IPWEA NSW DIVISION Institute of Public Works Engineering Australia (NSW Division)
Engineering Excellence Awards 2012
IPWEA (NSW) Roads & Transport Directorate
Municipal Engineering Foundation of NSW
Message from the Foundation Chris Watson
Engineering Excellence Awards 2012 2011
The Excellence Awards are a major highlight in the IPWEA (NSW Division) calendar. The Trustees of the Municipal Engineering Foundation are proud to support the Awards, which showcase the talent and achievements of our Industry. The Excellence Awards enables all of us to appreciate the diversity and innovation of work undertaken by members of IPWEA (NSW) and their employer organisations. The Excellence Awards also give the wider community an insight into the outstanding Public Works Nominating a project for the Excellence Awards gives you the opportunity to showcase your talent and the production of this publication provides us with a valuable reference resource. In the last year we have aligned our NSW awards with the National IPWEA medals. The IPWEA Medals for the Project of the Year and Project Leader of the Year are awarded at the National Conference every two years. Category winners from the NSW Awards are considered for nomination for these National Awards. This process should ensure that NSW provides a benchmark for excellence in Public Works Engineering for all Australians. The Trustees join with me in congratulating all those who have taken the time and made the effort to nominate projects for this year’s Excellence Awards. In particular, we would like to commend the 2012 Excellence Awards Judges, David Abbott and Geoff Fowler. David and Geoff have spent considerable amount of time across New South Wales to assess this year’s projects and have done so with immense professionalism, enthusiasm and attention ot detail. This year we are delighted that the GMW Group are our Gold and dinner partner as well as an important supporter IPWEA NSW. I would also like to thank our long–term supporters of these awards: The Water Directorate, the NSW Roads and Transport Directorate and Downer Australia. As well as supporting the Excellence Awards, the Foundation is responsible for providing scholarships; endowments for overseas and and or National conference; enabling participation and exposure to new ideas early in their careers. The purpose of the Foundation is to expand the knowledge of the science of Public works engineering and this objective is met in all these activities.
Chris Watson Chairman Municipal Engineering Foundation (NSW)
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Message from the Judges 2012 David Abbot and Geoff Fowler
Engineering Excellence Awards 2012
We were very pleased to see the response this year with 48 projects submitted, with 20 in Category 1 and 11 in Category 2. As always the variety of projects was quite diverse, and they were of a high standard and demonstrate the invaluable and extensive services that Public ! " " #$%! ! Many of the projects this year demonstrated the very positive outcomes which can be achieved from engaging with the community and the various stakeholders enhancing the reputation of Local Government and the Public Works Engineers associated with it. Several projects this year were characterised by the extensive actual service provision by in-house staff in the concepts, as well as design, construction supervision, project management and maintenance management of major projects. We are always impressed by the level and extent of innovation and resourcefulness demonstrated by our members in many of the projects, including the utilisation of state of the art technology to achieve extremely positive and useful outcomes. Again this year many of projects submitted have the potential to be utilised into the future by Councils country wide as well as by govern &!
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David Abbott & Geoff Fowler Judges 2012
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Public Work Leader of the Year
Winner Michael Rayner
Mike Rayner grew up in Coraki near Casino and graduated in civil engineering from Sydney University in 1975. Mike commenced his career in the Sydney Water Board followed by a stint in the Public Works Department (PWD). Mike retired recently in April 2012 after a well rounded thirty year career in Tweed Shire Council where in 1982 he was appointed initially as a District Engineer to manage construction, maintenance, roads, drainage and bridges in one of Tweed Shire Council’s three districts. Mike rose through the senior ranks of Manager Water, Director of Engineering Services and ultimately to General Manager. Mike’s strategic thinking, initiative and vision has lead to the creation of the NSW Water Directorate, the NSW Water Loss Management Program and the Tweed/Kenya Mentoring Program. By creating these services and programs, Mike’s leadership and commitment has countered the disintegration of the NSW local government water industry, delivered public works excellence to 96 regional councils serving communities of almost 2 million people in NSW, as well as making huge improvements in water, sanitation, hygiene and education for underprivileged communities abroad. Mike recognised that major reform in the mid 1990s abolishing the PWD and reducing its service to a regulatory framework was not only a threat to the historical high standard and lower unit cost performance achieved by an integrated centrally facilitated water
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industry but was also an opportunity for local government leadership using the combined in-house expertise within the local water utili +? #@@HQ an association of LWUs at an informal discussion with senior water managers and at a meeting in December 1997 there was clear the state for his concept. During 1998 Mike and supporters lobbied 123 LWUs to form an association to prevent fragmentation and provide a technical support base to member councils; develop guidelines, positions and strategies; and work closely with the LGSA on policy. The proposed association went from concept to reality in 12 months and the ! X commenced in December 1998 to provide direction, improve communications, share ! Q was elected as the inaugural Chair and served in this position for 3 years through the critical formative years. As a further testament to the concept, name and success of the Water Directorate, the Queensland Water Directorate and the NSW Roads and Transport Directorate were formed as versions of Mike’s model in 2003 and 2004 respectively.
* ! shared detection equipment. An award winning 5 year program commenced in 2006 with partial Federal Government funding and has saved a total 5.5 GL of water yearly over 54 participating LWUs. In 2003 Mike initiated the Tweed/Kenya Mentoring Program after a chance meeting with a community worker at a conference. The major public health differences in their daily life inspired Mike to ask Tweed Shire Council to start the program which has made a huge improvement to many people in the heavily polluted Kenyan villages of Kibera on the outskirts of Nairobi. Mike’s achievements have made a difference to communities across NSW and abroad. Mike has enhanced the image of Public Works Professionals in the community is a very worthy nominee for IPWEA NSW Public Works Leader of the Year.
In 2005 Mike and two colleagues co-proposed the concept of a state-wide water loss management program using a team of specialists to travel from council to council to measure,
Public Works Leader of the Year sponsored by MUNICIPAL ENGINEERING FOUNDATION OF NSW
Municipal Engineering Foundation of NSW
Category One Design and/or Construction of a Local Government/Public Works Project
Winner Willoughby City Council ________ Chatswood Flood Mitigation & Stormwater Reuse Scheme
This project which was a massive undertaking was constructed in narrow streets surrounded by high rise commercial and retail premises in the heart of Chatswood. It is ' Works Engineering constructed mostly underground; to [ water from the surrounding 20 hectare catchment for up to a 1% ARI event. The project consists largely of a 5ML underground on site #]^_?[ +`Q and to operate normally at 3ML of harvested stormwater. The tank is connected directly to a sophisticated early warning weather station to allow fast draw down prior to a major event. The stored water is treated on site and used to reduce potable water usage in Chatswood by 110L per year and has several other environmental advantages.
Highly Commended: Tweed Shire Council Jack Evans Boat Harbour Revitalisation Project
Highly Commended: CivilTeam Engineering & Byron Shire Council Byron Lighthouse Road Slope Stabilisation
Category One sponsored by MUNICIPAL ENGINEERING FOUNDATION OF NSW
Municipal Engineering Foundation of NSW
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Category Two New or Improved Techniques including: Innovation and/or Introduction of Techniques or Outstanding Management Initatives Outstanding Achievement in Asset Management
Winner Hawkesbury Council _____________________ Innovative Low Cost Asset Field Data Recovery
This project has utilised the latest tablet technology to develop a fast, simple to operate but very comprehensive GIS software incorporating Council’s full GIS and Ortho photo information and the tablet’s inbuilt GPS. ? z${ of each asset, enter asset class, condition assessment, forecast renewal information take date stamped photo’s of the assets using the inbuilt camera and subsequently download all the information as a report into the Council GIS as a permanent record.
Highly Commended: Randwick City Council Des Renford Aquatic Centre Filtration Upgrade
The information is then readily available via an icon or clickable polygon in the GIS as part of Council’s Asset Management System. This is a project that can be replicated in any council wanting fast, accurate, up to date information about its assets and their renewal requirements.
Category Two sponsored by IPWEA (NSW) ROADS & TRANSPORT DIRECTORATE
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IPWEA (NSW) Roads & Transport Directorate
Category Three Innovation in Water Supply and Wastewater
Winner Water Infrastructure Group, Eurobodalla Shire Council & NSW Public Works _____________________ Eurobodalla Northern Water Treatment Plant
This project was originally designed by NSW Public Works, however through early involvement of the suc design and location of major components were made to ! as most importantly reducing the whole of life cost.
Highly Commended: Cooma-Monaro Shire Council Water and Wastewater Strategic Planning Project
One of the changes introduced was the “Virtual Control Room” which allows the plant to be operated or controlled from anywhere in the world by a mobile telephone handset. This system means that there is no need for permanently manned on site monitoring and call outs are all but eliminated. The Virtual Control Room enables collaboration and knowledge sharing across the entire operations team no matter where individual team members happen to be. ^ ! the plant to minimise the need for pumping water. Pumps | @}] capacity.
Category Three sponsored by WATER DIRECTORATE
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Category Four Occupational Health and Safety
Winner Randwick City Council _____________________ Workplace Health and Safety Workshop
With the State Governments introducing mirror legislation in the form of the Workplace Health and Safety Act 2011 to supersede the OH & S Act 2000, Council recognised the need to involve its 700 plus contractors/suppliers in the understanding of Council’s and their obligations (when engaged by Council) under the new Act.
Highly Commended: Dubbo City Council Dubbo Urban Stormwater Network Upgrade
Council provided numerous free workshops to brief its ! all contractors, suppliers etc are working towards a safe workplace. The purpose of the workshops was for Council to show it is serious about workplace health & safety by discussing the implications of the changes of responsibilities for Council and its contractors, suppliers and consultants. As a result of the free seminars council received positive feedback from the attendees and has noticed a change in attitude from contractors. It is in the interest of all parties to ensure a healthy & safe workplace and Council’s timely introduction of the requirements of the responsibilities of all persons involved in the provision of goods and services to Council will bring
Category Four sponsored by DOWNER AUSTRALIA
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Category Five The Three R’s: Recovering, Recycling and Reusing Award
Winner Great Lakes Council _____________________ Relining of an Arch Culvert at Elizabeth Beach
Great Lakes Council has on its asset register an Armco Arch culvert located on Lakeside Crescent at Elizabeth Beach. This structure was displaying signs of advanced rusting and to ensure that the safety of road users was protected Council investigated options to extend the life of the structure or have the structure replaced.
Highly Commended: City of Canada Bay Council Tiny Tag Water Monitoring Program
Council’s investigations and costing indicated that an internal relining of the structure would greatly extend the life of the cul ! ! need for any sidetracks or detours at an affordable price. The contract for the upgrade involved propping the existing Armco arch during construction and with the use of coated reinforcement the underside of the arch was shotcreted above the supporting footing beams. The contract also allowed for a 3.5m extension to cater for a future cycleway together with a new headwall structure on the upstream and a ring beam on the downstream side. This concept allowed Council to provide a safe structure for Lakeside Crescent at a price which was achievable in a timely manner. The alternative to recycling the steel arch as in-situ formwork was the complete removal of the structure and replacement with a bridge or major culvert. This option would have created lengthy delays and the need to provide an expensive sidetrack or a several kilometre detour. _ ! " minimised any inconvenience to its residents and visitors of whom there are many. This is a very worthwhile approach to upgrading degraded steel arches.
Category Five sponsored by MUNICIPAL ENGINEERING FOUNDATION OF NSW
Municipal Engineering Foundation of NSW
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Category Six Excellence in Road Safety Engineering
Winner Port Stephens Council _____________________ Carmichael’s Creek Black Spot Project Stage 1
Clarencetown Road which runs from Raymond Terrace to Dungog is a regional road and north of Seaham the align !
road crash history, qualifying it as a Black Spot location. This project involved the realignment of the carriageway and removal of a large rock outcrop which was within the clear zone and had been involved in many accidents. Bothe the horizontal and vertical alignments were amended which required extending the existing major culvert located right on the bend. Suitable cross falls to compliment the new alignment improved the rideability of the curve.
Highly Commended: Yass Valley Council Yass High School Civil Infrastructure and Safety Improvements
The extension of the culvert required a major headwall redesign to suit the alignment of the downstream watercourse. alignment of Clarencetown Road and future stages of this program should greatly enhance the aims of the Black spot program to improve road safety of Council’s road network.
Category Six sponsored by MUNICIPAL ENGINEERING FOUNDATION OF NSW
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Municipal Engineering Foundation of NSW
Category Seven Environmental Enhancement Project or Initiative
Winner City of Ryde _____________________ Stranger’s Creek Rehabilitation and Bio-Retention Basin
Council carried out works on Strangers Creek to rehabilitate the waterway and improve stormwater quality. The erodible nature of the channel was the reason for the watercourse rehabilitation which involved construction of a bio-retention basin and extensive creek bank rehabilitation. Construction of the bio-retention basin was necessary to improve the stormwater quality by diverting stormwater into ! the stormwater by means of densly planted surface vegetation thence percolating the stormwater via a series of for collection in slotted under drains before discharging into the downstream creek.
Highly Commended: Warringah Council ment
It is expected that the bio-retention basin will have a long water quality in the downstream catchment. The rehabilitation works involved removal of weeds, ! [ & ! [ together with the use of bio-degradable jute and a substantial number of native grasses and shrubs to win back the bushland and suppress weed regrowth. This project enhanced the environment by preventing damage to private property, by prevention of further erosion of the waterway, by improving the water quality and by reduc [ ! The project incorporated the principles of Water Sensitive Urban design.
Category Seven sponsored by MUNICIPAL ENGINEERING FOUNDATION OF NSW
Municipal Engineering Foundation of NSW
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Category Eight Local Government Excellence in Road Safety Awards
Winner Lismore City Council _____________________ Drive to Conditions
The Drive to Conditions project fully embraces the Safe Systems Model focussing on Safe People, Safe Speed, Safe Vehicles and Safe Roads and roadsides. The project investigated road safety solutions based on the safe systems model providing a holistic approach to the problem. The judges commented that the project displayed a high degree of innovation and utilisation of data. The project provides a good example of local government working with communities and NSW agencies. The methodology is transferable to other local government areas.
Highly Commended: Parkes, Forbes and Lachlan Shire Councils Safe Systems: A little less conversation; a little more action - the Parkes Elvis Festival Street Parade Experience
Highly Commended: Bathurst Regional and Blayney Shire Councils Mining Safer Roads
Category Eight sponsored by MUNICIPAL ENGINEERING FOUNDATION OF NSW
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Municipal Engineering Foundation of NSW
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IPWEA (NSW) ROADS & TRANSPORT DIRECTORATE
The Roads & Transport Directorate is a joint Undertaking between the LG&SA of NSW and IPWEA (NSW) to provide a resource to: s s s s s s
Assist members in discharging their road management roles Assist LG&SA of NSW Assist Individual Councils Assist IPWEA (NSW) Lobby for an equitable share of resources and funding Research road and transport issues
The Roads & Transport Directorate congratulates the seven outstanding projects nominated for the New or Improved Techniques Category.
IPWEA (NSW) Roads & Transport Directorate Level 12, 447 Kent Street SYDNEY NSW 2000 Ph: (02) 8267 3000 Fax: (02) 9283 5255 www.roadsdirectorate.org.au
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