Interviews with the ACEI 2023 Future Leader shortlisted candidates took place recently. The adjudicator had a very difficult decision given the quality of the applications and has selected two finalists in this year’s awards. ACEI thanks most sincerely those applicants who have been unsuccessful on this occasion and hope that they will consider submitting an application for the 2024 Future Leader Awards.
MEng, BEng (Hons); DipHE BIM; Lean Sigma Green Belt
Michael Minehane is an Associate and Chartered Engineer at RPS where he leads a wide range of bridge and transportation projects as Project Manager and Technical Lead. Michael has worked on major national & international infrastructure schemes, significant heritage bridges, rehabilitation schemes and bridge inspection contracts. He has authored numerous technical papers and has won several awards in the field of Civil and Structural Engineering. He was a part-time lecturer at Munster Technological University from 2015-2020 where he designed, delivered, and assessed a module titled BIM for Infrastructure. He is committed to knowledge sharing and participates on a voluntary basis on many industry bodies and committees.
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Patrick Kavanagh, BDP BEng (Hons), CEng, RConsEI, MIEI, LEED GREEN Associate, BREEAM AP, WELL AP, BER Assessor, SEAI Energy Auditor As an Engineering Director; Patrick is responsible for managing the Building Services team in Dublin and also represents BDP as a Business Development Director. Patrick is recognised in the industry as a specialist in the design of sustainable buildings having worked with over 30 design practices in Ireland across multiple sectors. Patrick regularly speaks at industry events and has acted as an external examiner for Technical University Dublin, also visiting as a guest lecturer to advise students on sustainable design techniques. He has extensive direct project experience which includes leading the design of multiple award winning buildings in the workplace, healthcare, education, retail and residential sectors and was the lead engineer on Ireland’s first ‘Net Zero Operational Carbon’ hotel. Sustainability is at the core of Patrick’s engineering approach, and this is supported by his multiple accreditations. |
The FIDIC CEO’s Update has just been published providing the latest FIDIC activities, initiatives and events:
FIDIC’s 2023 Global Infrastructure Conference in Singapore
Entries for 2023 FIDIC Global Infrastructure Awards, now open
FIDIC 110th anniversary celebrations
FIDIC directors and secretaries to meet in March
FIDIC president-elect receives top industry award
FIDIC’s 2023 programme of events
Expression of interest for two FIDIC advisory groups
Expression of Interest for FIDIC dispute avoidance advisory panel
The FIDIC Project Awards recognise, highlight and reward the achievements and successes of consulting engineering firms across the globe and the important impact their projects have on social, economic and environmental quality of life around the world.
Project submittals should demonstrate, in addition to the quality of the design and construction and positive economic impact, how their project addresses environmental and social safeguards, sustainability, benefits and impacts on society, UN SDGs and climate change effects. Projects of all sizes (large and small) will be considered.
The awards will be recognised at the traditional FIDIC Awards Gala Dinner taking place on Tuesday, 12 September in Singapore as part of the FIDIC Global Infrastructure Conference.
Click here for full details of the Project Awards and to start your entry.
FIDIC is delighted to announce a major boost for training and development in the engineering, construction and infrastructure sector. The FIDIC Academy, the delivery vehicle for FIDIC’s training activities, has launched a significant upgrading of its output, the rebranding of courses, the appointment of a team of global professional advisors and the launch of a new FIDIC Academy standalone website to enable even better promotion of its courses and training to the wider industry.
The new website offers a centralised, one-stop shop for the whole training and education portfolio of FIDIC clients matching their training and education needs.
Find out more by visiting their website here.
Congratulations to the ACEI Member Firms who have been SHORTLISTED in this year’s Engineering Excellence Awards accross nine project categories.
The award winners will be announced at the ACEI Awards Dinner on Friday, 31 March 2023 in the Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin 2.
Enquiries: Please contact Louise at info@acei.ie
EFCA joins EU Pact for Skills
One of EFCA’s first actions in 2023 was to apply to join the EU Pact for Skills. The Pact aims to improve competitiveness in European industry and increase the employability and skills of European citizens. The Pact is a partnership between the European Commission, Member States, social partners and other key players. It seeks to bridge the gap between available skills and those required by the labour market. EFCA is committed to promoting skills development and lifelong learning in the consultancy engineering field.
Engineering is an extremely skilled and rewarding profession. Nevertheless, EFCA and its members recognise that the sector needs to remain attractive to future professionals. The federation is looking forward to working with other members of the pact to help shape the future of skills in Europe.
The Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) of the European Parliament has recently adopted MEP Ciarán Cuffe’s report on the Energy Performance of Buildings. EFCA broadly welcomes the updated EPBD, which will improve the energy efficiency of buildings and contribute towards the decarbonisation of the EU’s building stock. The text adopted by the ITRE Committee includes setting minimum energy performance standards (MEPS) for buildings and making renovation mandatory for the worst-performing buildings in Europe. In addition, the use of renewable energy sources is promoted. During the 13-16 March plenary session, members of the European Parliament will vote on the draft legislation.
B-Act is a Polish engineering consulting firm with expertise in managing and supervising construction projects in Poland, Romania, Ukraine, and the Baltic States. Despite the situation in Ukraine, B-Act has continued to work there. The company is working with local engineers, supporting infrastructure projects and reconstruction. B-Act is using cutting-edge technologies to help the company to deliver projects for the recovery of damaged infrastructure in Ukraine. Further information is available here.
Members of the Platform on Sustainable Finance announced
These new members will work on taxonomy criteria, following the work that was done by the previous members. The Platform’s mandate has its origins in the Taxonomy Regulation (EU) 2019/2088. Further information is available here.
ACEI is recruiting a new Secretary General.
Applications are welcome from suitably qualified and experienced candidates, contact PwC for further information.
See here for more details and how to apply.
Launch of EFCA Sector Review 2022
The EFCA Sector Review 2022 has just been published. This report demonstrates, amongst other things, how engineering services for construction are evolving, with strategic investments, including acquisitions, that will drive change towards a more climate resilient built environment. The top companies and groups operating in Europe are identified, based on their turnover in the region for engineering services for construction and the built environment. A snapshot of recent developments shows that Covid continued to impact supply chains and workers’ mobility in 2022. More positively, trends, including digitalisation, urbanisation and sustainability are stimulating growth in the sector. Read the full report here.
Assessing the future-readiness of consulting engineers
How future-ready are consulting engineers? How prepared for disruption, from digitalisation, sustainability and evolving regulation?
To find out. EFCA Future Trends Committee is conducting a survey, in partnership with the HHL Center for Strategy and Scenario Planning. The survey will assess the ability of consulting engineers to deal with disruption as well as reasons for any potential lack of future-readiness. The results will form the basis of a “playbook”- a tool to successfully navigate the future challenges facing our industry.
All respondents will receive the survey’s results as well as the playbook.
This initiative is the last in a three-phase series. The first was in 2021: Which way to go? Strategic scenarios for consulting engineers in times of high uncertainty. Last year saw the second, Seizing opportunities in times of disruption. How the consulting engineering industry can overcome the challenges of digitisation, harmonisation, and sustainability – a disruptive scenario analysis.
Participate in the survey here.
Digitalisation and sustainability: the view of young engineers
We need to succeed with the twin green and digital transitions to secure a sustainable future for present and future generations. This demands, among other things, skilled people and the use of digital technologies. The latter requires change and adaptation of work processes, re- and upskilling, as well as the ability to seize opportunities that come with new technology and cultural change. To understand where young engineers stand on digitalisation and sustainability across Europe, EFCA Future Leaders have launched a short survey, aimed at employees under the age of 40, of engineering consultancy companies. By understanding how young consulting engineers view the current state of digitalisation and sustainability across Europe, EFCA Future Leaders also aim to:
Provide knowledge on national performance to identify areas for further improvement
Initiate Europe-wide knowledge-sharing and learning from best practice
Provide transnational intelligence to the EFCA community, to support its concrete policy action
The results will be analysed and presented to the EFCA community at the next EFCA General Assembly Meeting in June. The findings will also be shared on the Future Leaders LinkedIn channel.
Participate in the survey here.
Single Market at 30
As the Single Market turns 30, the European Commission will host a number of events throughout the year, marking the anniversary of the creation of what has become the world’s largest common trading area. Operating on the basis of four fundamental freedoms: people, goods, services and capital, the Single Market has made it easier for the 27 Member States to trade on a level playing field and for citizens to live and work anywhere within EU borders. For the consulting engineering community, public procurement remains one of the most important aspects and EFCA’s Internal Market Committee continues to advocate for contracts that are awarded on the basis of the Most Economically Advantageous Tender. EFCA would like to see further improvements in the way contracts are awarded in the EU, including a greater focus on sustainability and digitalisation, enabling a more rapid completion of the twin green and digital transitions.
Further information is available here.
The EFCA Sector Review 2022 has just been published. Evidence in this latest Sector Review points towards a shift in priorities in consulting engineering firms, aimed at equipping the engineering sector with the appropriate resources to deliver the European priority of the twin green and digital transitions.
The top companies and groups operating in Europe are identified, based on their turnover in the region for engineering services for construction and the built environment. A snapshot of recent developments shows that Covid continued to impact supply chains and workers’ mobility in 2022. More positively, trends, including digitalisation, urbanisation and sustainability are stimulating growth in the sector. Read the Press release here and the full Sector Review 2022 here.
On 29 November, 2022 the Minister of State with responsibility for Planning and Local Government signed new regulations entitled Building Regulations (Part M Amendment) Regulations 2022 (S.I. No. 608 of 2022) making provision for a changing places toilet in certain buildings. The operative date of the Regulations is 01 January, 2023, subject to the transitional periods cited.
Changing places toilets offer larger supported sanitary facilities that address the needs of people for whom current accessible sanitary facilities are inadequate. This new Regulation will tend to the needs of an important segment of our society. By the regulatory provision of this sanitary facility in certain buildings and spaces, we can ensure improved community participation and social inclusion.
The revised Regulations are accompanied by technical guidance in the form of the Building Regulations 2022 – Technical Guidance Document M – Access and Use, outlining how compliance with the updated requirements can be achieved in practice, the new regulations are here.