GLOBAL VIEW OF A VIBRANT WORLD 360° THE ISSUE Urbanisation FACE TO FACE

ISSUE 2 / 2010
OUR GLOBAL VIEW OF A VIBRANT WORLD
360°
THE ISSUE
Urbanisation
FACE TO FACE with
Murray Coleman of Bovis Lend Lease
&
Professor David Brereton of the Centre
for Social Responsibility in Mining
EXCELLENCE
Inspirational engineering
+

CONTENTS
THE ISSUE 04
05

07

15

17

23

29

FACE TO FACE 36
36
41

EXCELLENCE 44
44
47

360°
AN URBAN PLANET
The sustainable city challenge
CITY LIVING
Creating vibrant sustainable cities
SECURING CRITICAL
INFRASTRUCTURE
SOME FOR ALL FOREVER
Water resource management
on an urban planet
TRANSFORMING TRANSPORT
The 21st
century urban challenge
URBAN ENERGIES

RESOURCES DEMAND AND
COMMUNITY IMPACTS
A 360° face to face interview
BUILDING A LEGACY
Creating an agile global culture of
inventiveness, safety and sustainability

NEW SKILLS MAKE THE
SUSTAINABLE DIFFERENCE
INSPIRATIONAL ENGINEERING
CAPTURING THE VISION

Welcome / 03
“One of the most pressing current
trends for the communities in which
we operate is that of the increasing
movement of people to cities. The
impact of massive population shifts to
the urban environment is starting to
be felt around the globe, particularly
in developing worlds”
This issue of 360° contains a strong
focus on urbanisation and how we
as an engineering, management
and specialist technical services
group might address the issues that
challenge future urban environments.
From designing systems that provide
for the efficient movement of people
and resources, to planning urban
cityscapes or addressing energy and
water resources issues, our people are
partnering with our clients to develop
innovative solutions to this growing
phenomenon.
This issue also features two in-depth
interviews, one of which I had the
pleasure of conducting personally
with Murray Coleman, Group Head
of Project Management, Design and
Construction at Bovis Lend Lease,
who had some interesting insights
on the management challenges that
face such a global company. I was
particularly interested in Murray’s
statement that “…if we can get our
best people to collaborate there’s
very little we can’t do in delivering
those opportunities.” This is
something Aurecon, too, believes in
wholeheartedly. Our collaborative
business model focuses on tailoring
the best Aurecon team across sectors
and geographies to deliver success on
our clients’ terms.
The other interview provides a
fascinating insight into the issues
facing the mining and resources
sector and trends and technologies
that might address these issues in
coming years.
It’s my firm belief that this issue
is, once again, a testament to the
collaboration between our people,
and the partnerships they form with
our clients. These relationships are
at the heart of what we do, and will
enable us to continue fostering human
achievement in the decades to come.
Paul Hardy
Global Chief Executive Officer
Aurecon

360°
THE ISSUE
“Rapid urbanisation
has dramatic
impacts on our
cities, threatening
their ability to
remain financially
and socially viable”

URBANISATUUURBANISATION: AN URBAN PLANET / 05
It is estimated that in the year 1800, 3% of the world’s
population lived in cities. By 1900, that number had reached
14% and by 2000, it had risen to 47%.1
Urbanisation has
continued apace, with the tipping point reached in 2007, a
year in which demographers estimated that the majority
of the planet’s population was living in cities. This trend
is unlikely to cease, and the UN Department of Economic
and Social Affairs’ Population Division estimates that by
2030, 5 billion people, or 60% of the world’s population,
will be ‘urbanised’.
Rates of urbanisation, however, are not consistent
across the globe. Driven by a growing middle-class in the
developing world, and the expectation that their growing
lifestyle expectations will be more readily met in cities,
urbanisation is occurring more rapidly in the developing
world. Indeed 93% of all urban growth over the next 40
years will be in developing countries.2
The issues for urban environments
There is a demonstrable link between resource use and
urbanisation. Whilst cities occupy only 2% of the world
land mass, they use as much as 65% of its resources,
including energy.
Many of the world’s challenges
therefore lie in cities and the
solutions will also lie in appropriately
managing our cities
However, these challenges are significant. The traditional
model for urban growth characterised by urban sprawl,
private transport and the reliance on rural areas supplying
the resources to satisfy the demands of an urban area, is
no longer adequate. This is likely to continue to lead to
issues of housing affordability, the provision of fresh water,
waste management, air quality, efficient transport systems,
access to education and health, protection of heritage and
open spaces, and demands for energy, all of which urgently
need to be addressed.
The “sustainable city” provides us with an opportunity to
address these challenges. A sustainable city is an outcome
of sound urban planning, design, construction, operation,
management and remediation. A sustainable city is
efficient, safe, establishes equal opportunities for all, is
responsive to change, and is vibrant and diverse.
Solutions for sustainable cities
The social and economic conditions of urbanisation will
inevitably vary between communities, throwing up a range
of challenges that demand different solutions, tailored to
local need.
Compelling evidence is now available showing that large
scale solutions alone are not appropriate, and that small
scale “distributed” solutions at a local or micro-scale will
also play a role. For example, individual dwelling-based
solar heating may be more effective and appropriate than
the establishment of large scale power stations.
While governments are looking at possible policy-driven,
regulatory and market based mechanisms to address the
issues, these need to be underpinned by rigorous, thorough
and well tested planning, design, scientific and engineering
solutions. Companies such as Aurecon are assisting
both governments and the private sector in addressing
community infrastructure and resources needs.
Rapid urbanisation has dramatic impacts on our current
cities, threatening their ability to remain financially and
socially viable. It is crucial to formulate development
plans that create an environment that would underpin
long term sustained growth. Ideally, a development plan
would be based upon a sound economic model for the city,
supported by a sound spatial framework and transport
system, creating the space for entrepreneurs to invest
in opportunities that provide revenue to the region. An
integrated network of infrastructure assets would then
service the commercial, industrial and residential areas
of the city, and these assets maintained through detailed
asset management strategies. A sound balance with
the environment needs to be maintained, ideally using
the principles in ‘Green Buildings and Precincts’3
. Finally,
the financial and institutional models need to enable the
sustained growth of the city.
This edition of Aurecon’s 360° looks at many of the
key issues: creating efficient urban travel networks;
considerations for the urban built environment;
urbanisation and the energy markets; water resource
management; and the security of critical infrastructure in
urban areas.
Footnotes
1. UN State of the World Population Report 2009
2. UN State of the World Population Report 2009
3. Green Building Council of Australia
AN URBAN PLANETThe sustainable city challenge

CITY
LIVING
Creating vibrant
sustainable cities
Smart urban planning and management
strivestogobeyonddelivering‘basicneeds’.
For people to enjoy the experience of living
in a city, the city and its components must
be planned, designed and constructed to
evolve with the residents’ needs in mind
and be in harmony with the environment.
When we achieve this, we start creating
“sustainable cities”, cities that function
efficiently but are also designed to adapt
and flourish in the future.
Pyrmont Park, Australia
Best public urban project 2009 CCAA Public Domain Awards

360°
THE ISSUE
“Green building
investments can
reduce vulnerability to
operational risks and
provide net financial
returns”
World Resources Institute report
on the Asian real estate sector1
Mitchell Communications Group Head Office, Australia

URBANISATION: CITY LIVING / 09
“The principles of what makes one urban environment
superior to another remain relevant regardless of the
location or state of economic development,” says Tim
Paterson, General Manager, Community Development and
Infrastructure, Asia Pacific, Aurecon “Good planning and
execution is always underpinned by a clear urban planning
philosophy, it is not delivered by simply having access to
rivers of cash.”
Opportunities for change to the urban environment are
diverse and challenging. In a 2009 Property Council of
Australia submission to government, the Council called
for the establishment of an Urban Renewal Initiative. The
call was in response to the establishment of a Major Cities
Unit within Infrastructure Australia. In its response, the
Property Council stated:
“Australia’snextleapincompetitivenessandlivingstandards
will occur in its cities and major regional centres. While
ongoing reform programmes focus on key sectoral drivers,
such as transport, health, education and infrastructure, we
need to hardwire these programmes into an overarching
strategy that addresses the urban communities which
generate 80% of the nation’s GDP.”
Within the African continent, there are now 52 cities with a
population of more than one million people. The McKinsey
Global Institute forecasts that by 2030, about 50 percent
of the African population will be living in cities. Across
Africa, construction is booming as new cities rise to meet
the demand created by population growth and relocation.
The challenge for Africa (and Asia and South America) is
to source investment to develop and construct the new
megacities that will provide a reasonable quality of life for
these growing populations.
Our cities and urban fabric are not geared to pro-actively
respond to massive shifts. A new and creative approach to
urban planning is needed. Since urbanisation contributes
to increased growth in consumption – the challenge is to
encourage and foster consumption that benefits GDP,
while reducing consumption that results in negative effects
on the social and environmental fabric within cities and
communities.
City Square, Australia

360°
THE ISSUE
“Smart buildings must
form part of precinct
planning and be
underpinned by effective
masterplanning to
deliver more than just
the physical outputs of
the built environment”
Ermis Marques
Sector Leader, Property,
Africa Middle East, Aurecon
Greening our world
Adopting an environmentally focused philosophy to urban
development and renewal presents an opportunity to
change the way we view the built environment – now and
in the future.
According to data from the US Energy Information
Administration2
, ‘…buildings are responsible for almost
half (48%) of all energy consumption and greenhouse gas
(GHG) emissions. Globally the percentage is even greater.
76% of all power plant-generated electricity is used just to
operate buildings. Clearly, immediate action is essential to
reduce this sector’s contribution to climate change.
“The latest thinking has a lot to do with ‘total energy
required’ to provide an ‘environment’, to build it, sustain
it and keep it going,” says Jeff Robinson, Sustainable
Building Group Leader, Aurecon. The latest trends include
using natural energy (such as using waste to generate
electricity) and ‘closed cycle’ living which allows the re-use
of resources.
“Future planning could see water harvesting and recycling
as commonplace activities that are not regarded as a
cumbersome nuisance, but an integral part of urban
responsibility to conserve and protect the planet,” believes
Marni Punt, a Landscape Architect at Aurecon.
Cutting-edge technology and science, such as Aurecon’s
ecologically sustainable design (ESD) services, address
these evolving challenges.
Aurecon is regularly applying a range of powerful
environmental modelling tools to optimise the performance
of buildings in terms of improved air quality, maximising
access to daylight and achieving optimal temperatures.
There is an entire cluster of engineering sciences that
can combine to produce better, smarter buildings which
are fit-for-purpose creations – engineers are developing
light, heat, acoustic and air solutions that support a more
sustainable built environment.
Leading sustainable design features
An Aurecon project currently under construction and due
for completion in November 2010 is the new head office for
Mitchell Communications Group in South Melbourne. This
project has been awarded a 5 star Green Star rating which
represents Australian Excellence for Environmental Design.
Incorporated in the design are sustainable features
including:
• Activated thermal mass for decreased energy
consumption in heating and cooling as well as improved
occupant thermal comfort

• An underfloor air distribution system to promote
improved indoor air quality
• State-of-the-art high performance glazing to promote
high levels of natural daylight with decreased glare and
energy consumption
• Energy efficient lighting systems, greywater and rain
water recycling for use throughout the building
• Significant cyclist facilities and implementation of a Green
Travel Plan to decrease the reliance on cars for staff
• The use of materials with low amounts of off-gasing to
improve internal air quality.
The combined effect of these initiatives is a predicted
energy and water consumption 40% less than that of a
typical office building in Melbourne. In addition, the high
level of indoor environment quality is expected to increase
staff productivity and decrease the incidence of sick leave,
while reducing headaches and sore eyes that can occur
within typical buildings.
Green buildings provide a range of cost and revenue
benefits over their lifetime through:
• Lower operating costs
• Higher return on investment and higher rental income
• Higher overall capital value
• Lower tenant churn and vacancy rates, opening the
building to new tenant markets
• Lower environmental footprint and greenhouse gas
emissions
• Improved indoor environment quality
• Money saved investing in energy infrastructure
• Future-proofing against tenant demands and government
regulations
• Making the building more attractive to investors
• Improving corporate image
“Investment drivers for green buildings include energy and
water saving technologies to reduce utility costs for owners
and tenants which, in turn, improves rentability,” says
Bruce Penman, Environment & Sustainability Development
Leader at Aurecon.
“Growth in the green building market is expected due to
critical issues such as water scarcity, energy insecurity and
climate change impacts. In addition, there is an increased
awareness of financial and social benefits in private and
public sectors and growing consumer demand.”

360°
THE ISSUE
Mixed-uses in the urban landscape
“Mixed-use buildings are likely to provide more residential
opportunities for families in cities – requiring ongoing
changes in the urban landscape to attract people to live
and work in family-friendly town centres,” says James
Bennett, General Manager, Property, Asia Pacific, Aurecon.
This trend reflects a new approach to building design,
moving away from single-use buildings, such as office
blocks, which stand abandoned for part of the day. Buildings
need to be designed to accommodate more uses, such
as blending residential and office functionality together.
This trend will also drive masterplanning that takes into
account residential and leisure requirements, embedded in
traditional office and retail centres, as well as the related
needs of pedestrian, cycling and vehicle traffic.
Permaculture
Marnie Punt foresees community food gardens and
believes permaculture will become a common sight, even
in middle class suburbs and business districts in countries
like South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.
“I imagine hanging food gardens on northern façades of
office buildings or flourishing veggie gardens on rooftops
in Johannesburg’s CBD,”she enthuses.
“When designing and developing the built environment,
stakeholders need to consider not only the functioning
of buildings, but also the needs and requirements of
communities and the environments surrounding them.”
This substantial improvement in energy efficiency will
benefit building owners, the industry and the wider
community and can be applied to cities the world over.
Effective masterplanning
Effective masterplanning is the key to creating effective
urban areas of the future in both the developing and
developed worlds.
Retro fitting commercial buildings
Much of our existing urban environment is developed
already. As urban density and demands on commercial
building performance increases, the opportunity to retrofit
existing building stocks to deliver better performance
across the board increases.
Relifing old buildings and precincts gives property owners
the opportunity to breathe new life into functioning and, in
many cases, underperforming buildings.
A recent report by the World Resources Institute on the
Asian real estate sector found green building investments
can reduce vulnerability to operational risks and provide
net financial returns relative to conventional buildings.
The cost of refurbishing buildings continues to fall and
property owners are achieving return on investment within
increasingly shorter periods.1
According to the City of Melbourne’s 1200 Buildings
programme, if 1200 existing commercial buildings are
retrofitted to improve energy performance by 38%, the
potential for greenhouse gas reduction is 383,000 tonnes
of CO2
-e per annum.3
Endless cities
Another phenomenon the UN-Habitat (the UN agency
tasked with managing human settlements) has identified
as emerging is the so-called “endless city”. Continuous
and unending urban sprawl may present one of the most
significant challenges for the way people live and how
economies grow in the next 50 years.4
This trend adds to transport costs, increased energy
consumption and creates pressure on resources, while at
the same time reducing prime farmland and greenbelts.
What it implies is an emerging need to plan for pedestrian
and non-motorised transport (NMT) to avoid dormitory
suburbs sprawling into good agricultural land around towns.

Energy, water, food, transportation and recreational needs
are integral to the modern city. Since space is at a premium,
buildings may become multi-functional, returning to a high
tech version of the way our forefathers lived where market
gardening, roof gardens and recreation spaces, rainwater
harvesting and services within walking distance were a
critical part of city life. Masterplanning can play a key role
in supporting this.
Many urban developers may be nervous about recouping
costs and achieving desired profit margins in areas of
historically low amenity. However, clever masterplanning
through integration of landscape design and innovative
infrastructure can pave the way for cost-effective
solutions, which can be accommodated through developer
contribution schemes that build strong collaboration
between a developer and government so that all
stakeholders benefit.
Top 5 building trends 20 years from now
• Sustainability mandate - will go beyond individual buildings to sustainable precincts and sustainable cities that
have low-energy, low-water and low-waste efficient infrastructure
• Intelligent infrastructure – adaptable environments based on weather or the user’s pre-programmed preferences
• Voice controlled devices - such as lights, connectivity to internet and building registering user locations within the
structure
• Mandatory recycling - when a building is demolished, materials will be preserved and concrete crushed for reuse
in other buildings or infrastructure
• Buildings will be more self-sufficient: energy panels, water reduction, on-site treatment and reuse will be common
“Smart buildings must form part of precinct planning and
beunderpinnedbyeffectivemasterplanningtodelivermore
than just the physical outputs of the built environment,”
explains Ermis Marques, Sector Leader, Property, Africa
Middle East, Aurecon.
Masterplanning integrates numerous skill sets, including
planning, urban and landscape design, civil design,
movement, built form and environmental considerations.
All of these elements combine to deliver functional,
practical and cost-effective outcomes in the context of each
site or area and with consideration to surrounding land
uses. Aurecon delivers masterplanning across brownfield
and greenfield sites.
“Masterplanning is a valuable tool for renewal/regeneration
as much as it is a catalyst for new development in the urban
environment. Aurecon applies its masterplanning skills in
brownfield and greenfield situations to create the optimal
site outcomes in terms of development yield, quality design,
meeting social and community needs, economic viability
and sustainable performance,” says Bruce Penman.
“We embrace consultation to inform our masterplanning
outcomes: we analyse the issues, we test the ideas, we
review the concepts and we deliver the solutions that will
enable our clients to obtain their desired objectives.”
Department of International Relations and Cooperation campus, South Africa
Footnotes
1. World Resources Institute, SurveyingRisk, Building Opportunity, 2010
2. U.S. Energy Information Administration, Annual Energy Outlook 2010,
May 2010
3. City of Melbourne, 1200 Buildings Programme, Launched March 2010
4. UN Habitat, Planning Sustainable Cities, 2009

URBANISATION: SECURING CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE / 15
As populations grow and cities
expand, critical infrastructure is
vital to guarantee the continuity
of communities and promote
social well-being. Essential
services such as water,
food, health, electricity, gas,
transport, communications and
financial services must all be
resilient against a broad range
of potentially disruptive or
disturbing events. These ‘risky’
events may include natural or
industrial disasters, technical
failures or human error. Critical
infrastructure must also adapt
to changing patterns of use as
urbanisation continues apace.
SECURING CRITICAL
INFRASTRUCTURE
“Critical infrastructure
operators need to
prepare for unanticipated
or unlikely risk events”
Kevin Foster
Risk and Security Leader, Aurecon
All essential services are interconnected in various ways
and the failure of one can lead to cascading failures in the
others. For example, a significant failure of a transport
system to cope with increasing demand can delay product
movement in supply chains, which may result in reduced
food availability. Reduced electricity availability can
result in unreliable communication systems and reduced
economic performance.
Such loss of critical infrastructure elements may have
a substantial adverse impact on communities so it is
important that critical infrastructure is future proofed to
be resilient to disruption. This is challenging.
Two risk control strategies
Firstly, critical infrastructure operators will need to aim for
highly reliable operations. To do this they need to anticipate
hazards and threats and consider ways to reduce the
likelihood of significant adverse events, and mitigate the
consequences of those events. A risk control strategy is
very important. Technical specialists need to ensure that
critical systems are provided with sufficient redundancy to
ensure continuous operations. There needs to be a culture
of compliance with standard operating procedures. As a
general rule in this “high reliability” mode of operations
lead times for anticipating failures of critical infrastructure
are usually longer than the lag times for responding to and
repairing localised faults.
Secondly, critical infrastructure operators need to prepare
for unanticipated or unlikely risk events. A different
strategy is necessary to cope with risk. It may not be
economically feasible to mitigate low likelihood – high
impact risks. Therefore the emphasis is on surviving the
disaster and adapting to the new operating environment.
A resilience management framework is needed to provide
guidance on how to recover from extreme disasters and
crises.
The recent tragic situation in the flooded lowlands of
Pakistan is a graphic reminder of the vulnerability of whole
communities when critical infrastructure fails and relief
efforts struggle to organise an adequate response.

Water resource
management on
an urban planet
Water is a prerequisite for human and ecosystem
health, as well as for the success of a wide
range of industrial and agricultural enterprises.
Water security through responsible resource
management is an essential safeguard of a
sustainable urban environment. Aurecon is focused
on delivering technical, economic, social and
environmentally-friendly solutions that aim to meet
the water needs of communities across the globe.
Water security and supply
In 2010, global warming may be the headline grabbing
issue, but water security and supply is a significant social
and environmental concern for many countries around
the world.
At a humanitarian level, many countries around the globe
are currently on track to meet or even exceed the Millennium
Development Goals concerning safe drinking water, so that
the number of people without access to safe water might be
halved by 2015. At a consumer level, the public is becoming
increasingly concerned about, and aware of, protection of
the natural environment. Recycling water is becoming as
widely accepted as any other form of recycling.
In terms of augmentation of existing bulk water availability
and supply, critical consideration is currently being given
to the “three Rs”: water reclamation, recycling and reuse,
while in water resources planning, the goal is to sustainably
harness and deliver ‘some for all forever’.
Supply and treatment: the three R’s
Water reclamation, recycling and reuse are part of a
continuum that begins with the treatment of wastewater
and ends with the resultant potable or non-potable product
being used by a designated target, depending on the level
of treatment (e.g. greywater starts off with zero treatment).
Water reclaimed from wastewater or polluted stormwater
by conventional treatment has long been recognised as
an important potable or non-potable source in urban
environments, but also to help restore over-utilised
streams and wetlands. Water industry groups and water
professionals now recognise that the technologies which
yield the highest grade water for reuse – ultrafiltration,
reverse osmosis and ultraviolet disinfection – have become
more affordable and more effective options to deliver safe
bulk water.
URBANISATION: SOME FOR ALL FOREVER / 17
WATER
SOME FOR ALL FOREVER

Looking to the future, water reuse has the potential to
make a huge difference to water security for cities around
the world. Unfortunately, the impact on supply continuity
due to water reuse has been mixed, with a significant
proportion of water suitable for reuse probably still being
wasted.
With many growing cities facing the prospect of ongoing
water shortages, high grade urban water reuse offers an
attractive economic option to support water derived from
large dams, groundwater aquifiers, river abstractions or
desalination.
“In water resources planning,
the goal is to sustainably
harness and deliver ‘some
for all forever”
Desalination
In 2010, numerous desalination projects are being delivered
to cities and communities around the globe. The Global
Water Intelligence report ‘Desal Data/Desalination Markets
2010’ puts overall global capital expenditure at US$9.2
billion.
The report states that: “growth was driven by major
programmes in Spain, Algeria and Australia, as well as by
frenetic activity in the Gulf region in general, and Dubai in
particular1
.” In addition, both China and India will probably
emerge as major markets for desalination as urban growth
continues.
According to Professor André Görgens, Aurecon’s Water
Sector Leader in Africa Middle East, coastal cities in South
Africa will increasingly need to turn to desalination to
meet the growth in their water needs. Professor Görgens
believes that 20 years from now, desalination will become
what he calls “a standard option” for augmenting water
security in South African coastal cities.
With much of Australia, areas of New Zealand, Asia and
Africa having been in the grip of record-breaking droughts,
desalination is seen as a solution to uncertain water
supplies for major coastal cities.
However, desalination is only one element of a larger,
multi-pronged and holistic approach required to achieve
water security and continuity of supply to communities.
Once the bulk water is available, no matter what the means
of sourcing it, the next challenge is to effectively deliver it
to people and locations.
How this is achieved is dependent on geographical,
economic, social, political factors and the availability, or
affordability, of infrastructure to supply communities.
Recycling
With the prospect of drier and longer summers facing
many communities, water for irrigation is becoming a
critical issue.
Recycled water suits use in food growth, municipal
environments (for parks, gardens, recreational facilities,
etc.) or in greywater networks for use by industry or
communities. Most recycled water is used for crop
irrigation, landscaping, golf courses and public parks and
gardens.
However, the extent of treatment of the recycled water
depends on where the water ultimately goes. This means
that if people are more likely to come into direct contact
with it, the water must undergo more treatment than if it
were to be used in an oil refinery or in cooling towers at a
power station.
Within the Asia Pacific region, practices such as generating
recycled water from raw sewage has been identified as one
of the potential sources of water for use in irrigation.
“Aurecon is increasingly being called upon to undertake
and deliver feasibility studies which provide information to
enable recycled water users to assess costs and risk trade-
offs, and enable a decision if they want to progress to a
business case,” said William Yong, General Manager, Water,
Asia Pacific, Aurecon.
“Typically, our investigations aim to establish the feasibility
and costs of a scheme to extract, treat, store and distribute
recycled water for use. Recycled water schemes are
demand-driven and a critical task is to establish the total
demand profile for recycled water for all options being
considered.
“Whether we are involved in urban or rural water supply,
irrigation or drainage, we cover the project lifecycle from
feasibility studies and master planning through to detailed
design and actual delivery of water.
“A key strength we have as a global group is that we are
able to leverage on the expertise and knowledge that exists
within our various centres of excellence in treatment,
storage and delivery in Asia Pacific and Africa, to create
innovative and holistic solutions for clients.”
Bulk water supply – Water reconciliation studies
InSouthAfrica,waterresourcesmanagementisincreasingly
being supported by a series of water reconciliation studies.
These studies involve the use of innovative tools developed
by Aurecon, which forecast and manage supply and
demand on a community by community basis.
“Historically in South Africa, each municipality or metro
would develop their own water services development plan,
sometimes without taking our government’s overarching
water resource management strategies into account,”
360°
THE ISSUE

says Professor Görgens. “These master plans are primary
building blocks for water security across the nation and are
especially topical in light of growing urbanisation within
rapidly developing countries like South Africa.”
“For our part, Aurecon has been working closely with many
municipalities and national government to assess and
resolve bulk supply and demand priorities. To this end, we
developed an in-house, water reconciliation tool which we
then use to analyse water balance scenarios for the medium
and long term future and highlight suitable interventions
for each scenario. This approach is cutting-edge in terms
of ensuring water security, not just for countries like South
Africa but for many other developing nations.
“We used this tool very successfully in the Western Cape
and Algoa Reconciliation Studies which were commissioned
by our national Department of Water Affairs to develop
regional strategies to secure a sustainable future water
supply for, respectively, the Greater Cape Town region and
the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality and Coega
Industrial Development Zone in Port Elizabeth.
• The average person in the
developing world uses 10 litres
of water every day for their
drinking, washing and cooking.2
• The average European uses 200
litres of water every day for their
drinking, washing and cooking.
North Americans use 400 litres
per day.2
• According to predicted trends
over the next 20 years, humans
will use 40% more water than
they do now.2
“It is intended that these regional strategies would guide
the optimal selection of interventions and studies to
meet anticipated future water requirements, resulting
in the ongoing and vital provision of water according to
sustainability principles.”
“20 years from now,
desalination will become
what he calls ‘a standard
option’ for augmenting water
security in South African
coastal cities”
Professor André Görgens
Sector Leader Water,
Africa Middle East, Aurecon

Catchment and drainage management
At the other end of the urban water spectrum is catchment
and drainage management planning. With the likelihood
of more extreme storm events occurring more frequently
due to climate change, the importance of development
assessments, flood risk assessment, emergency
management planning input and flood and storm tide
inundation modelling studies cannot be underestimated.
“Our philosophy is to invest time and effort in the data
acquisition stage, ensuring useful information to produce
useful results,” said William Yong.
“We have invested in developing our technical specialists
and in acquiring the most up-to-date modelling software.
We are not affiliated with any particular software developer,
and will recommend the right package for the right solution
on a case by case basis.
“Around the world, we maintain close ties with many
universities and other research institutions enabling us to
stay at the forefront of research and development, as well
as augmenting our capabilities with support services such
as physical modelling.”
“On a broader project basis, our network of water
specialists work closely to leverage experience and skills
on myriad projects. We now have colleagues from Africa
based in our Asia Pacific offices who bring greater depth to
our water resources management and planning capability
in the municipal market together with water management
and regulatory capacity in the mining and industrial
marketplace.
“Equally, we have one of our specialist mechanical engineers
from Asia Pacific working in the Olifants River Water
Resource Development Project Phase II in South Africa.
“Recycled water schemes are
demand-driven and a critical
task is to establish the total
demand and demand profile
for recycled water for all
options being considered”
William Yong
General Manager
Water, Asia Pacific, Aurecon
360°
THE ISSUE

This is part of our global competencies and integration
programme. We now draw upon resources right across our
business to deliver water projects that utilise the whole
team, no matter where they are located.”
Challenges and opportunities
Water security is one of the great challenges of the 21st
century. It is a challenge that governments, business
leaders and technical consultants must address together.
Traditionally, the public sector leaders and non-
governmental organisations have driven the debate
on water policy, but increasingly a growing number of
progressive private-sector companies have begun to work
with consultants to effectively manage water resources
and usage.
To address usage concerns, progressive companies are
developing technologies that deliver more products for
the water they use during production. Other companies
are developing new technologies for treating water and
wastewater to improve resource utilisation.
One thing is certain, the water security and management
debate will continue to evolve and broaden over time.
Positive outcomes are being discussed, designed and
implemented. In the meantime, engineering, management
and technical services companies such as Aurecon will
continue to deliver innovative and practical solutions that
address the needs of the urban water marketplace – now
and in the future.
Footnotes
1. Global Water Intelligence, The desalination market returns
http://www.globalwaterintel.com/archive/11/7/market-insight/desalination-
market-returns.html
2.”WaterAid – International website”, Statistics – global statistics, water facts
from NGOs, donor aid, etc. http://www.wateraid.org/international/what_we_do/
statistics/default.asp#

“The impact of
transport on economic
development is a very
direct one”
Dr Paul Lombard
Global Leader, Sectors, Aurecon
360°
THE ISSUE

The 21st
century urban
challenge
Asurbanpopulationsexpand,theeffective
movement of people and goods will
become increasingly challenging. “Urban
transportationhasincreasedinbothscope
and complexity and managing its growth
is one of the most important challenges
of the 21st century,” comments Phil
Hendricks, Sector Leader, Transportation
Infrastructure,AfricaMiddleEast,Aurecon.
Headdsthattransportationinurbanareas
ishighlycomplexduetothevaryingmodes
available, density of the built environment
in urban areas, the multiplicity of origins
and destinations, and traffic volumes.
TRANSFORMING
TRANSPORT

“As the transport
market evolves,
challenges arise which
require non-traditional
approaches and
innovative solutions”
Bill Cox
General Manager,
Transport, Asia Pacific, Aurecon
360°
THE ISSUE

URBANISATION: TRANSFORMING TRANSPORT / 25
Population growth and the inability of infrastructure
to keep up with demand is a hot topic that is being
widely discussed across transport planning and urban
infrastructure forums. In cities around the world, it is
believed that the transport sector needs to embark on an
ambitious and continuous process of rejuvenation - but
just how will this be done?
The policy solutions
Some say this will require innovation in policy, processes
and technology to maximise network capacity and ensure
strong linkages between human behaviour, land use
and transport planning. New approaches are needed to
support more effective, accessible, cleaner, and safer flow
of passengers and freight.
Most governments recognise that their major regional
centres are essential to the ongoing prosperity of their
national economy and improved global competitiveness.
Australia, for instance, has articulated a set of national
planning criteria focused on delivering liveable, productive
and sustainable cities. Accordingly, all future Australian
government infrastructure funding will be linked to
compliance with these national criteria. It will be focused
on delivering compact, well planned and world-class
urban areas with credible plans to meet growing needs,
sustainability criteria and to reduce greenhouse emissions.
A renewed focus on public transport
Another focus area for governments is the provision of
adequate public transport. “Transport is key to creating
jobs, reducing the reliance on cars and providing the
services for people needing to commute vast distances,”
believes Bernard van Biljon, Transport Planning and Traffic
Engineering Group Leader, South Africa.
He explains that the face of transportation in South Africa
has experienced a rapid and dramatic change during the
past three years. The changes have mostly taken place in
the larger metropolitan areas with the introduction of bus
rapid transit (BRT) systems, high speed rail and upmarket
commuter rail services catering for specific market
segments. “A number of highly attractive commuting
options have now been introduced,” says van Biljon,
adding that these are likely to attract commuters who
have been previous private car users. “The renewed focus
on public transportation was spurred on by increased
economic pressures on personal income due to the
worldwide recession and the recent focus on efficient
public transportation as part of the successful hosting of
the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Even some of the older modes
of public transportation (mini-bus, taxi and commuter rail)
are now viewed differently by many commuters within a
new and vibrant public transportation context.”
Similarly, across Australia, New Zealand and Asia, Aurecon
is involved in planning and designing multi-modal public
transport systems that are enhancing travelling mode
options for commuters, improving travelling efficiencies,
relieving congestion and reducing emissions in urban areas.
It is believed that the
transport sector needs to
embark on an ambitious
and continuous process of
rejuvenation - but just how
will this be done?
Shaun Hardcastle, one of Aurecon’s transport and logistics
leaders, says, “Aurecon has the front end modelling
capabilities to enable clients to complete effective strategic
planning for transport assets. We use our demand
forecasting, economic modelling and system modelling
expertise to ensure best outcomes for communities
and clients. On Brisbane’s Northern Busway Project,
for example, Aurecon was able to validate our client’s
strategic transport model and forecast likely demand for
the proposed busway by interfacing the strategic transport
model with a traffic simulation model and using the
combined outputs to guide the ideal location, design and
implementation plan.
The new mix of commuters brings with it a new playing
field of economic opportunities. Evidence of this can be
seen in many big cities around the world where the location
of public transportation nodes can often be discerned by
looking at the city skyline and spotting a ‘mushroom effect’
of densification taking place within those precincts.

What makes a destination? Planning for high
capacity transport networks
Although not a new concept, Aurecon’s Asia Pacific
Development Leader for Urban Design and Place-
Making, Andrew Russell, believes that Transit Oriented
Development (TOD) will continue to be a key concept in
meeting important sustainability and economic goals
in the transportation environment. “TOD is an urban
design model that creates compact, higher density,
mixed use activity centres around transit nodes and
along transit corridors,” explains Russell.
He adds that this kind of development is crucial to
creating sustainable communities because it helps reduce
the environmental footprint of our cities. “We can create
a compact urban form by linking efficient transit corridors
with public transport, walking and cycling to create
vibrant, economically sustainable centres,” he explains.
For example, in Queensland, Australia, Aurecon is
currently providing design and advisory services for a
13km dedicated light rail corridor which will pass through
key activity centres on the Gold Coast, including important
university centres, business and tourism districts. It is
estimated that the light rail system will replace up to 75
million car trips within its first ten years of operation and
become an iconic feature of this region. The Gold Coast
Rapid Transit project was named the Worldwide Project
of the Year last year at the 2009 Light Rail Awards held
in London.
“We can create a compact
urban form by linking
efficient transit corridors
with public transport,
walking and cycling to
create vibrant, economically
sustainable centres”
Alastair MacRitchie
New Zealand Transport Development
Manager, Aurecon
In contemplating truly effective TOD, Russell believes that
we need to ask: ‘What makes a destination?’ “At the heart
of all great places is a vibrant and diverse streetlife. We
need to plan destinations as an authentic experience and
then facilitate convenient travel to get there,” he believes.
However, Russell emphasises that there are still challenges
facing this kind of development. These include:
• Managing the competing interests of land value versus
affordability
• Creating urban form that embraces cyber connectivity
• Creating active and diverse ‘places for people’ as the
first priority
• Creating housing density with broad appeal
• Creating an overall transit experience that is compelling
for the community
(Based on Richard Rogers 1997)
360°
THE ISSUE

Improving transport routes for economic and
environmental benefits
“The impact of transport on economic development is a
very direct one,” comments Dr Paul Lombard, Aurecon’s
Global Leader, Sectors. He suggests that governments
are increasingly focusing on the creation of effective
transportation corridors.
The decision to upgrade the city of Auckland’s SH16
North-western Motorway corridor is a perfect example
of the recognition that the efficient movement of people
and goods leads to enhanced economic productivity. The
upgrade is part of the Auckland Government’s Seven Roads
of National Significance programme, which is planned to
support and enable economic growth for the country. It
will form a vital link in the Western Ring Route alternative
motorway system, providing resilience within the overall
motorway network, improving capacity and integrating the
multi-modal character of the corridor.
Because a section of the SH16 North-western Motorway
consists of a causeway that suffers from flood inundation
during extreme events and is located immediately
adjacent to a national marine reserve, the project aimed to
achieve the highest order of environmental protection in
New Zealand.
“In-depth investigations determined the optimum height
to raise the causeway, taking into account potential
environmental effects and mitigation measures,” explains
Alastair MacRitchie, Aurecon’s New Zealand Transport
Development Manager.
He adds that because the causeway sits on soft marine
sediments, innovative design solutions and construction
methodologies have been developed to protect the
environment and derive value for money for the New
Zealand Transport Agency.”
Encouraging new growth centres
Beyond simply improving transportation routes, the
interaction between land-use and transportation planning
becomes a vital one as precinct plans are developed. More
and more people are recognising that even a corridor of
low intensification can be optimised to create new growth
centres. Alternatively, regeneration could also be kick-
started by the introduction of a transport facility.
The City of Johannesburg’s Growth and Development
Strategy is very clear about its vision for urban spaces:
i.e. that of creating “a spatial form that embraces the
principles of integration, efficiency and sustainability,
and realises tangible increases in accessibility, amenity,
opportunities and quality of life for all communities and
citizens.”
Aurecon assisted the City of Johannesburg with the
formulation of development portfolios for selected BRT and
rail station precincts. The project presented an opportunity
to determine a development strategy for Johannesburg’s
BRT and rail precincts, aligned with the city’s vision of
optimising the development of the surrounding precinct.
“The end goal is to stimulate development in the area and
to eventually establish and/or upgrade infrastructure to
meet this goal,” explains van Biljon. Added to this is the
overriding imperative of serving the community by creating
an effective, efficient, convenient and safe environment
through increased accessibility to public transport.
URBANISATION: TRANSFORMING TRANSPORT / 27
The Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project (GFIP), South Africa

URBAN ENERGIES
Around the globe, energy demand continues to
spiral upwards and this is being compounded
by increasing urbanisation. According to the
International Energy Agency (IEA), energy demand
will increase by at least 40% by 2030. The global
energy mix will continue to be dominated by fossil
fuels, with countries outside of the Organisation for
Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
accounting for around 90% of this increase.1
Differing views on how to optimise the mix of energy
supply and demand management will dominate
future global debate in the energy industry.
In this feature, four of Aurecon’s energy experts
look at some crucial issues in the sector. They share
some of their thinking around how the world might
meet greater demand from urbanising populations
against a backdrop of increased scarcity of natural
resources and climate change concerns.
Footnotes
1. World Energy Outlook 2009 reference scenario: International Energy Agency

PATTERNS OF
CONSUMPTION
By Jason Mayer, Competency Leader,
Power Transmission and Distribution,
Aurecon
The increasing trend for populations to move into urban
areas will change the traditional patterns of energy
consumption. Presently, these typically involve a main
CBD area with high load density, surrounded by surburban
areas with lower load density. Due to increased pressure
on transport corridors and increasingly scarce inner city
space, urban areas will be forced to develop multiple
satellite CBDs. This will mean existing surburban areas will
be transformed by the replacement of existing low density
buildings with high density accommodation. The impact on
electricity infrastructure will be enormous as the existing
suburban sub-transmission systems will not cope with the
higher load densities. As a result, increased use of relatively
high transmission voltages and direct transformation zone
substations will be necessary. Additionally, community
concerns with overhead transmission and outdoor
substations will mean an increased use of high voltage
cables and indoor gas insulated substations, resulting in
significantly increased project costs, which are ultimately
passed on to consumers.
Along with increased population density and resulting
load density, security of supply will be paramount. Public
safety and law and order will (continue to) rely on a secure
electricity supply. There will be a much higher focus and
political sensitivity as blackouts become more prevalent
which will affect more people as load densities increase.
Another big challenge going forward will be ageing
infrastructure. Along with growing electricity demands,
more and more infrastructure will reach its end of life,
increasing cost and time pressures on already stretched
utility budgets.
Many of the above issues will be relieved, at least partially, if
an efficient, economical, distributed generation technology,
coupled with storage, can be developed to reside within
units/building or neighbourhoods supplying locally-
requisite energy. Fuel cells, solar, wind and geothermal
energy are all potential options that may become feasible
for this application in the future.
In developing areas (many of which do not have access to
electricity) economic development may actually be linked
to electrification. Many of these are informal communities
with low load densities and simple electricity needs such as
lighting, pumping, refrigeration and cooking. Governments
that wish to lift their populations out of poverty will look
to electrification schemes to deliver these needs. The re-
emergence of Single Wire Earth Return (SWER) distribution
systems will play an important role in connecting electricity
to these communities in an economic manner. SWER is a
unique distribution type, based on a single high voltage
conductor, using the ground as a return conductor. The
advantages are simple and economic construction that
can supply power to large, sparsely populated areas.
These systems were initially used in the 1940s to provide
electrification to rural areas in Australia, New Zealand,
South Africa and North America and, with the support of
the World Bank and others, we expect it to be rolled out to
a broader audience.
This programme is expected to create greater economic
opportunities and widespread community benefits for a
relatively modest outlay.
The dilemma is then how to deliver power to high density
communities when you have ageing infrastructure, increased
demand and, traditionally, centralised generation.
360°
THE ISSUE

A “smart grid” is more than just
a physical asset. Instead, it is a
new way of augmenting existing
resources and managing the
flow of energy within the system.
For the user, smart grids enable
active participation by consumers,
accommodate new generation and
storage options, and enable new
products, services, and markets to
develop.
For the asset owner, smart grids
optimise the existing asset
utilisation in order to operate
efficiently and minimise system
stresses. They also anticipate and
intelligently respond to system
disturbances (self-heal), coping
resiliently against attack and
natural disaster. As a result, smart
grids have intrinsic value – they
are more reliable, more economic,
more secure and safer, enabling
better efficiencies to be achieved.
The introduction of smart grids
will enable our already stressed
electricity distribution networks
to cope with the rapidly rising
energy demands associated with
increasing urbanisation but, to
be effective, a key ingredient
will be the requirement for more
comprehensive engagement by the
end user – the customer.
Smart grids and society
Basically, there is a need for
a fundamental mind shift and
the consumer (and other key
stakeholders) will no longer be
able to look at energy as an infinite
resource. Traditionally, people were
closely connected to the resources
that sustained them – food, water,
and energy. They understood the
limits to consumption. As isolated
farm houses became villages and
then towns and cities, people have
disconnected from this knowledge.
Food comes from the supermarket,
not the farm. Similarly, energy
flows in limitless quantities from
the plug in the wall, at a price which
undervalues its utility and, as a
result, is often squandered.
In the urban world of the future,
we will need to see more of a
connection with our neighbours and
our surrounds. Just as droughts
URBANISATION: URBAN ENERGIES / 31
THE
SMART
GRID
SOLUTION
By Dr Geoff Walker,
Project Engineer,
Aurecon
THE
SMART
GRID
SOLUTION
By Dr Geoff Walker,
Project Engineer,
Aurecon
have heightened our awareness
of the value of water, and fostered
a return to water restrictions,
constraints on energy supplies will
bring about a revaluation of energy,
resulting in enhanced value and
modified behaviour.
As a society, there is likely to be
a voluntary move towards energy
efficiency, local generation and
demand management. If this
occurs, our currently strained
energy networks will be given a
new lease of life essential to future
growth and development. A smart
grid will be the key enabler of this
rebirth.
Within the energy industry, we
believe this is the critical tipping
point. At the moment, we are at
an important juncture – energy
use is increasing exponentially as
more and more people move into
urban landscapes. The adoption of
smart grids by energy and network
providers together with energy
users can decouple urban growth
from energy demand and implied
network growth.

360°
THE ISSUE
Lake Bonney Wind Farm, Australia
RENEWABLE
ENERGY
OPTIONS
By Blair Walter,
Competency Leader,
Renewable Energy,
Aurecon

• Concentrating solar Photovoltaic (PV) – (striving for
highest output for a given surface area of cells)
• Thin film solar PV – (seeking cheapest installation
cost regardless of area required)
• Solar thermal – (numerous technologies currently
aiming for best economics by balancing cycle
efficiency with land usage and cost)
Within each of these technologies, there are a number
of variations in materials, configuration and operation.
“Ongoing efficiency gains
and equipment price
reductions are bringing
solar into the mainstream”
Blair Walter
The global solar resource is extensive and solar power
may one day meet the majority of our energy needs.
The modularity and flexibility of PV technology means
that it can be effectively deployed within the existing
urban environment and even be an integrated part of
new building façades, while large centralised PV and
solar thermal facilities outside cities could provide
major power generation volumes. However, they will
have to overcome the current challenge of storing
energy in such a way that it can be called on when the
solar resource is not sufficient to satisfy the demand.
The major challenge in dramatically increasing the
use of renewable energy will remain the economics.
Renewable energy options are likely to remain more
expensive than fossil-fuel technologies, meaning that
consumers will ultimately need to pay a premium to
achieve the clean energy supply that they desire.
While our energy supply is moving towards sustainability,
a key social transition is working in the opposite direction:
urbanisation. Moving to cities often provides opportunities
for improved standards of living. With an increased
standard of living comes increased energy consumption
so this major demographic change, combined with the
predominance of fossil fuel based power generation, is
contributing to an increase in greenhouse gas emissions.
Rapid growth in the use of renewable energy is being
stimulated by governments around the world in an
effort to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and the
associated effects of climate change. Government support
of renewable energy is generally needed as the capital
investment for renewable energy forms, such as wind
and solar, are generally higher than those for traditional
fossil-fuel energy options. In this regard, developed
and developing nations alike are instituting commercial
mechanisms to stimulate renewable energy uptake,
ranging from markets to trade ‘green’ certificates from
renewable energy production, through to auctions of
specified amounts of renewable energy generation to be
purchased by governments.
Whilst the specifics vary, the commercial mechanisms
deployed around the world all place an effective price on
carbon emissions from fossil-fuel sources in an attempt to
level the playing field.
Current legislative support is generally aimed at
accelerating the growth of the renewable energy industries.
Most mechanisms are achieving a small but meaningful
penetration into the energy supply. In countries rich
in renewable resources and employing mature energy
conversion technologies, such as New Zealand and Iceland
with significant hydro and geothermal power generation,
penetration of renewable energy is already significant.
However, in most industrialised countries, and particularly
those with abundant cheap fossil fuels, renewable
generation remains a very small part of total energy supply
and current subsidies generally limit renewable energy to
a small part of the energy mix. In the long-term, increasing
control and enforcement of the reduction of carbon
emissions will likely promote significant replacement of
fossil fuels with renewable energy.
The rise of solar power
Wind power has experienced the most growth in recent
decades due to mature technology and a steady decline in
equipment costs. Wind generation is now competitive with
gas-fired generation in countries without abundant, large,
cheap natural gas resources, and cheaper than the predicted
cost of new nuclear power stations.
However, the next ‘big thing’ in renewable energy looks to be
solar based power. Ongoing efficiency gains and equipment
price reductions are bringing solar into the mainstream and
it is a race to see which technology can be first to make large
scale solar power a reality. The main contenders are:

• Changing infrastructure demands for electricity
transmission
• A reduction in available inland water supplies through the
effects of climate change
• Changes in profitability resulting from emission trading
schemes or penalties
These all impact on the long term viability of an existing
power plant, particularly one close to the end of its design
life, leaving a plant owner with fundamentally more restricted
options.
An owner can:
• Replace the existing asset with a new ‘high efficiency’ plant.
This is problematic as it relies on demand, government
approval and financing to build a new coal-fired power
station. If the local community and/or mine have failed,
then the financial viability of this option is not likely
• Replace the existing asset with a renewable energy plant.
However, if the renewable resource is insufficient, project
viability cannot be proven
Whilst it is true that the trend towards distributed power
generation, demand side management and renewable energy
is increasing, it is also true that the development of large,
centralised, fossil fuel based power generation assets is also
increasing. India, for example, is now developing coal-fired
power plants, the huge scale of which has not been seen in
developed countries for decades.
Centralised coal-fired power generation assets have been
traditionally built close to mines. They can be expected to
operate for decades and have historically promoted economic
growth and the subsequent development of significant
conurbations.
However, the centralised power generation/fossil fuel based
power generation industry as a whole is starting to face
significant challenges, both directly and indirectly, resulting
from increased urbanisation and the growing effects of
climate change. Consider for a moment the very real scenario
occurring more and more frequently around the world:
• Shrinking or failing communities in remote locations
through urbanisation and increased Fly In/Fly Out options
360°
THE ISSUE
CENTRALISED
POWER
GENERATION
By Steve Bond, Portfolio
Manager, Aurecon

• Decommission the asset and build new elsewhere. This
would have to be at a location close to the required
resources and have an established community capable of
attracting the skilled workforce to provide the operational
and maintenance support to a high-tech or renewable
energy plant
• Invest the minimum necessary to maintain or upgrade the
existing asset for as long as it is financially viable. This may
include the installation of other emerging technologies
such as carbon dioxide capture and storage, conversion to
fire a blend of coal and biomass or gas, etc. All of these
are costly
This drive to procure ‘high-tech’ or ‘emerging’ technologies
is dependent on investors with a similar investment agenda.
Funding available for more traditional power generation
projects is declining and equipment manufacturers are
focusing on the development of new technologies to satisfy
growing demand. This is slowly reducing the cost of the more
advanced technologies but these types of plant still tend to
be more expensive than the more traditional technologies
and the price is often too high for developing countries to
afford without international development assistance.
On the surface, the future of large, centralised power
generation plant appears bleak although other opportunities
do beckon. Existing power plants cannot remain viable
indefinitely. As they start to become unreliable, the need for
dependable electricity supply will grow and more funding for
all forms of power generation technologies, from government
and private sources, will come forward. Added to this will be
heightened awareness from consumers of their electricity
usage, further driving efficiency initiatives.
Whilst the developed world debates the type of plant to build
on the basis of financial viability, environmental awareness
and political support, the priorities for the developing
world will centre around social infrastructure, development
assistance and value-for-money solutions.

RESOURCES
DEMAND
AND
COMMUNITY
IMPACTS
A 360° FACE TO FACE
INTERVIEW
RESOURCES
DEMAND
AND
COMMUNITY
IMPACTS
A 360° FACE TO FACE
INTERVIEW
360°
FACE TO FACE
“…socially
responsible mining
is a good thing but
also, fundamentally,
it keeps you in
business”
Professor David Brereton,
Centre for Social
Responsibility in Mining

RESOURCES DEMAND AND COMMUNITY IMPACTS / 37
John Leech, Competency Leader in
bulk material handling at Aurecon,
interviewed Professor David
Brereton, Director of the Centre
for Social Responsibility in Mining
(CSRM), about issues facing the
mining sector in addressing its
impact on the community whilst
meeting the resources needs of
rapidly growing populations.
CSRM was established by the
University of Queensland in 2001
in response to growing interest in,
and debate about, the role of the
mining and minerals industry in
contemporary society. The Centre
has contributed to industry change
processes through research, post-
graduate teaching and professional
education and has particular
experience in Australia and the
Asia-Pacific region.
Population and demand for
resources
John
So David, what do you think? Is it
population growth or economic
growth that is driving demand for
resources?
David
I would say it is more to do with
economic growth than population.
Consumption of minerals is linked
to per capita GDP, and GDP is very
closely related to urbanisation which,
in turn, reflects a lack of economic
opportunities in rural areas. Even
if China’s population doesn’t grow, if
their economy grows, it will double or
triple the demand for the copper and
steel required for new infrastructure.
Mining, lifestyles and the
community
David
A key issue is the ability of the mining
industry to keep up with demand.
There is now an interesting discussion
around the notion of peak minerals –
the idea that we are reaching a point
where technical and social constraints
will make it harder and harder to
extract the remaining resources.
Urban areas, for example, don’t want
to have mines near them.
John
Isn’t there also an issue about how
companies develop these resources
and then distribute some of these
gains back to the local community?
David
That is the fundamental challenge
of sustainability - what is the value
proposition for the community of
having a mine in its midst?
Companies need to ensure that
they do not cause social and
environmental harm and that benefits
endure beyond the life of the mine.
This is the expectation on companies
and if they don’t address this, their
ability to operate in the future can be
constrained.
John
Community benefits are also
impacted by FIFO (Flying In/Flying
Out) and we expect this trend to
continue. There are people in places
from Monday to Friday earning very
substantial salaries but they don’t
necessarily spend it in that location.
In more remote areas we are going
to see more and more urban based
workforces and the issue will be
whether you can create a critical mass
for infrastructure . Do you feel there is
a trend developing for controls to be
from back rooms and some processes
to be done remotely?
David
Yes, this is a really interesting cross-
tension within the industry because
there is a push towards automation,
remote operation and reducing labour
inputs. On the other hand, there is a
huge expectation in some parts of
the world (e.g. South America) that
there will be lots of jobs. As a result,
there will be a much slower uptake of
some of this high tech stuff in certain
regions.
The days of purpose-built mining
towns in some countries are probably
behind us. I think that Gen Y in many
regions – and this is highlighted by
some surveys we have done of mining
students – have different aspirations
for lifestyle. In addition, building a
mining town is very expensive and can
be an uneconomical decision.
Addressing demand,
sustainability and community
impacts
David
From a mining perspective, urban
areas and settled areas are
increasingly being seen as off-limits
because it is just too hard to get
a licence to operate under these
scenarios. Some of the companies are
trying to respond to this by devising
new technologies e.g. keyhole mining
where a small entry point is used
and waste is kept underground. That
way, big open cuts or waste dumps
are not created. In situ leaching and
bio-leaching - where you don’t have
to dig up a lot of ore – is another
option. The economics of these new
technologies will be interesting, as
it enables mining without having to
move millions of tonnes of waste rock.
This means that less energy is used
although, in the short term, it is likely
to be much more expensive to set up
these new types of operations.
Professor David Brereton
Director of CSRM

John
That would certainly demand new
technologies – well beyond what is
currently being used. We are talking
20 or 30 years in the future.
David
The other direction is mass mining
using block caving, where huge
underground craters are created.
This is well suited for high volume,
low grade resources but requires
a massive scaling up and the
development of new techniques and
technology.
John
Dust is the biggest issue that we see.
David
Dust is a big issue. Dust and water.
John
Then noise would probably follow that.
There is also a lot of tension regarding
water in the coal seam gas sector
where you are extracting water with
product.
David
It’s very saline water, I understand.
John
And you have to process it as well.
David
Many mines are in areas where water
is scarce and so reducing water
extraction and energy inputs is also
vital. There is currently a major focus
on addressing these tensions. This is
also an area of potential opportunity
if a mining operation can improve
water security for local communities.
Companies are also spending a lot of
time thinking about how to use less
water or use it better. However, no
one has yet come up with a method
for doing dry minerals processing
extractions or dramatically reducing
energy input – large scale in situ
leaching is a possibility, but I
understand it is still a long way off.
John
Water is also the most cost-effective
way of minimising dust, so trying to
control one environmental problem
increases your demand for water and
impacts on other environmental issues.
David
If you look at the issues of energy
and companies reporting on energy
intensity – energy used per tonne –
most are using more energy because
they are mining in more difficult areas
and dealing with lower grades. Water
consumption is also not going down
significantly.
John
I think that this debate really illustrates
the importance and need for new
technologies in a range of key areas.
If sustainability is to be improved,
we also need to resolve the tensions
between increased urbanisation and
the changing patterns of energy
consumption.
Is socially responsible mining
the way of the future?
David
The value proposition for mining has
to be that companies will leave a
positive legacy behind by contributing
to long-term development. If you are
simply an extractive industry, and
don’t care about your communities,
then your business is at risk because
communities will not want you there.
You should do socially responsible
mining because it is a good thing but
also because, fundamentally, it keeps
you in business.
Multiple challenges face
mining groups in terms
of the communities in
which they operate.
Aurecon’s Wynand
Bezuidenhout who
heads up the group’s
Polokwane operation
in South Africa and
Annelie Joubert,
Town and Regional
Planner, Mining and
Infrastructure, discuss
the current trend
towards mines which
consider the social,
socio-economic and
environmental aspects
of their operation
to create winning
solutions.
360°
FACE TO FACE
Khumani Iron Ore Mine, South Africa
John Leech
Bulk Material Handling Leader, Aurecon

RESOURCES DEMAND AND COMMUNITY IMPACTS / 39
The importance of community buy-in
Often, a local community has been residing in the area in
which a mine is planned long before any mining activity
was considered. Particularly in Africa, community buy-in
in terms of whether or not to give support to a project
is essential. Those companies who receive community
buy-in on a project will often experience a smoother
implementation process.
Generally this support relies on mining companies
demonstrating the benefits of the mine to the local
community. Positivebenefitsassociatedwithamineinclude
increased employment and additional infrastructure such
as schools, shops and improved medical care. Aurecon
has been involved in community facilitation, as well as the
planning and design of a number of mining infrastructure
projects, including access roads, the establishment or
upgrade of current water systems, community facilities
and villages.
Creating mining communities
Where a formal town does not already exist, mine
employees are often accommodated in their own ‘village’.
Some of Africa’s largest mines are thousands of kilometres
away from mineworkers’ homes. Because of this, and the
fact that mines compete with each other to draw the best
experts and engineers in their field, there is increasing
emphasis on making life as comfortable as possible for the
mining community.
Today’s mining villages are designed for maximum safety
and comfort. In this regard, town planning is an essential
tool in designing ‘purpose made’ towns from scratch.
Aurecon has been involved in numerous projects that
involve the establishment of brand new mining towns.
Companies have also been known to offer workers a
‘package deal’ which includes ownership of a house within
the village for them and their family. Some mines take this
even further, offering retention packages, a trust to assist
workers with debt rehabilitation and favourable interest
rates with the bank. A ‘live out’ allowance makes living in
these villages even more attractive.
Minimising the adverse effects of mining
Regardless of where the surrounding local and mining
communities are accommodated, they are both exposed to
the pollution, dust and noise a mine produces. Increasingly,
we are seeing more effective rehabilitation of sites by
the mining sector. The ‘planting’ of mine heaps with
indigenous vegetation to limit erosion and windblown dust
is increasingly common. In addition, companies are also
utilising ‘dump rock’ packed on top of dust hills and around
them to limit dust spreading. Using polymer binders is
also a frequent practice - this involves spraying a polymer
binder on top of wastedumps - it penetrates 25mm deep
and creates a UV resistant flexible barrier which keeps
water out and limits pollution, erosion and windblown dust.
These environmental control practices are just some of the
ways of ensuring surrounding communities live in relative
harmony with the mines.
MINES AND
AFFECTED
COMMUNITIES:
THE TRENDS
IN AFRICA

“You’ve got to be
able to create an
environment where
people aren’t afraid
to have a go”
Murray Coleman
Group Head of Project
Management, Design
and Construction,
Bovis Lend Lease
360°
FACE TO FACE
30 The Bond, Australia - owned and managed by DEXUS; developed by and head office of Lend Lease

41
Bovis Lend Lease is
one of the world’s
leading project
management, design
and construction
companies, with a
significant presence in
around 30 countries.
Aurecon’s Global Chief
Executive Officer,
Paul Hardy, recently
spoke with Murray
Coleman, Group
Head of Project
Management, Design
and Construction at
Lend Lease, about
the role of innovation,
sustainability and
safety in running a
global business.
Paul Hardy
How does a truly global company
such as Bovis Lend Lease remain
agile and competitive?
Murray Coleman
I think it is extremely important to have
some real intellectual property so that
youarenotjustanothergenericservice
provider. In the United States there is
a lot of talk about integrated project
delivery, which is really like relationship
or alliance contracting that Australia
has successfully pioneered. So to
compete globally it is about staying at
the forefront of developments such as
these. Ultimately it’s still about “think
global, act local”. The reality is that
all projects are delivered locally so
you need to have relationships with
both the global players and the local
players. Culturally it is also about
having an intolerance for mediocrity
and a continued insistence at all levels
of the business on what I call “end to
end excellence”. We encourage our
people to be both entrepreneurial and
diligent; always looking for a better
way.
Paul Hardy
Is Bovis Lend Lease responding to
the sustainability challenge?
Murray Coleman
We have a very deep heritage in
sustainability, going back to Dick
Dusseldorp (Lend Lease’s founder
and Managing Director) who in
the 1970s said “The time is not far
off when companies will have to
justify their worth to society with
greater emphasis being placed on
environmental and social impact than
straight economics” i.e. it wouldn’t
be long before industries needed to
account on a triple bottom line basis.
In the last decade we’ve developed
our environmental credentials and got
a real handle on what sustainability
really means. When I think about
sustainability, it’s the three elements
- economic, social and environmental.
A real catalyst for our company in
Australia in this space was building
our global head office in Sydney –
30 The Bond. We took this on as a
challenge to deliver a new kind of
workplace in Australia in a sustainable
environment. We were going through
a lot of change in the organisation
and the building was a catalyst
for addressing what kind of work
environment our people wanted and
how we could work together better
as an organisation. And what you
actually see in this building is the
culmination of all that effort and it’s a
fantastic place to work.
Wearealsoveryinterestedinthesocial
aspect of sustainability. In the United
Kingdom, for example, we founded
a not for profit organisation called
“Be OnSite”. It’s focussed on people
who may be long term unemployed
or in some cases ex-offenders, to
train them and bring them into the
construction industry. We do that
through a close relationship with a
variety of our supply chain partners.
Ultimately, we want this to be an
industry initiative, we find it makes
a huge difference and people love to
get involved with it.
And the final area is renewables. Like
most organisations, we have a huge
interest in the renewable energy
sector. We have recently launched
“Lend Lease Solar” which is focussed
initially on domestic solar panel retro
fit but we have an interest in larger
scale solar operations as well.
We actually find that sustainability is
now part of what we are and what we
do. We’re fulfilling that vision of our
founder over 30 years ago. It’s a core
part of our DNA now. If we’re going to
develop buildings in Australia, as an
owner we won’t do that unless they
can be green star accredited where
accreditations are possible and if not,
we will ensure they align to our own
sustainability standards.
BUILDING A LEGACY
Creating an agile global culture of inventiveness,
safety and sustainability
“Inventive is what
I call everyday
innovation”
Murray Coleman

Paul Hardy
At Aurecon we have been making
real efforts to encourage innovation
and collaboration between our
people, do you have any strategies
for managing innovation and
collaboration in your organisation?
Murray Coleman
For us it comes down to the culture
of the organisation. We really work
quite hard at this - encouraging an
open culture and an environment
where people can be inventive.
Inventiveness is what I call everyday
innovation. True innovation is quite
rare but we want to be inventive all the
time. You’ve got to be able to create
an environment where people aren’t
afraid to have a go and where it’s
OK to fail. Which is kind of counter-
intuitive but if people are afraid that
if they do something new or different
and it doesn’t turn out, they’re going
to lose their job, then they’ll never try
anything. We get a lot more right than
we get wrong. We like to win and our
people are smart enough to realise
that sharing ideas, building upon each
others thoughts, i.e. collaborating will
optimise our success.
Paul Hardy
What about collaboration?
Murray Coleman
Weincentivisecollaboration–personal
incentives, organisational incentives
and business incentives. We do
that through publicly proclaiming
collaboration as one of our values. We
incentivise by making collaboration
a component of our people’s
performance indicators and rewarding
good performance in this area. Today
we have a huge development pipeline
across the globe and if we can get
our best people to collaborate there’s
very little we can’t do in delivering
those opportunities.
Paul Hardy
And it works.
Murray Coleman
Working together doesn’t mean
everyone agreeing with everything.
In collaboration, there’s absolutely
room and in fact, a need for vigorous,
rigorous debate, challenge and
questioning. It’s actually about being
clear that we’re all working to the
same end with the same objective and
working in the right environment.
Paul Hardy
What are the key factors you see
in developing successful working
relationships with consultants such
as Aurecon?
Murray Coleman
There needs to be a degree of
expertise, skill, and capability but
that’s pretty much a given. So then
for me, and for us, it’s about the
relationship; about mutual trust and
respect and that’s not something that
you can force and it’s not something
that you can achieve overnight. So
with any organisation we’re looking to
have relationships at multiple levels.
This makes leverage much easier, it
makes escalation instantaneous, and
it ensures alignment. We want the
consultants we work with to truly
understand the big picture of what
we are trying to achieve to be fully
aligned with our objectives.
360°
FACE TO FACE
Paul Hardy
Global Chief Executive Officer Aurecon

BUILDING A LEGACY / 43
Paul Hardy
As with Aurecon, safety of staff is
paramount to Bovis Lend Lease,
how do you go about maintaining a
leading edge safety culture across
all the regions and cultures in which
you work?
Murray Coleman
We’ve done a lot of work on safety,
particularly over the last 10 years. In
2002 we introduced a global vision
and supporting program, Incident
& Injury Free - which was all about
creating a safe working environment,
as opposed to looking at simply
“processes and procedures”. As a
result we have dramatically reduced
the lost time injury rates in our
business right around the world. But
we aren’t resting on our laurels – we
will continue to drive our business to
become truly Incident & Injury Free
which is our ultimate goal.
My view is that, if I had a construction
company and I only had five building
sites, I would have the five best people
I know running those project sites,
have a phone call with them every
Monday morning for an hour to talk
about safety and what we’re doing,
I could have the safest construction
company in the world. So I ask the
question “why can’t we do that here?”
It’s just a scale issue.
If we look through our past incidents,
those that get hurt do so as a result of
a failure to follow a safe work method
or an exclusion zone wasn’t put in
place. We need to be uncompromising
about those things. It’s unbelievably
important for the leadership of the
organisation to actually lead with this.
Leadership as I’ll define it in this space
is all about being very clear about
what you stand for and then taking
that stand – and then doing whatever
is required to remove any barriers and
blockages to achieve it.
The language that I’ve started to
use more recently is not “I will hold
you accountable”, it’s “I’m relying
upon you to get this done”. That
simple change in language makes an
enormous difference. Forget about
talking about accountability; be clear
and positive that you rely upon them.
When people understand that you
need them, it really changes behaviour
– it strengthens their commitment
and galvanises them to the team.”
“We actually find
that sustainability
is part of what we
are and what we
do. It’s a core part
of our DNA now”
Murray Coleman
Murray Coleman
Group Head of Project Management,
Design and Construction at Bovis Lend Lease

Every once in a while, stakeholders in a project
mesh to produce something special: something
innovative that changes the way similar projects
will be engineered and managed from then on.
One such project was the introduction of the first Ultra Thin
Reinforced Concrete Pavement (UTRCP) in South Africa by
the Gauteng Department of Public Transport, Roads and
Works (GDPTRW), together with the Council for Science
and Industrial Research (CSIR) and City of Tshwane.
UTRCP is a system for building a road surface using a
50mm concrete layer. Construction of the concrete
pavement is labour intensive, with machinery only being
used for the shaping, ripping and compaction of the in-situ
material that forms a platform for placing the concrete
pavement. The CSIR initiated a development programme
on this system after a report on the performance of mesh
reinforced concrete that was presented at a conference in
Iowa, USA more than 15 years ago.
During 2008, the GDPTRW, in cooperation with the City
of Tshwane, arranged a UTRCP demonstration project in
Tshwane’s Soshanguve Township. As part of the project,
11 contractors were given the opportunity to undergo
intensive on-site and theoretical training. Called the
National Qualification in Construction Contracting, this
learnership programme successfully equipped the learners
in both theoretical and practical contracting business skills,
as well as competency in labour intensive construction
methods.
Staff from Aurecon’s subsidiaries Wedge and South
African Value Education (SAVE), were involved in the
planning, implementation and all training aspects of the
project. Wedge is a specialist unit focusing on contractor
development and labour-based construction and
employment while SAVE is a training provider specialising
in the training and assessment of emerging entrepreneurs
in the construction industry.
“The project is a powerful demonstration of what
can happen when government buys into the vision of
utilising appropriate technology to further sustainable
development,” comments Thabo Rafube of Wedge. The
equipping of the learnership candidates comprised a
combination of classroom training as well as practical
onsite supervision for a period of two years. “A very
important aspect of this included how to manage a small
contracting business effectively, including the submission
of tenders and topics such as resolving labour disputes
with staff,” explains Rafube.
But the most important aspect of the skills gained by the
learners is the fact that these skills are making a lasting
difference to those trained. “The contractors have been
able to use their new-found skills on an ongoing basis,” says
Rafube, adding that the subsequent initiation of twelve
similar UTRCP projects has provided sustainable income for
the communities in which these projects are implemented.
“Quality training has contributed to the GDPTRW’s ambition
to uplift under-developed communities, while at the same
time responding to the City of Tshwane’s need for roads
and infrastructure provision and the establishment of local
SMME contractors.”
“The innovative
Soshanguve UTRCP project
successfully blended
together a new technology,
job creation, small
business development and
community empowerment,
in a groundbreaking
community-based project”
NEW SKILLS MAKE THE
SUSTAINABLE DIFFERENCE
360°
EXCELLENCE

45
What are trainees saying about the project?
Moses Rampeng:
“I was one of 11 contractors
enrolled in the Construction
Contractor Learnerships in
January 2007. Over a period
of two years, the programme
assisted us to jointly
complete road construction
projects to the value of
R50 million as part of our
experiential training.
It is a wonderful feeling when
I am able to pay community
members involved in completing these sorts of projects.
The effects of this project are far reaching. Communities
understand that when they opt for UTRCP, the entire
community benefits from the labour intensive process it
involves and the skills they learn can be applied elsewhere.
The practical experience that was part of the learnership,
taught me everything I know about UTRCP, but it hasn’t
stopped there: even now, if I encounter a challenge on site,
I can pick up the phone and ask for help. The professional
team continue to invest their time in empowering me. I can
see that for them, the commitment is more than merely
finishing a project and being paid.”
Rebecca Ramatlo:
“UTRCPisawonderfulproduct
that is both technically and
economically sustainable. It is
easy to implement as a small
scale contractor, and has lead
to long term employment
opportunities for my staff and
I because concreting skills
can be used in many other
building activities.
We’ve been contracted for a
number of similar projects
since completing the learnership. I have also been able to
apply many of the business skills taught. In addition, being
associated with the organisations involved has lent me a lot
of credibility in the market. The entire process has motivated
me to keep sharing my own knowledge. The knock-on effects
of doing this will ensure the impact that the learnership
and technical exposure to UTRCP had on me and my team,
carries on and increases for years to come.”
Ultra Thin Reinforced Concrete Pavement, South Africa

Turning vision into reality
From skyscrapers that challenge the
limits of what was previously possible,
to technological solutions that enable
construction to ‘respond’ to its surrounds,
Aurecon has designed millions of square
metres of building space. Our commitment
to transforming vision into reality sees us
exploit extraordinary depths of expertise
to allow the realisation of buildings which
are aesthetically appealing, economical
and easy to construct. In this article,
we explore the challenges involved in
bringing these to life.
INSPIRATIONAL
ENGINEERING
CAPTURING
THE VISION
Peter Mokaba Sporting Complex, South Africa

Realising vision
“As consulting engineers we are employed to apply our
technical skills in a way that allows our clients’ ‘vision’
for their projects to be realised,” believes Dr Kourosh
Kayvani, Innovation Leader: Aurecon. “The key issue is to
understand and appreciate that vision and the requirements
it encapsulates, even when they are not expressed with total
clarity. For buildings, the vision could be as simple as (or
as bold as, depending on your point of view) a ‘signature’
design…a structure that has never been attempted before. A
project team’s mission is to work together in responding to
the client’s vision in the most appropriate way. This includes
considering all relevant factors such as safety, functionality,
economy, buildability and sustainability.”
A thorough understanding of the vision for a building is a
key departure point for engineering design, believes Hannes
van Dalsen, Aurecon engineer. He cites the Department of
International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) building,
South Africa, as a perfect example of engineering’s ability to
enact vision. The guideline brief for the DIRCO project was
to portray an image that would promote national interests
and present the building as a ‘gateway for South Africa to
the world’. It was critical that the quality of the engineering
design was flawless and fully expressed the architect’s vision,
which was based on very specific ‘Output Specifications’ set
by the client.
Te Puni Village
Takes seismic design of flexible
multi-storey steel frames in a
new direction.
360°
EXCELLENCE
Peter Mokaba Sporting Complex
The design features simplified
construction, ensuring completion
in only two and a half years.

INSPIRATIONAL ENGINEERING CAPTURING THE VISION / 49
In rural Africa, decorative blankets are used to adorn
visitors who come bearing traditional gifts. Similarly,
DIRCO is enveloped by a ‘blanket’, symbolised by giant
spider columns which effectively ‘gifts’ South Africa to
the world. It was the engineering behind several of the
building’s unusual features, including technical façades,
complex circular staircases, spider columns and an enclosed
glazed bridge link, that enabled the structure to have such
an imposing, unique presence and realise the architect’s
unusual response to the client’s requirements. “In order to
enable this vision, we had to design elements and structures
that had never been designed before. Bringing an unusually
eclectic, asymmetrical design into reality was an enormous
challenge,” says van Dalsen.
Collaboration is key
“To create extraordinary and inspirational projects, design
teams need to be capable and willing to cross the traditional
boundaries of design disciplines in order to collaborate
and innovate for a holistic design outcome,” believes
Dr Kayvani. The Adelaide Entertainment Centre Upgrade
is a prime example of collaboration between project
team members to arrive at a solution that is anything but
ordinary. The project features an iconic entry dome clad in
Ethylene Tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE plastic) with specialist
LED lighting effects, creating a technicolour space for the
surrounding community to gather in a secure, protected
area. Aurecon was engaged to deliver total engineering
services for the project, as well as coordinate capabilities
across various technical disciplines including structural, civil,
electrical, mechanical, hydraulics, fire protection services,
acoustics, wind load testing, audiovisual and lighting.
“A key aspect of the design was collaboration and
coordination with the architect, particularly in developing
a vision for an iconic dome, which challenged what had
been done before,” explains Aurecon engineer Peta Lush.
The dome designed for the entry is based on the careful
dissection of an unusual geometrical shape - the toroid. The
initial stage of the project involved intensive workshops with
the architect to develop the shape of the iconic entrance
structure. This collaboration allowed the creation of an
aesthetic form together with a suitable engineering solution
to enable that form - in this case a lightweight efficient
structure.
Following the concept stage, the structural steel design was
optimised through sophisticated analysis, including wind
tunneltesting,toapplyrealisticloadstothecurvedstructure;
finite element analysis of the critical nodal connections that
minimised the additional strengthening requirements of
the thin-walled lightweight members; non-linear buckling
analysis with non-linear materials to determine the overall
stability, as well as erection sequencing. All of these
processes enabled maximum functionality to be achieved
with an optimal amount of material and resourcing. “Early
collaboration was of vital importance in achieving this
iconic structure,” believes Lush. “The collaboration between
architects and engineers, coupled with the correct use of
technology, can add immense value to the community
through increasing efficiencies in built form and inspiring
the individuals who use these forms.”
Innovation: guarding against being overcautious
“It is obviously important to properly understand the
confines of a project,” says Dr Kayvani. “This involves
taking on board the requirements of the project owner
and architect and then working within the engineering
constraints to arrive at a design which satisfies all
stakeholders. However, self-imposed constraints that
have been historically set based on what an engineer is
capable of doing within the technological and knowledge
limitations of the time, need to be challenged consistently
and proactively. To be able to do so, we engineers must
be familiar with the very latest technologies and ways
of solving technical problems so that the constraints we
define are reflective of current best practice,” stresses
Dr Kayvani. “We need to constantly guard against being
overly cautious in our approach which, ultimately, might
limit our ability to think ‘outside of the box’.”
Te Puni Village in New Zealand required the utilisation of
innovative ‘high tech’ solutions to achieve a much lauded
‘engineering first’. As an informed client, the Victoria
University of Wellington’s vision for this facility was to
Te Puni Village, New Zealand

EXCELLENCE
360°
meet the need for extra student accommodation, while
also protecting their buildings from seismic damage. This
desire presented an exciting challenge, as few cost-effective
damage avoidance solutions were available for flexible
steel-framed buildings, necessitating major innovation
from the Aurecon, Architectus and Hawkins’ teams.
The project takes seismic design of flexible multi-storey
steel frames in a new direction. It challenges established
ideas centred on allowing our buildings to be damaged
and providing only safe egress, proving that protected
or enhanced buildings can be achieved with a nominal
increase in investment, which will result in huge increases
in the long term sustainability of the built environment.
Recent advances in seismic engineering have focused
on a ‘Damage Avoidance Design’ philosophy, whereby
a structure is designed to withstand a major seismic
event with minimal and repairable damage. This concept
incorporates mechanisms in the structure that can control
loads and sustain large deformations without causing
damage. The challenge to create damage avoidance design
features for this project was complicated by the building’s
form. Few seismic protection options exist for relatively
tall and light, flexible steel buildings. The available damage
avoidance features have not been widely used, being
viewed as expensive and complicated.
Adelaide Entertainment Centre
A prime example of collaboration
between project team members
to arrive at a solution that is
anything but ordinary.
Freedom Park, South Africa
Freedom Park
Construction materials were
required to lend themselves to
the undulating surfaces that
form the walls and roofs of the
building.

GLOBAL VIEW OF A VIBRANT WORLD 360° THE ISSUE Urbanisation FACE TO FACE

GLOBAL VIEW OF A VIBRANT WORLD 360° THE ISSUE Urbanisation FACE TO FACE

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