Advertise on podcast: The Engineers Collective

The latest episode of the Engineers Collective is out now. This month’s guest is Ayming associate director Ben Craig. He told New Civil Engineer news editor Lee Kenny how geopolitical and economic uncertainty has increased businesses’ commitment to innovation across the construction and engineering sectors. His comments followed the publication of Ayming’s International Innovation Barometer 2027, which found that 97% of businesses are experiencing pressure from geopolitical developments. Ayming surveyed 850 research and development (R&D) and innovation directors, chief financial officers, chief executive officers and chief technical officers across 17 countries in June. The survey covered 10 sectors, including civil engineering and construction. Within the construction and engineering sector, Craig identified energy costs and materials as two of the main effects of geopolitical events. “Energy costs have been particularly volatile over the last couple of years as a result of things like the war in Iran,” he said. “On materials, there have been various conflicts and trade tariffs and so on that are affecting companies. They need to adapt to both the supply and the cost of the materials that are available to them.” Craig said major projects were particularly affected by these pressures because of their scale and lead times. “Decisions that were made five, 10, 15 years ago are suddenly coming into question as a result of more recent events that couldn’t really have been anticipated when those decisions were first made,” he said. The interview explored what these pressures mean on the ground for major infrastructure projects, including the implications for materials, energy, labour and project delivery.

This month’s guest is Steve Denton, managing director, civils at WSP. He is vice president of the Royal Academy of Engineering and a fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers and the Institution of Structural Engineers. He told New Civil Engineer news editor Lee Kenny about the challenges facing the UK’s ageing infrastructure, the impact of climate change on existing assets and why the way the country maintains its infrastructure needs to change. Denton chaired the National Engineering Policy Centre working group that produced Reviving our Ageing Infrastructure. The report concluded that the UK's ageing infrastructure is at a tipping point and Denton identified three factors: the age profile of the UK’s infrastructure, the effects of climate change and the level of reliance placed on infrastructure systems. “The ageing infrastructure that we have in the UK is at a tipping point,” he said. “We have got an increasing proportion of our asset base which is getting towards the end of its life.” He also explained that climate change was placing greater demands on existing infrastructure while also accelerating deterioration. The interview also examined the consequences of infrastructure disruption. Denton argued that incidents where infrastructure is restricted or closed should be seen as an indication of wider risks rather than simply isolated failures. The conversation also covered the role of government, regulators and engineers in addressing the challenge. Denton said the National Engineering Policy Centre report contains 15 recommendations across seven areas where change is needed, with action required from multiple parties. He said he was optimistic about the prospects for implementing the recommendations, pointing to the level of engagement from government and across the infrastructure sector since the report was published. Finally, he highlighted the skills challenge facing infrastructure management and said the sector needed to “celebrate and raise the prestige” of those responsible for managing existing infrastructure.

The latest episode of the Engineers Collective is out now: listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, your usual platform or via the player below. This month’s guest is Cliff Smith, executive director of the Get It Right Initiative (Giri). He told New Civil Engineer news editor Lee Kenny about Giri’s work to reduce avoidable error across the construction industry and why he believes changing culture, improving planning and focusing on value rather than cost are essential. Smith said Giri’s research found around 21% of project costs are attributable to avoidable error, a figure that equated to around £25bn a year across the UK construction industry. He said Giri has focused on addressing the root causes of error since it was established following an Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) discussion in 2015. He said planning is the most significant of Giri’s top causes of error, ranging from strategic planning of projects through to ensuring teams have the right materials, equipment and resources for day-to-day tasks. “It’s a built-in issue for us to go at,” he said. “And even if you don’t get the 21%, you get 5%, it’s doubled your margin.” Smith also discussed the importance of ensuring designs have reached the appropriate level of maturity before construction begins and warned that uncontrolled design changes can lead to avoidable errors. He said technology should be used to solve clearly identified problems rather than adopted for its own sake. “It’s a question of getting the right technology to address your particular challenges,” he said. Looking at the wider industry, he believes creating an environment where workers feel able to raise concerns is vital. And his key message to the sector was to place greater emphasis on value when procuring projects. “We need to have a different attitude when it comes to cost versus value,” he said. “The sector needs to be moving towards value procurement.”

The latest episode of the Engineers Collective is out now: listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, your usual platform or via the player below. This month’s guest is Ben Brittain, director of public affairs at the Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE). He told NCE news editor Lee Kenny about his role and how, when he was transportation adviser to Andy Street, the former Mayor of the West Midlands, he spent many years making the case for HS2 and advising on the Midlands Rail Hub and capital programme spending across the West Midlands. He shared his personal experience of congestion on the West Coast Main Line, which creates timetabling issues between Birmingham and Manchester. The poor connectivity between the two cities is symptomatic of the “chronic lack of investment” in Britain’s railway. He also expressed concern that sequencing the Birmingham–Manchester rail line behind both HS2 Phase 1 and Northern Powerhouse Rail could delay the route into the 2040s. If that happens, he is concerned it may not happen at all and describes it as a “slow-motion cancellation”. He compared the domestic rail network with services in Europe, particularly the lack of high-speed trains in the UK. “If you do travel in Europe as well, you can see how a high-speed rail network is the norm,” he said. “There are options for high-speed rail and regional or intercity connectivity on conventional rail as well, whereas Britain is hobbled by its Victorian rail infrastructure.” He said HS2 has been an “embarrassment” and a “blemish” on the UK’s international reputation. He has concerns that the increasing cost of HS2 may deter governments from embarking on other large-scale infrastructure projects in the future, but that should not be the case. “I think as a result of HS2 and its problems, we’ve begun to talk ourselves down as a country on our capability of delivering infrastructure,” he said. “And I don’t buy that story. We deliver world-class infrastructure in this country, and we at times deliver it well.”

This month’s guest is Billy Thursfield, Bam sub-agent for the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), who joined us from Rothera Research Station in Antarctica. He has spent seven seasons living and working on infrastructure projects on the southernmost continent. He told NCE news editor Lee Kenny about the aims of the wider Antarctic Infrastructure Modernisation Programme (AIMP), the partnerships involved in delivering it and the role of British Antarctic Survey (Bas) as a client. His early seasons were focused on the wharf works, dealing with the many engineering and logistical challenges of operating in Antarctica. More recently, he has worked alongside teams in Scotland and Cambridge, supporting delivery alongside Hugh Broughton Architects, Ramboll, Sweco and the Bas team. He discussed his work at Rothera and detailed the Discovery Building project to replace a number of ageing buildings with one centralised modern facility. He talked about how the building has evolved over the different construction seasons, from enabling works and earthworks, through to steel erection, fit-out and commissioning, as well as off-site manufacture and sustainability. He discussed the pre-mobilisation process and the amount of preparation involved before engineers are deployed to Antarctica, especially around health, wellbeing and the practical and psychological challenges of being away from home for extended periods. Lastly, he described how he spends his time outside of work and the experience of living in one of the world’s most extreme environments.

The latest episode of the Engineers Collective is out now: listen in on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, your usual platform or the player below.   This month’s guests are WTW head of flood and water risk research Neil Gunn and WTW climate practice associate director Dulce Perez Romero.   They join rob to discuss where they sit in the civil engineering ecosystem when it comes to dam maintenance; working with asset owners on the risk of their dam fails and the liability should this happen.   The discussion touches on the history of dams, the status of dams in the world today, the increasing hazard of dam failure caused by climate change and some recent high profile failures.   They then get into the nitty gritty about how WTW assesses the risk of dam failure, how to prevent it – and how worried we should be about it.   Prior to the interview portion, host Rob Hakimian is joined by NCE senior reporter Thomas Johnson to discuss recent proposals for a £130bn high-speed Rail Loop around the UK and the political wrangling over the Hudson Tunnel in America.

The latest episode of the Engineers Collective is out now: listen in on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, your usual platform or the player below.   Joining host Rob Hakimian this month is ICE Fellow and member of the Panel for Historic Engineering William Day, who provides a fascinating history lesson on the Menai Suspension Bridge.   The iconic bridge, which crosses the Menai strait between mainland Wales and the Isle of Anglesey, just celebrated the 200th anniversary of its opening on 30 January 1826. William tells the podcast about the landmark’s history: its design by Thomas Telford, the dimensions of its various elements and how workers overcame difficulties to complete its construction between 1819 and 1826.   The discussion then moves on to the various modifications it has had in the two centuries since its opening that have kept it in operation today. William also relays some of his own experiences working on those maintenance regimes and the feeling of renewing such a historic structure.   Prior to the interview portion, Rob is joined by NCE senior reporter Thomas Johnson to discuss recent developments in the UK’s rail network including the resurrection of Northern Powerhouse Rail, ongoing developments with the Railways Bill and more.

This month we welcome Anglian Water’s delivery director for water Paul Lonsdale to discuss the pioneering work of the @one Alliance. Formed of eight partner organisations – Anglian Water, Balfour Beatty, Barhale, Binnies, Mott MacDonald Bentley, MWH Treatment, Skanska and Sweco – the alliance has been running for 20 years and has set a template for collaboration and efficiency in major project delivery in the sector. Lonsdale tells us how the amalgamation of so many organisations works in practice and what benefits come from having a range of expertise involved. We also discuss Anglian Water’s other alliances and why alliancing has become prevalent in the water sector. In the introductory section, host Rob Hakimian is joined by senior reporter Thomas Johnson to discuss some recent site visits they have been on including to 3D printing facilities and National Grid’s new Tilbury to Gravesend power tunnel.

In this month’s episode we welcome the CEO of Projectworks, Mark Orttung, to discuss how his company’s software is facilitating growth among the construction and engineering sector’s vital small and medium enterprises (SMEs). We start by learning from Mark about why Projectworks’ offerings are particularly suited to SMEs and how it can help to provide them with insights and analysis that can help to guide them from strength to strength. We learn that, in turn, this simplifies these businesses’ market processes and enables them to spend time more effectively on their projects. Our discussion then widens out to discuss how this technology is already having an impact in Australasia and America before taking a global sector view on how capacity can be improved across the board through the kinds of outputs that Projectworks provides. Prior to the interview portion, host Rob Hakimian is joined by NCE senior reporters Tom Pashby and Thomas Johnson to discuss the latest developments with the geological disposal facility and arguments over Welsh rail funding.

The latest episode of the Engineers Collective is out now: listen in on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, your usual platform or the player below. In this month’s episode we discuss the UK’s long-term plan for a vast underground storage facility for nuclear waste – known as a geological disposal facility (GDF) – with Nuclear Waste Services (NWS). NWS chief scientific adviser Neil Hyatt and NWS head of major permissions Malcolm Orford join host Rob Hakimian to discuss the need for a GDF, especially in the context of the UK ramping up its nuclear power intentions. They discuss examples of similar facilities being developed elsewhere in the world and how the UK’s will compare. Malcolm and Neil also talk about the long process of getting to build a GDF, including the extensive dialogue and collaboration with the communities that could potentially host it, the in-depth siting process, and what NWS is looking for to determine its final location. Looking even further into the future, the guests tell Rob about the potential construction and engineering that would be required to undertake an infrastructure of this scale and when we might see work begin. Prior to the interview portion, Rob is joined by NCE senior reporter Tom Pashby to discuss the recent annual review from the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (Nista), which gives green, amber or red ratings to all of the UK’s in-development infrastructure projects based on how likely they are to be delivered.

Joining host Rob Hakimian this month is Mind Foundry director of civil infrastructure Tom Bartley to discuss how the business is working on the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into our infrastructure maintenance and management processes. Tom discusses the issues with current structural maintenance regimes and how AI can help to empower the workforce to overcome these constraints. He explains the concept of “digital custodianship” of structures and how Mind Foundry’s new phone app is expanding the accessibility to its tools. Rob and Tom also discuss the work that Mind Foundry has done with HS2 and Sir Robert McAlpine, as well as the potential for AI use in infrastructure to change the way assets are insured. Tom also talks about the work that Mind Foundry is doing with the Advanced Research + Invention Agency (ARIA) to ensure that use of AI remains both ethical and safe in hazardous contexts. Prior to the interview portion, Rob is joined by NCE senior reporter Tom Pashby to discuss all the recent developments with the Sizewell C nuclear plant including the funding agreement, recent work on site and appointment of a main civils contractor.

The latest episode of the Engineers Collective is out now: listen in on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, your usual platform or the player below. After a busy month of infrastructure commitments from the UK government, host Rob Hakimian welcomes Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) director of policy and external affairs Sam Gould to the podcast to discuss it all. They touch on spending settlements for England’s city regions to upgrade their transport offerings, investment in the railways via projects such as HS2 and East West Rail, the large financial commitments to nuclear energy including Sizewell C and small modular reactors (SMRs) and more. Gould also talks about what the updates to the Green Book could mean for improving delivery of infrastructure and the certainty that the release of the 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy will bring to private entities looking to invest in the UK’s future. Prior to the interview portion, Rob is joined by NCE senior reporter Tom Pashby to discuss the Industrial Strategy, specifically the way that it entwines the UK’s civil nuclear and defence nuclear sectors.

The latest episode of the Engineers Collective is out now: listen in on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, your usual platform or the player below. This month’s guest is WSP associate structural engineer Sally Walsh, who joins the podcast to discuss steel reuse in construction, specifically on the Elephant & Castle Town Centre scheme. The Elephant & Castle Town Centre scheme is regenerating a lively part of central London into a vibrant new mixed-use hub with ample living space, commercial offerings and public spaces. WSP is the structural and geotechnical engineer on the project and Sally has been at the heart of the decision-making, which has seen the firm push the contractor to utilise reused steel in some of the structures – a first for the consultant. In this discussion, we cover how the decision was made to make this WSP’s first project to attempt steel reuse, how it was implemented and the learnings – both positive and negative – that have come out of it. Sally and host Rob Hakimian then broaden out the discussion into how steel reuse could become business as usual in the sector – the types of projects where it is most suited, the barriers that stand in the way and the benefits that it could bring to the built environment. Prior to the interview portion, Rob is joined by NCE senior reporter Thomas Johnson to discuss recent revelations about the HS2 “bat shed” and the upcoming outcomes from the government’s Spending Review.

The latest episode of the Engineers Collective is out now: listen in on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, your usual platform or the player below. This month’s guest is Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) President Jim Hall, who joins host Rob Hakimian to discuss the work of the ICE in representing and supporting civil engineers in the modern construction and economic landscape. After getting to know Jim, hearing about his storied career and new role at the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (Nista), the discussion turns to emerging considerations in the sector, including the need to improve efficiency in the workforce and build infrastructure resilience. They discuss how digitisation is a growing tool in this field and how the ICE is seeking to foster collaboration through its knowledge services to bring forward cutting edge solutions. Lastly, they look ahead to what future civil engineers can expect and how the ICE is providing pathways to reflect the diversity of the profession and bring new talent into it. Before the interview section, Rob is joined by NCE senior report Tom Pashby to discuss the launch of Nista and infrastructure preparedness for space weather.

This month’s guest is Civic Engineers associate director Sam Harland who talks to host Rob Hakimian about the Building Safety Act 2022 and how it is changing the way that engineers are working. They talk about how it has introduced new processes, particularly for structural engineers like Harland, with the tightening of design competency requirements, the introduction of the gateway process and the creation of the Golden Thread for buildings. The discussion particularly focuses on what this means for works on existing buildings and how engineers now have to carry out extensive investigations to uncover their structural health and history. Harland also provides insight on how implementation of the Act has been difficult and how it might drive the future of the sector. Prior to the interview portion, Rob is joined by NCE senior reporters Thomas Johnson and Tom Pashby to discuss some of the reporting they have been doing on the Havant Thicket Reservoir, water quality in the River Thames and the protracted consenting process for the Aquind Interconnector.