave ICE a major boost, it also played a huge part in shaping who they are today.” ICE President Professor Lord Robert Mair added: “Our Institution was set up 200 years ago a group of young engineers with grand ambitions. I want that precedent to continue. “I see a great and vibrant future for our profession. But this future requires us to transform ourselves; how we think and how we act. Above all we need to be ambitious and bold. There are huge science and technology developments to exploit. “We are so grateful that one of your hugely valued Historic Civil Engineering Landmark plaques will be permanently on display here in One Great George Street, the home of civil engineering.” Glenn Hewus, President of the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering, was also present at the unveiling. “It is my esteemed privilege to acknowledge the efforts and commitment put forth by the Institution of Civil Engineers to forge ahead with steadfast determination,” he said. “It is because of this type of commitment that civil engineering has progressed to what it is today.”H How historic landmarks are named The ASCE’s History and Heritage Committee nominates historically-significant civil engineering projects for recognition as part of an ongoing programme. It reviews nominated projects and makes a recommendation to the ASCE’s Board of Direction for which one should be named as a landmark. “Those who are actively involved with the process can tell you that this is not an easy task,” said Kemper. ASCE’s landmark programme has been running for more than 40 years. Projects that have earned the designation include the Panama Canal, the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, the Belfast Rail Link in Dublin, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, and the Granite Railway, the first commercial railway in the US. Renewed cooperation ICE and ASCE also strengthened their close ties by renewing their Agreement of Cooperation, with Lord Robert and Kemper signing the document yesterday (pictured below). The agreement contains reciprocal arrangements, allowing each institution’s members to attend select meetings and participate in the local association activities of the other. Eligible members of ASCE will also be entitled to a discount for ICE Associate Membership (AMICE). Written by Anh Nguyen.
Perhaps as a nod to events over the past 12 months, it has been reported that a number of lobbyists in representation of industry professionals have been fighting for assurances on the creation of new housing legislation to better protect residential homes from future flooding. As of present, the bill already being passed through the House of Lords will see additional weight placed upon existing drainage and flood defence infrastructure. While it is acknowledged that drainage is one of the primary protectors from flood-related risks, lobbyists have urged for the bill to place restrictions on the right of the developer to simply connect new homes to drainage systems already in place; primarily due to many of these systems already reportedly being overloaded. As a solution, the notion being put forward is the integration of low-cost, sustainable drainage systems to, instead of adding extra pressure to existing capacity, improve the actual capacity of drainage networks as developments are created. This, of course, would signal a considerable change in notion whereby, historically, new developments have been seen to simply add extra pressures to existing infrastructure. Historically, this idea had already been considered, as can be seen in the Flood & Water Management Act 2010, yet the law itself was never put into action, instead simply giving planning guidelines for the requirement of sustainable draining systems. Unfortunately, as highlighted by the lobbyists, the guidelines have failed to have any meaningful impact on flood provisions for new developments, as well as simultaneously falling short of its goal to promote the benefits of sustainable drainage systems above and beyond flood defence. Putting forward the concern that developments are continually adding to the major challenges already being faced by flooding today, David Balmforth, ICE’s former President exclaimed: “This does not have to be the case as there is a proven and low cost solution using SuDs… We urge the Lords to send the Commons a bill that will help protect society from flooding.”
