6 minute read
Consulting Engineers
from IMIESA Nov/Dec 2020
by 3S Media
Awards honour the best in engineering
The country’s leading built environment professionals recently gathered for the 2019 CESA Aon Engineering Excellence Awards to celebrate South Africa’s excellence in engineering.
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SMEC South Africa delivered over 430 communal ablution facilities in eThekwini
This year’s awards, hosted virtually by Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA) and sponsored by Aon South Africa, celebrated innovation, quality, outstanding workmanship, and professionalism.
“The awards focus on consulting engineers and their clients who participate in or initiate projects that promote the advancement of our nation and the people of the continent. CESA recognises contributions of young professionals to the engineering profession and initiatives to transform and sustain the future,” says Chris Campbell, CEO, CESA.
The project entries and winners are as follows:
Mega projects with a value greater than R1 billion WINNER: SMEC South Africa | Provision of Water and Sanitation to Informal Settlements and Schools in eThekwini Municipality (Phase 3)
Before 2007, the eThekwini Health Department was tasked with rolling out a project aimed at providing communal ablution share blocks to informal settlements.
The Sanitation Phase 3 project directly addresses the need to remedy the severely adverse conditions experienced by the inhabitants of numerous informal settlements within eThekwini Municipality through the provision of basic water and sanitation facilities. This is demonstrated through the delivery of over 430 communal ablution facilities to over 34 informal settlements, serving more than 118 000 people across the city.
The overall project budget exceeded R1.7 billion and continued over a fourand-a-half-year period. The project was geared towards contributing to the municipality’s social and economic agenda and demonstrated this successfully through the inclusion of labour-intensive construction methods and thereby the provision of economic opportunities for the local community.
OTHER ENTRIES:
Zutari | Lower Thukela Bulk Water Supply Scheme
Projects with a value between R250 million and R1 billion WINNER: Zutari | Upgrade and Extension of Stellenbosch Wastewater Treatment Plant
In 2011, the Stellenbosch Wastewater Treatment Works (WWTW) was operating over-capacity, dilapidated and struggling to meet effluent compliance. With the limited funds at hand, Stellenbosch Municipality appointed Zutari (formerly Aurecon) as consulting engineer, to upgrade the plant in 2014.
The project comprised an upgrade of the plant to a full biological nutrient removal process that is capable of handling up to
35 Mℓ/day average dry weather flow. This upgrade comprised a new inlet works, a new 27 Mℓ/day membrane biological reactor (MBR) lane, the rejuvenation of the existing plant to an 8 Mℓ/day conventional activated sludge (CAS) plant with UV disinfection, and new sludge treatment facilities.
The plant is fully automated with a stateof-the-art control system and is designed to be energy efficient. In addition, it was designed so that it can be easily retrofitted with a direct potable reuse facility and biogas-to-energy facility in the future.
The Stellenbosch WWTW was commissioned in March 2019 and is currently the largest MBR WWTW in South Africa.
COMMENDATION: Zutari | 144 Oxford Road, Office Building OTHER ENTRY: SiVEST SA | Sappi Saiccor Mill – Woodyard Upgrade
Projects with a value of between R50 million and R250 million WINNER: Tirisano Consulting Engineers | Additional Shopping Area for Wonderpark Spar
Despite constrictive workspace, the construction of the superstructure experienced no downtime and activities could be staggered to accelerate the programme, so that the client was able to open its doors for business two days sooner than the original deadline.
Ingenuity, originality and innovation are displayed by the utilisation of the extremely limited space: three entrances, lower-level parking, and a first of its kind ‘travellator’ in Middelburg to transport customers – especially the disabled – under cover.
Effective utilisation of the ‘plan, do, check, improve/act’ planning cycle and values embraced by the Tirisano team prevented unnecessary and costly mistakes. The implementation was smooth and effortless due to the modular design philosophy and detailed information on the drawings. In turn, complex problems were solved by simple solutions – the trademark of an experienced designer.
As testimony to these and allied elements, the project was awarded ‘Super Spar of the Year’ on the criteria of innovative design, aesthetic appeal, energy and resourcesaving concepts.
COMMENDATION: Hatch | Midmar Water Treatment Works Upgrade COMMENDATION: Naidu Consulting | Mabhobhane River Bridge over the Tugela River
OTHER ENTRIES:
• Hatch | uMshwathi Regional Bulk Water
Supply Scheme Phase 2
The newly upgraded Stellenbosch Wastewater Treatment Plant, completed by Zutari
• Knight Piésold | Stock Road: Govan Mbeki to R300 • Nathoo Mbenyane Engineers |
Lusushwana Bulk Water Scheme
Projects with a value less than R50 million WINNER: Naidu Consulting | eZimbokodweni Pipe and Pedestrian Bridge
Located in the Philani valley of uMlazi, a sewer trunk line encased in reinforced concrete and acting as a low-level pedestrian crossing was rendered vulnerable and impassable. Restoring and protecting the existing sewer line from further damage was not cost-effective, and a pedestrian crossing was desperately required by the communities. eThekwini Municipality appointed Naidu Consulting to deliver a much-needed solution for the safe crossing of the eZimbokodweni River in conjunction with an upgraded sewer line.
The deck of the resultant 160 m long eZimbokodweni Pipe and Pedestrian Bridge is pre-stressed and comprises six equal spans. The bridge stands approximately 10 m above the existing riverbed, with a box girder deck that accommodates
a
1 000 mm diameter HDPE gravity sewer pipeline.
The bridge is the first bridge in South Africa to utilise photoluminescent ‘glow in the dark’ polymer concrete handrails and posts. This illuminates the bridge and approaching foot paths at night, increasing pedestrian safety and eliminating the high costs of conventional electricity, as well as vandalism and cable theft. It is also a solution that is maintenance free, with a long-term cost saving to the client.
The eZimbokodweni Pipe and Pedestrian Bridge uses photoluminescent polymer concrete handrails and posts
OTHER ENTRY: SMEC South Africa | V&A Waterfront Swing Bridge
Best international project WINNER: MPAMOT Ruben Reddy Architects JV | Cote D’Or National Sports Complex
The Cote D’Or National Sports Complex was initiated to provide Mauritius with world-class venues for the 2019 Indian Ocean Island Games. It now provides legacy sporting facilities for Mauritius and the wider Indian Ocean region.
The Indian Ocean Games JV, formed by Mott MacDonald Africa (now MPAMOT) and Ruben Reddy Architects, was responsible for the complete architectural and engineering design services for the project, and drew on team members based in nine countries.
Ingenuity was crucial in dealing with the limited resources available in Mauritius. Much of what was needed to make the project a reality had to be imported from a dozen countries, and meticulous management of intercountry logistics ensured they were on-site exactly when needed.
Despite facing multiple challenges, the Côte D'Or National Sports Complex was inaugurated on 15 July 2019.
OTHER ENTRIES:
• Knight Piésold | Construction of
Neckartal Dam and Phase 1 Bulk
Water Supply • Zutari | Kashimbila Multipurpose Dam and Hydropower Station, Nigeria
Lifetime industry achievement award
RECOGNITION: Llewellyn Pike
Visionary client of the year RECOGNITION: Western Cape Department of Health
Constructing the additional shopping area for Wonderpark Spar in a very constrictive workspace
Engineering technology and innovation | HVAC in building design COMMENDATION: AOS Consulting Engineers | New Orange Data Centre and Office, Botswana
Business excellence WINNER: Naidu Consulting
OTHER ENTRY: BVi Consulting Engineers
OTHER ENTRY:
Daveng Consulting Engineers
Mentor of the year
RECOGNITION: Pierre Cronje | Naidu Consulting
OTHER ENTRY:
Nathoo Mbenyane Engineers
Young engineer of the year
JOINT WINNER: SMEC South Africa | Yolan Pillay JOINT WINNER: Zutari | Lloyd Fisher-Jeffes
OTHER ENTRIES:
• HN Consulting Engineers |
Ntembeko Zifuku • ROMH Consulting | Kholwani Dube
Publisher of the year
WINNER | TRADE PUBLICATIONS:
Creamer Media
WINNER | DAILY NEWSPAPERS:
Independent Online (IOL)
