EPW June 2019

f e at u re ar t ic l e member news re p o rt s u s ta i n a bi l i t y

Concrete Using Recycled Glass

MEMBER PROFILE: PETER HUGHES

IPWEAQ STUDY TOUR REPORT

THE APPROACH TO ENERGY SUSTAINABILITY

A look at field trials by Cairns Regional Council of concrete using recycled crushed glass as a fine aggregate replacement.

We meet Peter Hughes and he shares stories drawn from his long and memorable career in public works engineering.

Ashlee Jesshope reports on the IPWEA Study Tour to the Smart City Expo World Congress held in Barcelona.

Peak Services investigate the need for a holistic approach to energy sustainability.

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ENGINEERING FOR PUBLIC WORKS

ISSUE No.14

www.ipweaq.com

CONTENTS ENGINEERING FOR PUBLIC WORKS | JUNE 2019

»»project Articles:

»» Q ueensland's new proactive approach to setting speed limits.............................................................8 »» Field Trials in Cairns for Concrete Using Recycled Crushed Glass as a Fine Aggregate Replacement.........................................................18 »» IT’S TIME TO GET SERIOUS...........................................................30 »» Smart Cities Expo World Congress......................................38 »» Mechanisms to control poor contractual performance....................................................47 »» A Holistic Approach to Energy Sustainability...................52 »» Infrastructure Management using Drone Scan Technology..........................................................54 »» AUS-SPEC: Making roads safer for rural communities ....65

»»Community News: »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »»

president’s Report....................................................................6 CEO’s Report.............................................................................10 community news......................................................................15 Global Day of Engineer...........................................................25 Member Profile: peter hughes..............................................26 Art of Debating........................................................................37 Member Profile: BERNIE-ANNE FREEMAN................................59 NEXT GENERATION Report.........................................................62 NQ Branch President’s Report..............................................67 SEQ Branch President’s Report.............................................68 SWQ Branch President’s Report............................................72 CQ Branch President’s Report...............................................76 news in brief............................................................................86

»»IPWEAQ Updates: »» »» »» »» »»

PORTFOLIO REPORT: PEOPLE AND CAPABILITY.............................82 PORTFOLIO REPORT: KNOWLEDGE CENTRE..................................88 Portfolio Report: ADAC and SPDM.........................................79 UNIVERSITY ENGAGEMENT: USC I-ENGAGE .................................84 Roadshow: iMPACT and ADAC..................................................51

»»QLDWATER NEWS

»» qldwater ceo’s report...........................................................92 »» SWIMlocal growing in popularity .......................................93 »» women in water ......................................................................94 Engineering for Public Works |June 2019

COMING UP this QUARTER June 4-6 Bridge Inspection Workshops L1&2 Darwin

4-5 Drainage for Road Design Melbourne 11-13 Northern Roads Symposium Cairns 18 Erosion and Sediment Control L3 (Advanced) Brisbane 19 QUDM Rockhampton

20 Type A, B & D Sediment Basin Design Brisbane 25 Erosion and Sediment Control L2 (Intermediate) Brisbane July 3-5 BIW L1&2 Melbourne

17 SEQ Series Stormwater/Transport + Transport Planning and Land Development Moreton Bay Regional Council and Redland City Council

24-25 Demystifying EDD Applications Brisbane August

8 SEQ Series - Design Challenges for Concrete Bike Ways in Brown Field Ipswich City Council 20-21 RSA Brisbane

22 RSA Refresher Brisbane 14 SEQ Series Ipswich CC

28 SEQ Series M1/M3 Gateway Merge Project Calibre Transport, Brisbane

INFORMS. CONNECTS. REPRESENTS. LEADS.

IPWEAQ Membership Join us today!

Why become a member?

As an IPWEAQ member, you’ll have all the networks, resources, support and representation you need to succeed and grow in your career in the public works sector.

Member benefits:

Everything you need to know about our industry and your career with regular updates, invitations, newsletters and our quarterly journal, Engineering for Public Works

Access to industry-specific content in our globallyrecognised Knowledge Centre

Discounts for our must-attend conferences and events

We represent your interests to government ensuring your voice is heard

Membership is open to anyone actively involved in the delivery of public works and services in Queensland including technical officers, supervisors, fleet managers, project managers, finance and HR professionals, councillors and consultants.

JOIN ONLINE!

Discounts on our leadingedge technical products and publications

MEMBERSHIP FEES 2019-2020

Contribute to our renowned technical Working Groups delivering solutions for Queensland communities

Who can become a member?

Discounts for our highly-regarded professional development program

$290 plus GST Members under age 35

$180 plus GST

Student membership

We now offer Student membership for full-time civil engineering students and related disciplines for the duration of their university studies. See page 85.

For enquiries, please contact Relationship Manager Johanna.Vanling@ipweaq.com or 07 3632 6803

  

Engineering for Public Works | June 2019

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INFORMS. CONNECTS. REPRESENTS. LEADS.

PARTNER PROGRAM 2019-2020 22-24 OCTOBER 2019 | BRISBANE, ANNUAL CONFERENCE 22-24 February 2020 | (SWQ Branch) Stanthorpe 30 April - 1 May 2020 | (CQ Branch) Maryborough 28-29 May 2020 | (SEQ Branch) Caloundra 10-11 June 2020 | (NQ Branch) Townsville

EXCLUSIVE Exclusive offerings and priority across all our partner services for our Principal Partners.

Local $3,000 For consultancies and providers of products/services with a local or regional market focus R ecognised as a Bronze sponsor (value $1,200). A trade display at your local branch conference including two delegate registrations (value up to $1,500). T wo additional delegate registrations for your colleagues or clients to your local branch conference (value up to $1,500).  1 0% discount on two delegate registrations to the Annual Conference (value up to $400).  1 0% discount on a trade booth at the Annual Conference including two delegate registrations (value $450). Y our logo displayed in every issue of Engineering for Public Works. Y our logo on our website and the branch conference website linked to your website. Y our logo featured in our conference handbook and in the branch conference apps. 2 0% discount on all sponsorship opportunities for your local branch conference

Total value $5,000

Principal $12,800

Enterprise $7,700 ANNUAL CONFERENCE

A trade booth and priority allocation before non-Partner exhibitors plus two delegate registrations (value $4,500).

 1 0% discount on all sponsorship opportunities.

BRANCH CONFERENCES A trade display at four branch conferences (value $4,800) T wo delegate registrations to all four branch conferences (value up to $6,000).

Note: due to the size of some regional venues, we may not be able to accommodate all Partners however we will ensure you have a presence at all events.

PROMOTING YOUR BRAND Y our logo displayed in every issue of Engineering for Public Works. Y our logo on our website and conference websites linked to your website. Y our logo featured in our Conference Handbooks and in our conference apps.

Total value $10,000

Contact Events & Marketing Manager Monica.Robertson@ipweaq.com 07 3632 6802

Engineering for Public Works | June 2019

All entitlements in Enterprise plus the following exclusive Principal Partner benefits: A double trade booth at the Annual Conference including two delegate registrations (value $9,000). B randing/sponsorship of an excellence award and presentation of the award on stage (value $1,200). C hair a stream or plenary session at the Annual Conference (value $1,000). G uaranteed booths at all branch conferences. H ost a VIP table with delegates invited to join you for a night at the excellence awards gala dinner (value $1,800).  F ull page advertorial or two 1/2 page advertorials in any issue of Engineering for Public Works (value up to $1,560). O pportunity to share your content on our social media platforms to our industrywide audience. A branded community in our globallyrecognised Knowledge Centre. Upload videos, product guides, media releases, photos and other promotional materials (value $1,800).

Total value $22,000

   www.ipweaq.com Note: all prices plus GST

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PARTNERS

IPWEAQ Principal Partners

Engineering for Public Works | June 2019

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president’s Report We are very pleased to have delivered two more highly successful record-breaking branch conferences. The SWQ Branch conference held 7-8 March in Gatton delivered our biggest ever regional conference with 191 delegates while the CQ Branch conference in Rockhampton, 22-24 May recorded the biggest ever CQ Branch conference with 165 delegates.

As our Annual Conference continues to grow with more than 500 delegates expected in Brisbane this year, there are very few event centres in Queensland with the capacity to hold our conference and trade exhibition. As a result, the continuing elevation of our branch conferences, now almost the same size as our former ‘state conferences’, is key to ensuring we continue to visit our regional centres. Next year, we will be holding four branch conferences in Stanthorpe, Caloundra, Maryborough and Townsville with the Annual Conference to be held in Cairns.

We are also not forgetting remote areas with our Rural Roads Maintenance and Rehabilitation Forum held in Croydon, 28-30 May. This was another highly successful event with 71 delegates converging on a town with accommodation for around 40 people but that has never deterred

our members! These are the sort of events that create IPWEAQ legend and it is critical to us to stay connected with our members across the state. Our thanks to Croydon Shire Council for hosting the event.

And on that note, I’m very pleased to announce the launch of our Go West campaign to encourage university students and graduates to start their careers with our remote and rural councils. The campaign will highlight the benefits of leaving the city and regional areas for a fulfilling all-inclusive role that will fast-track learning and experience. We are working with universities to deliver this program and we hope to encourage a new generation of engineers to make a difference out west. Our thanks to Gerhard Joubert from Central Highlands Regional Council who presented the issue to us to develop a solution.

In conjunction with our developing relationships with Queensland universities, we now offer Student membership (full-time students only) and it is our intention to actively engage with our student members to convince them of the merits of a career engineering for public works. And I’m very pleased to welcome our first official student member, Martin Luna Juncal, a fourth-year student at Griffith University studying a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Civil Engineering with a Bachelor

Engineering for Public Works | June 2019

of Science. Good luck with your studies, Martin and we look forward to your involvement with our community.

The proposed General Meeting to adopt the new constitution and company structure has been postponed once again, with apologies, and will now be held in conjunction with the Annual Conference in Brisbane, 24 October 2019. Proxy Forms already submitted remain valid for the postponed meeting. Please continue to send in your Proxy Forms and thank you for your positive feedback on the proposed changes.

The Annual Conference is also shaping up to be another great event with more than 65 abstracts submitted for the program. Please join us at the Royal International Convention Centre in Brisbane, 22-24 October for another recordbreaking vibrant IPWEAQ event with new and interesting initiatives to be launched.

Seren McKenzie President

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INFORMS. CONNECTS. REPRESENTS. LEADS.

MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS 2019-2020!

We are very pleased to invite you to renew your membership of IPWEAQ. We hope you will continue to be a vital part of our vibrant community of 850 members!

Members who renew before 30 June will be in the draw to win a complimentary registration to the 2019 IPWEAQ Annual Conference valued at $2,000 plus GST. To recoup the cost of your membership ($290 plus GST), you only need to attend one IPWEAQ conference, workshop or course – member prices for all our events are at least $300 less than the nonmember price. Members also receive a $300 discount on all our technical solutions as well as having access to member only resources.

Features of being an IPWEAQ member include:  Globally recognised Knowledge Centre - all papers and presentations delivered at all

branch conferences are searchable by subject matter, author etc. This content is members only.  Register for the 2019 Annual Conference in Brisbane, 22-24 October - members receive a $300 discount.  Attend your local branch conference - members receive a $350 discount. There are four branch conferences scheduled for next year in Stanthorpe, Maryborough, Caloundra and Townsville.  Undertake your ongoing Professional Development with our program tailor-made for our sector.

Members receive discounts of up to $350 per course.  Apply for RPEQ - a discount of $300 applies for members  Members receive discounts of at least $300 on all our technical solutions with a number of new solutions eg the Street Planning and Design Manual (SPDM) currently under development.

 Enhance your reputation and

profile participating in one of our technical Working Groups delivering solutions for Queensland communities.  Enjoy our quarterly e-journal, Engineering for Public Works issued in June, September, December and March each year.  Your monthly issue of Connect provides the latest news and information for our sector.

You can renew online or call Johanna Vanling on 07 3632 6803 to process your credit card payment. You can also pay by direct deposit to our bank account but please be sure to include your invoice number and your name as a reference!

Contact Johanna Vanling Relationship Manager 07 3632 6803 Johanna.Vanling@ipweaq.com

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Queensland's new proactive approach to setting speed limits

FEATURE ARTICLE

Dennis Walsh is the Chief Engineer of Transport and Main Roads.

Dennis is a Chartered Professional Engineer, a member of Engineers Australia and a graduate of the Australian Institute of company directors.

Dennis has worked across a wide range of areas including strategic

planning, traffic and transport planning, road safety policy and engineering, road design, road operations and Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS). He has contributed to a range of national groups, and is the Queensland Director on the ANCAP Board. Dennis is a board member and the Vice President of ITS Australia. He is also a member of the Institute of Public Works Engineers Australia.

Engineering for Public Works | June 2019

He is committed to bringing together the skills and knowledge of his team and their partners to embrace new technologies, engage with customers and drive new ideas into action for the benefit of the community.

Queensland’s Road Safety Strategy (2015-2021) aims to have zero deaths and serious injuries on the road network.

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To achieve this vision, Queensland’s road authorities updated the manual used to review speed limits in 2018.

The updates to the MUTCD Part 4 have simplified the structure and improved the consideration of safety in setting speed limits in Queensland.

The overarching principle of reviewing the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices Part 4: Speed Controls (MUTCD Part 4), was to develop an improved methodology for setting speed limits that enhance safety outcomes without reducing efficiency.

Develop a methodology for speed limit setting that aims to improve the safety outcomes without unreasonably reducing efficiency.

Improved understanding The laws of physics reveal how speed plays a significant role in crash outcomes. The higher the speed and impact, the higher the forces are on fragile bodies. Speed limits have always been set with a consideration of safety and travel efficiency. However, in the past it has been difficult to assess the underlying safety risk of roads.

The speed-limit setting review included a newly developed Infrastructure Risk Rating (IRR) score. Over the past decade, extensive research and development has been conducted to improve the safety risk modelling of different road environment features. This has made it possible to incorporate

consideration of IRR into the speed limit setting process.

Key principles adopted in the development of a revised speedlimit setting process included: • validate impact on all users • a unified process for state and local roads based on a common road classification system • use both collective and individual safety risks (crashes) • incorporate road and road side environment risks • be 'prescriptive' and quantitative while minimising ambiguity • improve safety outcomes without unreasonably reducing efficiency of movement when revising speed limits • provide a mechanism for the management of speeds.

A change in the right direction On 30 November 2018, the revised MUTCD Part 4 was released with improvements to the speed-limit setting process. The changes included a streamlined eight stage Speed Limit Review (SLR) process, a consolidated stage for the provision of criteria-based speed limits and a revised technical analysis where criteria-based speed limits do not apply.

The technical anlaysis stage included a review of existing vehicle speeds and assessment of the level of safety along the road corridor.

The road safety assessment included an analysis of the crash history and the road infrastructure to proactively identify road safety risks – a first in speed limit setting processes across Australia.

The technical assessment provided a recommendation that considers the existing vehicle speeds, road function and road safety risks associated with the corridor. This will ensure speed limits across the Queensland network are credible and consistent.

What's next? ine training workshops have been delivered across Queensland since December 2018. The workshops were used to communicate the changes to the SLR process through a step-by-step demonstration for engineers and technical officers who undertake speed limit reviews in local governments and departmental district offices.

An interim SLR tool has been developed to assist engineers to undertake the technical component of the speed limit review process. A web-based speed limit review tool, currently in the project scoping phase, is expected to be delivered in 2020.

The revised methodology of setting speed limits in Queensland requires a higher level of rigour and objectivity for road safety considerations.

Setting speed limits in areas of high pedestrian and/or bike rider activity has been consolidated, simplified and enhanced.

For more information, the MUTCD Part 4 and supporting documents please visit: https://www.tmr. qld.gov.au/business-industry/ Business-with-us/Speed-limitsetting

Engineering for Public Works | June 2019

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CEO’s Report There is so much happening at IPWEAQ and a lot more under development so for this report, I thought I would provide you with an overview of what we’ve been up to.

Membership • We are now at 850 members.

• We’ve just launched Student membership (full-time students only) to be delivered in conjunction with universities. This program is about the opportunity to engage with students in a meaningful way; not just an offer of free membership.

Technical • The new ADAC validation tool is due to be launched this month.

• We’re developing an ADAC User’s Guide to assist with implementation and ongoing management.

• We’re developing a suite of training packages with clear goals and expectations targeted at the various ADAC user groups.

• The ADAC Strategic Reference Group (SRG) has been reconstituted to provide clearer priorities and direction for the TRG. • The ADAC TRG will have four new sub-groups to address specific areas of expansion for the schema.

• The new Street Planning and Design Manual is due to be

launched in October at the Annual Conference. The Minister for the Department SDMIP is expected to launch the Manual (title of the publication still to be finalised).

• Mark Lamont delivered a presentation on the new iMPACT (our native title and cultural heritage online portal and record keeping tool) to the Indigenous Leaders Forum in Cairns earlier this month.

• iMPACT goes live this month.

Please contact Mark Lamont for a presentation to your council.

• We’ve launched the new Corporate Technical Subscription (CTS) – a technical program specifically designed for consultancies and other businesses engaged in our sector. Welcome George Bourne and Associates - our first corporate subscriber!

• We are developing a new guide and accompanying tools to assist with decision making to optimise asset data.

• We are undertaking a complete overhaul of the Supervisor's Handbook and we invite you to participate in the Working Group.

• We are working with ARRB to develop and manage a national Bridge Inspectors Register.

• Our Working Groups are progressing towards an imminent release of the new Design (CAD) Standards and Survey Standards.

Engineering for Public Works | June 2019

• Updates to Standard Drawings are also coming soon!

Professional Development • We are developing a Learning Hub – an online portal making personal and professional development accessible for everyone. The hub includes 10 week programs designed to meet your needs at various stages of your career and programs on leadership, specifically for women and specifically for men. We will also offer intensive programs for technical and soft skills.

• New courses under development: • Introduction to Urban Stormwater Design • Introduction to Urban Stormwater Assessment Principles • Bridge Asset Management – Data Driven Decision Making • New courses recently launched: • Drainage for Road Design • Pavement Rehabilitation Workshop • Basic Geometric Road Design • Demystifying Extended Design Domain (EDD) Applications • Management of a Civil Workforce The Next Generation • We have a more aged sector than any other. In response, we are focusing attention on high school students and graduates.

Our engagement strategy with universities highlights all the great things engineers in our sector create and maintain for

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our communities. It has not been surprising to learn that very little is known about this as a viable career choice.

• A special Design Thinking workshop to be delivered at the Annual Conference plus other dedicated activities to welcome young professionals to our community • The highly successful Futures Challenge returns this year with nominations now open for final year civil engineering students.

• Our four Ambassadors – Ben Ash, Jessica Kahl, Joshua Flanders and Maddy Stahlhut offer us great advice on how best to respond to the needs of the next generation.

• Membership of IPWEAQ is now open to full-time civil engineering students and related disciplines.

Women in Public Works Engineering • Master Class to be held at the Annual Conference facilitated by Dr Jillian Kennedy.

• We are the first and only organisation in Oceania listed on the International Women in Engineering Day (IWED) list of global events.

• The new Learning Hub includes specific programs for women in our sector.

• See the results of our recent survey on page 14 from our Director, People & Capability, Nadia Marks. Our action plan is in progress.

Cooperation • We signed an MOU with the Local Government Finance Professionals (LGFP) to work together to help with the understanding of

practical engineering and financial implications of asset management. Ultimately, our goal is to assist local governments with longer-term sustainability • We have signed an MOU with the Department State Development, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Planning (DSDMIP) in support of the new Street Planning & Design Manual.

• We have signed an MOU with CQ University to improve our engagement with academia.

Advocacy • We will soon launch our Go West campaign to entice students and graduates to venture to remote and rural councils for a rewarding experience and accelerated career pathway.

• We launched Engineers for Disaster Relief - volunteer to assist councils suffering after a natural disaster. We are compiling a register of engineers and others available to assist, where and when and will circulate this to state and local governments.

• We are building our multipronged campaign for the elevation and recognition of engineers within local government.

Social • We launched TEAM IPWEAQ – our very own bike club with our own jerseys. Our inaugural ride was the award-winning Brisbane Valley Rail Trail. The team rides out again 16 June for the Brissie to Bay. Would you like to join us and nominate a ride in your local area?

• We launched the IPWEAQ Alumni – an opportunity for retired members to stay

connected with each other and with our community. Our inaugural dinner was held in Rockhampton in conjunction with the CQ Branch conference.

Welcome IPWEAQ member #850!

We are very pleased to welcome member #850 - Kym Murphy! As the Regional Director (Downs South West) at TMR, Kym is accountable for the strategic planning and forward program development for transport infrastructure in the region. Kym also leads and provides governance over the delivery of the transport infrastructure program, along with the management and operation of the state road network. She has approx 200 people in her teams across Toowoomba, Warwick, Roma and Charleville. It's great to have you on board, Kym! Events • SWQ Branch Conference, Gatton, March – 191 delegates – the biggest IPWEAQ branch conference to date • CQ Branch Conference, Rockhampton, May – 165 delegates – the biggest CQ branch conference to date • Rural Roads Maintenance & Rehabilitation Forum, Croydon, May – 71 delegates for our first rural roads forum

Engineering for Public Works | June 2019

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General Meeting to adopt new constitution and corporate structure The General Meeting to adopt the new corporate structure (a company limited by guarantee) has been postponed to Thursday 24 October 2019 to be held in conjunction with the Annual Conference. All Proxy Forms submitted to date are valid for the postponed meeting. If you are unable to attend the meeting in person, please be sure to send in your Proxy Forms!

Why do we need a new constitution?

From McCullough Robertson: The Associations Incorporation Act (AI Act) establishes a legal framework to enable small nonprofit organisations to enjoy the protections of incorporation.

The AI Act has relatively rigid provisions that are better suited for less sophisticated organisations.

Today, the modern commercially operating not-for-profit legal entity is the CLBG. In light of these changes, the incorporated association structure may no longer provide the optimal framework for IPWEAQ based on its current activities.

Corporate Structure This new constitution is as pure and clean as we can possibly make it understanding the laws that prevail at this time.

If we have done a good job, this constitution should not require amendments for at least 10 years. It makes us lean and nimble and able to respond quickly to a changing environment.

• Annual Conference, Brisbane, 22-24 October 2019 – we are expecting 500+ delegates for another exceptional IPWEAQ conference. Please join us and register early!

Social Media • We now have over 1,000 followers on LinkedIn with engagement increasing exponentially on both LinkedIn and Facebook.

• Our journal readership has increased 30% since last year and earlier issues of the journal continue to be read emphasising that this is a critical source of valuable information for our sector.

Actions for you to take or roles requiring volunteers or participants: • 2-3 volunteers required for each of the following ADAC TRG sub-groups: Water & Sewer, Stormwater & Transport, Open Space and Electrical & Telecoms (including smart assets, CCTV and sensors).

• The 2019 Great Debate: rural engineers are more adaptable than their city counterparts – this is a highly entertaining and enjoyable aspect of the Annual Conference. Do you have a good argument for either side?

• Engineers for Disaster Relief – volunteer to assist councils suffering after a natural disaster.

Please contact me or complete the form on our website.

• TEAM IPWEAQ – join our bike club and nominate a ride anywhere across the state. Please contact Johanna Vanling to join.

• Nominate a project or team member for the 2019 Excellence Awards – let’s celebrate the achievements of our sector

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and the people who serve our communities. Contact Monica Robertson.

• If you are unable to attend the General Meeting on 24 October, please send in your Proxy Form so your vote can be counted!

• Join the new Supervisors Working Group to participate in a complete overhaul of the current Supervisor's Handbook and associated training program.

Thank you!

A huge thank you to our incredible teams at IPWEAQ: Craig, Nadia, Mark, Monica, Johanna, Belinda, Kate, Celine and Kevin. And at QWD: Dave, Rob, David, Carlie, Ryan, Desire and Diana.

A huge thank you to our Board led

by Seren who has established an impressive track record as Chair which may well be unbeatable.

Thanks to Board members, Craig, Gerard, Andrew, Angela, Celisa, Raad and Bruce. Your unwavering support for our team is invaluable – it allows us to get on with the business of delivering for our members and for our sector.

Nominations for IPWEAQ Board Nominations are now open for eight positions on the IPWEAQ Board. Please contact me to request the Nomination Form.

Nominations close 4pm 4 July 2019 Leigh Cunningham Chief Executive Officer

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International Women in Engineering Day We are proud to be the first organisation in Oceania listed with Women's Engineering Society to celebrate International Women in Engineering Day (IWED) 23 June!

Enter our competition to attend a special Women in Public Works Engineering Master Class to be held at the 2019 IPWEAQ Annual Conference in Brisbane facilitated by Dr Jillian Kennedy. Visit our LinkedIn page and competition post and tag yourself for a chance to win. Delegates at the masterclass will come away with relevant authentic development strategies. Competition winner announced 24 June. #TransformTheFuture

Go West Thank you to the 13 councils which responded to our Go West survey providing valuable information to assist with the development of our new Go West campaign to be launched next month. Through our established partnerships with universities and connecting directly with students, we will develop strategies and actions to attract, recruit and retain graduates.

We are committed to building a strong pipeline of engineers to support our sector Queensland-wide to ensure we can deliver on the projects and services our communities need well into the future.

Workshop for Younger Professionals

Engineers for Disaster Relief

On Day 1 of the Annual Conference, we will deliver a facilitated workshop specifically for members under age 35 (U35). This workshop will offer guidance on new ways of thinking about and resolving issues utilising the CASE framework.

Calling all retired engineers, and others who are keen to volunteer their time, to please register for our new Engineers for Disaster Relief (EDR) program. We live in a great state but many of our councils face regular weather events. A helping hand from experienced public works engineers would make a huge difference during those challenging times.

You can nominate where you are available to travel to and whether you are available for any natural disaster or specific events eg floods.

The workshop will be followed by our U35s Welcome Lunch with an opportunity to meet your Conference Buddy – a senior member who will introduce our U35s to colleagues and guide them with decisions on what sessions and streams to attend for their particular career path and interests.

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In April 2019 we sought feedback from our stakeholders on topics specifically relating to women working in the public works sector. Results reflect similar sentiments to other surveys conducted by other professional organisations.

What three factors would most support your career in public works?

Flexibility/work balance Supportive management/culture/ organisation Professional development opportunities Pay/equal apportunity Role models/diversity/advocacy

76%

Respect and appreciation Mentoring Network Better working condition - site work IPWEAQ 2019 SURVEY

Other

Do you have RPEQ status?

of respondents would like to be involved in our community of women engineering for public works

95% scored higher than 3 on the question: how likely are you to recommend the public works sector as a career path for women in engineering (5 being the most likely) Yes

57%

43%

No

1/3 in process obtaining 1/3 not required in current role 1/3 require more experience or study before applying

Only 5% scored a 2, and nobody scored a 1!

IPWEAQ is committed to supporting women in public works engineering by focussing efforts on targeted, relevant and impactful initiatives.

Flexibility & worklife balance •M aternity pause memeberships •D edicated development programs addressing work life balance challenges

Professional development opportunities • 1 0 week development program designed for women in public works engineering •S enior leadership development program •W PWE Master Class and other exclusive events •T ailored career pathway to attain RPEQ

Role models / diversity / advoacy •S howcasing role models and excellence in our sector through social media • L eading by example through balanced leadership, diverse judging panels and inhouse practices

Community and networking •D edicated community group •N etworking and dedicated events to encourage connections, support and exchange of knowledge

Respect, appreciation •D edicated Women in Engineering award and active encoragement for nominations •A dvancing public profile of women through authoring technical articles •E ncourage female members who qualify to apply to become Fellows of IPWEAQ

If you would like to be involved or share feedback and ideas we would love to hear from you.

Please contact Nadia Marks, Director People & Capability.

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community news

MS ‘Brissie to the Bay’ The Brissie to the Bay bike ride has been part of the Brisbane cycling scene for over two decades and this year on Sunday 16 June #TeamIPWEAQ will join thousands of other riders raising money to help change the lives of the thousands of Australians living with MS. Get behind the team today – back them in their efforts to raise funds to support people living with MS and fund research to find a cure.

Many thanks to #TeamIPWEAQ! Gleb Kolenbet (Captain), David Bell (Vice Captain), Joe Bannan, Melissa Althaus, Mike Brady, Shayne Brooking, Jonathan

Congratulations Team IPWEAQ! More than $2,000 raised for MSQ!

Bunker, Matthew Burdett, Jack Foster, Helena Kolenbet, Kevin Miller, Luke O'doherty, Brett Qualischefski, Andrew Ryan, Adrian Smith, Sam Stocker, Roger Watson, Rodney Webb, Kerry Wicks, Troy

Winterflood and Rachael Wood.

If you’re not able to participate in the ride, please consider making a donation to support your IPWEAQ colleagues who will be slipping into the lycra to take part.

IPWEAQ Alumni The inaugural Alumni dinner for retired and Emeritus members was held at the Great Western Hotel in Rockhampton in conjunction with the CQ Branch conference. A special thank you to Brian and Christina Bailey who drove down from Townsville for the occasion.

Alumni also joined other delegates in the arena for the bull riding exhibition.

The purpose of the Alumni social events is to provide an opportunity for our retired members to stay connected with those who share their history and and particular time in our sector.

Engineers for Disaster Relief (EDR) We’re also pleased to announce our first volunteer for Engineers for Disaster Relief (EDR), Philip McKone. Philip lives in Yeppoon and was up until recently Manager Infrastructure Planning & Design at Livingstone Shire Council. Thank you, Philip!

If you’d like to help out in a crisis by volunteering engineering services to help colleagues struggling after a natural disaster, you can register online.

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Welcome to our newest RPEQ We would like to congratulate and welcome our newest RPEQ Darren Carlson. Darren graduated with a Bachelor of Engineering from Griffith University in 2005 and is now Lead Engineering in Stormwater Panning with Moreton

Bay Regional Council.

His considerable experience working as a public works engineer in Queensland and Tasmania, and his dedication to continuing professional development, convinced the three-person assessment panel and the IPWEAQ Welcome, Martin!

We’re excited to welcome Martin Luna Juncal as our first official IPWEAQ student member! Martin is a fourth-year student at Griffith University on the Gold Coast campus currently studying a double degree, which consists of a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Civil Engineering as well as a Bachelor of Science.

Being both, an engineering and science student, Martin is regularly exposed to challenging problems that require high levels of planning and conceptual knowledge. As a

the outstanding achievements of women engineers and encourages the growth of women within the sector.

#TransformTheFuture International Women in Engineering Day (IWED) was launched in the UK on 23 June 2014 by the Women’s Engineering Society.

IWED is an international awareness campaign to raise the profile of women in engineering and focus attention on the amazing career opportunities available to girls in this exciting industry. It celebrates

Celebrate and promote IWED 2019: • Organise an event or activity for INWED: breakfast, morning or afternoon tea, lunch.

• Share photos showcasing achievements and positive women interaction within your workplace.

• Launch a Women’s Network or arrange a leadership development event for your women engineers.

• Enter your best female engineer in the IPWEAQ Excellence Awards.

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RPEQ Board, that Darren was a highly suitable candidate. And his application was unanimously approved.

We wish Darren every success in his future work as a Registered Profession Engineer in Queensland. result, he always seeks to enhance himself through his studies so that he can use unique and innovative methods to solve an array of issues in a real-world environment.

IPWEAQ welcomes full-time students enrolled in civil engineering or related disciplines including urban planning, design and surveying. And we’re very happy to have Martin (right) as part of our public works engineering community.

If you’d like more information on our new Student membership, please see page 85.

• Offer your employees to volunteer at IPWEAQ’s Buddy Program at our Annual Conference.

• Attend parents’ evenings at local schools and advocate engineering careers.

At IPWEAQ we are excited to further develop our Women in Public Works Engineering programs.

We hope you take inspiration from the above ideas or some of the work we are doing to celebrate the incredible things that women have achieved within engineering in the last 100 years. Likewise please share your ideas and celebrations so we can take inspiration from you!

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Honorary Members

Greg Hallam Chief Executive Officer (CEO) | LGAQ Greg Hallam is the CEO of the LGAQ. He has tertiary qualifications in commerce, economics and business administration.

Greg has worked in the Brisbane City Council (as a student) Federal Treasury, National Office of Local Government, Esk Shire and Townsville City Councils as a senior executive. He has held the role of Chief Executive Officer of the Local Government Association of Queensland since 1992.

His past board memberships have included the Queensland Treasury Corporation, Infrastructure Queensland, National Packaging Covenant Council (Chair), Racing Queensland (Deputy Chair), Queensland Music Festival, Sporting Wheelies and the Queensland Olympic Council.

Brendan Moon Chief Executive Officer (CEO) | Queensland Reconstruction Authority CEO, Brendan Moon leads Australia’s only permanent disaster recovery agency Queensland Reconstruction Authority (QRA). Since 2011, QRA has overseen a Commonwealth/ State funded disaster reconstruction program worth $15.6 billion, with Brendan leading Queensland’s contribution to the Commonwealth’s recent reform of disaster funding arrangements.

Brendan started with QRA in 2011, following the Queensland floods and Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi and led QRA operations for Cyclone Oswald and recovery efforts for Cyclone Debbie.

Brendan was appointed the State Recovery Coordinator following five separate natural disasters to strike Queensland in early 2018 and is the State Recovery Policy and Planning Coordinator, assisting with the recovery of disaster-impacted communities.

Welcome to new members for 2018-2019!

••Sarah Atif ••Juan Avella ••Adebayo Bayooke ••Alan Beattie ••Damion Beety ••Amy Bernier ••Kirsty Bilton ••Craig Bindoff ••Timothy Blacker ••Stephen Bolden ••Madhavi Borra ••Claudia Brassard •• Jay BrewsterO'brien ••Mario Brischetto ••Gene Brookes ••Samantha Brown ••Steve Bryan ••Kyle Buis ••Ryan Butler ••Richard Bywater ••Brad Carey •• Arry Charrismanagara ••Jake Colburn ••Margit Connellan ••Dawson Courneya •• Andrew Cummings ••Adelaide Dadic ••Raul Daet ••Niall Davidson ••Trevor Dean ••Mohd Deen ••Marty De-wit ••Seth Docherty ••Ian Don ••Natalie Dreibergs ••John Egan ••David Evans ••Ben Falkenhagen ••Nicholas Falvey ••Kurt Faux ••Nathan Flor ••Brent Frampton ••Jeremy Fredericks •• Elias Gandashanga ••Eben Geldenhuis ••Scott Gemmell ••Giorgio Giaroli ••Tom Gooding ••Neil Graham ••Mark Greenhalf ••Darren Griffiths ••Kyle Guevara •• Ananda Gunawardana

•• Geoffrey Hamilton ••Daniel Hazelman ••Allan Heit ••Tim Heldt ••Phil Herron ••Barry Horsfall ••John Htet •• Matthew Ingerman ••Brian Jackson ••Stephen Jackson ••Emmanuel Joel •• Sudershan Kanthakadi ••Peter Kavanaugh ••Simon Kealley ••Tim Kirchen ••Nik Kleine ••Anne Kolega ••Justin Kronk ••Ben Langdon ••Arvind Jess Layug ••Tessa Leggo ••Zaccheus Leong ••Robyn Letts ••Gary Love ••Mark Lu ••Glen Luscombe ••Emma Lyons ••Ian Maddocks ••Raza Malik ••Rudy Martignago ••Dale Martin ••Vili Masibilo ••Bryan Matyorauta ••Sam Mccarthy ••Pat McCormack ••Benjamin Mcgloin ••Freeman Mcgrath ••Rob Mcilwraith •• Amal Meegahawattage ••Peter Melazzini ••Michael Mihelakis ••Reece Milburn ••Jeff Miles ••David Moore ••Braiden Mulder ••Kelsey Mundt ••Steven Murnane ••Matthew Murphy ••Truong Nguyen ••Nadine Nilon ••Jo O'brien ••Jim O'Dea ••John Oppes ••Adam O'Rourke

••Tiffany Parker ••Marta Parkinson ••Allan Parry ••Leanna Patterson ••Asrar Peer ••Chris Pickford ••Ray Plasto ••Sudeep Pokhrel ••Adam Porter ••Luke Porter ••Jay Power ••Rajabu Rashid ••Margesh Raval ••Beau Reichert ••Mohamad Rkein ••Mario Ruckli ••Jason Ryan •• Rebecca Saltmarsh ••Tom Sanders ••Sean Sandford ••Sabrina Sapian •• Julian Schmitt Salvador ••Anna Scott ••Adhikary Shekhar ••Nabin Shrestha ••Darcy Simpson ••Craig Smit ••Alpesh Solanki ••Mengli Song ••Lindsay Stafford ••Maddy Stahlhut ••Sara Stanley ••Sarah Stephen ••Andrew Sterritt ••Darcy Stevenson ••Andrea Taft ••James Tayler ••Allan Tegawa •• Kanapathippillai Thirugnanasundralingam •• Andrew Thompson ••Vanessa Thomson ••Matthew Tilly ••Dan Toon ••Haydn Watson •• Janaka Weerasinghe ••Jon Williams ••Renee Wise ••Peter Woodford ••Ying Wu ••Amanda Yeates ••Steven Young

Engineering for Public Works | June 2019

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Field Trials in Cairns for Concrete Using Recycled Crushed Glass as a Fine Aggregate Replacement

CASE STUDY

Joshua Flanders, Cairns Regional Council IPWEAQ Ambassador Key Facts • Australian produces 54 million tonnes of waste annually – 2.2 tonnes/person/year • Cairns Regional Council crushes 7 – 10 tonnes of glass each operational day • Three different concrete mixes containing different proportions of recycled crushed glass used to replace natural coarse sand (4 mm) were tested against a control • Strength and workability optimum for 40% replacement.

Negligible reduction in strength • Total glass used in trial was 8.46 tonnes in 108 m of 2 m wide concrete footpath • Significant economic savings Need for Recycling is Increasing Recycling is becoming an increasing issue due to rapid growth of population and industry.

Closed loop recycling is the best sustainable method to re-use waste streams back into new production, as it creates energy

Figure 1 – Comparison of Crushed Glass and Natural Sand Particle Size and Shape

savings, reduces the demand on primary mineral resources and diverts materials away from landfill. There is a need for the use of recycled glass in a way which promotes sustainability with economic, environmental and construction benefits.

In Australia, 54 million tonnes of waste was accumulated in 2018. That is equal to almost 2.2 tonnes per person per year and this figure is increasing every year. Glass accounts for almost one third of all recycled waste collected in Australia. Generally, 40% of the collected waste glass is recycled and the other 60% is crushed and sent to landfill. With high volumes of glass not being

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recovered, taking into account its non-biodegradable nature, there is increasing pressure to provide innovative solutions into the effective re-use of this material.

Local Government Requirements The Cairns Regional Council (CRC) currently crushes recycled glass into a fine aggregate form (4 mm) as part of the kerbside recycling process at the Cairns Materials Recovery Facility (MRF).

Approximately 7 – 10 tonnes of crushed glass is output from the MRF each operational day and material is readily available for concrete production upon completion of the crushing process. Its use in concrete would not only create significant

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environmental benefits by reducing the amount of glass sent to landfill, but would also reduce the collection and transport costs and environmental effects associated with using natural sand.

It is noted that there are small proportions of impurities in this raw material such as pieces of plastic, metal and paper.

The Cairns Regional Council expressed interest in utilising this recycled material in low risk infrastructure projects such as concrete pedestrian and cyclist footpaths. This application is suitable as kilometres of paths are being constructed every year due to the ever-increasing demand for pedestrian and cycle connectivity.

Previous Studies In 2017 a laboratory study was undertaken at James Cook University Townsville in conjunction with the Cairns Regional Council. This study investigated the chemical and

physical properties of waste glass; quantified pozzolanic properties of waste glass; verified the performance of concrete with waste glass as a partial replacement for fine aggregate and cement; and quantified economic and environmental benefits.

The results of this study ultimately showed that the use of recycled glass in concrete was beneficial as a fine aggregate replacement as it produced strength which was equal to or greater than a control mix, and also enhanced a range of other durability indicators.

Replacement levels up to 60% replacement of natural sand were considered feasible with an optimal replacement level of 40%.

Although the laboratory results, as well as results from other literature, suggested the use of crushed glass could be feasible as a fine aggregate replacement, there have been limited field trials undertaken in order to assess

how it performs. Key performance indicators include compressive strength, durability, workability, and quality of the finished surface.

The Trial The trial undertaken by the Cairns Regional Council was located at the Progress Road entrance to the White Rock State School within the suburb of White Rock in Cairns, Queensland. An existing 1.6 m concrete footpath was located along the frontage of the school and needed replacement as it didn’t meet current standards and was in poor condition. The scope of works included the demolition of the existing footpath and the construction of a new 2 m wide compliant footpath of total length 108 m. The construction of the footpath was compliant to the Far North Queensland Regional Organisation of Councils (FNQROC) standard drawing S1035 – Pathways/Bikeways with the exception of the grade of concrete used. The FNQROC standard

Figure 2 – Stockpile of Crushed Glass at Cairns Regional Council Materials Recovery Facility (MRF)

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Figure 3 – Location of Site and Separation of Four Concrete Mixes

specifies N25 grade concrete however N32 grade was used because the laboratory studies focussed on this grade.

A total of four different mixes were used in the trial, detailed below. Three mixes incorporated recycled crushed glass (RCG) to partially replace the natural 4 mm coarse sand and the fourth was a standard N class concrete used as

the control mix. One of the three RCG mixes contained additional cementitious material to meet the Queensland Transport and Main Roads (QTMR) specification (MRTS70). Fine and coarse aggregates were sourced from local quarries in the Cairns region.

All concrete mixes were supplied

by Pioneer North Queensland (PNQ) who were a pivotal part of the preparation of this trial.

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1. R CG 40%: 40% fine aggregate replacement mix – based on standard N32 class mix 2. R CG 60%: 60% fine aggregate replacement mix – based on standard N32 class mix 3. R CG 40% TMR: 40% fine aggregate replacement mix to QTMR Specification (MRTS70) 4. Control – Standard N32 class mix

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Each RCG mix was 30 m in length and the control mix was utilised for a total of 18 m split over two sections. The three RCG mix designs were selected as there was sufficient laboratory data to

confirm they were feasible to use in a field trial.

The compressive strength of each concrete mix was tested after 5, 7 and 28 days from the date of the pour. The characteristic strength for

all mixes was 32 MPa. Target slump for each mix was 80 mm + 15 mm.

The works associated with the trial were undertaken over a nine-day period from Wednesday 9th January to Friday 18th of January 2019.

Table 1: Slump Values for Each Mix

Mix Slump (mm)

RCG 40%

RCG 60%

RCG 40% TMR

Control

80

100

90

80

Table 2 – Compressive Strength for Each Mix and Comparison to Control

Mix

RCG 40%

RCG 60%

RCG 40% TMR

Control

Compressive Strength after 28 Days (MPa)

33.1

25.9

28.5

34.0

Percentage Less than Control

2.6%

24%

16%

-

Figure 4– Development of Compressive Strength for All Concrete Mixes Trialled

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Figure 5: Finished Surface of All Concrete Mixes Trialled after 28 Days

Results Workability The workability of the concrete mixes was considered to be a key performance indicator. During the trial, contractors on site suggested that the 40% RCG TMR mix was the most similar to the control mix. The 60% RCG mix was least desirable as it was difficult to spread and screed. The 40% RCG achieved adequate workability however was more similar to the 60% RCG mix. All mixes trialled achieved the target slump range of 80 mm + 15 mm except for the 60% RCG mix. See Table 1.

Strength The results of the compressive strength samples after 28 days of curing were consistent with those achieved in the laboratory study at James Cook University.

Average results can be seen in Table 2. Figure 4 presents average compressive strength development over time. The 40% RCG mix was observed to achieve a compressive strength closest to that of the control mix after 7 and 28 days of curing. As with the laboratory study, the compressive strength of the 60% replacement mix was significantly lower than

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that of the control. Based on these findings it is concluded that a 40% replacement of fine aggregate with recycled crushed glass is optimal.

It is believed that with slight adjustments to the mix design of the Queensland Transport and Main Roads mix, the characteristic strength can be achieved. Further practical trials are suggested.

Finished Surface The finished surface of the concrete footpath was another performance indicator as it is what the general public will notice the most. All of the concrete mixes in the trial were

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Figure 6 – Existing 1.6 m Wide Concrete Footpath

Figure 7 - Demolition Works on Existing Concrete Footpath

broomed finished. The method of assessment on the finished surface was by visual inspection after 28 days. The RCG 40% and RCG 40% TMR mixes resulted in finished surfaces which were similar to the control with the exception of small amounts of glass particles visible. The finished surface of the

60% RCG mix displayed a rough appearance and larger sized glass particles in some areas.

Environmental The environmental analysis is the primary driver in assessing the benefits of recycled crushed glass as a fine aggregate replacement.

This trial utilised 8.46 tonnes of recycled crushed glass which was the equivalent to almost 47000 glass bottles (based on a 355 ml glass beer bottle). On average there was 4.7 kg of glass per cubic meter of concrete, which was equivalent to 94 kg per meter of 2 m wide concrete footpath. Not

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only was this amount of glass saved from being sent to landfill, the trial saved 8.8 tonnes of natural coarse sand (4 mm) from being used.

Economic In addition to local governments desire to save money, two new initiatives are increasing the need for economic benefit even further. Commencing 1st July 2019, the Queensland Government is introducing a waste levee of $75 per tonne on all material sent to landfill. Additionally, with the commencement of the Queensland Container Refund Scheme (CRS) on 1st November 2018, local governments are eligible for a refund for glass containers collected through kerbside recycling which can be shown to have been recycled.

Based on the amount of recycled crushed glass used in the trial, a saving of $635 in waste levy charges was achieved. An additional amount was refunded for the CRS. The production cost of the four mixes, based on the amounts of raw material used, were all within $5 per cubic meter of each other.

This is an attractive result as for negligible extra cost, acceptable

levels of performance can be achieved while recycling significant amounts of glass.

Limitations The use of recycled glass in concrete is suitable for broom finished concrete. Although exposed aggregate finishes have not been tested with concrete containing crushed glass, it is possible that glass particles may become loose and break away from the concrete during use.

Other limitations include the use of glass in concrete in higher risk applications such as structural members or load bearing applications such as culverts.

The Outlook Close monitoring of this trial footpath by the Cairns Regional Council is required to determine if the use of recycled glass in concrete affects short and long term durability. Currently after five months, there are no visual signs of increased wear on the concrete containing glass compared to the control.

The 40% RCG mix was the most suitable mix in the trial to satisfy the requirements of the Cairns Regional Council as it achieved acceptable strength

Figure 7 - Demolition Works on Existing Concrete Footpath.

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and workability. The Queensland Transport and Main Roads mix requires slight adjustment and further trials before it may be suitable for use. It is expected that with refinements to this mix, the characteristic strength can be achieved.

With the success of this trial with regards to compressive strength, workability, and environmental and economic enhancements, it is anticipated that more footpaths trials will be undertaken in the Cairns region in the future. With more pressure for innovation and improvements in the public works sector, as well as increasing need for recycling and reuse, the use of recycled glass in concrete is becoming very appealing. If large stockpiles of glass which is already crushed into the appropriate size can be reduced at the rate of 4.7 kg per cubic meter of compliant concrete, and economic benefit can be sought from the container refund scheme and avoidance of waste levee, it is difficult to see why local governments would not utilise this resource. The result of this trial shows glass can be recycled in a way which promotes sustainability with economic, environmental and construction benefits.

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Global Day of the Engineer

Global Day of the Engineer (GDE) acknowledges the many ways in which our public works engineers have improved our way of life.

Five councils joined with us at 3pm on 3 April to celebrate the occasion: Logan City Council, Gladstone Regional Council, Gympie Regional Council, Somerset Regional Council and Cairns Regional Council.

GDE Cairns Regional Council.

delighted to receive a tote bag, t-shirt, cap, pens, note pads, picnic blanket and more.

Each of our five participating councils were provided with an Engineering the Future merchandise kit and organised their own initiatives for the GDE afternoon tea.

Gympie Regional Council hosted 30 people including their CEO, a councillor and the Director of Infrastructure Services. A lucky draw was organised to choose the winner of the merchandise kit with one eager participant entering three times including once under his dog's name!

Somerset Regional Council held their event in the Sim Lord Courtyard with councillors, the CEO and Council’s engineering department in attendance.

The successful winner of the Engineering the Future merchandise pack was Technical Officer, Chol Lueth who was presented with his prize by Director Operations, Andrew Johnson.

Cairns Regional Council asked participants to wear party shirts and organised a lucky dip to give away the merchandise pack. $50 was raised for the President’s Charity by requiring the 30 attendees to donate a gold coin.

GDE Somerset Regional Council.

Please add to our expanding list of reasons to love engineering.

GDE Logan City Council - Straw Structures Challenge.

The Logan Water Infrastructure Alliance organised a series of engineering challenges to determine the winner of the merchandise pack. The challenges included the Straw Structure Challenge (building the tallest structure from straws and sticky tape), the Creative Structure Challenge (build the most creative structure using Jubes and toothpicks), the Tissue Box Challenge (create a structure with one A4 paper and one piece of sticky tape that will hold a tissue box at least 5cms off the table unaided), and an engineering themed pop quiz.

In addition to the afternoon teas prize draws, we ran a competition on LinkedIn. Our winners, Sean Rice and Madalena Ribeiro were

Thank you to everyone who hosted and participated in #GDE19! We look forward to working with you and many more councils for Global Day of the Engineer 2020.

Reasons to love engineering 1. Leave a legacy.

2. Create sustainable communities.

3. Work with amazing people.

4. Solve problems in clever ways.

5. Communities thrive because of you.

6. You'll never be bored.

7. A lifelong profession beyond retirement.

8. Your skills are transferable and relevant.

9. From inspiration and imagination to implementation (Phil McKone) 10. Create a better future for our kids and the community (Celisa Faulkner) 11. To be innovative; provide outside the box solutions (Sriya Fernando) 12. Add another! Send your suggestions to Johanna.

Vanling@ipweaq.com

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peter hughes

MEMBER PROFILE

Peter Russel Hughes BSc(Tech) UNSW, Grad Dip Env Eng (QIT), FIEAust, CPEng, NER, FIPWEAQ, FAusIMM, RPEQ.

Peter Hughes has had a long and storied career in public works engineering, both in private consultancies and local council roles in Queensland and New South Wales (NSW) and beyond to South East Asia and Africa. Although retired, Peter is still active in the engineering community and recently took the time to talk to us about his impressive career in public works engineering – a career which has spanned six decades and seen many changes!

Engineering for Public Works (EPW): Please tell us briefly about yourself, where you’re from, your early life and what makes you tick.

Peter Hughes (PH): I was born during World War II in January 1943 when my father, who was in the AIF, was transferred from the Middle East theatre of war to the Pacific. My parents Olive and Russel had a junior certificate education although recognised later in professional life as an

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artist and a Chartered Accountant respectively.

I was the first in our family to finish high school and gain matriculation to attend university. In 1961, I received an apprenticeship as a draftsman and simultaneously as a cadet engineer with Rankine & Hill Consulting Engineers, in Sydney attending Sydney Tech College and the University of NSW at night.

I am totally self-driven and completed the apprenticeship

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in three years and engineering degree in Civil Engineering in 1968. I am married to Judy, who I met on the train going to high school and first dated in 1960; we have four grown-up children and five grandchildren.

EPW: Please summarise your career.

PH: Leaving North Sydney Boys’ High School in 1960, with a matriculation, I was employed by: • 1961-1965 Rankine & Hill, Consulting Engineers, Sydney as an Apprentice Draftsman and Cadet Engineer, attending University of NSW. A responsibility of a third year Cadet Engineer was to mentor firstand second year cadets as well as acting as Design Project Manager interacting with clients and government stakeholders.

• 1965-1968 Sinclair Knight & Partners, Consulting Engineers, Sydney (later SKM), Sinclair and Knight both worked for Rankine & Hill and took me with them as a Senior Project Manager – this was my real start to public works engineering from traffic studies, roads, bridges, drainage, water supply and sewerage designs.

• 1968-1971 Namoi Shire Council, Narrabri NSW, Deputy Shire Engineer. Major responsibility to Council for infrastructure planning, engineering design, road, bridge and drainage construction and maintenance work.

• 1971-1973 Thiess Peabody Mitsui Coal, Moura, Central Qld, Chief Civil Engineer – responsible for all civil engineering and surveying for opencut and underground coal mines and liaison with Banana Shire Council

relating to Moura Town and council roads through the mining lease and associated works.

• 1973-1977 Sinclair Knight Merz (SKM), Consulting Engineers, Brisbane – Senior Engineer/ then Associate; responsible for opening the Brisbane office and for all civil engineering works including local government works, subdivisions and mining related civil engineering works with a staff approaching 50 in 1977.

• 1978-1999 Hughes McNaughton Consultants, Consulting Engineers, Brisbane – commenced own engineering business specialising in civil infrastructure, transport, mining and local government works throughout Queensland and NSW and in The Philippines, with a staff of up to 60 personnel.

• 1999-2016 Himark Consulting Group, Brisbane - Consulting group specialising in major infrastructure projects – providing engineering advice related to major road, motorways, tunnels, rail, mining and port infrastructure and infrastructure management in Australia, Africa and South East Asia.

EPW: Can you remember back to how or why you choose a career as an engineer in public works?

PH: Yes, I can remember it well.

Mum and Dad were building a house in suburban Sydney; I’m three or four years old using the heaps of soil excavated for foundations and I was building roads and quarries for my Dinky Toy cars and trucks to use. Paddlepop sticks for bridges, when it rained, I’d divert the water so that my roads were not washed out!

When I was eight, my parents took me on a skiing trip to the Snowy Mountains in NSW and instead of learning how to ski, I spent the days on the lookout over the construction of Eucumbene Dam watching the excavators, dozers and haul trucks doing their thing. I then wrote to SMEC who sent me many leaflets on the scheme from which I built a model of the dam and its surrounds including the core. I was hooked at age 12.

EPW: What was your most dramatic or heart-stopping career highlight?

PH: As a third year cadet with Rankine & Hill being responsible for checking the beam and column welds on multi-storey steel framed high-rise commercial buildings; in particular floors 28, 29 and 30 of the Pearl Assurance Building in Sydney – before WPH&S was thought about – with no safety harnesses or nets. You relied just on your own balance walking along the beams. We didn’t do it if there was any strong wind blowing!

EPW: You have many anecdotes; tell one that relates to working as an engineer in public works?

PH: Probably the one that would definitely not happen today was resolving subdivision planning condition disputes between councils and developers in the 1970s and 1980s when an appeal was made. The developer would appeal to the Minister for Local Government at the time, not through the court and the Minister would call the parties into his office in George Street.

The Minister knew most of the engineers involved in local government works in Queensland as he attended LGEQ’s conferences (predecessor to IPWEAQ).

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I had to front the Minister on four occasions; two representing councils and two developers. The meeting went something like this: ‘Introduce yourselves, OK what’s the issue? I’m not interested in your dispute’; the Minister’s Director of Engineering (who we all knew as he’d front-up at the LGEQ Regional Group meetings to tell us the latest from the Department) was called and he and the engineers to the parties only were told to sort this out. The Minister wanted a resolution in 15 minutes. Into the Director’s office we would go, with the Director saying, ‘OK, as we discussed on the phone I know you guys are now in agreement, what is the accepted solution? Great, we still have 10 minutes to have a chat!’

The charade over, the Minister and the engineers win the day and everybody is happy! Hooray!

EPW: How did being an IPWEAQ member help your career? (And prior to that being a LGEQ and IMEAQ (predecessors of IPWEAQ) member?

PH: It was then, as it is today. The networking and camaraderie of the local government engineering fraternity and the providing of assistance to each other when required. Especially in difficult times such as natural disasters – floods, cyclones, fire and accidents – really it is ‘mate helping mate’.

One particular time that I still remember vividly was a call received in Brisbane from a consulting engineer friend of mine in Newcastle on 29 December 1989 to ask, ‘Peter, we’ve had an earthquake, the City’s in a terrible state, City Council is frantic and they need to have somebody independent but still registered in NSW with knowledge of Ordinance

70 of the NSW Local Govt Act 1919.

Can you help?’ 13 people had been killed at the Newcastle Workers Club the previous day where numerous extensions had been made to the original building and approved under Ordinance 70, as regularly amended, which had been superseded by the Building Code of Australia some years earlier. I spent the next 2 weeks in Newcastle going through their records (before the lawyers arrived) and cleared the Council and its former staff of any irregularities in process before handing the documents over to the insurers. I still remain close friends with some of the Newcastle senior staff then including the Building Surveyor and City Engineer.

EPW: What are some of the biggest changes you have seen in public works engineering in your 50+ years in the sector?

PH: There are probably six major changes that have occurred in the public works engineering sector, these are: Measurement From 1966 to 1971 all measurements changed from Imperial to Metric – all design, quantities, distance and speed signage, all shire maps including map scales, preparation of conversion tables, etc.

Communications Until mid-1980s, councils only has HF and VHF radio and land lines, no mobiles, etc.

Computers We used slide-rules and 5-figure log-tables for design and calculations, my first calculator was the HP35 followed by a HP10C in about 1976, design computers, CAD and the like only appeared in early 1990s.

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Education: Many LGEs in the 1960s and 1970s were World War II veterans who qualified as LGEs at ‘night school’ (now TAFE) or by correspondence and had to complete three-hour exams for a LG Qualification as an Engineer (Civil) under the Qld Local Govt Act 1936. The 14 subjects included Mathematics, Structures, Mechanics & Strength of Materials, Surveying, Hydraulics, Town Planning, Heat, Light & Sound, Sanitary Engineering, Electricity & Magnetism, Road & Street Eng’g I & II, Drawing and Powers & Duties of a LGE. Registration LGEs (including Consulting Engineers to Councils) and Overseers of Works had to be registered under the Qld Local Govt Act 1936. This was replaced by registration under BPEQ in the late 1990s.

Position and Name The old name of Shire Engineer, Town Engineer, etc, shows the position and status held in the local community of the holder at the time; while that of Director of Engineering Services has no relevance to the community. I prefer the former.

EPW: Do you think the challenges in local government and private sector consultancy are the same or different?

PH: The technical challenges in both local government and private sector consultancy are similar; engineering consultants really provide support to local government with detailed and specialist designs and advice or staff when these are not available locally. Overall, the differences are related to the opportunities available in local authorities for engineers to experience a large

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number and various facets of engineering including strategic planning, town planning, construction, asset management and being a part of the local community.

EPW: Are there any specific challenges for young people working in this sector and what do you think could be done to address those?

PH: No specific challenges in my opinion, per se. The important thing for young people working in this sector is to keep your eye out for opportunities, both technically and in positions available. If you don’t ask, you won’t know and if you don’t apply for a position, you won’t be successful. Try different principles to your engineering design, construction and management as long as you seek support from your superiors and have a mentor for guidance.

EPW: What would be the one piece of advice you would give to young people just embarking

on a career in public works engineering?

PH: In the United States, there is a nineteenth century saying, “go west young man” (or lady). In local government going outback or to western Queensland provides challenges and experience which you will retain throughout your life, both in the community and in engineering.

Aim for the highest position available or work up to that. Push yourself to achieve the top job and then when the time is right, you will have the option to move back to top positions on the coast – with all the experience gained.

There are some excellent opportunities available. Also try the consulting engineers to local government such as George Bourne & Associates in Barcaldine and Brandon & Associates in Chinchilla; you’ll never know until you ask!

EPW: How do you plan to stay

connected to the community and support the next generation of public works engineers?

PH: I have been a mentor to young engineers for many years including currently as an assessor and auditor for IPWEAQ with RPEQ registration. I shall maintain these kinds of activities for the foreseeable future.

EPW: Any other thoughts or wisdom you could share?

PH: Yes, my 58 years in the civil, local government and mining engineering sectors, has been the time of major change especially with the advent of computers and the technology available today. Whilst being inventive and developing new products and procedures, any engineer should always ensure that he or she is heading in the right direction by going back to the first principle design to check and reassess your assumptions to ensure their validity.

Don’t make assumptions that you can’t justify.

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IT’S TIME TO GET SERIOUS

FEATURE ARTICLE

Sean Rice Managing Director, Proterra Group Sean Rice is the Managing Director of Proterra Group, a medium sized Civil Consultancy in South-West Queensland.

He has worked in local government in New South Wales and Queensland for over 20 years, and currently resides in Goondiwindi right on the border.

Sean has a passion for rural and regional communities and for the continued improvement of our industry through collaboration. With a degree in Civil Engineering, MBA, RPEQ Status and a Fellow of IPWEAQ Sean has extensive experience in working with multiple councils on secondment and continues to be frustrated with the lack of real cooperation, leading to duplication of different systems and processes where ever he goes. What a waste.

It’s time to get serious about collaboration How many times do we hear a council say 'but we're a little bit unique' or 'we have to do things differently here'?

I say ‘what rubbish’. There are around 530 Council's across Australia, and there aren't 530

'best' ways of doing things. There's only one best way. We need to identify it, and then help replicate it across the Country so we can all save some time and money for our ratepayers.

To be clear, I'm talking about council's daily operations here, not the location, industry or growth opportunities for your Local Government Area. Of course, those things are unique, and you've got to push that for all it's worth with your marketing and development whilst you grow your communities.

Where focus is needed is on systems and processes, and I'll

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repeat that for emphasis. Systems and processes. There are so many things we do on a daily, weekly, monthly and annual basis at councils but for some reason we generally all do it differently. We feel the need to tweak the system we borrowed from the council next door, or we're using a hand me down system or contract that one of our predecessors developed umpteen years ago because that's what we've always used. There's got to be a better way.

Some examples that come to mind are the contracts we issue for major and minor works on a regular basis, business plans

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for our water and sewerage businesses, developing asset management systems and data collection, how we inspect and condition rate our footpaths, and documents for the annual reseal program.

There are endless examples, and I guarantee you they are generally all different in one way or another between councils. I'm sure there are even consultants out there who make a bucket load by pushing that everything needs to be bespoke. That's garbage and it's costing our ratepayers money.

How much efficiency could be gained if we were able to pool our resources, identify the best way to implement these systems and processes and then roll them all

out. There would be a bunch of benefits from this approach, and I suppose a few off the top of my head would include:

and suppliers as the standards they are working to would be the same (or very similar) across their market area.

• Reduced need for highly qualified, experienced staff in all positions of council

There have been a number of great attempts at achieving this approach across the years including Aus-Spec, ADAC and IPWEA Standard Drawings and there are many more, but they haven't yet got the take up we need to provide real efficiencies to local government.

• Reduced staff training as staff move from one Council to another, as staff would not need to learn a new way of doing things.

• Ease in keeping documents up to date with latest changes in legislation or best practice, as it could all be done centrally by people that specialise in each succinct area.

• Ease in tender preparation and project delivery for contractors

I’ve also heard some great stories from some of our water and waste businesses combining resources across several council areas with success, and even regional road groups are getting some traction in a number of areas. The take up though still isn’t where it needs to

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be to provide maximum benefits to our councils. I'm sure we can do better.

At Proterra Group we’ve been fortunate recently to be able to share our own experiences in Stormwater Asset Data Collection.

We’ve worked closely with the IPWEA and their documentation to develop what we believe is best practice in asset data collection for stormwater infrastructure, and we are happy to share it with everyone to implement in your own areas. The beauty is you don’t need our business, we’ll give you the systems and processes and you can do it yourself or even better get some local contractors on board to help you out. It’s been quite encouraging at the conferences we’ve presented at for council’s engineering staff to learn from our experiences and acknowledge that by adopting proven processes, they will ultimately get the outcomes they want with minimal time and effort.

Imagine if we could do this for all of the tasks required of our local government bodies without having to do our own research and come up with our own systems and processes. We’d all be in front.

So how 'unique' really is your council when it comes to day to day operations. I'm confident there are many areas where you don't need a bespoke solution to get the job done efficiently and effectively. Maybe there's a system or process out there already being used by many other councils that you can adopt and help bring some uniformity across local government.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on how we can increase take up by councils on existing systems that

are out there, or the development of new systems to fill the gaps.

It would have to save money, that can then go back into our infrastructure and growing our communities.

We’ve recently been privy to some excellent papers at IPWEA conferences and it was encouraging to see a number of councils take advantage of the learnings and make the next step of approaching the presenters

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a copy of their initiatives for implementation into their own Council areas. We are also supported in this space through tools such as Ask Your Mates, and the new web-based platforms setup by IPWEAQ to allow our members to identify initiatives we can collaborate on and encourage the sharing of information.

So, anyone keen to put up their hand with me and make a difference?

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INFORMS. CONNECTS. REPRESENTS. LEADS.

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users to upload and validate XML output from CAD systems against the XSD schema A table for 10 at the annual excellence awards gala dinner ceremony - invite your clients and colleagues to celebrate with you. (value $1,800) C omplimentary registration to the Annual Conference for one employee (value up to $2,000) O ne complimentary IPWEAQ membership for every 10 employees (value $290 per every 10th member)

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Engineering for Public Works

If your organisation is an iMPACT or ADAC subscriber, this package is offered at ½ price ie $1,500 plus GST

   www.ipweaq.com Engineering for Public Works | June 2019

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MAYORS MESSAGE

you drive through Somerset. You can stop and enjoy real country hospitality in the major townships of Esk, Fernvale, Kilcoy, Lowood and Toogoolawah.

Somerset Regional Council Mayor Graeme Lehmann What makes your council special or different?

You can leave the hustle and bustle of the city in your rearview mirror and hit the open roads to Somerset within an hour.

With green pastures, rolling hills, native rain forests, expansive lakes and trickling creeks, it’s no surprise people are flocking to Somerset. Just west of Brisbane, Somerset is the fastest growing local government area in South East Queensland. The region is currently home to around 25,000 people and is expected to grow to an estimated 34,500 by 2031.

Our Council border is surrounded

by Brisbane, Toowoomba, Lockyer Valley, Ipswich, Gympie, Sunshine Coast and Moreton Bay. Breath in the fresh country air as you drive through rolling rural pastures, picturesque country towns and incredible lakes. More than 5,000 square kilometres of some of Queensland’s most beautiful countryside awaits as

Somerset is on the doorstep of Brisbane where visitors can truly get back to nature and experience the best of the great Australian outdoors. Brimming with native flora and fauna, Somerset is not only home to some of the most beautiful countryside, but has a strong agricultural, heritage, tourism and environmental value.

Lakes Somerset and Wivenhoe are the heart of the region and act as the key water catchments for South East Queensland. The lakes are imperative to the region that Somerset Regional Council’s logo represents these two impressive bodies of water. The logo shows two dams, the larger representing Wivenhoe and the smaller being Somerset. The overall shape of the icon with the water flowing from Somerset to Wivenhoe creates the shape of a clear "S" for Somerset.

About Mayor Graeme Lehmann: For me, going into to public office was a natural progression as my family are fifth generation farmers from Somerset. I have a deep engrained passion and love of this region and the community are always so supportive and passionate as well. With a bit of support from my family and extended family, I decided to run for a seat on Council and first became a Councillor in 1994.

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A decade after being in local government, I was elected Mayor of the region and have proudly served in local government for over two decades. I became involved to make a difference and represent the values of residents.

I owned and operated a mechanical repair / service station business in the region for 40 years along with my wife, Judy, and our three daughters. I have now changed direction and have moved to a farming property, raising cattle, growing hay and restoring vintage cars and tractors.

I enjoy being the drummer in a local band called Play 'n' Up, as well as spending time with my grandchildren on the farm. Cars have always played a part in my life. I used to race super sedans across Australia for many years, and I still tinker with any engine I can get my hands on.

Council goals, challenges and achievements: What are the key challenges facing you and your Council?

Council has a continued focus on delivering our vision of providing affordable rates and effective services. Every year presents new challenges to keep costs down – the new state waste levy for example comes in on 1 July 2019. We need to keep finding cost savings like with our energy conservation program to keep costs to a minimum for our ratepayers.

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One of the other challenges we face is keeping up with infrastructure requirements in a growing community spanning a region of our size with both rural and urban expectations competing for our limited resources. Added to this is the challenge of ensuring State and Federal governments keep up with our infrastructure needs and service requirements such as policing, schools, hospitals and transport connectivity.

An ongoing challenge for our region is creating and sustaining employment opportunities for our residents and at the other end of the spectrum, servicing and caring for an ageing population.

Tell us about a specific success you have had in Local Government.

I believe that Council operates as a team, and any successes are a team effort involving myself, my Councillors and council officers.

Due to careful management and

progressive thinking, we are a financially sound Council. This enables Council to apply for several grants throughout the year and I’m pleased to say we’ve been very successful in securing funding for this region. This external funding provides relief for our residents and ratepayers by ensuring the rates revenue is targeted to service delivery as infrastructure assets and upgrades are funded from other levels of government.

Some of the most notable grants we’ve received in recent years have enabled Council to complete a section of the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail between Toogoolawah and Moore which has resulted in Australia’s longest recreational rail trail measuring 161km passing through our region (80% of it). We also secured funding a few years ago to repurpose and restore a dilapidated packing shed that was once home to Australia’s

Nestles condensed milk factory and transform it into an award winning contemporary art gallery.

We’ve also managed to replace almost all of our timber bridges with concrete structures which is a huge achievement and one that supports our rural industries and improves our road network through improved connectivity.

What is the best part about being a Councillor?

To be able to provide effective and affordable services to our constituents and being able to be involved in the community daily representing the interests of the residents. It is great to see Council making a difference in the lives of residents and providing a lifestyle that we can all enjoy today and in the future. I enjoy spending time with our local community groups and Council is always willing to assist community groups who are helping themselves or residents who take the initiative to come up

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with ideas for social inclusion. We are a small rural community and it is imperative that we work together for the betterment of our region to support progression and growth.

What do you hope to accomplish in the future?

It is important to build upon our existing foundations to deliver more key infrastructure and development while maintaining our rural amenity and lifestyle opportunities. For Somerset, lifestyle is the destination. It is important to me to maintain that rural feel and atmosphere, while accepting development in areas of the region, where the region’s planning scheme allows. I also want to keep Somerset Regional Council in a strong financial position while providing affordable and effective services to the community. I would also like to

continue to focus on developing tourism within the region, particularly given our location to major cities – we’re an accessible tourism destination that’s a stone’s throw from the city. It is also vital

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to continue to maintain good working relationships with Council staff and the community because without that understanding and appreciation, services and expectations would not be met.

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Art of Debating

#IPWEAQ19

Monica Robertson, Events & Marketing Manager With #IPWEAQ19 and the Great Debate approaching, what better time to reflect on the art of debating. This year’s topic, “rural engineers are better adapted than their city counterparts”, is set to create great debate!

In high school I argued my way to become the college’s first Debating Captain, so I want to share a few ideas with you for debating. Most debates are judged on matter, manner and method but when it comes to presenting, there are three 'C's to remember.

Good content You are the expert up there, it’s your time to show off your knowledge. Have conviction in what you are saying. If you’ve got a story or a case study – now’s the time to tell it. People remember something they can repeat, so paint a word picture. If you have statistics and figures, drill them home - and repeat them for emphasis.

When it comes to debating, humour can be like a recruiter: it can be used to get people on your side! Almost every topic has a lighter side and humour can help get a difficult (or controversial) point across.

Be comfortable There is something comforting listening to a composed speaker.

Their hands aren’t glued to the lectern – they are used for emphasis. Why not point to people in the audience, point to your opposition, wave your arms in the air in frustration? When it comes to eye contact, pick three people in the audience (one on each side of the room, and one in the middle). Try not to speak directly to them as this is merely a technique to force you to engage with the entire room.

Sometimes when we listen to speeches, our minds can wander so be aware of this as a presenter!

The best way to recapture people’s attention is to ask a rhetorical question. This is a guaranteed way to refocus your listeners (you’ll even notice them sit up; guilty that they let their thoughts roam!)

Have confidence Remember – even professional speakers can get nervous. Avoid writing out a word-for-word script.

You want to appear natural when

you speak and keep your audience engaged. We speak an average of 125 words per minute, but when nervous, we pick up the pace. The best way around this is to simply practice in front of someone you know!

Dot points are your friend. Figures and statistics are tricky to recall from memory, so write these down. If you notice there are parts of your speech where you tend to forget or lose your place, write out the start of that sentence as a prompt. When you read these, they will trigger your next thought and off you will go!

Debating and public speaking aren’t situations to fear. They are an incredible opportunity to improve your skills in everyday situations. Just imagine the articulate conversations you can have at work and home once you master the art of debating!

Join the 2019 Great Debate contact Leigh Cunningham!

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Smart Cities Expo World Congress

STUDY TOUR REPORT

On behalf of the IPWEA Queensland Foundation, I am very pleased to introduce Ashlee Adams, recipient of the 2018 International Study Tour scholarship. Ashlee attended the Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona in November 2018.

Members who receive these scholarships share their experiences and learnings with the rest of our community via this published report and presentations at the Annual Conference and other key events. This report is also available in the IPWEAQ Knowledge Centre (members only access).

We hope you enjoy Ashlee’s report and gain some valuable insights from her experiences at the Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona.

Dawson Wilkie Chair IPWEA Queensland Foundation Ashlee Jesshope RPEQ RPEng MPM MIPWEAQ Principal Project Manager Toowoomba Regional Council Smart Cities is our opportunity to utilise technological advancement to enhance the way our citizens live, to enrich the souls of our cities and to preserve the environment for future generations

Study tour Delegation Group.

Study Tour Outline IPWEA arranged and lead a Study Tour Delegation to the Smart City Expo World Congress Barcelona in November 2018. This was in conjunction with SCCANZ, ASCA, and Austrade. I was fortunate to be awarded a scholarship from the IPWEA Queensland Foundation to take part in the study tour. Herein this report outlines my objectives in attending, an account of the tour, discussion of key learnings and recommendations which members of IPWEAQ, IPWEA Group and the wider public engineering community can consider for enabling smart futures within their authority area.

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Delegation The tour delegation was composed of eleven professionals across a diverse sector background.

• Robert Fuller, Chief Executive Officer - IPWEA Australasia • Ashlee Jesshope, Principal Project Manager - Toowoomba Regional Council • Graham Mawer, Managing Director - Next Energy • Ian Duncan, Executive Manager - WA Local Government Association • Joanna Kraatz, Smart Shire Innovation Agent - Wollondilly Shire Council • Matt Schultz, President -

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Australian Smart Communities Association • Namoi Dougall, General Manager - Southern Sydney Regional Organisation of Council • Nick Lund, Manager Health, Active Ageing and Disability Services - City of Boroondara • Raj Suppiah, Chief Financial Officer - Tararua District Council • Ray Borrie, Projects Specialist Tararua District Council • Simon Hunter, Executive Director - Infrastructure NSW Focus of Learning As my exposure to the Smart City concept and all that is related to it was relatively low prior to attending, I chose not to narrow my focus of learning to any one field or aspect. Rather my aim was to absorb as much information as possible, focusing on the bigger picture whilst viewing everything thru a local government or public engineering lens. Essentially, I approached this as a ‘dipping a toe in the water’ exercise to provide benefit for our many members. As a result of my taking part, and the drafting of this report, I am able to: • recommend key areas in which to invest or undertake further research; • convey issues or concerns being faced globally which may also be applicable to our local areas; • introduce new concepts to stimulate conversation and debate; • Raise the profile of smart cities as a developing global field.

It is important to note that there is already a significant amount of work and development in this space being undertaking by the likes of SCCANZ, ASCA, and Austrade. My report has been developed from the presumption of

Josep Ramon Ferrer Escoda presenting to the delegation.

the knowledge level of the IPWEAQ membership base which is not as far along the journey as other industry groups across the country.

The Conference – Experience & Observation The Smart City Expo World Congress is the world’s leading annual gathering of public and private sector industry. The 2018 conference saw 21,311 visitors from over 700 cities and 146 countries with 844 exhibitors, 400 speakers and 60 side events. This year the conference focused on five key areas, Digital Transformation, Urban Environment, Mobility, Governance & Finance and Inclusive & Sharing Cities.

It is impossible to see everything the conference has to offer in the 3 days. As mentioned previously, I chose not to focus on any one area or technology, but rather to gain as much variety of experience as possible to gain insight into the broad sector that is Smart Cities.

DOXA Visit Our visit to DOXA included presentations by Josep Ramon Ferrer Escoda (International Business Director) and Anna

Grau (Smart Cities & Mobility Consultant). Josep is also the former CIO of Barcelona City Council and CEO of Barcelona Institute of Technology. It was during his time in these roles that he developed and implemented the Barcelona Smart City Plan and much of the discussion centred on Barcelona’s smart city journey.

The presentation outlined a high-level stepped approach to developing a smart city. The first step being developing a longterm vision with clear and visible leadership support behind it.

The leadership element is crucial, as without it, Councils will find it hard to gain momentum. I found Stockholm’s vision to be a particularly good example.

“In 2030, Stockholm will be a versatile city, offering topclass education and business opportunities, alongside unspoiled nature at your doorstep - a unique combination that will continue to attract visitors from around the world” The vision allows politicians and executive management to support the Smart City implementation by promoting broad tangible benefits to its residents.

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Josep emphasised the importance of next step. Developing a Strategic Transformational Plan prior to choosing and implementing any specific technologies or regimes gives council a framework to work within. It should be a holistic model which breaks down the silos within an organisation to allow maximum benefit and innovation.

It should encompass all the business that Council undertakes, rather then for example, focusing on civil infrastructure. Along with outlining objectives and KPIs, the plan should detail alignment with state and federal schemes or policies, funding opportunities and potential business models for key elements.

Prior to moving forward and implementing the plan, the residents should be engaged and ideally they would provide input or feedback to the final plan. By undertaking this in an open, inclusive and participatory manner, residents not only feel some ownership over the future direction of their city but gain an understanding of what a smart

city is or can look like for them.

To paraphrase a key point Josep made about this process, a smart city shouldn’t compromise the soul of a city, it’s identity, rather it should enhance that. What better gauge for the soul of a city than its residents.

Following the presentations, the delegation was taken on a guided tour of Passeig de Gràcia.

This is one of the main streets of Barcelona in which several smart city technology deployments can be viewed. These include electric vehicle charging stations, led lighting, in pavement vehicle monitors and city Wi-Fi. Apart from the charging stations all the installation where not immediately obvious to an untrained eye as being smart city technology. In particular, I’d like to mention the in-ground sensors which are being used to monitor traffic volumes and speeds. These are simple, inexpensive and unobtrusive. The data they collect can be utilised in various ways, such as to monitor congestion and adjust traffic signal timings. Or used in conjunction with air quality monitors to adjust

In ground traffic data sensors. So inconspicuous we all walked past without noticing them.

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when electric or hybrid only vehicles should be permitted in an area to reduce air pollution.

Apart from the static installations we also observed the bus and taxi fleet of Barcelona. The entire bus fleet is now electric, and the taxi fleet is close behind. Barcelona has introduced restrictions on when non-electric vehicles can access certain areas and has incentives for private vehicle owners to purchase electric rather than petrol or even hybrid. This is of course not an overnight change but has developed over the past 5 to 10 years.

In all, the DOXA visit was a very informative one and beneficial to have prior to attending the conference. I found a lot of what I saw and heard over the three days of conference could be tied back to the discussion had whilst at DOXA. Expo Preparation Workshop By all reckoning, the Smart Cities Expo World Congress is so large, with such a full schedule of presentations, that it can be a daunting prospect to plan how to make the most of the three days. On the afternoon before the conference began the delegation gathered for an informal group chat. This was an opportunity for everyone to share their area of interest and for those who had attended before to give advice on how to approach the next three days in order to gain maximum benefit.

We were fortunate to also be joined by Adam Beck – Executive Director at Smart Cities Council Australia New Zealand and Katherine Caruana-McManus – Founder of Giant Ideas Pty Ltd. They were able to give the delegation recommendations on

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which presentations would be beneficial and which exhibitors shouldn’t be missed.

Day one Upon arrival at the Fira Barcelona, I had a moment of, where do I start, this is huge. There was a main hall with exhibitors and side event spaces, a second hall with the International Integrated Water Cycle Show and a third area with the main presentation rooms.

EU Startup Prize Mobility Pitch Session After a quicker wander around the main exhibition floor I chose to start day one with the EU Startup Prize Mobility Pitch Session.

Whilst most pitches were centred on app technology to aid public transport take up, I found the first presentation on AddSeat the most interesting and innovative.

It is a wheelchair designed with Segway technology, allowing the user to access more difficult terrain which a normal wheelchair cannot.

Arguably this may not add the greatest overall benefit to a smart city, and possibly is why it was not the winner of the prize. I do consider though that the thinking behind it is the type of thinking we need to adopt in developing our own smart cities. We need to look at what technologies are already in existence, which may have been used for quite some years, and see they can be applied to different situations.

Side Meeting with Cisco This meeting was an opportunity for the delegation to discuss CISCO operations in the Australian market. It was acknowledged that there are a great many tools that CISCO has to offer which would be of benefit our Councils and utility operators. There is

Personal mobility focused start up pitch by AddSeat.

however uncertainty in the ability for the user to access the backend data or to integrate the systems with existing ones. The added constraint of government procurement policy means that once a system is purchased and implemented, effectively the Council is then locked into having to use that provider moving forward. This is not a problem unique to CISCO or smart city technologies, however, could be a hindrance in the rate of implementation of smart technologies. An interesting meeting, with good discussion and debate.

Urban mobility in Eindhoven Our visit to the Dutch Pavilion for their presentation on mobility started off poorly for me. There was a game of trivia, crowd participation, to commence the presentation. The style in which you are read a multiple-choice question, those who get it right stay standing, the rest sit down.

The last two people standing were both from the IPWEA delegation, but alas I lost, and to a Kiwi.

The presentation which followed focused on the City of Eindhoven’s approach to urban mobility and their autonomous shuttle bus project. The big cities of The Netherlands have chosen to work together on developing smart futures. Eindhoven’s focus is mobility whereas Utrect is security for example. With each City working on developments in their focus area and sharing those with others, the pace of development would be faster than if each worked on all aspects in isolation. It was also acknowledged that a smart city cannot be smart in isolation. This is a viewpoint which was discussed at the DOXA meeting the day before, that a smart city has both a national and global place to fit.

Interestingly, Eindhoven has had an autonomous shuttle bus (Rivium) in operation since 1997. This shuttle has its own dedicated path however and does not interact with other vehicular traffic. The current project, Rivium 3.0 is in testing phase and will be released in 2020. This will be the world’s first autonomous public transport vehicle operational on a

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Sister Cities gathering. Too much conversation being had to get everyone looking at the camera.

public road.

Signify networking and presentation I found I got a little less from this side event than I was expecting.

It was a good summary of the products which Signify have on offer. For example, collecting sound data via connected street lighting to allow for incident detection. There were two points which I thought to be worth noting in this report. The first being that on average 50% of a city’s energy consumption is in lighting. As small change per unit in this case, when implemented city wide can have big impact. The second was a statement, which I agree with as I think it rings true. That is ‘citizen and visitor experience is what matters, more than the technology itself’.

Sister Cities Networking Event Whilst the majority of our delegation attended the Conversities panel in the evening, I took advantage of an invitation to attend the inaugural Women in Smart Cities Global gathering. This

is a group which has been formed

by Meredith Hodgman, Johanna Pittman and Margaret Maile Petty.

Its aim is to provide a platform for women to network, empowering them to bring greater diversity to the shaping of our city’s futures. I met many talented and successful women from all over the globe.

Day two Smart Regional Strategies I had not originally planned to attend this particular presentation, however I met Natalia Olson at the Sister Cities event the evening before and was impressed with her career and her passion for her business. The presentation did not talk too much about regional strategies in themselves, but about the ways in which policies can be utilised to stimulate smart city growth. One of the key messages is that governments cannot solve everything themselves and nor should they. Through the adoption of certain specific policies, governments can enable smart city development and growth via private sector

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innovation. Nurturing the start-up community, advocating diversity and supporting local businesses all contribute to this.

Housing for Millennials As a millennial myself, the title of this side event had me curious from the outset. It was a panel style discussion, which, for balance, was facilitated by a non-millennial.

The panellists were either students or new graduates in the fields of planning, environment, engineering or architecture.

Questions posed to the panel were related to housing (ownership, configuration etc), working lifestyle and the very topical affordability question.

With respect to the housing discussion, the panel was unanimous in that the white picket fence, house in the suburbs dream is no longer relevant to their generation. Rather, the availability of options is more important.

Instead of living in one house or one location for most of their adult life, the panellists want to have flexibility to move about instead. This combined with the

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Panel of millennials discussing what the future of work and home could look like.

can be filled inexpensively too.

The program analyses available spaces in real time, allowing users to access parking availability through a mobile app. The spaces can be categorised by size and permit type to allow users to make informed selections. Further, the system can also be used for parking enforcement, alerting enforcement officers of overstays, illegal or unsafe parking etc.

Model of Parkum smart parking technology.

affordability of housing ownership in many cities is seeing a trend towards renting for longer, or even, for life.

It was suggested that a rental model, like commercial models for retail or office space, would be suitable. The tenant rents a space for a fixed or rolling term and for the duration of that tenancy, the space is theirs to fit out as they wish. Co-living was also discussed.

Essentially your purchase or rent a room & bathroom, with the main living spaces being communal.

Housing as a service rather than a commodity, an interesting proposition.

This could be extended to assets other than housing as well. For example, shared car ownership. A pay per use scheme as opposed to owning and maintaining that asset yourself.

Smart Parking Technology During our visit to the Israel stand, I came across ParKam, a smart parking solution. What impressed me about this particular system is that the specification requirements for the program to work are actually quite low. This means that it can utilise cameras which are already installed and being used

by Councils. Any gaps in coverage

Whilst the app technology isn’t unique or ground breaking, the most advantageous aspect of ParKam is that it can utilise such low-resolution cameras and still function accurately. This makes it a good toe in the water for Councils who cannot invest great sums of money into a smart parking system.

Day three Sustainable Mobility Strategy (Albania) The first thing to note about this presentation is that it was delivered by the Mayor of Tirana, Erion Veliaj. Not only was it very well delivered, it showed that

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he as Mayor, knew his cities smart developments inside out, furthermore he showed a passion and pride in his city and his people.

Albania is not a rich country and Tirana, it’s capital city, has limited budget available to undertake smart city projects. The city has taken the viewpoint that smart cities do not necessarily mean large dollars. Similarly, smart should not always equate to technology. Smart can also mean new ways of thinking, smarter ways of tackling problems.

An example given was that families were spending the highest percentage per year on vehicles and transportation than any other aspect of raising their children. Upon further research, it was found that families were travelling large distances just to get their children to school or to access services such as childcare.

This was due to services within their own neighbourhoods not being suitable or adequate for their needs. A modest investment toward upgrading childcare facilities in several neighbourhoods saw a dramatic reduction in traffic congestion as people reverted to facilities within walking distance of their homes.

The total investment was a fraction of what would have been spent to upgrade the road network to account for the traffic volumes.

Key Learnings and Recommendations Whilst I did cast my net far and wide in terms of the topics and experiences at the conference, I have come to two main topics which I would like to discuss further. These are • Planning and governance

Example of a Program Canvas developed for Barcelona City.

• Smart thinking, not just smart tech The side events I attended, discussions I was a part of, and the lessons learned presented by various cities could all be categorised into one of these three. To reiterate, this is from a newcomer, not already greatly involved in the smart city industry, perspective. There are a great many more topics which could be discussed here in detail, however my aim is to enable our member’s and their Councils to commence their smart city journey in a way in which increases their likelihood of success.

Planning and governance From the outset, at the visit to DOXA, it became apparent to me that considered planning and an accountable governance model are essential to the success of implementing a smart city undertaking. As with any project, it should be planned before being commenced. The team should be clear on the vision, what the outcome is they want to achieve.

That is the whole team, from the political level all the way to those who are implementing and/ or using the resulting changes. I heard so many people talk about having jumped on the smart city ‘band wagon’, bought a piece of

Engineering for Public Works | June 2019

tech, implemented it with relatively little benefit and then nothing further has happened.

The trouble is most people cannot envisage what a smart city would look like. The Stockholm vision I mentioned earlier is broad, it allows great scope for definition of projects and initiatives. I do not think our Councils will struggle in formulating a vision. I think that the next step, developing a strategy, will prove much more of a hurdle.

Added to that, the temptation to jump straight into implementing projects could be strong. In this, I think it best we learn from others.

Below I have included a diagram from the DOXA presentation.

Our tendency as engineers is to define and scope a strategy to very specific deliverable elements.

However, the program canvas model shown to us by DOXA demonstrates a holistic approach.

The 22 categories cover all of council’s business and each can be given an objective, a narrative and KPIs. This is what sits within the strategy. It is after this is adopted that specific projects can be planned. As you can see by the categories above, engineering is only part of the equation.

Once the strategy is in place and projects commence, it is important

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to measure progress against the established KPIs. A level of accountability is required in order to ensure that the strategy works, that progress takes place. It is equally important to acknowledge when something isn’t working or isn’t contributing in the way it was intended to and to make changes rather than shelve that aspect of the plan and move the focus elsewhere.

Recommendation Start the planning process now.

Research what has been done globally, what is being done by other councils locally. Have the discussion within your own Council about vision and develop a timeline for drawing up and adopting a strategy. It is only after that is done that the true development of a smart city commences. Without this frontend work, Councils run the risk of owning a whole lot of tech without sustainable long-term benefit or even experiencing a stop start type of smart city growth.

Smart thinking not just smart tech Smart Cities in my opinion is too often associated with technology.

So far as I see it, technology is merely one of the tools which can be utilised to enable a city to function ‘smartly’. The term smart may also be synonymised with efficient, user friendly, sustainable. In the context of our city’s futures it is used to describe a multitude of aspects which form an enhanced way of living.

Innovation, new ways of viewing problems, a holistic approach to solving issues does not mean significant investment or mass rollout or tech. It is essentially a shift in mindset or culture, to be questioning, how can we do this better, smarter. How can we make small changes which have great benefit?

As leaders within our respective Councils, we can foster innovation.

By empowering our staff to think outside of the square, to question the business as usual and to develop ideas for delivering the same work in smarter more efficient ways, we can create a smart ecosystem within our own business. When our Council then comes to implementing a strategy and the associated projects, the culture has already shifted towards one which will undertake that journey more readily.

Recommendation For our members, for local government, I think that the more we observe and learn from others, be it their use of certain technologies, implementation of

various policies or unique ways of solving civic problems, the better equipped we will be to undertake our own smart city projects.

Concluding Remarks I would like to thank IPWEA Queensland Foundation for awarding me the scholarship to be a part of this study tour.

Thanks also to IPWEA Australasia for arranging and facilitating the tour. It was a privilege to attend with the delegate group. Aside from the learnings I took away from the conference and the side events, I learned a great deal just in conversation with my fellow delegates.

Prior to attending the study tour, my knowledge of Smart Cities was very limited. I will admit, I related the term to technology. As I have learned and hopefully have conveyed through this report, it is so much more than that. Smart Cities is our opportunity to utilise technological advancement to enhance the way our citizens live, to enrich the souls of our cities and to preserve the environment for future generations.

Here I’d like to reiterate the point made by the Mayor or Tirana.

Smart City’s do not equate to tech driven cities. The example given in the presentation about childcare would be a case of a person or a team within Council looking at a problem in a different way.

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INFORMS. CONNECTS. REPRESENTS. LEADS.

2019 FUTURES CHALLENGE

Final year students studying engineering and related disciplines are invited to participate in the 2019 Futures Challenge.

Finalists will then deliver a 10 minute presentation at a Plenary session at the end of Day 2 of the conference.

Delegates will vote on the best presentation using the conference app.

All participating students will be invited to present their papers at their next branch conference or other event. They will also receive a one-year complimentary membership of IPWEAQ.

Nominated students must submit a 500 word abstract of their thesis to be considered by our expert panel. Up to five finalists will be chosen.

Benefits

Deadlines for submission

Finalists will receive a complimentary registration to attend #IPWEAQ19 valued at more than $2,000. This offers an excellent opportunity to engage with our community and gain knowledge and understanding of engineering for public works.

Universities are invited to nominate student(s) by 30 June 2019.

Finalists must prepare an A1 poster board to be displayed in the trade exhibition at the annual conference. Delegates will be invited to offer feedback on the thesis.

The poster board will:  include key elements of the thesis or

research project.  clearly outline conclusions,

recommendations and outcomes in a well-structured presentation  include appropriate text, diagrams,

images, tables etc.

Finalists must submit a 1,000 word report on their conference experience including learnings from the program, other conference features and their Futures Challenge experience.

This article will be published in the December issue of Engineering for Public Works.

The winner will receive a complimentary registration to attend the 2020 annual conference.

Contact Director People & Capability Nadia.Marks@ipweaq.com 3632 6803

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Students must submit their abstract by 30 July. Finalists will be notified by 16 August and poster boards will be due by 16 September 2019.

How to apply Apply online or contact Nadia Marks

#IPWEAQ19 ANNUAL CONFERENCE Royal International Convention Centre, Brisbane 22-24 October 2019 www.ipweaq.com/ conference/ipweaq19

   www.ipweaq.com

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Mechanisms to control poor contractual performance

LEGAL ARTICLE

Joseph Jones Senior Associate McCullough Robertson Joseph is a construction lawyer who has been involved in the delivery of many major projects for Council clients. He has a range of experience in producing project documentation, along with providing legislative advice and project support. He has recently assisted Sunshine Coast Council on the City Hall project, Toowoomba Regional Council on the TRC Principal Depot project and Building Queensland on recent major dam and road infrastructure business cases.

Goals and Risks Projects have varying goals but typically for Council’s construction projects the aim will be that they are completed on time, within the budget and with the required quality outcomes (time, cost and quality). Council may view time, cost or quality as being more or less important on any particular project but it may also have separate goals on any job, for 1

example the utilisation of local businesses in the project.1

contractor in the event of a breach of the contract.

Project goals might be adversely impacted by a range of risks which are typically considered to be outside of the direct control of any party to a contract. For example, weather is a variable that can impact construction on many projects and neither party is likely to be able to stop the rain, wind or lightning. A project which involves work below the surface is typically also faced with the some level of uncertainty about what lies beneath and the potential for additional time and cost implications of encountering the unexpected.

Council should not take the view that it has completely outsourced risk to a contractor the moment a contract is executed (even if the contract is on extremely favourable terms for Council).

Take for example the situation of the contractor becoming insolvent.

This would instantaneously pose challenges for Council and likely set achieving the goals at risk.

Noting also that the recent ‘ipso facto’ reforms to the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) may limit Council’s rights to terminate the contract in the event the contractor entered administration (as opposed to liquidation). Further, the drain on Council’s recourses in the event a contract becomes hostile and litigious should not be underestimated. It is not uncommon for a project engineer to be diverted almost entirely from their day to day job to handle a major contract dispute for a period of months or even years.2

Separately, there are a range of issues that may adversely impact the achievement of goals, which can be more directly controlled by a party to a contract. For example, these risks might include warranty and defect issues, breaches of legislation, the infringement of intellectual property rights and damage to reputation. The usual approach in construction projects is that Council will seek to pass many of these risks to the contractor and have rights of redress against the

The Rules of the Game Contracts are primarily tools of risk allocation as between the parties.

Refer the ‘sound contracting principles’ the Local Government Regulation 2009 (Qld).

Involvement may be in assisting legal responses under the Building Industry Fairness (Security of Payment) Act 2017 (Qld) and/ or preparing witness statements, collating documents and giving oral evidence in Court, arbitration or expert determination.

Engineers will often be called on to provide input to mediations, settlement offers and the strategic resolution of disputes.

2

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In a construction setting they should be regarded as the rules of the game – not to be confused with the game itself. Rules tend to be followed in a commercial setting where compliance with them results in a reward or conversely a noncompliance results in a sanction.

The process for the preparation of any contract therefore becomes one of identifying the risks and allocating those risks amongst the parties to the contract. Where the risk is given to the contractor to manage, it is critical to do so in such a way that it incentives the contractor’s compliance.

The Carrots When it comes to drivers framed in a positive way (the ‘carrots’), payment for performance is the typical driver. However common methods to supplement that to be considered include: • the contractor being guaranteed direct cost recovery (but their margin being adjustable based on performance); • the contractor having achieved specific milestones being the trigger for payment; • the application of a bonus regime (whether linked to time, actual performance or other key performance indicators (KPI)); and • the potential for value management / value engineering solutions (where the contractor can share directly in any savings achieved).

The Sticks Conversely, when it comes to

drivers framed in the negative way (the ‘sticks’), the typical response is a breach claim by Council. However, the concept of liquidated damages is often adopted which will assist to make the ramifications of a breach claim real and visible (whether expressed as liquidated damage or framed otherwise, for example, in the guise of an abatement regime).

Liquidated damages are amounts pre-agreed by the parties and are typically utilised for: • failures to complete on time or in accordance with an agreed schedule; • failures to meet set performance criteria; and • underperformance against particular KPI (e.g. based on agreed service levels, safety, the environment, etc).

Importantly Council should have regard to the risk that any liquidated damages set out in a contract could be challenged as being a penalty (which would potentially render them unenforceable).3 Aside from liquidated damages, there are a range of other drivers that can be utilised in a contract to bolster a breach claim by Council.

This often takes the form of an indemnity or a requirement of the contractor to overcome the breach (e.g. through rectification, recovery plans, showing cause, etc).

Writing the Rules While it is important to set the rules of the game from the outset to drive performance toward Council’s goals, it is also relevant

for Council to have the necessary flexibility to react and make changes during the course of a project. A major infrastructure contract should contain a range of provisions to allow Council to respond to events, whether that is through utilisation of a variation provision to remove work from scope and give it to another contractor, directing accelerations, making decisions on proceeding to the next stage of work, the ability to terminate a contract for convenience or otherwise.

The common law will not ordinarily relieve the contractor from achieving an outcome merely due to a contractor encountering some level of hardship in performance.4 However, where a provision of a contract provides relief to a contractor upon a certain event or circumstance occurring, the Court will of course grant that relief on the basis of its objective interpretation of the contract (i.e. applying the rules of the game fairly). The relief in a construction contract is typically the contractor’s entitlement to an extension of time and the payment of additional amounts. There is usually a tension between the contractor’s entitlements and Council’s ability to achieve its project goals (particularly completion on time and within budget).

In the construction industry the utilisation of Australian Standard contract forms is relatively common. Council should be cognisant that the unamended forms contain a long list of provisions which are designed to

This risk can be mitigated by Council ensuring the amount of the liquidated damage is a genuine pre-estimate of the loss or damage which might be suffered by Council for the relevant breach or primary stipulation not being complied with or met by the Contractor.

3

See Codelfa Construction Pty Ltd v State Rail Authority of NSW [1982] HCA 24; Ooh! Media Roadside Pty Ltd (formerly Power Panels Pty Ltd) v Diamond Wheels Pty Ltd [2011] VSCA 116.

4

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or any other template utilised

by Council, needs alteration for a particular project to ensure it contains the required levers to drive the contractor’s performance.

Joseph presented his paper at the SWQ Branch Conference.

grant the contractor relief.5 While an Australian Standard contract can provide a draft set of rules for the game, it will necessarily require some level of adaption to 5

be suitable for use by Council on any modern construction project.6 It is important to test whether or not the risk allocation set out in the Australian Standard contract,

Team Work and Progress In embarking on any new project, the identification of risks will be informed not only by expert knowledge but also by the broader sharing of experiences and view points. Workshops are well suited to identifying risk, allocating it and ensuring a level of alignment within Council’s broader project team. Much will hinge on Council choosing the right contractor for the job and the importance of thorough due diligence cannot be understated. After award of any contract, Council should ensure it has monitoring in place and the flexibility in its contracts to take action, should the need arise.

Improving performance outcomes should be regarded as an ongoing stream for development within Council and its broader project teams, with a willingness of everyone to learn from the failures and successes of the past.

Take AS2124-1992, by way of example, clauses 8.1, 12, 14, 16.3, 17, 27, 28, 33, 35, 40, 45 and 46.

Including updates to cover work health and safety, security of payment, building, environmental, tax and other legislation impacting the construction industry which is not addressed in the Australian Standards.

6

PUBLICATIONS

Purchase and download IPWEAQ Publications at http://www.ipweaq.com/technical Engineering for Public Works | June 2019

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INFORMS. CONNECTS. REPRESENTS. LEADS.

NATIVE TITLE & CULTURAL HERITAGE PORTAL AND RECORD KEEPING TOOL IPWEAQ’s new native title and cultural heritage portals help you comply with the law and avoid acts that will impact on cultural heritage and native title including impairment and extinguishment. The portals establish a methodical, documented, robust process and establish that an appropriate level of thoroughness was applied in determining whether or not to proceed with works.

Section 51(1) Native Title Act 1993 - an entitlement on just terms to compensate native title holders for any loss, diminution, impairment or other effect of the act on their native title rights and interests.

i M P A C T

SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscriptions now open for the first year of iMPACT!

I ntergrated M anagement

$10,000 plus GST for all councils, utilities, government departments, consultancies and mining companies

P ortal for A sessment of C ultural heritage and native T itle

A 20% introductory discount applies for subscriptions made before 30 August 2019.

1. Resource to undertake complex assessments in a logical framework with templates, lists, registers and geo-spatial mapping.

2. D etailed record keeping system which generates a PDF documenting all elements of the assessment including text, maps and photographic evidence which supports the reason for your decision.

3. U ser friendly portal with a step by step process to ensure infrastructure and other projects comply with legislation which will save you time and money.

4. I nteractive site which links to the latest data in government and other databases.

Contact Director, Information & Resources Mark.Lamont@ipweaq.com 3632 6806

  

Engineering for Public Works | June 2019

www.ipweaq.com

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IPWEAQ roadshow – talking iMPACT and ADAC with regional councils

IPWEAQ ROADSHOW

IPWEAQ have been on the road visiting regional councils and talking about our technical solutions.

Our Director, Information & Resources, Mark Lamont visited a number of regional councils in central and northern Queensland to share the latest developments on iMPACT (integrated management portal for the assessment of cultural heritage and native title) and updates to ADAC (Asset Design as Constructed). iMPACT is a new online portal and record keeping tool developed for councils and utilities to address compliance issues around native title and cultural heritage for infrastructure providers. iMPACT has been developed to allow an inexperienced user to navigate the complexities of the legislation: national (native title) and state (cultural heritage) in a logical and methodical process.

The portal brings together resources from government and non-government bodies to enable council and other providers to arrive at informed decisions regarding their obligations for complying with the relevant legislation. Issues that previously may have been deemed too difficult to conduct in-house and incurred legal costs, can be effectively dealt with via the portal.

The tool also creates a detailed

document of each assessment to provide a detailed and robust record in support of decisions made.

If you would like to receive a presentation on ADAC or iMPACT, please contact Craig Moss or Mark Lamont.

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A Holistic Approach to Energy Sustainability

Michael Fullelove, Peak Services

Mike Fideli, Peak Services

SUSTAINABILITY ARTICLE The burden of high energy costs and concerns about reliability of electricity supply are typically the priority issues we hear asset owners want addressed as part of their operational planning. With longterm renewable energy policy trapped in a cycle of perpetual uncertainty it is no surprise that asset owners, particularly in the local government sector, are increasingly demanding solutions that allow them to take control of their overall energy consumption and expenditure.

identify opportunities to save on electricity costs through reduced energy consumption, improved demand management and reduced reactive power (kVA). This approach combines forensic analysis of meter interval data with detailed assessments of building design and plant efficiencies (including asset benchmarking) to identify a range of solutions from lighting upgrades, modifications to HVAC operating parameters, installation of motion sensors, effective building management systems, power factor correction and variable speed drive pumps and motors.

In response to the needs of local councils, Peak Services works directly with local governments, state government departments and electricity generators providing asset-specific review of energy issues and solutions. This work is underpinned by taking a holistic approach to energy sustainability designed to optimise outcomes.

The three key focus areas largely involve reviewing operational efficiency, embedded generation and competitive retail pricing.

Depending on the individual asset’s operation and power consumption, Peak found some assets could save up to $10,000 per annum by optimising HVAC operating parameters and up to $8,000 per annum through installation or optimisation of an effective building management system.

Improving overall operational efficiency can deliver immediate and significant energy savings, often without significant investment in new plant and equipment. This is initiated by conducting a detailed energy audit on selected assets to Engineering for Public Works | June 2019

Embedded renewable energy generation has been identified as an option to offset future energy consumption needs. Unfortunately, there are many instances where asset owners have committed to a vendor-driven renewable energy solution, most commonly rooftop solar PV, only to find that the sizing has not been tailored to match the energy consumption profile. Further to this, upgrades to

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switchboards, cabling, meters or roof structures have not factored into the investment equation.

This can lead to unexpected expenditures and/or delays in the delivery of the project which could change the overall financial return of the project.

By conducting a comprehensive assessment of embedded energy generation options that is technology agnostic, we can then focus on delivering the maximum operational benefit and optimum return on investment over the full life cycle of the asset.

To highlight this, as an example Peak worked with a Queensland council to assess the feasibility of solar installation (including electrical and structural assessments) at 21 of its highest electricity consumption sites. Peak identified site specific structural and electrical upgrade requirements prior to a solar installation and specified a renewable energy solution for each site that would provide a combined total savings of approximately $16 million over 20 years.

Every asset owner should ensure their retail and underlying network arrangements have the correct tariff applied based on consumption,

demand and asset size classification. Power pricing can, however, be complex with a myriad of factors influencing pricing, such as kW and kVA demand, peak/offpeak/shoulder kWh consumption profiles, mandatory environmental charges, distribution & transmission loss factors, network charges, metering and account consolidation to name a few. When you also consider consumption patterns for individual assets often change over time, it is unsurprising then that many asset owners are unnecessarily paying too much for electricity under an ‘incorrect’ tariff structure. In addition to the changing consumption patterns for the individual assets there are also annual changes (substantial in some cases) in the network charges which impact markedly on the cost outcome of the various tariffs.

This can be addressed by analysing all factors that influence electricity pricing to ensure retail and underlining network arrangements are aligned with the optimum available electricity tariff structures (retail and network) to provide the lowest cost of electricity. We have seen savings of more than $200,000 per annum realised on a single asset alone through changes to retail tariff structures!

That is a significant saving when you consider that no capital investment is required. Through this targeted approach the sector has saved well in excess of $5.5 million through tariff analyses and understanding the complexities of navigating the contestable energy market for large sites. In addition, we have assisted several Councils to substantially abate their total greenhouse gas emissions cost effectively through landfill gas extraction and flaring operations since 2010 and then extending the flaring at those facilities to base load electricity generation of up to 5MW since 2015.

Overall the Australian Energy Industry is undergoing more transformational change than when Thomas Edison first invented the light bulb, so it is vital that your organisation has a trusted partner to navigate the power industry maze in these rapidly changing times. Peak Services is well placed to assist Queensland councils and other organisations to realise any potential savings and take grasp of the opportunities that are available. Contact the energy team (Mike Fideli or Michael Fullelove) at Peak Services for further information via email hello@wearepeak.com.au.

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Infrastructure Management using Drone Scan Technology

FEATURE ARTICLE

Loren Otto Drone Data & Mapping Engineer AirBorn Insight Cost-effective and safe inspections of assets as diverse as water towers, reservoirs, telecommunications towers, power-line towers, bridges, buildings and dam walls are often an enormous challenge to councils and utilities.

The use of drones for these types of high-risk inspections has become more common in the last few years, using photogrammetry

to create measurable, highresolution 3D models that allow detailed analysis and other benefits to engineers and asset maintenance managers.

Some of the benefits this provides are to: • Improve Safety – Reduce tower climbs and reliance on access equipment • Reduce Costs – drone scanning is efficient and comprehensive with whole assets scanned without the need for high cost access equipment such as man baskets or scissor lifts.

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• Reduce Downtime - track asset condition over time and proactively schedule maintenance.

• Identify and Tag Defects within a 3D model with fine detail.

• Accurately Measure defects such as crack length, corrosion areas, change over time etc.

Sub-centimeter accuracy delivers confidence when planning installations / retrofits / route access.

• Insurance and Disaster Management – capture asset condition before the storm season to avoid disputes.

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The interactive 3D model shown above was produced from a pre-programmed drone scan. It is geo-referenced for accurate measurements. Digital models such as this can be accessed online without installing software. The following images illustrate the items tagged 1 to 4 at the top of the tower in the image above.

The challenges involved in effectively implementing the use of drones means the council or utility needs to have some understanding of the legislative framework that drone operators are legally obliged to work within.

The safe and legal operation of a drone for this kind of work is critical and should be a fundamental criterion for vendors to comply with. There are a number of drone operators who

cut corners and a blind eye is often turned to this in pursuit of a cheaper cost.

Drone technology is so ubiquitous and readily available at prices that are continuing to fall, that costs are seen to be related only to the price of the drone itself and not the value of the training, experience, qualifications and systems that benchmark the legally compliant operators.

One of the key developments over the past few years has been the arrival of web-based 3D visualisation software with no need to purchase or install software.

This has created opportunities for easy collaboration and data sharing with stakeholders. Drone operators can scan an asset, process the data into a 3D model (‘digital twin’) and share it online via secure login for analysis by engineers. This simplified workflow greatly simplifies the path to

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adoption by councils and utilities. And for those who prefer to work offline, solutions are available for that as well.

Asset inspections via high resolution 3D models enable maintenance engineers to: • Efficiently perform desktop condition assessments with ability to zoom, rotate, swipe, interact and inspect whole assets.

• Share and collaborate with team members and stakeholders, improving engagement.

• Create and export inspection databases and reports through a developed workflow.

Tag #4 - Safely measure items to troubleshoot or to ensure compliance (e.g. antennae separation distance).

Tag #1 – Inspect asset condition from multiple angles using the interactive 3D model. Rotate and zoom for thorough inspection.

Inspect and measure inaccessible cracks and compare over time for engineering assessment.

Tag #2 – Safely inspect the integrity and security of equipment and cabling (e.g. after storm) without working from height.

Safely inspect the security and condition of out-of-reach access doors and critical locks using the high-resolution 3D model.

Tag #3 - Easily identify and measure defects to track deterioration over time, or to plan repair work.

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INFORMS. CONNECTS. REPRESENTS. LEADS.

EXCELLENCE AWARDS BENEFITS OF NOMINATING FOR AN IPWEAQ AWARD: N ominees and winners featured in the annual Commemorative Awards Book with the winning project featured on the cover W inners featured on the IPWEAQ website www.ipweaq.com/2018-awardwinners P roject of the Year featured in the excellence awards campaign the following year G ala awards ceremony and dinner attended by more than 450 invited guests and VIPs P hotos of award winners available for publicity purposes M edia releases on all winning projects and individual award winners issued by IPWEAQ.  I nvitations to present award winning projects at key events including branch and annual conferences

Contact Events & Marketing Manager Monica.Robertson@ipweaq.com or

IPWEAQ EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2019 The awards program, now in its seventeenth year, places a spotlight on the projects and people who deliver exceptional outcomes for our communities.

Nominations close 5.00pm Friday 5 July 2019 Submit your nominations online via the new awards platform https://ipweaq.awardsplatform.com/ Gala Awards Ceremony and Dinner Royal International Convention Centre, Brisbane Wednesday, 23 October 2019 Sponsorship opportunities available.

Contact monica.robertson@ipweaq.com or

3632 6802

3632 6802

   www.ipweaq.com Engineering for Public Works | June 2019

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INFORMS. CONNECTS. REPRESENTS. LEADS.

IPWEAQ ANNUAL

CONFERENCE Royal International Convention Centre, Brisbane 22-24 October 2019

Please join us for the 2019 IPWEAQ Annual Conference, 22 - 24 October 2019 at the Royal International Convention Centre (RICC) Brisbane.

If you were fortunate enough to join us for #IPWEAQ18 on the Gold Coast, we don’t have to tell you that our annual conference is growing each year and we anticipate #IPWEAQ19 will be bigger and better again! We anticipate 500+ delegates and an exclusive group of 50 exhibitors.

We look forward to welcoming you to #IPWEAQ19 Brisbane at the RICC in October 2019!

www.ipweaq.eventsair.com/ipweaq-annual-conference-brisbane/

Engineering for Public Works | June 2019

Sponsorship and exhibition opportunities available please contact Monica Robertson on 3632 6802 or Monica.Robertson@ipweaq.com

#IPWEAQ19

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BERNIE-ANNE FREEMAN

MEMBER PROFILE

Bernie-Anne Freeman is a Senior Civil Engineer at the Department of Transport and Main Roads.

She has worked in Road Design, Construction and Maintenance.

Last year, Bernie-Anne became a Registered Professional Engineer of Queensland (RPEQ).

Bernie-Anne recently spoke with Engineering for Public Works about her careering in public works engineering.

Engineering for Public Works (EPW): Please tell us briefly about yourself, where you’re from, your early life and what makes you tick.

B-AF: I’m a people-person who loves an adventure! Whether I'm travelling locally or a little further afield, I enjoy experiencing all the world has to offer. Having explored Japan and China recently, I am now looking forward to going to the red centre and having an adventure at Uluru in a few months. I'm known for taking a project management style approach to planning my holidays, and yes, the trusty excel spreadsheet is often used to make sure nothing goes amiss.

I grew up on a farm near Warwick before moving to Toowoomba for work and university. I attempt to grow some fruits and vegetables in

my veggie patch. In my spare time you can usually find my having a laugh with friends, attending yoga or Pilates, and playing social tennis in the local fixtures games.

EPW: Please summarise your career to date.

B-AF: After completing work experience and vacation work at the Department of Transport of Main Roads (TMR) through my final years of high school, I was successful in gaining a Cadetship as a Civil Designer at the Road Design Training Centre with TMR

in Toowoomba. I completed my Cadetship and Bachelor of Engineering simultaneously, working as a Civil Designer for the last two years of my degree.

Here I completed planning and detailed design works on projects from small widening projects to Warrego Highway Upgrade Designs – with plenty of assistance from friendly and knowledgeable senior colleagues!

After graduating, I enjoyed getting involved in the delivery of infrastructure projects and

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maintenance projects as an engineer. I have been a part of different teams including Toowoomba Second Range Crossing Project, Road Operations team, Network Assets team, and with various councils as a Maintenance Engineer (mainly Western Downs and Lockyer Valley Councils). Currently, I am enjoying leading the resurfacing team in the Darling Downs District as a Senior Engineer.

EPW: Why or how did you choose a career as an engineer in public works?

B-AF: Like many high school students, I wasn’t sure what my career plan was when it was time for Year 10 work experience placements. I loved maths, so I was directed to accountancy. I was placed in the finance section of TMR for my work experience week.

I remember being introduced to the different areas within TMR and ended up finishing the week onsite with the town planners and engineers instead of finance team.

EPW: What are you looking to achieve in your role?

B-AF: In my role I hope to have a positive effect both within the workplace and within the community. Through leading the resurfacing team, I hope to efficiently improve the Darling Downs Region’s road infrastructure through finding and implementing value-for-money solutions. With my team of 10 engineers and inspectors, we are working to create efficient and effective processes to ensure on time delivery of our resurfacing program.

Suddenly, I considered my math’s teacher’s recommendation to do engineering. I learnt more about engineering, through school vacation work and through attending the National Youth Science Forum in Canberra in Year 12. We visited significant engineering sites such as the Snowy Hydro Mountains Scheme and spoke to engineers about their work, where I was convinced that engineering was for me! I chose engineering as it combines my interests and strengths in maths and science, problem solving, people/communication, and is interesting, varied and fast-paced.

In public works, engineers make a meaningful real-world difference to communities!

Engineering for Public Works | June 2019

EPW: What’s been your most significant career highlight to date?

B-AF: My current role leading the resurfacing team and managing the program, has been a challenging and rewarding position. My team and I are responsible for state and national road resurfacing throughout the Darling Downs region, which includes development and delivering reseal prior works, and selection and delivery of resurfacing treatments including reseals, micro surfacing and asphalt surfacing. This program for 2018-19 financial year is

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approximately $32 million spread over 18 contracts. After initially behind schedule, a highlight has been achieving successful delivery of the 2018/19 reseal program.

EPW: What do you appreciate most about your involvement with IPWEAQ? B-AF: IPWEAQ has built my technical skills and engineering network through attendance at IPWEAQ conferences and reading online articles. Getting industry updates is a great way of learning about innovations in the industry.

The networks built and fostered through the IPWEAQ community are priceless! I appreciate the people I have met through IPWEAQ, some of which I now work directly with in my current role. Having had this opportunity to meet and connect with likeminded colleagues, has helped works to progress smoothly.

I especially appreciate the opportunities that IPWEAQ creates to connect younger engineers with more senior members of the industry from across the state, as creating these networks is not often possible in the usual workday.

EPW: Please tell us about your experience at the IPWEAQ Annual Conference and Southern Roads Symposium.

B-AF: I really enjoyed attending both the IPWEAQ Annual Conference and Southern Roads Symposium in 2018. The Southern Roads Symposium was held in Toowoomba and focused on road maintenance. Working in Toowoomba as a part of the roads maintenance team at the time, made the content extremely relevant and the networking effective. This Symposium covered

issues I faced on a regular basis – providing practical tips and provoking ideas to implement.

The IPWEAQ Annual Conference allowed me to broaden both engineering knowledge and networks. I enjoyed learning about topics outside my normal area of work, such as modelling of earthquake impacts of stormwater systems. I connected with engineers from councils and consultants, and there was balance of friendly faces and new people to meet!

EPW: Are there any specific challenges for young people in this sector and what do you think could be done to address those?

B-AF: As younger engineers, one of the most important things we need to gain is practical experience. I believe learning from more experienced inspectors and engineers with a construction background is key. Ask questions,

seek feedback on your ideas and build a network to support you. Take opportunities to step outside your comfort zone, work in a variety of roles and keep challenging yourself.

EPW: And do you have any specific message for girls or young women who are considering a career in public works?

B-AF: Whatever career you're considering, my top tip would be to research it to ensure that it is a right fit. Talk to those already in the profession and do some work experience if you can. For those considering engineering or other roles public works, I highly recommend this career path. Yes, there are a few more gents then ladies and you may find yourself as the only women in the room – but don’t let that stop you. This just means that the friendly banter is strong, as is the comradery between the female engineers.

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NEXT GENERATION Report Nadia Marks Director, People & Capability 2019 is flying by and before we know it, we’ll be half way through the year. In this first part of the year we have focused on how we can build and expand on current initiatives for our aspiring professionals to better connect them with the public works sector. One area where we have increased our presence is with universities across Queensland.

As an industry association, we recognise the importance of connecting educational institutions with our sector. Our sector is at risk in multiple ways: we have an ageing workforce which is much older than other sectors, fewer students are taking up engineering and our sector is relatively unknown or poorly understood by emerging generations. This gives further incentive to the expansion of our initiatives.

Our connections with universities are needs focussed and designed to demonstrate tangible results through collaborative partnerships benefitting students and the sector alike. Part of our engagement strategy will be to attend university student engagement events to promote public works engineering as an exciting, desirable and attractive career option to students. Where possible, we will invite councils

and sector representatives to collaborate with us to showcase real-life opportunities, stories and challenges. Our first recent engagement was with the University of the Sunshine with other institutions soon to follow and we sincerely thank Craig Young and Michael Whereat from Sunshine Coast Council for exciting students with their stories of life engineering for public works.

The Futures Challenge continues this year and we invite universities to nominate their final engineering students to present their final year theses at our Annual Conference. This gives students an opportunity to interact first hand with our delegates, promote innovative ideas and build on their professional networks and presentation skills. Previous years have been highly successful and

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we’ve been impressed not just by the quality of the projects presented but by the exceptional presentation skills of the participating students.

In support of our new university engagement program, we are pleased to announce that we will offer complimentary memberships to full-time civil engineering students and related disciplines. By making a connection with students through a membership offering we hope to raise awareness of the sector, provide support for aspiring professionals through our publications and globally recognised Knowledge Centre and initiate industry connections much earlier in their careers. With the challenges in securing the best talent, waiting until postgraduation to introduce the sector as a career of choice will likely

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be too late. Our community is a vibrant, exciting and supportive one which we want to share with students.

We are continuing with our high school engagement working again with the Dream Big project and Founder, Jessica Kahl. We have also engaged with our four Ambassadors to gather information and ideas on improving our involvement with emerging professionals, both from a membership perspective as well as delivery of specific initiatives to support this cohort in our sector.

At this year’s Annual Conference, we will be once again host a welcome function specifically for those under age 35 following on from the success of last year’s inaugural event. Last year, the U35 Welcome Lunch also provided an opportunity for our younger professionals to meet and engage with their Conference Buddy – a senior member who offered advice on the conference program and connected our U35s with their contacts in the sector.

We encourage recent graduates and members under age 35 to submit an abstract for delivery

at any of our conferences. A complimentary registration is awarded for all successful submissions as we are keen to showcase upcoming talent.

There was a strong presence at the SWQ Branch Conference in Gatton earlier in the year with 191 delegates and we encourage employers to send their graduates and emerging professionals to these valuable learning and networking opportunities. We offer a 50% discount on registrations for members under age 35 attending our branch conferences.

NEW Student Membership Benefits A ccess to industry-specific content in our globally-recognised Knowledge Centre including papers and videos of presentations delivered at conferences and symposia. A ccess to our quarterly e-journal, Engineering for Public Works, valued for its technical and industryrelevant content. R eceive regular newsletters with the latest happenings in our sector including jobs, placements and other opportunities for students and recent graduates. S pecial student offers to attend our conferences and networking opportunities.  J oin us for a special Meet & Greet at our annual conference specifically for members under age 28.  J oin us for various opportunities and initiatives in our university engagement program.

For more information go to page 85 Engineering for Public Works | June 2019

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INFORMS. CONNECTS. REPRESENTS. LEADS.

LOWER ORDER ROAD DESIGN GUIDELINES The Lower Order Road Design Guidelines (LORDG) specify minimum standards for the design and construction of lower order road assets and provide practitioners with a riskbased approach to capital improvements. As the lower order road network accounts for over 70% local and state controlled networks throughout Queensland, this approach allows stakeholders to maximise the return on funds invested.

One-day training courses are available for key stakeholders to achieve a common understanding of the risk management strategies and how they apply at each stage of the design and construction process from concept through to completion.

Price for a PDF copy (plus GST)

$100 for members

$400 for nonmembers

Purchase at

www.ipweaq.com/lordg Contact Professional Development Manager Kate.O’Riordan@ipweaq.com 3632 6807

Engineering for Public Works | June 2019

   www.ipweaq.com

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AUS-SPEC: Making roads safer for rural communities

By Emma Green, NATSPEC Communications Roads are a local government’s most significant asset. Safety is paramount. Over half of all road accidents in Australia occur on rural and regional roads.

Road management is an important responsibility – and a serious challenge. Rural and regional local councils need a reliable, efficient resource to help them design, construct, maintain and operate their roads to a high standard, in a sustainable manner.

AUS-SPEC’s new Rural Roads package brings technical expertise to rural and regional councils nationwide, supporting them in the management of their largest asset.

AUS-SPEC is a joint venture between NATSPEC and IPWEA to provide the national local government specification system. It is an essential tool for the design, construction and maintenance of council assets.

Sealed and unsealed local roads are dynamic systems affected by traffic, environment, road profile and material characteristics.

Material and techniques for the placement of material are the only elements that can be controlled and improved.

The Rural Roads package is intended for staff members and contractors in engineering services, environmental services, asset management and maintenance management.

Designing road networks requires in-depth knowledge of geometric road design, pavement design, the expected traffic volume, available material resources and impact of environmental factors. AUSSPEC Rural Roads works across all these areas, providing the insight needed to improve roads’ safety and structural integrity.

The AUS-SPEC Rural Roads specification includes editable worksection templates, documentation and guidelines for planning, design, tendering, contracting, preliminaries, construction, operation and maintenance. AUS-SPEC embeds sustainability requirements in

worksections and reference documents, including the new Design reference and checklists and Construction reference and schedules, as well as TECHguides, TECHnotes and TECHreports.

Unsealed road performance is more easily affected by materials and environmental factors, and AUS-SPEC Rural Roads addresses this with four new specifications for geometric road design and pavement design for sealed and unsealed roads.

TECHreport TR08 Management of council gravel pits in country areas – A case study explains how blending gravels from marginal gravel pits can produce unsealed roads without any defects. The case study of Lachlan Shire Council in this TECHreport gives a practical example. Projects in Cassowary Coast Regional Council in Queensland, where road

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maintenance intervention times were extended from three months to three years, and the Shire of Albany in Western Australia have already been successful. In the Shire of Albany, improved gravel blending for unsealed roads reduced potholes and water penetration to zero, reduced maintenance grading from every week to twice a year and extended resheeting intervention times from every three to five years to every ten to 15 years. This creates a significant whole-of-life cost saving.

AUS-SPEC construction worksections provide better quality control, environmental management and integrated management. New worksections include rural concrete bases and the wearing courses, bases and subbases of unsealed roads.

Existing worksections, including stabilisation, flexible pavements and sprayed seals, have been updated for rural councils.

Councils that engage contractors will find these particularly helpful.

The new construction TECHnote GEN026 Otta seal – A different approach to road sealing supports these new specifications, outlining the use of Otta seal for low traffic volume unsealed gravel roads.

The Rural Roads package’s Design reference and checklists and Construction reference and schedules are a major advantage.

The design checklists provide a record of design processes and design requirements. The construction schedules include material selection schedules, summaries of hold points and witness points, maximum lot sizes and test frequencies. These documents are customisable to include project-specific requirements.

AUS-SPEC Rural Roads incorporates scientific technology to extend intervention times and enable road operation at optimal maintenance investment. The new TECHnote GEN027 Maintenance of unsealed roads assists local road authorities in maintaining low volume unsealed gravel roads. AUS-SPEC maintenance worksections, such as 1602 Maintenance schedules – road reserve, help councils record asset inspections, program and prioritise works and prepare monthly ‘works-as-executed’ reports. These improve asset inventory and maintenance history and provide necessary records for defence against litigation.

The comprehensive Rural Roads package provides essential quality requirements and assists councils that lack in-house engineering expertise.

To simplify the documentation process, subscribers have access to SPECbuilder, NATSPEC’s online specification compiler. AUSSPEC provides an annual update service in response to changes to regulations, standards, industry practices and the evolving needs of subscribers.

Serving as a common language, AUS-SPEC benefits contractors

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and local government engineers.

It promotes best practice and creates a national framework for managing local government infrastructure and assets.

Protecting roads means protecting livelihoods and lives. With the Rural Roads package, councils can ensure that they are proactively managing their road assets and providing safe infrastructure to their communities. AUS-SPEC is an essential technical resource for delivering sustainable local government projects of exceptional quality.

AUS-SPEC is developed by the industry, for the industry. It is managed by NATSPEC, a not-forprofit, Government- and industryowned organisation. NATSPEC maintains the National Building Specification for Australia and has been a valued part of the construction industry for over 40 years.

For more AUS-SPEC information, case studies and resources, see: https://www.natspec.com.au/ products/local-governmentspecifications https://www.natspec.com.au/ products/local-governmentspecifications/aus-spec-rural-roads

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NQ Branch President’s Report Cairns will shortly be hosting the Northern Roads Symposium, 11-13 June.

The symposium will address the issues surrounding the use of locally available materials in the construction, maintenance and operations of road assets specifically as they relate to northern climatic conditions.

Another issue to be addressed is the loss of skilled practitioners through retirement or relocations and with them the knowledge and experience working with non-standard materials. The symposium will also look at strategies available to councils for maximising outcomes when funding is limited. I look forward to seeing you in Cairns next week.

IPWEAQ has recently developed and launched a number of new courses including: • Drainage for Road Design • Pavement Rehabilitation Workshop • Basic Geometric Road Design • Demystifying Extended Design Domain (EDD) Applications • Management of a Civil Workforce If you would like to arrange one of these courses to be delivered in-house at your council or if you would like to attend a public course, please contact Kate O’Riordan [insert Kate.O’Riordan@ ipweaq.com]. Three more courses are under development so please

also contact Kate if these are also of interest to you: • Introduction to Urban Stormwater Design • Introduction to Urban Stormwater Assessment Principles • Bridge Asset Management – Data Driven Decision Making I’m pleased to confirm, the NQ Branch conference will return next year to be held in Townsville, 10-11 June. The Call for Papers will open February 2020 however, Craig and Kate are more than happy to receive your suggested presentations at any time. We encourage our younger professionals to submit an abstract and if successful, you will receive a complimentary registration to the conference and another opportunity to hone your public speaking skills. Up to 45 CPD hours are available for preparing a paper for presentation at a conference.

The 2019 Excellence Awards will close 5 July so please be sure to nominate your projects and people for these prestigious awards. Natasha Murray of Cairns Regional Council took home one of the major awards last year for Woman in Engineering and Kowanyama Aboriginal Council was the first winner of an IPWEAQ excellence awards for the Kowanyama Social Precincts.

Mackay Regional Council was the winner in the Asset Management

Environment & Sustainability Highly Commended Mareeba Shire Council.

Projects $5-10M Highly Commended Cairns Regional Council.

category for the Mount Pleasant No.1 Reservoir Refurbishment and Mareeba was Highly Commended for the Mareeba Landfill Surface Waters Management Project in the Environment & Sustainability category. Cairns Regional Council was also Highly Commended in Projects Under $2 million for our Centenary Lakes Nature Play.

Overall, an impressive result for North Queensland! And don’t forget to nominate your people for the five people awards!

Bruce Gardiner NQ Branch President

Nominations closing 5 July for the 2019 IPWEAQ Excellence Awards!

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SEQ Branch President’s Report I am very pleased to announce the date and location for the 2020 SEQ Branch conference – The Events Centre Caloundra, 28-29 May. Please save the date and be sure to join us for our main event for the year. A Call for Papers will be issued early 2020 however please feel free to submit ideas and abstracts any time to Craig Moss, Director, Professional Development.

technical sessions coming up, with thanks to our hosts:

Our sincere thanks to McCullough Robertson for hosting an oversubscribed seminar on the development approvals process on 9 May. Presenters Patrick O’Brien and Sarah Hausler provided delegates with practical advice and tips for effective development assessment with case studies. This highly informative session was followed by a wine tasting session, with thanks again to McCullough Robertson!

• 14 November – Sunshine Coast Council

And I am very pleased to welcome Sarah Hausler, Senior Associate at McCullough Robertson as a member of the SEQ Branch committee – welcome, Sarah!

Many people believe you must be an engineer to be a member of IPWEAQ however membership is open to anyone actively involved in any aspect or phase of public works in any capacity including accountants, architects, legal, landscape architects and other professional advisers.

We have a number of SEQ

12 June – Calibre Transport, Brisbane, Traffic Engineering & Maintenance – limited spaces available! Please register online.

• 17 July – Moreton Bay Regional Council and Redland City Council • 14 August – Ipswich City Council • 11 September – Noosa Council

There are multiple CPD opportunities available in Brisbane over the next three months including: Road Safety Audit Workshop • Brisbane: 20-21 August 2019 • Brisbane: 22 August 2019 Refresher Erosion and Sediment Control Workshop Level Two • Brisbane: 25 June 2019 Erosion and Sediment Control Workshop Level Three • Brisbane: 18-20 June 2019 Type A, B & D Sediment Basin Design Workshop • Brisbane: 20 June 2019 Pavement Maintenance & Rehabilitation • Brisbane: 23-24 May 2019 Many of our programs are

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delivered in-house and tailored for your needs and for your team members. Please don’t hesitate to contact Kate O’Riordan to discuss your needs and please be sure to spend your 2018-2019 training budgets before 30 June!

And coming up next – TEAM IPWEAQ will ride again 16 June for the Brissie to Bay (B2B) in support of our President’s Charity, MS Queensland. Please be sure to sponsor our team.

If you would like to join the TEAM IPWEAQ Bike Club, please contact Johanna. Suggestions also welcome for our next bike ride – please contact Team Captain, Gleb Kolenbet or Vice Captain, David Bell.

Raad Jarjees

SEQ Branch President

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INFORMS. CONNECTS. REPRESENTS. LEADS.

South East Queensland TECHNICAL SERIES 9 MAY

17 JULY

8 AUGUST

McCullough Robertson – Brisbane

Moreton Bay Regional Council + Redland City Council

Ipswich City Council

TOPIC Development Approval Process Seminar VENUE McCullough Robertson Level 11, 66 Eagle Street Brisbane TIME 2:30pm – 5:30pm

TOPIC Stormwater / Transport + Transport Planning and Land Development VENUE TBC TIME 4:30pm – 7:00pm

TOPIC Design Challenges for Concrete Bike Ways in Brown Field VENUE North Ipswich Reserve TIME 5:30pm – 8:00pm

28 AUGUST

11 SEPTEMBER

20 NOVEMBER

Calibre Transport – Brisbane

Noosa Council

Sunshine Coast Council

TOPIC M1/M3 Gateway Merge project VENUE Calibre Brisbane Office Level 3, 545 Queen Street Brisbane TIME 6:00pm – 7:30pm

TOPIC Park Road Boardwalk VENUE TBC TIME 2:00pm – 4:00pm

Contact Professional Development Manager Kate.O’Riordan@ipweaq.com 3632 6807

TOPIC CBD Entrance road project

Airport Runway

SCC Major Projects VENUE TBC TIME TBC

   www.ipweaq.com Engineering for Public Works | June 2019

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Congratulations Croydon!

Thank you to our 73 delegates who travelled long distances to join us for a memorable, legendary IPWEAQ event in Croydon last month! The conference was opened

by Mayor Trevor Pickering and Works Manager, Garry Pickering and we thank Croydon Shire Council for their kind invitation to bring our inaugural Rural Road Maintenance & Rehabilitation Forum to town.

We are most appreciative of the hospitality of Council and the support of local sponsors.

Thank you to the Croydon Shire Council, IPWEAQ and the Croydon community for being such great hosts. We had a great time visiting your shire!

The content of the forum was relative to what we all do. It was one of the better ones I have been to especially given the different country and the different way things are done in northern and central parts of Queensland.

We travelled 4,000kms up and back but it was well worth the trip!

Cameron Davidson Program Coordinator (Maintenance) Western Downs Regional Council

Although events in rural and remote areas present some organisational challenges for us, they are critical to who we are as an organisation. We look forward to the next one!

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The Croydon forum has been fantastic. Garry and his team (aka the whole town, school kids included!) have put in such a great effort.

Glenda Kirk Director Infrastructure Services Mareeba Shire Council Vice President, NQ Branch Committee

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SWQ Branch President’s Report What an amazing event in Gatton! 191 delegates – a record branch conference for IPWEAQ – were treated to a strong program of 18 high quality papers. Best paper award winner, Brendan Sippel from Lockyer Valley Regional Council will now present at the Annual Conference in October on the Cemetery Operations Improvement Project. Andrew Johnson was a close second for his presentation on the awardwinning Brisbane Valley Rail Trail (BVRT). Voting was close with four highly commended papers delivered by Peter Reynolds (TMR), Andrew Thompson (Water Technology), Michael Kinion (Somerset Regional Council) and Isaac Kirsch (TMR). It was great to see so many younger members presenting papers, as well as our Ambassador, Maddy Stahlhut chairing a session.

A huge thanks again to the Proterra Group for sponsoring our conference dinner – an American themed barbeque which was followed by barefoot bowls.

Notably however, most engineers were to be found around the bar instead of on the greens.

Our 22 trade exhibitors kindly donated a range of prizes for our MSQ raffle and we raised $950 for the President’s Charity. See photos on our Facebook page!

Our event coincided with

programming. The Team rides again in the Brissie to Bay, 16 June 2019.

International Women's Day and we celebrated with a morning tea sponsored by GHD. Three past winners of the IPWEAQ Woman in Engineering award talked about their experiences in our sector including our President, Seren McKenzie, Nadia Ives of GenEng Solutions and myself.

And many thanks also to our other conference sponsors: GenEng Solutions and Shepherd: asset management solutions (formerly Shepherd Services) for your ongoing support of our community.

We were also very proud to launch TEAM IPWEAQ our new Bike Club.

The inaugural ride took in 30kms of the award-winning Brisbane Valley Rail Trail from Toogoolawah to Moore. We had a fabulous time and look forward to making this a regular occurrence in our

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Our 2020 conference will be held in Stanthorpe, 27-29 February with a Call for Papers to be issued later this year however please feel free to send your abstracts to Craig Moss, Director Professional Development at any time. Our Bike Club tour next year will be through the local Stanthorpe wineries so be sure to stay on an extra night to join us!

Finally, please be sure to read the International Study Tour report on pages 38-45 by SWQ Branch member, Ashlee Jesshope who won an IPWEA Queensland Foundation scholarship to Barcelona to attend the Smart City Expo World Congress. We look forward to learning more about the tour from Ashlee when she returns to Australia from her secondment in the UK. Angela Fry SWQ Branch President

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SWQ BRANCH CONFERENCE

Grand Gatton - what a conference!

A record 191 delegates joined us in Gatton in the Lockyer Valley!

Our sincere thanks to our host councils, Lockyer Valley Regional Council and Somerset Regional Council.

And thank you to our sponsors: Proterra Group, GHD, Shepherd and GenEng Solutions.

IPWEAQ members are able to access all presentations from the 2019 SWQ Branch Conference in IPWEAQ's globally recognised Knowledge Centre.

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INFORMS. CONNECTS. REPRESENTS. LEADS.

2020 Events Program PRESIDENT’S BREAKFAST BRISBANE

7

FEB

22-24

SWQ BRANCH CONFERENCE STANTHORPE

28-29

SEQ BRANCH CONFERENCE CALOUNDRA

FEB

CQ BRANCH CONFERENCE MARYBOROUGH

30 APRIL -1 MAY

MAY

NQ BRANCH CONFERENCE TOWNSVILLE

10-11 JUNE

10-12 NOV

Contact Events & Marketing Manager Monica.Robertson@ipweaq.com 07 3632 6802

ANNUAL CONFERENCE CAIRNS

   www.ipweaq.com Engineering for Public Works | June 2019

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CQ Branch President’s Report Rocky rocks! Thank you to our hosts, Rockhampton Regional Council for providing an exceptional venue – the Heritage Village – for our 2019 CQ Branch Conference. 165 delegates – a record for a CQ Branch conference – joined us for a memorable program. Thank you also to our conference sponsor, AECOM! The Best Paper award was won by Dan Toon, Livingstone Shire Council who delivered a presentation on the Scenic Highway, Statue Bay – Cyclone Marcia Reconstruction Project.

Other papers in the running for the award included: Colin Strydom (design+architecture) for the Mt Archer Elevated Boardwalk and a presentation on the South Rockhampton Flood Levee by Andrew Collins (Rockhampton Regional Council) and Ben McMaster (AECOM).

These exceptional projects along with several others presented should feature in the 2019 IPWEAQ Excellence Awards and we encourage the teams to make a submission by 5 July.

A finalist for the 2018 Futures Challenge, Lindsay Stafford, who is now employed with AECOM delivered a presentation on her reflections as a graduate engineer.

Lindsay’s presentation and similar presentations delivered at other branch conferences will soon be accessible in a new Community in

the IPWEAQ Knowledge Centre specifically for our younger professionals.

The conference social program was also exceptional commencing with barefoot bowls at the Rockhampton Bowls Club on Wednesday night. However the highlight was the Cardnosponsored pre-dinner drinks at the Great Western Hotel – a typical, historical old Rockhampton pub – followed by a Dinner Rodeo sponsored by Dileigh Consulting Engineers. This is a night we will well remember. Thank you Cardno and Dileigh!

We also hosted the inaugural Alumni dinner – a dinner for our retired and Emeritus members and their wives and partners. The Alumni then joined us for the rodeo.

Our Tech Tour this year was quite unique with a tour of the Rockhampton Heritage Village, a township museum showcasing the rich, colourful history of the Rockhampton distract from 18501950.

And golf returned with 12 players teeing off Friday afternoon at the Yeppoon Golf Club. WINNER $1,215 was raised for the President’s Charity – thank you to everyone who bought raffle tickets, played bowls and golf, and incurred fines for errant phones. And thank you to our exhibitors for donating

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prizes for our MSQ raffle.

Thank you also to our other event sponsors: GHD, McMurtrie, Premise and Shepherd: asset management solutions (formerly Shepherd Services). Your support is much appreciated!

Next year’s conference will be held in Maryborough with hosts, Fraser Coast Regional Council, 30 April – 1 May. A Call for Papers will be issued early 2020 however Craig Moss is happy to receive these from you at any time.

We have a QUDM (Queensland Urban Drainage Manual Workshop) coming up in Rockhampton 19 June so please be sure to register early as these courses are frequently oversubscribed. 7 CPD hours on offer.

Celisa Faulkner CQ Branch President

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ADAC and SPDM

PORTFOLIO REPORT

ADAC The Civil BIM In the last few months there have been some significant changes to ADAC for subscribers to the Consortium.

The Technical Reference Group (TRG) had its first meeting since 2018 on 17 April and it was agreed to reconstitute the Strategic Reference Group (SRG) to provide clear priorities and direction for the TRG. The more focussed TRG will then break into smaller sub-groups to work on specific areas of the schema and expansions, as directed by the SRG. The TRG will review the output of the following new sub-groups: • Water & Sewer Combined • Stormwater & Transport Combined • Open Space • Electrical & Telecoms – including smart assets, CCTV and sensors We're looking for 2-3 volunteers for each of the four sub-groups.

Please contact Craig Moss if you are interested. Participation in technical working groups contribute to your CPD hours and also meet the criteria for Fellowship of IPWEAQ. We're also very pleased to welcome two new subscribers to the Consortium: Shellharbour City Council and Lockyer Valley Regional Council!

TRG meeting at IPWEAQ offices on 17 April 2019.

The Civil BIM If you're looking for an easy way to explain ADAC, consider it the Civil BIM! We’re pleased to announce the imminent launch of the new XML validation tool available to Consortium subscribers and subscribers to our Corporate Technical Subscription (CTS). This web-based tool will allow councils and utilities to validate XML files against any schema from v4.0 and later. It will allow you to quickly test submitted files and generate a report detailing any errors together with a summary of the assets captured. The tool will allow customisation of the default fields beyond the standard schema to be saved.

For vendors submitting XML data as part of their work, this tool is also accessible on a subscription

basis: $200 per use or $2,000 per year which will allow you to scroll through all council and utility customised schemas to validate their data prior to submission.

The XML validation tool will be launched in June.

IPWEAQ will now provide technical support for ADAC and host a user support to address all technical and implementation issues.

Also under development is a suite of training packages with clear goals and expectations targeted at the various user groups. We are also developing a high-level strategic guide for the adoption of ADAC, based on the experience and knowledge gathered from our current user group. We have sought and received offers of support from various councils to provide input into this work and we will have this ready for review in June.

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Street Planning and Design Manual (SPDM) The SPDM project is progressing well and we are still aiming for a soft launch at the Annual Conference in October. Prior to the conference, members will be invited to submit questions about the new Manual which can then be discussed in a workshop scheduled for the day after the conference.

Councils from across Queensland will be invited to participate to ensure the Manual meets the needs of councils of all sizes and demographics.

We will also arrange a trade booth at the conference to provide an opportunity for delegates to discuss the SPDM with the Steering Committee and Working Group members. The conference app will be utilised to receive comments from delegates throughout the official launch on Day 2 which can then be addressed at the workshop.

Paul Eagles, Team Leader of the SPWG for facilitating a high energy workshop which contributed to the significant understanding and advancement of the project.

commenced a new role as Manager Water at Southern Downs Regional Council with some major issues to resolve in the drought-stricken region.

Over the next few weeks, we expect to see the first drafts of the proposed new publication emerge based on the roadmap agreed at respective meetings of the two Working Groups. A peer review is proposed for August.

Through our colleagues at LGAQ, and Steering Committee member, Crystal Baker, we will be communicating with regional councils outside of the southeast seeking engagement and feedback on draft materials as they are developed. If you would like to participate in this process or attend the next workshop, please contact Leigh Cunningham.

Craig Murrell, IPWEAQ Vice President has assumed the role of Chair of the SPDM Steering Committee from our President, Seren McKenzie who recently

We have signed an MOU with DSDMIP (Department of State Development, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Planning) and are very pleased to have the support and engagement of the Department in the development of the Manual. It is anticipated that the Minister will be available for the official launch in October.

In the meantime, the Street Planning Working Group (SPWG) held a workshop in March in the Surveyor’s Room (fittingly) at the Treasury Heritage Hotel in Brisbane. Delegates included representatives from the City of Gold Coast, Redland City Council, Moreton Bay Regional Council, Sunshine Coast Council, Logan City Council and Brisbane City Council. Our sincere thanks to

SPDG workshop on 15 March at the Treasury Heritage Hotel in Brisbane.

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INFORMS. CONNECTS. REPRESENTS. LEADS. ™

New - XML validation tool available tool –

ASSET DESIGN AS CONSTRUCTED

THE CIVIL BIM ADAC is the Civil BIM (Building Information Modelling) for public works infrastructure.

It is open source and adopted widely by councils and utilities across Australia.

ADAC (Asset Deign as Constructed) is an open source data specification and transport format (XML) for the description and transmission of asset design and as constructed data.

Why adopt ADAC? ADAC enables the easy, reliable and consistent exchange of asset design and as constructed data between asset constructors and asset managers.

ADAC provides for the automation of data entry from any source (once validated via the XML validation tool). This automated process is not a function of asset management software – ADAC is required to achieve this outcome.

ADAC data can be checked for errors, transformed and loaded into asset management systems in an automated and reliable manner and then used to populate asset component registers and Geographical Information Systems (GIS).

The ADAC framework offers consistent and accurate results saving time and costs.

Why is ADAC better than alternatives?  It has a broader scope ie more asset classes.  It contains more detail ie more attributes defined at a greater level.  It is open source and independent of other platforms so you are not locked into a particular software solution.

 It is a language for describing assets

rather than representing them.  It represents the collective wisdom of our community of public works professionals expert in the management of assets.

What are the benefits of ADAC?  Significant time and resource savings in the electronic processing of as constructed data.  Improved consistency and accuracy of detailed asset data.  Quality control checks on asset data for completeness and integrity.  Beneficial for automated uploading of asset data to GIS, asset management databases and other registers.  Transparent asset registration and valuation processes that deliver improved corporate governance.  Capacity to reconcile donated assets with planning scheme requirements and infrastructure agreements.  Potential to ‘round-trip’ asset data and related information to external customers in a consistent format.  Property developers and consulting engineers experience consistent requirements from councils.

Contact Director, Professional Services Craig.Moss@ipweaq.com 3632 6805

Web based XML validation XML data from ‘as constructed’ d or design data can be validate have ks wor ired requ to ensure the been completed and captured correctly for each council.

Benefits of Consortium Membership  XML data from ‘as constructed’ or design data can be quickly validated to ensure the required works have been completed and captured correctly.  Technical support from our ADAC forums and resource centre.  Access to the Technical Reference Group. Contribute to the expansion of ADAC.  Network of other ADAC users and forums which offer support and value-add to asset data processes.  National recognition as an ADAC member.

Size per constituency

Cost*

Councils with < 25,000

$2,000

Councils with 25,000 to 100,000

$4,000

Councils with > 100,000

$7,000

Utility Providers

$7,000

Other Entities

Contact IPWEAQ * plus GST

   www.ipweaq.com Engineering for Public Works | June 2019

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PEOPLE AND CAPABILITY

PORTFOLIO REPORT

Nadia Marks Director, People & Capability A 360o perspective on student work placements Student internships, or industry work placements, is where higher education meets employment offering students the opportunity to gain experience while studying. Universities throughout Queensland offering civil engineering degrees and related disciplines encourage industrybased placements. Often these engagements constitute a required element for graduating students.

We share a 360o view of what internships involve, the benefits and how they can be mutually successful for students and employers.

The student’s perspective Ben Ash, now an IPWEAQ Ambassador, undertook a threemonth student work placement with the City of Gold Coast council during his university studies.

Ben had developed an interest in asset management but the topic wasn’t frequently covered within the university curriculum.

In a proactive move, he revised his resume and cover letter and approached the city assets branch of the City of Gold Coast which resulted in the placement.

At the time, Ben’s university thesis topic was titled, ‘The effects of climate change on revetments walls and stormwater outlet pipes and the proposed asset management plan’. His work placement project had an environmental and commercial sustainability theme requiring research to determine the most plausible outcomes of climate change eg sea level rise, temperature, more frequent and intense weather events, and gathering all the revetment walls and storm water outlet pipes that were to be refurbished/renewed within the next five years. A cost calculation was then completed to compare the refurbishment/ renewal of these assets per current processes versus the cost of making these assets more resilient to the expected conditions of climate change to ensure they achieved their desired lifespan.

Professionally, the placement benefitted Ben in confirming his interests in asset management and working in the public sector.

In Ben’s words, “It gave me the confidence that this profession is for me, and that I am more than capable at doing a good job all round”. Work placements also help students when they apply for jobs after graduation as they gain valuable references and connections.

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Some suggestion on making student placements successful include: • Choosing an interesting work placement project. Ideally one that is related to the student’s thesis or engineering interest area. There have been great examples where a student’s passion and engagement has been further ignited through their work placements.

Unfortunately though, there are also examples of projects that have not been well thought out which have resulted in students struggling to enjoy the work placement and subsequently affected their experience of being a young engineer.

• Choice of supervisor. Ben was fortunate to have an energetic, experienced and supportive supervisor. She taught Ben a lot and supported his progress and success during the placement.

• Allowing for some site experience with the project. This allows students to get a greater understanding on how things practically work and how they connect to theory which isn’t always achievable at a desk or in a lecture theatre.

The employer perspective Goondiwindi Regional Council has hosted work placement students in the last two years and plan to

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continue to do so. Luke Tanner – Manager Works explains that it has been a successful strategy to enable council to complete nonurgent but nonetheless important projects in their pipeline. For the past two student placements, the projects have been specifically selected so that the student can have ownership of completing the task from start to finish. Whilst the students have supervision and their work is overseen, they are encouraged to apply knowledge learnt at university, use innovative thinking and learn to manage a work project to completion.

The first student was from the region and completed his work placement whilst he was home for university break, however the second student lived and studied in Brisbane at QUT. Through an interview process and subsequent assistance with securing accommodation, the student spent four and half months in Goondiwindi during the university summer break. The internship was a paid internship with the main focus being an asset management improvement project. The project involved site inspections, preparing condition reports and developing a work prioritisation list. Luke recommends finding meaningful work for the students to complete and allowing them to come up with their own solutions and answers to challenges. These can be discussed with the supervising engineer as a two-way learning process both for the student undertaking a real-world project and the council who may discover new ways of addressing a problem.

For regional and rural areas of Queensland, it can be challenging to attract and source talented engineers and technical professionals to relocate from

the urban centres. Student work placements form part of a longer term strategy to introduce younger generations to the possibility of regional living in the future; a ‘try before you buy’ concept. Many regional employers adopt this strategy and have designed targeted strategies and processes to ensure practical elements such as logistics and initial onboarding is seamlessly facilitated and a good introduction to the community, recreational and social activities takes place.

The university perspective The Student Employability Team at the University of Queensland have well developed and successful student/industry engagement programs specifically for the Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology. They see both sides of the equation and act as conduits for industry and students to achieve the best outcome.

Employers can connect with UQ Engineering students through the Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology’s Student Employability Team. The Student Employability team can assist with advertising opportunities to students through UQ wide job boards and social media channels.

In summary, a well thought out and interesting placement project, competent supervision and autonomy for students with real-world experience appears to be a successful formula. Fair Work Australia requires some internships to be paid so it is essential to confirm this directly with them or with the university to make sure all legal requirements are met.

From the university perspective, they see a number of benefits of a student industry work placement. Students can bring fresh and innovative ideas to an organisation. On the flipside, internships give a student an opportunity to put theory into practice and learn from experienced industry professionals.

Internships offer employers an opportunity to identify student engineers to build talent pipelines.

Student industry work is important to help aspiring engineers gain real life work exposure, learn about the potential of our sector and begin to consider professional pathways beyond graduation. For public works sector employers thinking about the future engineering pipeline and wanting to access talent early, industry placements should almost be essential. To be regarded as an employer of choice and to secure exceptional future professionals for the sector in an already stretched skills pool, employers are encouraged to consider introducing these placement programs in their resourcing strategies.

The team at UQ have found that effective supervision and support has proven to be an essential contributing factor to the success of an internship or placement. A well-defined placement scope and experience is also an important consideration to enable the students to gain an authentic experience.

To engage further with students, connect with your local university directly or Nadia Marks, IPWEAQ’s Director, People & Capability.

IPWEAQ supports students undertaking engineering and related studies and assists our sector by forming mutually beneficial connections between universities and industry.

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USC I-ENGAGE

Nadia Marks, Director, People & Capability IPWEAQ attends the University of the Sunshine Coast i-Engage event Craig Moss and I attended the University of the Sunshine Coast i-Engage event on 2 May 2019. These events are Industry Employability Seminars for USC students which offers an opportunity for industry to connect directly with students in Civil Engineering, Town Planning, Environmental Management and other disciplines.

The aim of the event is to: • learn about potential opportunities and career pathways in our sector and educate students in preparing to enter professional industries • improve employability skills and give students realistic expectations about the world of work • hear of anecdotal success stories and case studies of professionals in our industries • hear about the expectations of recruiters to increase success in job applications and interviews • improve professional networks In our presentation, we shared information on the public works sector including what type of work it involves and career prospects for students. The scope of the sector is vast and it was important to convey the opportunities

available to future engineers in terms of the variety of work, locations throughout Queensland (and beyond) and also they type of employers from councils to government departments to the private sector. We were delighted to introduce our new Student membership and provide some practical guidelines on how they can connect with the industry whilst studying.

We are grateful to Craig Young and Michael Whereat from the Sunshine Coast Council who also presented with us and inspired the students. Michael shared the work on the Maroochydore Smart City precinct as well as the international broadband submarine cable initiative currently underway.

These are exciting and innovative projects right at the doorstep of the university. Craig Young shared his personal story from his days as a student sitting in a lecture theatre thinking about the future, to the various events throughout his career that have led him to the position he now holds. Craig spoke of the importance of having mentors, the opportunity to travel overseas with the IPWEAQ international study tour, winning awards, despite an initial reluctance to enter, and encouraged students to embrace challenges and not be afraid of failure.

The networking event that followed highlighted the importance and value of our role connecting with students. We were

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inundated with questions and engaged in conversations with students from various disciplines.

Question ranged from work placement opportunities, seeking advice on specialisation of skillsets, practical working arrangements eg what it is really like to work full-time, and applicability of theoretical concepts to practical situations. The students were genuinely curious and keen to engage with us, asking for more ways in which they can stay connected during their studies.

We will continue our engagement with universities across Queensland and have already started working on a number of initiatives based on opportunities and needs. We will be involved in events on campus and are grateful to the contribution of our members, like Craig and Michael who are inspiring the next generation. Likewise, IPWEAQ is happy to assist with initiatives your organisation may have with universities and we are keen to learn about these.

Please contact Nadia Marks for further information about university engagement activities.

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INFORMS. CONNECTS. REPRESENTS. LEADS.

complimentary

STUDENT MEMBERSHIP We are delighted to invite full-time civil engineering students and related disciplines eg urban planning, design and surveying to join us for the duration of their university studies

Benefits of Student Membership A ccess to industry-specific content in

our globally-recognised Knowledge Centre including papers and videos of presentations delivered at conferences and symposia. A ccess to our quarterly e-journal, Engineering for Public Works, valued for its technical and industry-relevant content. R eceive regular newsletters with the latest happenings in our sector including jobs, placements and other opportunities for students and recent graduates.

S pecial student offers to attend

our conferences and networking opportunities.  J oin us for a special Meet & Greet at our annual conference specifically for members under age 28.  J oin us for various opportunities and initiatives in our university engagement program.

Note: proof of current enrolment is required upon joining and each year for renewal.

Contact Director, People & Capability Nadia.Marks@ipweaq.com 3632 6803

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news in brief

Save the date

• 22-24 October 2019 Annual Conference

Brisbane,

• 22-24 February 2020 Stanthorpe

(SWQ Branch)

• 30 April - 1 May 2020 Maryborough

• 28-29 May 2020 (SEQ Caloundra • 10-11 June 2020 (NQ Townsville

(CQ Branch) Branch) Branch)

Congrats to Seren!

Congratulations to IPWEAQ President Seren McKenzie on her recent appointment as Water Manager with Southern Downs Regional Council (SDRC).

Previously Manager Infrastructure Planning and Design with Lockyer Valley Regional Council (LVRC), Seren was LVRC’s first female engineer and highly respected by colleagues and the community.

We wish Seren every success in her new role with SDRC.

The Buddy Program is back We have a number of activities planned to ensure our emerging professionals have the best possible experience at our Annual Conference including our Conference Buddy program.

If you would like to be a Conference Buddy to provide guidance to a member under age 35 on the best sessions to attend based on their career aspirations, and introduce them to your contacts, please complete the form on our website. https://www.ipweaq. com/young-ipweaq-2 Members under age 35 and their Conference Buddy are invited to attend a special Welcome Lunch on Day 1 of the conference prior to the Tech Tours.

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Excellence Awards The #IPWEAQ19 Excellence Awards are open!

The awards program, now in its seventeenth year, places a spotlight on the projects and people who deliver exceptional outcomes for Queensland communities.

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re very proud to be able to coordinate the awards program and to be promoting the achievements of our sector.

To learn more about the Excellence Awards, visit our Awards Page.

Nominations close 4pm, 5 July 2019. To nominate, visit our Awards Platform.

Futures Challenge Final year students studying engineering and related disciplines are invited to participate in the 2019 Futures Challenge.

Nominated students must submit a 500 word abstract of their thesis to be considered by our expert panel, and up to five finalists will be chosen. Finalists will then deliver a 10-minute presentation

at the 2019 IPWEAQ Annual Conference, held in Brisbane in October this year.

Finalists will receive a complimentary registration to attend #IPWEAQ19 valued at more than $2,000. This offers an excellent opportunity to engage with our community and gain knowledge and understanding of engineering for public works.

All participating students will be invited to present their papers at their next branch conference or other event. The Futures Challenge winner will receive a complimentary registration to attend the 2020 Annual Conference and a complimentary one-year membership of IPWEAQ. To register your interest, visit our Future Challenge webpage.

Trevor Harvey retiring from qldwater TRG Trevor Harvey from North Burnett Regional Council has announced his impending retirement from the qldwater Technical Reference Group and the meeting on 14 June will be his last. Councillor Harvey has been part of the group since around 2005 and would have attended more meetings than anyone since. qldwaterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s TRG is is made up of representatives from nearly 20 urban water entities, representing small, medium and large service providers from all regions across the state and oversees the industries priorities and technical focus areas of the directorate.

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KNOWLEDGE CENTRE

PORTFOLIO REPORT

Mark Lamont Information Resources Manager The Knowledge Centre has seen a sharp increase in member usage since the beginning of 2019 and particularly since the last issue of EPW. This is in part due to the very positive promotion of the space through word of mouth and a growing recognition of the value of the materials it contains.

We are beginning to see a lot of users from councils and other organisations go to the site to access Standard Drawing sets.

The Knowledge Centre provides a secure and up-to-date options for the drawings and we have received positive feedback from councils on the organization of collections into their specialized functions such as roads, drainage etc. There is also a collection of all drawings arranged by number for those who prefer to access them in that manner.

We’ve also witnessed a steep increase in the use of our QUDM documents. This has been particularly gratifying because one of the fundamental principles around which the Knowledge Centre was developed is to act as an information repository is support of the services IPWEAQ offers our members and affiliates in the public works section. QUDM

is one of our central document development projects and a strong user uptake confirms the quality and functionality of the manual for its users.

For the same reason, we have been building strong collections around ADAC that contain documents covering the history of its development as well as practical guides to its use and examples of how it has been implemented and utilized by various councils across the state. The same is true of the Street Planning and Development Manual that IPWEAQ currently has in development as a complement to, and successor of Complete Streets. Each of these functions is fully supported by collections within the knowledge centre.

There is an expanding collection for the Professional Development courses and services on offer. We are also moving towards using the Knowledge Centre to house all the required materials for attendees of courses to access digitally, helping to contribute to the sustainable goals of the public works sector, while allowing participants to have all they need for a course at their fingertips through their laptops and phones.

In addition, the site also contains all the materials from IPWEAQ conferences, with branch conference proceedings available

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with every membership and without further subscription fees.

Given we are in the middle of our branch conference season, that means a lot of interesting and valuable material is being added continually to Knowledge Centre. We held a very successful South West Branch conference at Gatton in March and have others coming up very soon in Rockhampton, Croydon and Cairns. All the presentations and associated information will go into Knowledge Centre immediately after those events.

Any queries about joining or accessing the information contained within the knowledge centre can be directed to me at Mark.Lamont@ipweaq.com.

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INFORMS. CONNECTS. REPRESENTS. LEADS.

BECOME AN RPEQ! Become a registered professional engineer through our approved assessment scheme in the specialist area of Civil Engineering - Public Works.

Why become an RPEQ?

Engineers occupy positions of trust and responsibility within the community, industry and across government.

Registration as an RPEQ recognises the qualifications and competency of a practising engineer.

Under the Professional Engineers Act, professional engineering services in Queensland or for a Queensland based project must be carried out by an RPEQ or at the least, those services must be carried out by an RPEQ or under the direct supervision of an RPEQ who takes full responsibility or carried out in accordance with a prescriptive Standard.

Who can apply?

There are three requirements: Q ualification: A minimum four year Bachelor of Engineering degree from an Australian university. For an overseas qualification not covered by the Washington Accord, an additional assessment is required (fee $250 plus GST) to determine equivalency.  C ompetency: minimum five years working as an engineer and carrying out professional engineering services. C ontinuing Professional Development: minimum 150 structured CPD hours completed over the previous three years.

How do I apply?

Apply online atipweaq.eventsair.com/ rpeq/rpeq-assessment together with the following information: E vidence of all relevant qualifications. C urrent, detailed CV. R ecord or statement of all CPD hours undertaken in the three years prior to application. T hree statements from Referees/ RPEQs who can offer an independent commentary on your work. S tatement of competency.

How much will it cost?

The following fees plus GST are payable with your application: • IPWEAQ members: $400 • Non-members: $700 • Qualification assessment fee if required: $250

How is my application assessed?

We will convene a panel of experts. You will be required to attend an assessment hearing (in person at our offices or via teleconference). The panel will make a recommendation to our RPEQ Assessment Board who will then advise IPWEAQ’s CEO who will send you a letter to confirm the outcome.

The process takes between 4-6 weeks.

If you are successful, please complete the following steps: 1. C omplete the Registration Application Form 2 2. O n Page 2 of Form 2, complete the Fitness to Practise declaration 3. S ubmit the letter from IPWEAQ confirming your assessment and successful outcome together with the above documents.

BPEQ will advise you of your registration.

Registration is to 30 June with renewals issued in April each year.

Audits

Random audits are carried out each year to check the validity and relevance of CPD hours undertaken.

You can generate a CPD report via the IPWEAQ Online Portal at any time. This will document dates and courses/conferences attended and applicable CPD hours.

Career and Professional Development Planning

If you require assistance developing your three-year CPD Plan to achieve your career goals, please don’t hesitate to contact Craig Moss, Kate O’Riordan or Nadia Marks.

Note: Technical Officers having completed MEPrac may also apply subject to having had a minimum five years supervised experience.

Contact Director, Information & Resources Mark.Lamont@ipweaq.com 3632 6806

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meet the team - Engineering

LEIGH CUNNINGHAM

BELINDA SMITH

CRAIG MOSS

Chief Executive Officer  Leigh.Cunningham@ipweaq.com

Director, Marketing & Communications  Belinda.Smith@ipweaq.com

Director, Professional and Career Development  Craig.Moss@ipweaq.com

NADIA MARKS

KATE O’RIORDAN

JOHANNA VANLING

Director, People & Capability  Nadia.Marks@ipweaq.com

Professional Development Manager  Kate.O’Riordan@ipweaq.com

CELINE GILDFIND Management Accountant  Celine.Gildfind@ipweaq.com

MONICA ROBERTSON Events & Marketing Manager  Monica.Robertson@ipweaq.com

KEVIN MILLER Learning & Development Manager  Kevin.Miller@ipweaq.com

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Relationship Manager  Johanna.Vanling@ipweaq.com

MARK LAMONT Information Resource Manager  Mark.Lamont@ipweaq.com

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meet the team - Water DAVID CAMERON

ROB FEARON

RYAN COSGROVE

CEO  dcameron@qldwater.com.au

Director, Innovation Partnerships  rfearon@qldwater.com.au

Project Coordinator and Researcher  rcosgrove@qldwater.com.au

CARLIE SARGENT

DAVID SCHELTINGA

DIANA KISLITSYNA

Project Coordinator – Skills  Carlie.Sargent@qldwater.com

Manager, SWIM  dscheltinga@qldwater.com.au

Project Administration  DKislitsyna@qldwater.com.au

DESIRÉ GRALTON

LOUISE REEVES

Manager, Communications  dgralton@qldwater.com.au

Program Coordinator & Technical Writer  lreeves@qldwater.com.au

qldwater is a business unit of IPWEAQ

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qldwater ceo’s report Dave Cameron CEO, qldwater The qldwater regional travel season is well underway and events like the Water Skills Forum and Biloela conference have provided opportunities to try some new things like polling and interviews to help gather intelligence to inform an industry roadmap based around ten key sector priorities.

The Water Skills Forum in February confirmed strong support for regulatory intervention around drinking water operator certification and minimum qualifications, and clear evidence of an acute operator shortage in central Queensland.

The success of the QWRAP program is also driving interest for more regional alliances.

A Strategic Water Environmental Advisory Panel (SWEAP) meeting and Emerging Contaminants workshop on 1 and 2 May respectively provided an opportunity for water and sewerage service providers to compare notes and develop strategies to support environmental stewardship, as well as manage public health risks. The emerging contaminants event included case studies from a range of service providers as well as presentations from national research agencies and regulators,

Skills forum in February.

and the two days included a high degree of interaction with regulators.

The collaborative spirit and desire to share information remains a strength of our sector. There is a shared sense of frustration that politics and inconsistency in policy and regulatory approaches in emerging contaminants will see significant costs passed on to our customers, with little we can do to control the sources of those contaminants. Participants overwhelmingly wanted to see better industry engagement in policy development through objective interpretation of research results, a balanced approach to compliance, and recognition of the significant investment that service providers already make in the interests of public health and general environmental duty.

Upcoming events include: • Water Connections Week

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visiting the Shires of Murweh, Paroo, Bulloo and Quilpie from 13 – 17 May. The annual event aims to connect key decision makers with staff in remote communities to foster a better understanding of challenges and opportunities. qldwater staff will be joined by delegates including key representatives from LGAQ, Department of Environment and Science, Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy, and Department of Local Government, Racing and Multicultural Affairs.

• Technical Reference Group Asset Management Workshop and meeting on 13 and 14 June.

Open to all, these activities provide a great opportunity to share experiences across utilities and others, as well as contribute to sector planning, exploring potential collaborative projects, and positively influence policy.

Continued page 94

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SWIMlocal growing in popularity

The simple fact that you can’t manage what you can’t measure, combined with significant growth in statutory reporting requirements, led the Queensland Water Directorate (qldwater) to create the Statewide Water Information Management (SWIM) project in 2006. Since then, the SWIM system has grown every year and is now used extensively by Queensland urban water and sewerage service providers to report to various State and Commonwealth agencies, and by swimlocal full licensed users to improve internal data management.

Data collected through the SWIM system provides the opportunity for benchmarking, and each year qldwater produces the Queensland Urban Potable Water and Sewerage Benchmarking Report based around a suite of key performance indicators and benchmarking data.

Benchmarking of Queensland’s water and sewerage data is important for the Queensland urban water industry as it allows competition by comparison and helps provide transparency for our

communities. Queensland’s eighth water and sewerage benchmarking report using 2017/18 data from 71 Service Providers across the State is available from the qldwater website at http://www.qldwater. com.au/reporting.

According to SWIM Manager, Dr David Scheltinga, what some people may not realise is that the software has broad applicability beyond the water industry. The system is a cost-effective data management tool which is used for integration across systems, which is being used for fleet management, tracking tasks and jobs, and a range of general business functions.

“The system is really costeffective and very customisable with the ability to create sites and indicators for pretty much anything,” Dr Scheltinga explains.

“I was recently talking to one of the independent consultants who does a bit of work with councils who was saying that there is a real tendency to get caught up in evaluating and never implementing systems which cost a small fortune – he’s started promoting swimlocal as a ‘noregrets’ program they can roll out relatively quickly for immediate gains while they make their minds up.”

“Most subscribers have multiple users with a hierarchy of controls established. The things we typically hear as most valued are the capability for a range of automatic calculations, capacity to build in point-of-entry validation/ error checking, and its overall simplicity of interface, designed for users with limited computing experience.”

Continued page 94

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From page 92 • Regional Conference Townsville, 4 – 5 July • Regional Conference Hervey Bay / Maryborough, 25-26 July • The 2019 Annual Forum is booked in for 11-12 September at the Logan Metro Sports & Events Centre. Hosted by Logan City Council, the program includes a technical tour showcasing some of the activities of the Logan Water Infrastructure Alliance and dinner on the 11th, followed by a day of presentations and panel discussions on the 12th.

A small contingent of qldwater staff will also be at OzWater in Melbourne to cheer QWRAP on as a finalist for the National AWA Program Innovation Award 2019.

This follows on from some great successes across Queensland regions with QWRAP activities taking out a raft of Awards including: • Winner IPWEAQ Water Projects Over $5 million: Wide Bay Burnett ROC Sewer Rehabilitation Program 2017 • Winner IPWEAQ Water Projects Under $2 million: RAPAD Water and Sewerage Alliance Water Quality Program 2017 • Winner IPWEAQ Innovation & Sustainability in Water Project Award 2018 • Winner AWA Queensland Program Innovation Award 2018

From page 93 “All up we spend well over $100,000 per year on ongoing development to ensure the system is always able to cope with new software and hardware, as well as the list of ‘tweaks’ and improvements our users pass on,” Dr Scheltinga said.

A major update of the swimlocal software was released in March, with a number of changes around indicator alerting, security, metadata, task alerts and importing functions.

Enhancements to be released for the reporting period commencing 1 July 2019 include a new ‘data entry web-portal’ for SWIM annual water and sewerage data which will allow Council staff from other departments (e.g. finance) to enter data directly into SWIM without having to install the swimlocal software onto their computers. Aside from introducing browser functionality, the change helps subscribers and qldwater members meet their tight end of year reporting requirements by allowing distributed data entry and importing.

“There are currently 34 Service Providers using the full licensed version of swimlocal and an additional four at least signing up for 2019/20,” Dr Scheltinga said.

Contact David at dscheltinga@qldwater.com.au if you are interested in exploring options for your business.

women in water

QLDWATER

International Women’s Day: Think equal, build smart, innovate for change On 8 March we celebrate International Women’s Day with a theme fit for the water industry: to focus on innovative ways in which we can advance gender equality and the empowerment of women, particularly in the areas of social protection systems, access to public services and sustainable infrastructure.

In a recent H2Du0 podcast interview with PNCWA Woman

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of the Year Chanin Bays, the Administrative Services Manager for Clackamas County Clean Water Services in the USA called on women to step up, suit up and show up and become part of an amazing movement of women making their mark in the industry.

“What we need as a nation is for women to begin dreaming again and to step up and start claiming those moments. We have to find a way to connect to our communities and I really believe that getting more women into the water industry is the game changing idea.”

In Australia, and more particularly here in Queensland, the water industry is facing complex workforce challenges including an ageing employee profile, issues attracting and retaining staff, and general skills and labour shortages.

The Queensland Water Skills Partnership, as the most significant industry-led skills program for the water industry in the state, has set its sight firmly on initiatives to tackle these challenges with a key focus on attracting more females into the industry.

The ball seems to be in motion with data collected for the qldwater 2019 Workforce Composition Snapshot Report due to be released later this year showing a steady increase in females joining the industry.

The biennial report shows female representation creeping up from 24.75 in 2014 to 28.2% in 2016 and 36.9% in 2018.

To get a better idea of the people we are attracting, we talked to Narelle D’Amico, Branch Manager - Water Services at Bundaberg Regional Council, to hear her story.

What’s your current role and give us an overview of a general work day I started at Bundaberg Regional Council in May 2018. My role is centered around the strategic direction and both internal and external stakeholder management.

I work with team members in different branches and sections of business as well as externally to raise the profile of water services in our local community.

I like to think I am a “leader led” leader, which means I like to be visible and go out on site and into the community where appropriate.

We cover both the hinterland and the coastal area, so we have a good mix of sites and I enjoy getting to know our people, assets and gain an understanding of the key issues staff deal with on a day to day basis.

What was your career progression into this role?

I started my career 21 years ago after completing a degree in Environmental Engineering at Deacon University.

I spent a lot of my formative years working on designing and installing water and wastewater treatment plans, running environmental programs like restoring creek systems, rehabilitating and reinstating wetlands etc. Byron Shire and Hunter Water did a lot of work in transforming their localities whilst I was there, trying to reduce the impacts of urbanisation which causes more runoff and prevents natural infiltration. This is a big problem for our communities and something I really enjoyed working on.

I then spent 7.5 years with the WA Water Corporation in Western Australia, where I gained

significant exposure to a variety of people, assets and communities, working in the Pilbara and Kimberley region. Here I worked as Major Works Project Manager for 2 years, Asset Manager for 3 years and finally as Service Delivery Manager for the Northern Region.

The Water Corporation is a statewide business, so from an asset services perspective networking really occurred within the business. I had six peers with similar roles across the state, which was great for support in terms of resource and knowledge sharing.

With my current role in Bundaberg it’s a lot more fragmented with peers spread out across different localities - this is why the work done by qldwater and programs like QWRAP are so important to provide these key linkages and networking opportunities.

(Bundaberg Regional Council forms part of the Wide Bay Burnett Region of Councils.)

I also had an 18 month break in between jobs to travel around Australia with my then young family - this provided a great opportunity for our kids to bond with both parents which was an invaluable experience.

What made you decide to join the water industry – was it something you knew about when you were at school or did something else lead you in that direction?

The Environmental Engineering Degree that I completed at Deakin University was heavily tailored towards water and wastewater and it had a good technical blend.

I was attracted to it because I wanted more field-based employment rather than being an office bound engineer. I liked the

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complexity of the service provided mixed with my love for science and environment, so it seemed like a good fit.

What’s the best thing about being a female in a male dominated workforce?

I like to think that I bring a different perspective to the table.

It’s not that all males think 2D, but I do think females tend to look at the bigger picture with a more holistic view. Our place of work is heavily centered on people and as a female I think differently about people - how to motivate and inspire people. I’d like to think that it provides a point of difference.

When I started at Bundaberg my manager apologised for the fact that there were only four technical females on the team and that the rest of the females were all in administration. But times are changing, and we now have a female graduate engineer, a female technical officer and a female apprentice metal mechanical fitter.

There is absolutely no reason why females can’t do the job at hand, and as the use of technology gets more prevalent we’ll be able to smarten up our way of working more and more.

What’s the worst thing about being a female in a male dominated workforce?

The availability of toilets sometimes! Seriously though, I have found far more benefits than negatives working in this industry, and I have always received great support from my male counterparts.

What would you say to a young female considering a career in the water industry?

I’d say don’t be afraid - and don’t be afraid to ask. Be inquisitive and ask for help when you need it. It is an industry that provides multiple platforms for growth and provides a wide range of skill sets in business. Just because you start in one role there is no reason why you should still be there in ten years’ time.

You will be presenting at the upcoming Skills Forum with a topic that fits well with this year’s theme for International Women’s Day: What does the future water employee look like?

Can you tell us a bit more?

In short: the future water employee will be someone who knows their community through their connection with the community and values their contribution.

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Future employees will be continually developing and growing because of all the opportunities out there.

Water employees are largely Asset Managers - as technology becomes more prevalent it will further drive that need for each employee to be an asset manager in their own rights.

At Bundaberg Regional Council we are currently working on a Continuous Improvement Plan that will see us restructuring an alignment of skills sets. We are focusing our efforts on an electronic works system - it’s all about working smarter and empowering the operators.

We are changing the way we do things, and it’s great to be a part of it.

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NEW LOOK BUILDING TELLS AN OLD STORY

TRANSFORMING ROADS FOR SUPERCARS

QLD CONSTRUCTION LAWS OVERHAUL

SILVER LINING IN THE SEWERS

The Games showcased some amazing athletic feats – and the seven year marathon run by the City of Gold Coast was also an epic journey. p.10

Meet Tom Bradshaw, a specialist water infrastructure engineer with over 20 years’ experience in the public sector and private consulting firms. p.18

Bridge asset management can feel like a fire fighting exercise.

ARRB asks, is it time to consider the issue from a different perspective? p.24

Over the next 10 years, the forecasted replacement cost of local government infrastructure assets is expected to grow by 18.6%. p.59

Cairns’ oldest public building has been restored to its original beauty as part of a $8.69 million project. p.10

Maintaining City of Gold Coast’s Surfers Paradise street circuit for the Supercar motorsport spectacular. p.22

All participants need to understand how the new laws will affect their organisation.

Better management of sewerage systems for Wide Bay Burnett Region. p.61

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CITY OF GOLD COAST’S AWARD SUCCESS

TO B-DOUBLE OR NOT TO B-DOUBLE

LAWFUL POINT OF DISCHARGE

MAREEBA’s WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT UPGRADE

Countdown to Gold Coast 2018

State Conference Preview

Transform your business with ADAC

Water at the heart of smart cities

The historic Sarawak Avenue Steel Footbridge awarded for engineering innovation and excellence. p.18

How a rural council is planning for its aged road network to meet current and future needs.

The updated Queensland Urban Drainage Manual removes confusion about LPOD requirements. p.78

Award winning innovation strikes the balance between environmental and financial sustainability. p.86

A regional city’s efforts to deliver the best games ever.

A look at what to expect from Townsville, October 2017.

The strategic benefits from the release of ADAC version 5.0.

Cairns regional Council’s investment in smart water strategies. p.72

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