Planning For A Sustainable Future

RPS was founded in 1970, but its Belfast story long outdates that. Mike Shaw, managing director of the company’s NI base, discusses Belfast’s innovative role in the professional services firm’s global operations and why sustainability is at the heart of its present and future.

The planning, design and management of infrastructural, natural resource and sustainability projects are at the core of RPS’ operations. Its purpose, it says, is to “solve problems that matter to a complex, urbanising and resourcescarce world”.

The company, which is present in 125 countries and employs 5,000 people – of which 250 are based at its Boucher Road, Belfast branch – works across six sectors (Property, Energy, Transport, Water, Resources, Defence and Government). Its promise is to make complex easy for its clients through an extensive range of multi-disciplinary services.

Locally it’s been instrumental in the development of iconic and essential infrastructure such as Titanic Belfast, the Waterfront Hall, the SSE Arena, the planned safety enhancements to the A1 dual carriageway, the South West Acute Hospital and a wide range of Belfast Harbour Developments, including the BHC Film Studios.

“We were originally Kirk McClure Morton, which was a partnership before RPS acquired the business in 2004.

“In its entirety we have over 75 years’ experience in Northern Ireland,” Mike begins.

Mike says the Belfast base offers one of the group’s broadest selections of services including ports and maritime, water infrastructure, water environment, transport, planning, structures, waste, renewable energy and flood risk.

Operating across the public and private sectors, it has continued to diversify its services and expanded its geographical reach since the acquisition. At the forefront of its work now is pioneering technical solutions and leaving a sustainable legacy.

“We’ve always been a very innovative company since our inception in 1947,” says Mike.

The employment of Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) has been one of the Belfast office’s more recent innovations. He says during the pandemic, in-person public consultations – part of the planning approvals process – became a challenge, prompting the firm to innovate and create an AR consultation room. This innovative solution has enabled over £40 billion of projects globally since its launch.

The VR public consultations have helped RPS’ clients to remove barriers, progress approvals and connect with stakeholders virtually. “The response to this has been so overwhelmingly positive – creating value and ease for our clients and their audience.”

“It’s been developed locally in Northern Ireland and is now enabling £40 billion of projects globally,” he says.

“Artificial intelligence is another gamechanger for our business,” Mike tells Ambition. “We’ve been carrying out a number of pilot projects using specialist analytical techniques, including in North America, to detect marine mammals.

“We’re also carrying out a pilot study to assist in the detection of unexploded mines.”

The protection of our environment is high up on RPS’ agenda, “underpinning everything we do”.

“We have the expertise to drive change through the sustainable solutions we

provide to our clients. And we take our responsibility to protect the planet for future generations very seriously.”

“This includes improving the sustainability of the built environment, through reducing operational and embodied carbon emissions, and diversifying to renewable energy sources,” adds Mike.

“By gathering site-specific information, we identify any environmental and socioeconomic impacts that might arise from development. To reduce risk, cost and impact, we follow a staged approach that identifies potentially significant adverse effects at an early stage so that they can be designed out, managed, mitigated or offset. Our aim is to make potentially complex projects easy, using creative, sustainable solutions for the future,” says the company.

The company is so focused on its drive to shape a better environment, it has extended its knowledge to schoolchildren through numerous projects.

“We like to give back to the community and we want to share our knowledge and our experience with the younger generation – a generation highly motivated about climate change.”

RPS launched its Climate Change Careers Zone during the pandemic especially for that audience. It is a virtual experience designed to support 12 to 16-year-olds with knowledge and insight on how they can be part of the climate solution. Within that zone is a mini city of the future, which allows schoolchildren to explore how our built environment will need to adapt and respond to climate change.

“The mini city explains everything from green roofs to the transition to electric vehicles and it’s very interactive. The career zone explores the different professions within our sector from architects to ecologists and what it means to be in that role. The purpose is to inspire these children and young adults,” adds Mike.

As well as being a freely available virtual platform, RPS has also been taking its Climate Careers Zone out into schools. Since its launch in October last year, STEM ambassadors from RPS have delivered more than 60 sessions which have reached almost 2,000 young people across the UK and Ireland.

Such moves help with the challenge of safeguarding future STEM roles within the industries in which RPS works. He continues: “These professions will play a critical role in defining, designing and managing our sustainable future. And for young people motivated to shape that change, we hope our Climate Careers Zone can inspire them on a career path that can make a difference.”

“It’s important that our industries work together to support that because what we do is not just about the present, here and now; it’s about looking at what we’re going to be doing and what we need in two, three and 45 years.”

RPS’ Climate Careers Zone Mini City.

“We’ve always been a very innovative company since our inception in 1947”

The Titanic Quarter’s Arc Buildings.

New Format As Irish News Workplace & Employment Awards Return After Two-Year Hiatus

After a two-year hiatus, the Irish News Workplace & Employment Awards, which has grown into one of the most important business awards initiatives in the North, will return this June.

And the initiative – which rewards exceptional people-focused companies and organisations by recognising excellence in the workplace – will have a complete new look and format.“I’m delighted to be able to say that the WEA show is back on the road,” Irish News editor Noel Doran told a launch dinner in James Street South restaurant.

“In many ways our return represents a major vote of confidence for all our economic and employment prospects after such a difficult period, so it’s great that we have managed to reach this stage.”

The launch reception was attended by a number of business organisations as well as representatives of the initiative’s key business partners: Options Technology, Carson McDowell, Queen’s University, Ulster University Business School, First Derivative and Titanic Belfast.

The Irish News Workplace & Employment Awards have evolved into one of the region’s most prestigious business initiatives, regularly attracting hundreds of entries and culminating in a glittering presentation in Titanic Belfast on 30 June, hosted by comic Neil Delamere, who is best known for his hilariously quick-witted appearances on myriad panel shows, including his long-running tenure on the Blame Game, and his live tours.

This year the format makes it easier to enter, with each category including a twopart entry form, requesting background information and a 1,000-word submission standardised across all categories. 2022 sees the launch of three new award categories – Diversity, Equality and Inclusion; Best Company Connection; and Corporate Social Responsibility. Irish News group marketing and communications manager Annette Small said: “We’re thrilled to relaunch our WEA awards, which since their inception in 2006 have recognised the importance of focusing organisational strategy on businesses’ key asset, their people.

“It’s people who drive and add value to any organisation, and our 2022 awards will be another celebration of the exceptional standards they demonstrate in different aspects of economy.”

She added: “Everyone who enters our awards is recognising the importance of working closely with their staff at all levels, regardless of the size of the organisation, and how vital it is to have proper strategies in place for developing the huge talents which are out there in the field of employment.”

Entries for the 2022 Irish News Workplace & Employment Awards are now open and will be accepted up until Friday 22 April, with a judging panel then due to convene on Wednesday 27 April to pore over the submissions.

Mr Doran added: “We could never consider an initiative of this magnitude without the support of our business partners, and their endorsement remains a crucial factor.

“It’s been an incredibly tough period for everyone involved in civic life here, but thanks to a massive effort across the board, a cautious and measured sense of reality is returning to our society.

“We will now be extending the hand of friendship to a wide range of groups and individuals from all sections of our community at the Workplace & Employment Awards on 30 June; the buildup begins from here. “It is going to be a wonderful evening, and I’m looking forward to seeing you all again at Titanic Belfast.”

For more information and details on entering the awards, go to www.irishnews.com/WEA.