Transforming lives - Halcrow

issue five: march 2010Transforming livessupporting communities around the world

The Vox teamWelcome to the fifth issue of Vox.EditorialAnna Mann, editormannal@halcrow.comEloise Youngyoungel@halcrow.comHaidee Harrisonharrisonha@halcrow.comChris Warmollwarmollcj@halcrow.comDesignEmilie Dadswell, lead designerdadswelle@halcrow.comTracy Newmannewmant@halcrow.comDistributionGabrielle Manleymanleyg@halcrow.comContributorRichard RhydderchVox is designed and producedby Halcrow’s corporatecommunications team.Printed by Rumbold Holland onRevive 50:50 silk recycled paper,it contains 50 per cent recoveredwaste and 50 per cent virginfibre. It is manufactured at a millaccredited with the ISO 14001environmental managementstandard. The pulp used in thisproduct is bleached using anelemental chlorine-free process.This material is recyclable.Editor’s commentIn this edition, we take a look at Halcrow’s work tosupport social, economic and infrastructure developmentaround the world.The company recently launched a strategy designed toboost its involvement on projects funded by internationalfinance institutions, such as the Asian Development Bankand the World Bank. This formalises Halcrow’s existingcommitment to global development, and supports itsinvolvement in projects that embody the company’soverarching purpose: to sustain and improve the qualityof people’s lives. Watch out for the exciting careeropportunities this will generate.From rebuilding earthquake-damaged bridges inPakistan to paving the way for sustainable irrigationprojects in Ethiopia, Halcrow is currently involvedin a host of schemes to improve prospects for localcommunities. Through the Halcrow Foundation and Waterand Sanitation for the Urban Poor (WSUP), Halcrow is alsomaking a huge difference to the lives of vulnerable peoplearound the world.And on an individual level, employees continue to makepersonal sacrifices to help others.Welcome to our new correspondent for Poland,Anna Prokulska.Editor Anna Mann will be on maternity leave for thenext issue of Vox, so please send your project successes,achievements and other news to Eloise Young.

Featuring:CorrespondentsAmericasArgentina, Mariana OjedaCanada, Cathy SparkBelize, Ian RowdonChile, Georg WelzelSaint Lucia, Mandish SinghUS, Andrea GrinbaumHalcrow studies assess sustainabledevelopment options for Ethiopia – 10AsiaBeijing, Cathy HuChongqing, Guo Ping YangHong Kong, Irene OrIndia, Rajni DhimanMalaysia, Robert DaviesPhilippines,Ricardo P Dela CruzSeoul, Andrea ChoiShanghai, Victor CheungShenzhen, Victor CheungAustralasiaTim DehnAll-in-one biocentresfor Kenyan slum – 40Project profiles – 04Target market powers ahead – 26Sustainable solutions – 30Europe and central AsiaEurope and central Asia(overall), Dijana GarwoodPoland, Anna ProkulskaRomania, Gabi IvascuMiddle EastGulf offices, Vanessa JamesPakistan, Ali KhanCircling the squareRevamping England’s public spaces – 06Awards – 15Halcrow takes centre stage atindustry ‘Oscars’Triple success at BritishConstruction Industry awards – 17Business beat – 21State of the nationAn interview with the chief executive – 25AstepforwardMajor projects programmegains momentum – 22Turtle talesFighting coastal erosion – 32Giving generously – 36Halcrow Foundationemergency appealEmployees around theworld dig deep – 38PeopleAlumni – 43People parade – 44Achieving ambitions – 46Sporting success – 47Announcements – 48Out of office – 50Off the mapCharting flooddamagedNiger’s roadto recovery – 50UKBedford, Walter MakoniBirmingham, Peter RoberyBristol, Judith TurnerCardiff, George BallardChichester, David JukesCrawley, Stella Barberand Warren CrawleyDerby, Peter RoberyEdinburgh, Becki FlemingExeter, Rachel Smithand Sarah DaweGlasgow, Julie McSorleyGloucester, Andrew ProutInverness, Kat DearingIreland, Dijana GarwoodKent, Vijay JainLeeds, Phil ThrowerLondon (Vineyard House),Christopher WarmollLondon (Shortlands),Liz WilsonPeterborough, Laura CrawfordReading, Beverley TocockSwindon, Sarah NicholsWaltham Cross,Dawn McGilchristWorcester, Anita InightYork, Graeme Pollard

Battersea odysseyAfter sitting derelict for a weathering quarter-century and several abortedredevelopment attempts, the hulking Battersea power station is at the heart ofproposals for London’s latest riverside revival.Plans for the infrastructure required to support this 15ha regeneration project arealso well underway, with Halcrow appointed by private developer Treasury Holdingsto develop a 3.1km tunnelled extension to London Underground’s Northern line.Extending the existing line south west from Kennington, the scheme will includetwo new stations to service the mixed-use site’s 3,700 homes.Touch of frost:a wintry view of the bypassHalcrow is leading a team – comprising Buro Happold, Studiodare and Corderoy –tasked with the full multidisciplinary design of the £500 million extension, includingtunnelling, heavy civils, station planning and architecture, alignment, permanentway and rail systems.From energy eyesore to loved landmarkAs well as liaising directly withLondon Underground to ensure itscontinued technical support for thescheme, Halcrow will be responsiblefor delivering the documentationrequired to make an applicationunder the Transport and Works Act.“In a highly competitive marketwith fewer underground railinfrastructure opportunities, thissuccess is very welcome news,”commented rail and undergroundinfrastructure director SimonFricker. “The Northern lineextension enhances Halcrow’scurrent portfolio of underground railprojects, serving to further reinforceour reputation as a world leader inthe delivery of complex undergroundrail infrastructure.”Highland highwayHalcrow is gearing up to provide detailed design and constructionsupervision services for Scotland’s £31.5 million A96 Fochabers andMosstodloch bypass, on behalf of Morrison Construction.Along with a new 5km stretch of all-purpose single carriageway onthe main trunk road between Inverness and Aberdeen, the project willdeliver improved pedestrian and cycle facilities. A new roundabout,boosting access to the world-famous Baxters soup factory, completesthe scheme.Halcrow’s project director, Iain Salisbury, commented: “The award ofthis contract is due in no small part to the efforts of the project teamin supporting Morrison Construction during the tender period. We lookforward to delivering a project that will improve safety, and reduceenvironmental and traffic impacts on the communities of Fochabersand Mosstodloch.”Despite its current state of disrepair, the Batterseapower station’s chimney quartet remains a focal pointon London’s skyline.Cutting-edge yet controversial, Battersea was thefirst in a series of large coal-fired energy facilitiesconstructed in the 1930s to improve Britain’sinefficient, fragmented electricity supply.Londoners protested that the building would be aneyesore, while Parliament debated the effects ofpollution on public health, buildings, parks – and evenworks of art in the nearby Tate Gallery.Replete with lavish art deco features, Europe’s largestbrick building achieved world-wide recognition afterappearing on the cover of Pink Floyd’s 1977 album,Animals, photographed with an inflatable pig tetheredto the roof.Reflected glory: Battersea power stationWaterfront renewalWith Lake Ontario reflected in its seven storey glass facade, thegleaming new Corus Quay office and broadcast centre embodiesthe revival of Toronto’s once faded waterfront.Housing 1,200 Corus Entertainment employees, the developmentis the first new commercial building in the recently rezonedwaterfront area.Halcrow Yolles provided full structural engineering services forthe 43,000m² complex, which is targeting Leadership in Energyand Environmental Design (LEED) gold status, recognising theproject’s sustainability credentials. Environmental featuresinclude a green roof area and a five-storey living wall, while hybridvehicles are available onsite through a car-share service.Corus Quay is part of the wider Toronto waterfront revitalisationprogramme. This will include the creation of waterfront parks,public spaces, cultural institutions and sustainable commercialand residential communities.Corus Quay. Image courtesy of Diamond andSchmitt Architects and CICADA Design

Project profilesCelebrating excellenceCIRCLING THE SQUAREocal pressure groups around the UK bemoaning the ‘death’ ofL their town centres often blame the ‘Wal-Mart effect’, wheremega-stores spring up on the outskirts, drawing shoppersaway from independent traders.While a giant supermarket 20-minutes drive away may be partiallyto blame for a decline in foot traffic, a lack of well-designed publicspaces in the heart of towns and cities is equally responsible.Bucking the trend, Halcrow’s landscape architecture team hashelped deliver vibrant squares in urban settings across the UK.In Weston-super-Mare, a £3.9 million town centre redevelopment isthe focal point of a wholesale overhaul of the iconic seaside resort.Halcrow has been commissioned to redesign the existing road layout,creating a pedestrian-friendly, cohesive link between the town centreand the promenade. Delivered through the North Somerset Council’sframework contract, the revamped area was dubbed Pier Square after publicinput. The team will start work on site in 2010.Plan for Market Place, SalisburyHalcrow’s project manager, Andrew Linfoot, said: “We had to do a significantamount of traffic modelling to demonstrate that the new road layout wouldwork, giving us space for the square. The recent public exhibition received agood level of support and the local traders are keen for it happen.”This year will also see construction kicking off on Southampton’s £4.6 millionGuildhall Square project. Occupying the central space within the city’s newcultural quarter, the square will nestle between the Guildhall and theproposed Southampton New Arts Centre, connecting the two.Kept deliberately simple, the design uses high-quality paving materials andbespoke lighting to create a range of ambiences and atmospheres. “Thedesign means that the space is highly flexible, allowing for a wide rangeof activities,” said Andrew. “The aim is for the square to form a naturalextension to the adjacent buildings, making it just as much a venue as the artcentre and Guildhall.”In 2009, Halcrow was one of six teams shortlisted to vie for Salisbury’s marketplace renaissance project. The medieval square forms the centrepiece of thehistoric town centre.While the Royal Institute of British Architects-sponsored competition focusespredominantly on regenerating the square, the brief also called on entrantsto produce a city-wide public realm strategy. Halcrow is the only shortlistedteam drawn from a single organisation, demonstrating its wide-rangingability and diverse skills.Guildhall Square lighting concept, SouthamptonReflecting on this achievement, Andrew commented: “To be shortlistedalongside internationally recognised consultancies from acrossEurope and the US clearly demonstrates we have both the creative andtechnical abilities to tackle these highly sensitive, complex projects.”So, while mega-store opening sales might still send a shiver throughsome local communities, projects around the UK are creating carefullyconceived public spaces for residents and visitors alike, bringing foot-trafficand vitality back to town centres.Pier Square, Weston-super-Mare6Vox | issue five

Transforming Edinburghinto a world beaterOne of the UK’s most consistentperformers, Edinburgh’s economyhas outstripped even London interms of per capita income inrecent years.However, given its dependenceon financial services and thebattering taken by the Royal Bankof Scotland and HBOS, manypredicted that Edinburgh would feelthe downturn’s crippling weight when the boom bubble spectacularly burst.Edinburgh Castle at duskDespite this gloomy outlook, the ubiquitous tourist throngs have kept Edinburgh’stills ringing. The Scottish capital has endured the bleak winter of recession withfar fewer ill effects than other similarly sized British cities. With Halcrow’s help,Edinburgh is now staking its claim as a truly world-class city.Halcrow has been commissioned by City of Edinburgh Council to provide a fullrange of economic development services. Initially spanning three years with thepotential for a two-year extension, the contract includes strategy development,business planning and option appraisal, along with impact assessment andevaluation. Combining technical expertise, global perspective fused with localknowledge, and innovative approaches to knowledge transfer, Halcrow’s uniqueoffering helped secure this high profile, influential project.Stefano Smith, the programme’s project director, commented: “Halcrow’s globalresources, international experience and multi-disciplinary skill set will helpEdinburgh carve out a competitive advantage. Our input will help safeguard thecity’s future prosperity, with clear benefits for communities, businesses and thelocal economy.”Associate director John Godwin, who will manage the programme, added: “Thiscontract marks an important milestone in building an economic developmentservice in Scotland. Halcrow will support Edinburgh’s aspirations throughthe provision of world-class services. By collaborating and working in closepartnership with the council, we will help build capacity, capability andcompetence, raising the bar even further.”Scotland’s ongoing success hinges on Edinburgh – as the national economy’sprimary growth engine – maintaining itsdevelopment drive. With a sizeableproportion of the requiredbuilding blocks alreadyestablished, the capital iswell placed to realiseits ambitious vision,especially in comparisonto other internationalcompetitors seekingto stamp their markon the global scene.Although thechallenges loomlarge, Halcrow isset to help propelEdinburgh to aprominent, worldleadingposition.Paving the wayin PakistanAn unpaved road in Dera Murad JamaliCurrent visitors to the Uch power station in Pakistan’sBalochistan province must first negotiate the unsealedroads of nearby Dera Murad Jamali, bouncing alongthe pitted, potholed streets that bisect the town. Butunpaved routes are giving way to a Halcrow-designedroad network as part of a social up-lift programmeinitiated by the power plant’s owner-operator,Uch Power (UPL).One of the largest provinces in Pakistan, Balochistanis also one of the least developed. Drinking water isscarce for residents of the farms and villages scatteredacross this remote, inhospitable landscape. Sewerageand storm water drainage systems – where they exist –are rudimentary.As part of its corporate social responsibilityprogramme, UPL has undertaken a host of projects toboost local communities’ quality of life, with access toimproved education, healthcare, drinking water andsanitation facilities. Last year’s drive sought to tacklethe region’s unpaved roads. Impassable during therainy season, these unsealed routes hinder movementbetween villages, farms and markets.Halcrow was awarded the project based on thePakistan team’s recognised expertise in designinghighways, internal road networks, pavements andstructures, along with its hydrology experience.Designs for theproject will becompletedover a two-monthtimeframe, andphase one ofconstructionwill be finishedwithin 12 months.John Godwin, Alisa Collin,Stefano Smith, Iain Mowat,Caroline Currie, Iain Paton,Fiona Alexander, Jet CameronUPL infrastructure projects are benefiting local communities

Project profilesCelebrating excellenceSafe and soundThe world’s fifth longest cable-stayed bridge wasput through its paces by Halcrow checking engineersbefore it opened for use in October 2009.Incheon BridgeStretching over 12km from mainland South Korea toYeongjong Island, the £1 billion Incheon Bridge is thelongest in the country. Its cable-stayed section is 800mlong with a 230m supporting tower.The bridge, which carries a six-lane motorway, isprimarily intended to link the booming New SongdoCity in the mainland’s Incheon free economic zone withGoing forgrowth in FujianIncheon International Airport – built on reclaimed landconnecting Yeongjong and Yongu islands.Halcrow led the bridge-checking project as part of a jointventure team with Arup and local consultant Dasan.Counting downto kick offA little-known peninsula in China’s Fujian province will betransformed into an international industrial zone and growth hub overthe next 20 years with Halcrow’s expert advice.Situated on the mountainous north-east coast with easy accessto Taiwan, the Haixi Ningde industrial zone on the Sanduao Xinanpeninsula will cover 228km². The zone will develop new and existingport facilities focusing on petroleum and gas storage and theproduction of metal goods and machinery.Halcrow is undertaking the industrial planning and conceptual masterplan for this enormous scheme on behalf of China National OffshoreOil Corporation, which holds an 85 per cent stake in the project.The first priorities in the zone will be the creation of a 5 million tonnepetroleum storage project, a terminal for receiving liquefied natural gasand an equipment manufacturing base for the offshore oil industry.Construction was officially launched in December 2009 at agroundbreaking ceremony. Regional politicians and members of thedevelopment consortium turned the first sods of earth, and Halcrow’smanaging director in China, Stephen Ellison, was invited to joingathered dignitaries on the podium.“I felt very privileged to be invited onto the podium,” Stephen saidafterwards. “It was a great honour for me, and for Halcrow. Our projectteam is highly committed to making this scheme a great success.”Artist’s impression of the proposed industrial areaWhen football fans converge on Poland andUkraine in 2012, eager for their respectiveteams to be crowned European champions,many will touch down in the city of Lviv,western Ukraine.Lviv is one of eight cities – four in eachcountry – selected to host matches bytournament sponsor and organiser, the Union of European FootballAssociations (UEFA), and its international airport requires majordevelopment work to meet UEFA’s requirements.Even in their haze of anticipation, many arriving supporters arelikely to appreciate the £470 million overhaul planned for Lviv’sairport. Proposed works include a substantial extension to theexisting runway and strengthening of the current runway length,along with construction of large aircraft aprons, parallel taxiwaysand a modern terminal building. An overhaul of the existingterminal and associated road and car park infrastructure roundsout the project.Halcrow’s air transport team has been appointed by Lviv CityCouncil and the Ukrainian department of transportation to conducta complete independent review of the proposed development. Thecouncil will use Halcrow’s findings to keep UEFA’s expert advisorsabreast of plans and progress as the project gathers momentum.This win has strategic significance for Halcrow’s aviation businessin eastern Europe. Halcrow will be retained by the City of Lvivthroughout the two-year implementation period, as designatedby UEFA, as part of the build-up to kick off in 2012.Lviv’s historic quarter8Vox | issue five

Judgement day forNew York landmarkIt’s decision time for one of NewYork’s iconic steel-arch bridges.Soaring 69m above the Kill VanKull tidal strait, the gracefulBayonne Bridge has connectedBayonne, New Jersey, with StatenIsland since 1931. Deliberatelybuilt a few metres longer thanAustralia’s Sydney HarbourBridge, the 2,633m structureremains the world’s fourthlongest steel-arch bridge.However, in recent years thebridge’s 48m clearance hasposed an increasing challenge forlarge ships heading upstream.With a new generation of colossalvessels set to use the widenedPanama Canal, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has commissioned anurgent cost-benefit analysis of this vital crossing point.Halcrow has undertaken the three-month contract to assess possible options. Theseinclude jacking up the entire bridge, raising the road deck on the bridge, building anentirely new bridge, building a tunnel or maintaining the status quo. All the optionsassume retention of the arch, which is a registered landmark.The results of the analysis will also assist in the selection of alternative designs andconcepts that warrant more detailed planning and design.Squaring offA jewel box of European architecture – Romania’s ‘Little Vienna’ – has entrustedHalcrow to revamp its historic squares.Timisoara was the first city in Europe to be litby electric lamps. At the confluence of German,Hungarian, Serbian, and Romanian cultures itsarchitecture is a heady confection of styles, muchof it built during the days of the sweeping Austro-Hungarian Empire.Romania’s second largest city is seeking toimprove the fabric of its urban environmentby upgrading three public squares and tenadjacent streets in the historic centre.Halcrow will be tasked with reorganisingTimisoara’s civic spaces; creatingpedestrian zones, parking areas,improving traffic safety and bicyclelanes and providing suitable streetfurniture, as well as developing andmodernising the utilities network.The scheme forms part of theRomanian government’s 2007-2013regional operation programme, whichreceives European Union funding.Image courtesy of Dave FriederBig Apple,bigger tunnelNew York’s omnipresent yellow taxi fleet issynonymous with the city itself, but as 2014approaches rail could be jostling roads forcommuting supremacy. High speed rail andlight transit projects are gaining planninggreen lights across the US, and the tri-statearea is no exception.Halcrow has been selected for a mammoth railtunnel contract as part of the £5.6 billion MassTransit Tunnel project, which is set to doublecommuter rail capacity between New Jersey andNew York.Delivered by client New Jersey Transit inpartnership with the Port Authority of New Yorkand New Jersey, the scheme paves the way for thefirst new tunnelled crossing of the Hudson River ina century.Halcrow’s win is the biggest of the big – the largestheavy civil engineering contract component ofthe US’s heftiest public transport project. Thecompany has been appointed as lead designer onthe first awarded contract, with its scope of workencompassing design and construction of one ofthe project’s three tunnel segments – a 1.6km-longsection beneath Manhattan.Featuring two single-track commuter rail tunnels,the Mass Transit Tunnel will relieve pressure onthe existing 100-year-old two-track tunnel deepbeneath the Hudson – currently operating at fullcapacity and creaking under the strain. Twice asmany passengers will be transported at daily peaktimes, rocketing from 46,000 at present to 90,000 inthe future.More trains mean fewer cars, with surgingcommuter rail capacity set to remove an estimated22,000 vehicles from regional roads each day. Theproject is expected to generate and sustain 6,000jobs annually in peak construction years, as well ascreating 44,000 permanent jobs after completion.Construction will begin early next year and isexpected to continue through to late 2013.Halcrow’s New York-based project director,Mark Johnson, said: “This win reflects Halcrow’sgrowing statureand prestige in theNorth Americanmarketplace. It is aworthy testamentto all the hard workand sector-leadingexcellence ofthe whole team,which workedseamlessly todeliver such agreat outcome.”Timisoara’s historic centre

Project progress: constructing a lined tunnelGround investigation, MegechAfrica’slongestriver: factsand figuresFrom Lake Victoria in east-central Africa, theWhite Nile flows north through Uganda and intoSudan where it meets the Blue Nile at Khartoum,which flows from its source at Lake Tana inthe Ethiopian highlands. From its remotestheadstream, the Ruvyironza River in Burundi, theriver is 6,671km long.The Nile River basin is home to an estimated160 million people, while almost twice thatEgyptInstalling furrow irrigationRiver NileRed SeaThorough consultation with rural communities, focus groups, andstakeholders at local, regional and federal levels underpins andinforms the studies. “The stakeholder consultation process has beena massive undertaking,” said Richard Harpin, who leads Halcrow’swater scarcity team. “The project hinges on engagement with allelements of society and the economy, ensuring the interests andneeds of the people are accounted for.”As well as compiling all existing data – including feasibility studiesdating back to 1964 – Halcrow is undertaking a series of furtherinvestigations, including socio-economic, topographic, soil,geotechnical, water quality and sediment surveys. Developed as partof the project, a water balance model for Lake Tana will steer andinform the conservation of this resource for future generations.The team will produce full feasibility reports for each project;presenting all costs and implementation programmes, as wellas outlining investment schedules, management structures andinstitutional responsibilities.Martin Smith, Halcrow’s project director, commented: “This workprovides a platform for Ethiopia’s ongoing sustainable development,and the potential impact is far-reaching – economic diversification,agricultural intensification, food production and infrastructuredevelopment all hinge on cohesive water resource management.”Halcrow’s involvement in the Nile basin project is the latest in aseries of significant commissions recently undertaken in Ethiopia.Others include the Awash basin flood control and catchmentmanagement project and the Rift Valley lakes basin integratedresources development master plan.Halcrow’s work in Ethiopia is a salient example of practical measuresto tackle water scarcity on a regional level. When the Nile basinstudies conclude in 2011, Ethiopian communities will be one stepcloser to improved food security and better economic prospects.DemocraticRepublicof CongoSudanWhite NileRwandaBurundiKhartoumUgandaLake VictoriaTanzaniaEritreaLake TanaBlue NileEthiopiaKenyanumber – roughly 300 million – live within the tencountries that share the Nile’s waters.Without the Nile, an immense desert wouldextend from the Red Sea to the Atlantic Ocean.In some communities as much as 80 per centof residents’ daily calorie intake is providedby goods and services directly related to Nilebasin ecosystems.During the Pharaohs’ rule the Nile wasworshipped as a divinity. A bureau wasestablished to measure flood levels,enabling a proportionate amount of tax tobe levied on farmers. The higher the floodwaters reached, the more the land wasexpected to produce.

Project profilesCelebrating excellenceBridging the gapConnectingcommunities:two of thecompletedstructuresIt takes just a couple of minutes for Mir Afzal to walk across the50m-long Baillie bridge that stretches over the fast running RiverNallah in Pakistan’s remote north west province.But before the new bridge was completed in May 2009, theretired teacher and his fellow villagers faced a frighteningstruggle through the freezing waters of the rushing boulderstrewnriver. The original bridge, along with scores of othersin this remote province of Pakistani Kashmir, was destroyed inthe October 2005 earthquake that rocked the region.“We breathed a sigh of relief after this bridge was completed,”said Mir. “Our lives have now become more relaxed. Before thisbridge we had to cross the Nallah on foot. Many people died crossingthe river during the rainy season.”The bridge is one of nine in the province that have been rebuilt througha Halcrow-led project, helping transform the lives of people in remotecommunities still struggling to come to terms with the earthquake’saftermath. Halcrow has overseen the bridge-building activities whilecompleting several detailed soil and substructure feasibility studies.Further along the Nallah, community representative Haji Muzaffarexplained how the new 37m-long bridge at Langla Nallah hasrevolutionised life for the village’s 7,000 residents. “The bridge saveson our travelling costs,” he said. “We were spending a lot of money onjeeps to reach our destination. Now we’re able to save time as well.”Right across the region villagers have seen their lives transformed bythe new bridges. Like the 15m bridge on the Neili Reshian Road thatserves all the villages in the valley and was completed in July 2009.“We faced many hardships before the completion of this bridge,” saideducation officer Mirza Javid Ahmed. “Now it is much easier for us totransport patients to hospitals and get children to school on time.”Green light for roads upgradeSchool runs in Abu Dhabi’s second city of Al Ain should become lessstressful thanks to Halcrow expertise.The nine new bridges were the first phase of a £4 million projectfunded by the UK’s Department for International Development and theAsian Development Bank to replace a total of 50 bridges, including 41in Pakistani Kashmir. To date, 38 bridges have been completed. Thisbuilds on Halcrow’s work in 2008, constructing six new bridges in thenorth west frontier province.Al Ain’s lush vegetation has earned its ‘garden city’ sobriquet. In recentyears the former oasis on the Omani border has seen its populationrocket to almost 400,000, including thousands offoreign nationals.One consequence of this rapid expansionhas been an explosion in demand for privateschools. Concentrated in a special zoned areastretching 3.5km along Khalid Bin SultanStreet, the schools are accessed through achaotic network of un-signalled roundabouts,single carriage roads and service roads lackingsufficient parking.Sami Al-Qazzaz with Al Ain Municipality generalmanager Matar Mohammad Saeed Al NuaimiHalcrow has signed a £1.1 million contract withAl Ain Muncipality to provide design and supervision services to relievetraffic congestion around the schools. The project includes upgrading5km of highways and service roads, extending the highway network by2km and installing traffic signals at two existing roundabouts.The surrounding infrastructure will also beupgraded through the provision of landscaping,footpaths, parking facilities and thedevelopment of a storm water drainage system.“The project will significantly improve traffic circulation in the area,”said Halcrow’s regional director for Abu Dhabi, Sami Al-Qazzaz. “It isHalcrow’s first project with the municipality and we look forward todeveloping a long and productive relationship with it.”Jihili Fort, Al Ain12Vox | issue five

Ostrów Tumski – ‘Cathedral Island’ – in Wroclaw’s historic centreInset: Pomorski bridge and Wroclaw’s existing flood management infrastructurePole position onEurope’s largestflood schemeCasting a waryeye at risingseas anderratic rivers,cities aroundthe world arebeefing uptheir defencesto fend offflood risk.Wroclaw in south-west Poland is no exception.Halcrow has been appointed with partners ScottWilson and BRLi to deliver a key component of ascheme to modernise the city’s flood-preventionsystem.Boosting the River Odra’s flow capacity throughhistoric Wroclaw, the project will provide additionalflood defence measures along the river. It formsan integral part of a wider £468 million flood riskmanagement scheme – Europe’s largest.From its source in the Czech Republic’s mountainranges the Odra flows through Poland and north tothe Baltic Sea. In 1997, flooding caused extensivedamage and loss of life. This sweeping devastationwas the catalyst for a major flood alleviation initiativefunded in part by the World Bank, European Uniongrants and local investment.Halcrow secured the contract to design, procureand supervise the construction of the city’s floodrelief channel and defences, with a capital value of£112 million. Set to run for six years, the projectcomprises a review of feasibility, outline design anddetailed design in its first phase, from 2009 to 2012.Extending from 2010 to 2015, phase two includesconstruction supervision and overseeing a one-yearmaintenance period.Gareth Heatley will lead the project, with supportfrom Halcrow’s head of water and power in Europeand central Asia, John Martin, and the head of waterin Poland, Mariusz Slezak.All together nowJoined-up thinking is more than just a buzz word in West Lothian, Scotland,thanks to an ‘all-in-one’ civic centre.Officially opened in November 2009, the £46 million project brings West LothianCouncil, Lothian and Borders Police and the Scottish Courts Service under oneroof with a total of seven community partners working together. Around 1,000employees are housed in the new complex in Livingston – thought to be the largestpublic sector building of its kind in the UK.Halcrow Yolles carried out all civil and structural design work for the project witharchitect BDP and Faber Maunsel as mechanical and electrical engineer. Threestriking glazed towers form the heart of the energy efficient centre, set in 11ha ofparkland. A new footbridge over the nearby River Almond rounds out the scheme.It is hoped that bringing key service providers together on a single site will helpbuild closer working relationships, benefiting the public. Savings of £8 million areprojected over the next 25 years.West Lothian Civic CentreConservingColombia’s coastlineHalcrow is working to improve environmental conditions along Colombia’s pristinenorthern coastline – one of the country’s most sought-after tourist destinations.Wastewater from Colombia’s fourth largest urban centre, Cartagena de Indias, iscurrently pumped into a vast lagoon before being discharged directly into the sea. Anew £20 million outfall, funded by the World Bank, will dramatically improve waterquality in coastal areas and ensure the local beaches comply with increasinglystringent international standards.Halcrow was commissioned by water utility company Aguas de Cartagena tosupervise the construction of the 2m diameter, 4.2km-long sea outfall, which isdue for completion by the end of 2010. A locally recruited Halcrow team has beenbased in Cartagena since March 2009, supported by employees from the Santiagooffice and the UK.Pipe sections being transported to the siteHalcrow’s sea outfallschief engineer andCartagena projectdirector, AlejandroLabbé, commented:“This interestingproject requires anintegrated effortbetween membersof our sea outfalltechnical directorate,working in variousHalcrow officesaround the world.”

Project profilesCelebrating excellenceBeating the big dryIn the world’s driest inhabited continent, Australia, the subject ofwater – or lack of it – is never far from the mind. Most Australians livewith largely permanent water restrictions, which place tight limitson the use of tap water. Helping ease the strain on scarce resources,Halcrow recently completed a strategic water planning review in thecountry’s second largest city, Melbourne.Along Australia’s south-east seaboard, where much of the populationis clustered, rainfall has been critically low for many years. Ongoingdebate centres on ways of reducing urban water use – rainwatertanks are springing up across suburbia – while water suppliers andgovernment bodies incessantly exhort citizens to use less, save more.New uses for wastewater are emerging, and desalination – ideallyusing low carbon energy sources – is increasingly seen as a nonrainfall-dependentsupply option.Led by sustainability and water management specialist Phil Hughes,the project identified and sought to apply international best practice inintegrated water management. Supported by comprehensive research,Halcrow steered client Melbourne Water towards appropriatestrategies to make the city ‘water smart’.The Bigman comethArt and engineering fuse in Glasgow, as the local bridges team tackles a design projectthat promises to join communities together in a big way.The team looked at a range of integrated approaches to tackle waterscarcity, considering all aspects of water management and sourcesof supply concurrently, as well as focusing on the practicalities ofimplementation. Insightful, informed input from Halcrow’s globalintegrated water management team – including Swindon’s Elliot Gilland Andy McConkey, and Tampa-based Richard Harpin – contributedto the project’s success.On the back of favourable client feedback, Halcrow has subsequentlybeen engaged by one of the city’s water retailers to support thedevelopment of an integrated water management strategy forMelbourne’s south-east fringes. Phil was also asked to facilitate anational workshop in February this year, organised by WateReuseAustralia and the Water Services Association of Australia.Set against a context of projected urban population growth, climateshifts and chronic shortages, integrated water management looks setto become a central component in the country’s water arsenal – and astaple term in every Australian’s vocabulary. And given Halcrow’s waterscarcity growth strategy, the Melbourne review represents a significantstep in positioning the company to win further work.Main image: Melbourne skylineInset: water sensitive urban design in the city’s suburbsLed by Colin Walker, the team is working for client British Waterways Scotland on a landmarkfootbridge over the Forth and Clyde canal in Glasgow. The bridge will provide a much neededlink between the communities of Maryhill and Ruchill, now kept apart by a canal that was oncea source of brisk international trade.The £4.5 million Stockingfield Junction Footbridge will incorporate a major piece of publicartwork – the Bigman – designed by local artist and sculptor Andy Scott. Colin explains: “Wedidn’t want to create a bridge with a sculpture on it, one that could be taken away. We wantedto have a sculpture that was an integral part of the bridge itself. The design is a marriageof art and engineering – Andy and I sat down together and brainstormed several ideas. TheBigman stood out very quickly as something personal to Glasgow, where to call your mate‘Bigman’ is a term of affection.”While Colin set the parameters for the scale and pose of the sculpture in line with thestructural aspects of the bridge, Andy was working on the detail of the artwork. Travellerswill get the impression that the Bigman is holding up the bridge. Lighting will focus on certainmuscle groups, to highlight the stresses experienced as the figure supports the bridge deck.In his hands: the Bigman willhold up the new foot bridgeBritish Waterways is now seeking community support for the project through publicconsultations. Meanwhile, Halcrow is finalising the planning application to Glasgow CityCouncil, to ensure Glasgow gets its unique landmark connection.14Vox | issue five

Half-dozen haulHalcrow’s scope and influence were clearly evident across the boardat the UK’s Environment Agency project excellence awards 2009 whenthe winners were announced on 10 December last year.The company had a hand in six out of seven category-winning projectsat the awards, which recognise outstanding projects undertaken onbehalf of the Environment Agency.Topping the project management category, the Caldew and CarlisleCity flood alleviation scheme was delivered as a joint venture betweenHalcrow and Jacobs. The team was praised for its strong relationshipsand commitment to knowledge sharing.Demonstrating exemplary health, safety and environmentalrisk management during construction, work on the Stanah seadefences was carried out adjacent to sites of special scientific interestand Ramsar designated areas.Halcrow’s Pegwell Bay to Kingsdown strategy bagged prime spotfor its sustainable construction and environmental enhancementelements. Veering away from physical barriers, this inventive tidalrelief solution will both reduce flood risk and potentially create up to220ha of new environmental habitat.Porter’s Lock fish and canoe pass fended off the competition in theinnovation and technical merit section. The first of its kind in theUK, the pass incorporates components made from recycled plasticbrushes. Its success has led to the design being rolled out at othersites on the River Medway and is being considered for other rivers.Halcrow’s Robert Kleinjan and Adam Schofield with Environment Agency chiefexecutive Paul Leinster and members of the Pegwell teamFurther plaudits for the Caldew and Carlisle City flood alleviationscheme came in the form of an overall project excellence award –celebrating the ‘best of the best’ from the four main categories.Rounding out the honours, Halcrow’s work on the Folkestone to CliffEnd strategy was recognised with an award for the best national reviewgroup submission.Paul Turney, Halcrow’s Environment Agency client account teamdirector, said: “Our performance in the Environment Agency’s supplierperformancemeasures to date,together withthese awards, trulyenhances our clientcare programmeand puts us in astrong position forthe future.”In a muscular display of aesthetic prowess, three Halcrow Yollesprojects topped the field at the 2009 Athletic Business Conferenceawards. The trio picked up facilities of merit awards at the Decemberevent, which focuses on the fitness and recreation industry.the facility’s exposedstructure seamlesslyintegrates timber framingwith steel.Halcrow’s Nick Pettitt (farright) with members of theStanah team and EnvironmentAgency chief executive PaulLeinster (second right)structureCassie Campbell Community Centre, interior and exterior.Image courtesy of Shore Tilbe Irwin and PartnersHalcrow Yolles teamed up with architect Shore Tilbe Irwin andPartners on two projects, providing structural design services for theCassie Campbell and Newcastle community centres.Named after the former captain of the Canadian women’s icehockey team, the eponymous Cassie Campbell Community Centrefeatures flexible spaces for indoor and outdoor activities. The bold,cantilevered ‘gull wing’ roof lends the 15,300m² multi-use complexa soaring, majestic feel, while an extended timber trellis on thebuilding’s exterior connects the east and south entrances.Themed to blend harmoniously with its rural surrounds, theNewcastle Community Centre captures the essenceof the quintessential Ontario farmstead.Extending into the adjacentlandscape,Working closely with architectSOM, Halcrow Yolles providedfull structural engineeringservices for the AtlanticHealth Jets TrainingCenter, New Jersey – abespoke 12,000m² athletic,coaching and managementheadquarters for theNew York Jets footballteam.

Giving Awards generouslyHalcrow Celebrating FoundationachievementWinning visionfor TunisiaMain image: an artist’s impression of Les Cotes des Ange.Inset: aerial master planSwitched on: Ashton Market Hall16Big ideas won the day when Halcrow’s master plan concept forTunisian project Les Cotes des Anges trounced the competition in the‘waterfront future projects’ category at the Abu Dhabi Real EstateAwards 2009.Presented at a gala dinner at Emirates Palace Hotel, the awardshighlight projects in the Middle East and Africa that represent thepinnacle of design, functionality and innovation.The category celebrates the most distinctive waterfront developments– those which show design sensitivity and maximise water as aresource. Located on the north shore of Africa, Les Cotes des Angescovers an area of 219ha with some 2.5km of coastline and includes amarina at the heart of the project. The development will be a hub forluxury boating in the Mediterranean, with leisure facilities, such as agolf course and wellness resorts, to ensure year-round tourism trade– in line with Tunisia’s national strategy for tourism promotion.Project manager Michelle Baracho explains: “The vision was to createa contemporary interpretation of traditional building styles, whileBuilding of the yearThe restoration of Ashton Market Hall in Tameside has beenrecognised as Greater Manchester Building of the Year by the city’schamber of commerce.Devastated by a fire in 2004, this grade II listed Victorian landmarkhas been completely overhauled with a new interior created tocomplement the historic building’s facade.Described as the ‘heart of Ashton’, the hall reopened to the publiclate last year. Working with architect Taylor Young, Halcrow Yollesdesigned the building services engineering aspects, including theexternal public realm lighting scheme.Counsellor Kieran Quinn praised the team’s achievements: “Therewere many people who said after the fire that we would not returnthe market hall to its former glory. We not only did that – wesurpassed it.”Vox | issue fiverespecting the natural features of the site. Creating strong vistas,providing value for traditional architecture and being sensitive to thesite ecology have been vital to the overall project design.”Environmental issues are at the centre of the proposed site andmarina layouts. With previous experience of Mediterraneanconditions, the team included a buffer zone of a minimum 100m widealong the shore, to allow for ongoing climate change and sea levelrise. This will address likely future coastal erosion, reduce the risk ofcoastal squeeze and enable interaction between the beach and thedunes inshore.All construction – except the Marina Hotel – will be low-rise, with themarina development designed as a contemporary interpretation of atraditional Tunisian fishing village. Retaining existing vegetation andplanting native trees is also a key part of the landscape plan.If you want to getahead, get a hatHeading off strong competition, Halcrow took home theconsultancy of the year award at the UK’s Construction IndustryAwards 2009.Organised by Contract Journal magazine, ‘The Hard Hats’ rewardexcellence across the whole supply chain, recognise innovation andcelebrate best practice.Halcrow’s encouragement for collaborative working, strong teamintegration and commitment to health and safety across thebusiness all helped secure the top prize. Its claim to glory was alsounderlined by successful business performance and examples ofeffective management throughout 2008.Chief executive Peter Gammie said: “This prestigious awardrecognises our support for the delivery of major projects, such asthe Thames Tideway, Qatar Bahrain Causeway and Crossrail. Italso highlights our leading consultancy role in four of the HighwaysAgency’s managing agent contractor commissions. I was pleasedthat our emphasis on training, development and quality wasacknowledged, as was our recently restated commitment to healthand safety. The award is a great accolade for the whole business.”

Dounreay nuclear power station. Courtesy of Dounreay Site Restoration LtdDLR Woolwich Arsenal extensionBen Bradshaw MP, secretary of state for culture, media and sport, and Geoffrey Dennis,chief executive of CARE International UK, present Halcrow’s Paul Starr (middle) with the international awardDames Point container terminalhree Halcrow projects received red carpet treatment at theTBritish Construction Industry (BCI) Awards for 2009 – widelyregarded as the UK industry’s ‘Oscars’. This year once againsaw a huge response, with over 170 UK and international projectsvying for honours.Halcrow’s Dames Point container terminal scheme won theprestigious international award, while the Docklands Light Railway(DLR) Woolwich Arsenal extension scooped the best practice awardat the 14 October event. Halcrow’s efforts on the Dounreay siterestoration project were recognised with the civil engineering award.Members of the judging panel visited each of the 35 shortlisted UKprojects, quizzing the on-site project teams. Representatives from thesix shortlisted international projects were interviewed in London, withthe judges visiting the top two schemes to glean further information.Halcrow’s Dounreay site restoration in Scotland fought off sevenrivals to win the coveted civil engineering award, for projects valuedbetween £3 million and £50 million. This work involved constructing ahigh-quality grout curtain around the 65m-deep shaft, created in the1950s as part of the nuclear power station’s offshore discharge tunnel.Presenting the award, the judges commented: “This highly complexproject saw technical innovation save millions of pounds and protectthe environment.”The DLR Woolwich Arsenal extension took home the best practiceaward, open to projects that adopt processes to understand andmeet client needs, support team working throughout, and promotecontinuous improvement. Comprising 2.5km of new railway in paralleltwin-bored tunnels under the River Thames, the extension will serve anewly constructed underground station in Woolwich town centre.Dames Point container terminal in Florida, US, received theinternational award for projects delivered outside the UK for whicheither the principal designer or contractor is a UK-based firm. Despitea challenging 42-month schedule, the project was delivered on timeand to budget – creating 6,000 jobs in the process. The judges wereimpressed with the client’s comment that: “The largest project in theport’s history was completed on time and under budget – a truly rareoccurrence in public infrastructure construction projects, reflectingwell on the professional calibre of the team provided by Halcrow.”Halcrow’s chief executive Peter Gammie was at the ceremony. Hecommented: “Our three winning entries exemplify the diversity of ourexpertise and are a testament to the talented teams we have workingright across the company.”And the winner is…In addition to the BCI award Dames Point has secured a slewof prestigious accolades, including:• Gold project achievement award – ConstructionManagement Association of America, south west andcentral Florida chapter• Project excellence award for large project – the Coasts,Oceans, Rivers and Ports Institute’s project excellenceawards• Individual consultant of the year (Paul Starr, highlycommended), major consultancy project of the year andenvironmental impact award (both commended) – BritishExpertise Awards

Longbridge Awards Birmingham:Development Celebrating achievement begins...The completed bridge in Boscastle, Cornwallof the castle18The events of 16 August 2004 are indelibly etched in the mindsof Cornwall residents. Flash floods in Boscastle swept away vastswathes of the quaint seaside village after the average monthlyrainfall pelted down in just two hours. Among the infrastructuralcasualties was the grade II listed Boscastle Lower Bridge, which wasdamaged during the devastating one-in-400-year deluge.The company’s role in the ongoing rebuilding programme wasrecognised at the UK’s national Concrete Society Awards 2009 inNovember, where the Halcrow-designed replacement bridge wasawarded a certificate of excellence.The bridge forms part of a wider flood defence scheme, promotedby the Environment Agency and delivered by Halcrow’s Exeter-basedteam. To reduce further flood risk, the original bridge had to bereplaced with a much larger, wider structure.Halcrow’stouchdown for JetsConsultants from Halcrow Yolles are part of a winning formationresponsible for the New York Jets’ new headquarters andtraining facility.At 20,160m² the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center in FlorhamPark, New Jersey, is the National Football League’s largestpractice site. Halcrow Yolles was the structural engineeringconsultant for the project working alongside architect SOM.The new centre receivedan award of merit inthe best of 2009 sports/recreation category inNew York Construction’s13 th annual ‘Best of…’awards. Recognisingconstruction excellencefrom across NewYork, New Jerseyand Connecticut, theawards assess projectmanagement, clientservice, safety, designand functionality.The football franchisescouted more than 40sites before relocatingits practice facility fromLong Island to New An aerial view of the siteJersey. The centre includes four outdoor football fields and anartificial turf field in a structured field house.Vox | issue fivePumping iron: inside the centre’s gymUndertaking the inception, detailed design and site supervision theteam delivered an elegant, slender bridge, which is curved on plan,elevation and section. The span and depth ratios and constructiontechniques were pushed to achieve a wafer-thin deck. Accentuatingthis effect, the under-drawn soffit creates the illusion of an impossiblyslender blade spanning the river, belying its function as a road bridgeand minimising its visual imposition on the natural environment.Neil Harris provided the aesthetic and engineering design lead,ably supported by the bridge team in Cardiff. Close collaborationwith contractor Carillion and the precast manufacturer, CornishConcrete Products, enabled the complex structure to be completedto a demanding £500,000 budget and timescale. Neil commented:“The opportunity to design a bridge in such a sensitive setting wasa privilege, and great fun. It was a fantastic team effort to achievesomething of real and lasting quality.”Concrete proposalsTwo cutting-edge Canadian university projects by Halcrow Yollesgraduated with honours at the Ontario Concrete Awards for 2009, heldin December.The gleaming five-storey engineering technology building at McMasterUniversity and the Varsity Centre Pavilion, which forms the entry to theUniversity of Toronto sports facilities, are both eye-catching buildings.The 11,600m² glass-clad McMaster building supports the faculty ofengineering’s expansion into emerging areas of research and study.It won the architectural merit award, which recognises structuresin which architectural considerations predominantly influenced theoverall project.As structural engineer, Halcrow Yolles addressed challenges suchas the requirement for a robust and vibration-free structural system,along with the use of structural concrete as an architectural feature onthe building’s exterior.The Varsity Centre Pavilion took home the structural design innovationaward, presented to a project where engineering conditions have asignificant impact on the design. Formerly home to anelectrical sub-station and high voltage transformer,the bustling site in downtown Torontopresented a demandingworking environment,requiring additionalconsideration duringboth design andconstruction.Varsity Centre Pavilion – image courtesy of Coreslab

Safety in numbersHalcrow built on previous successes at the UK’s Royal Society for thePrevention of Accidents (RoSPA) awards when it scooped a ‘highlycommended’ accolade in the commercial and business servicessector category.The September event honoured the best of 1,700 entries in21 individual industry sectors,including construction, healthcare,transport and logistics, engineering,manufacturing and education.RoSPA awards manager DaveRawlins commended Halcrow forits “commitment to protectingthe health and well-being of itsemployees and others”.Group health and safety directorNigel Valvona commented: “It isfantastic to have exceeded oursuccess of last year. The awardis testament to the efforts ofthe business. This achievementis a result of employees trulyadopting Halcrow’s coresafety values.”Group health and safety managerPeter Campbell accepts the awardSaltire successWith its radioactive contents hoarded an inaccessible 65m beneaththe ground, the now-defunct nuclear power station at Dounreayeasily ranks among the world’s toughest clean-up projects.Innovative work on the scheme by Halcrow’s Glasgow office, incollaboration with Dounreay Site Restoration and BAM Ritchies,was commended at the Saltire Society’s 2009 civil engineeringawards in October. Presented in association with the Institutionof Civil Engineers, the award recognises the exceptionally highlevel of initiative and skill demonstrated by the team in a hostile,challenging environment.Isolating the shaft was an unavoidable precursor to cleaning it out.With radioactive material being dumped unmonitored for successivedecades, the site lacked reliable waste disposal records and thesurrounding groundwater was heavily contaminated.Work on the project has attracted widespread praise. Just weeksbefore the Saltire commendation the team took home the BritishConstruction Industry Award for the best civil engineering projectin the £3 million to £50 million category, and in February 2009 washighly commended for technical excellence at Ground Engineeringmagazine’s annual awards.Glasgow team members had further call to celebrate at the Saltireawards with a project commendation for the eye-catching TradestonBridge. The 106m pedestrian bridge links Tradeston on the southbank of the Clyde with Glasgow’s burgeoning international financialservices district. The commendation recognised the ‘imaginativedesign, development and construction of a striking bridgeenhancing the local environment’.Tradeston BridgeHalcrow engineers devisedthe design in partnership witharchitects Dissing and Weitling. Itssinuous double curve has led tothe structure being affectionatelydubbed ‘the squiggly bridge’.The Dounreay siteGreening the valleyAdding yet another award to its bulging trophy cabinet, theHalcrow-designed Cross Valley Link Road (CVLR) and associatedflood attenuation schemes secured a sought-after prize for itsclient, the UK’s Homes and Communities Agency (HCA).In recognition of the project’s extensive environmental mitigationand enhancement measures, the HCA took home the publicsector award for encouraging sustainable developmentwhen the Estates Gazette Green Awards for 2009 wereannounced in October.Providing a strategic road link to the south west ofNorthampton, UK, the CVLR connects residentialand commercial land being developed on eitherside of the River Nene floodplain, supporting theclient’s regeneration aspirations.The awards recognise excellence in sustainabledevelopment and raising environmental awareness –goals close to Halcrow’s heart.(L to r) BAM Nuttall’s Ian Steel, Heather Reid from BBCScotland, Iain Salisbury and Peter Lyttle, both from Halcrow

Longbridge Awards Birmingham:Development Celebrating achievement begins...Cantley MarshesTim O’Riordan, the Sheriff of Norwich, presentsthe award to the Environment Agency’s PaulMitchelmore and Halcrow’s Angela RoweBirdsof afeatherA windy stretch of Norfolk marsh next toa sugarbeet factory sounds an unlikelydestination for a winter holiday.For hundreds of bean geese fleeing sub-zero Scandinavia, however,the UK’s Cantley Marshes is a real hot spot. When migrating wigeonand European white-fronted geese join in the party, things can getpretty rowdy down on the marshes. And that’s before hordes of birdwatchersdescend on the rain-lashed wetland.Keeping this 296ha special site ofscientific interest up to scratch is acontinual challenge for Halcrow,working with BAM Nuttall under theumbrella title of Broadland EnvironmentalServices. Together, they deliver theBroadland flood alleviation project for theEnvironment Agency.In November 2009, the team’s flood defence work received a specialenvironmental award from the Norfolk branch of the Council for theProtection of Rural England (CPRE) recognising considerate developmentin the county.Cantley Marshes, a Royal Society for the Protection of Birds reserve,forms a delicately balanced eco-system. High water must be sustained allyear round to maintain the marshes’ viability. As well as winter migrants,the bird population includes oystercatchers, lapwings and redshanks. Therare Norfolk hawker dragonfly haunts the reed beds and scuttling watervoles make their homes in the soft, muddy banks.The flood defence works involved the creation of a new double dykesystem to improve the marshes’ water management. Throughout theproject the highest priority was placed on environmental sensitivity.At one stage, construction was delayed while marsh harriers werenesting nearby.One of the challenges was to ensure the public was still able to accessand enjoy the site while the dykes were bunded to maintain the waterheight. An alternative footpath was constructed, and now that work iscomplete walkers are benefiting from a broader, more level footpath,providing an unobstructed view over the marshes. The CPRE awardrecognised the work on the footpaths, and associated moorings, aswell as the improved water management system.Halcrow’s global reach was furtheraccentuated at the British ExpertiseInternational Awards for 2009 on10 November, with the bagging oftwo highly commended accolades.Recognising excellence by UK-basedcompanies in the design, planning,management and constructionof international projects, theawards also support continuedsuccess in UK professionalservices worldwide.Halcrow’s input on theRio-São Paulo highspeedrail project washighly commended inthe innovation of theyear category. Halcrow’sPaul Starr also tooka bow, winning highlycommended ‘individualof the year’ plaudits forhis work on the DamesPoint container terminalin Jacksonville, US.Dames PointHalcrow led alignment studies for Brazil’s first high-speed railline – set to link the country’s bulging metropolises, with anextension to Campinas. The resulting reference designs pavethe way for concession contract awards, keeping constructionon track for completion by 2016.Using the QuanTM modelling system Halcrow plannerswere able to integrate environmental, community, cultural,engineering and cost factors into a single analysis, deliveringan appropriate high-speed alignment within the project’sdemanding timeframe.Halcrow was brought in as lead consultant to help deliver theJacksonville Port Authority’s flagship facility – one of the largestcontainer ports on the US east coast. Gaining the necessarypermits the team designed and managed construction within anintense 42-month programme, completing the mega-terminal ontime and to budget.Halcrow’s John Martin and Ben Hameraccept Paul’s award on his behalfTony van Emst receives Halcrow’s award fromHis Royal Highness The Duke of Gloucester20Vox | issue five

Magic wand for knotty problemsOptimisation add-on for Microsoft ExcelFinding the optimum answer to engineering challenges is now markedlyeasier thanks to a handy optimisation software add-on supported byHalcrow’s innovation fund.OPTISOLV is easy to use, readily integrated with spreadsheets andparticularly adept at handling intricate, non-linear problems.“Virtually any type of optimisation problem that can be modelled in MicrosoftExcel can be solved using this add-on,” said Zhengfu Rao, who helpeddevelop the software package.Using genetic algorithms in a process of selection and evolution, the add-onseeks to find a range of near-optimal solutions. As Zhengfu pointed out,genetic algorithms are highly flexible and make relatively few assumptionsabout the problem they are being asked to solve.“OPTISOLV works in a very straightforward way,” he explained. “First, youspecify the objective of a proposed project, along with its variables andconstraints. Next you set some genetic algorithm parameters and startthe optimisation process, which begins generating trial solutions. You canmonitor the optimisation process and the best available solution withouthaving to leave your spreadsheet.”Features• add-on fully compatible with Microsoft Excel• robust genetic algorithm optimisation engine• seamless integration into Microsoft Excel• ranges for variable cells and constraintsBenefits• identifies optimum global solutions to complex,real problems• highest level of efficient computation• no need to leave your spreadsheet• allows progress to be monitored towardsbest solutionsISIS by Halcrowtakes industry by stormIn the two years since Halcrow launched its latest suite of ISISproducts, the company’s version of this leading software packagehas become the industry’s first choice for river modelling.With the release of Halcrow’s ISIS range in January 2008, clientscould choose between the existing Wallingford Software versionand Halcrow’s new package – and the majority opted for the latter.The company has further developed its modelling offering withthe integration of TUFLOW flood and tide simulation software, theintroduction of ISIS Mapper in January 2008 and the launch of ISIS 2Dthe following year.Halcrow’s masterstroke was a flexible licensing option coupledwith a new, significantly lower pricing structure which included ISISProfessional and ISIS Free – a limited version of the software thatcan be used for commercial purposes. The launch of the ISIS suitealso provided all Halcrow employees with access to the software atno direct cost. Two years on from the launch and Halcrow’s customerISIS is used extensively throughout the world as ananalysis tool for flood risk mapping, flood forecasting andmany other elements of flood risk management.Clients include the UK’s Environment Agency –which awarded Halcrow a three-year contract tosupport and maintain its ISIS software – governmentbodies, environmental regulators, local authorities andcouncils, drainage boards, universities and the bulk ofthe UK’s river engineering consultants.Other organisations signing up include Arup, Atkins,British Waterways, Jacobs, Mekong River CommissionSecretariat, Egypt’s Ministry of Water Resources andIrrigation, the Office of Public Works in Ireland and theScottish Environment Protection Agency.base has swelled by 50 per cent, with around 350 supported ISISProfessional licenses and 1,500 copies of ISIS Free in use.The company’s approach to marketing has compounded its success,particularly with the development of an online support communityfor ISIS users – isisuser.com. This dedicated website provides accessto manuals, support forums, useful downloadable information,knowledge bases and other productivity tools for its registered users,who number well over 2,000.To further differentiate Halcrow’s product, drive traffic to the userwebsite and raise money for charity, the team introduced an initiativewhere every user interaction generates a donation to WaterAidand the HalcrowFoundation. OverISIS two-dimensional model£1,000 has beenraised to date.Vijay Jain, Halcrow’sISIS and TUFLOWsales and marketingmanager, commented:“I have been involvedin the marketing ofISIS from the startand it’s great to see itmoving from strengthto strength. Sales havebeen increasing yearon year and there arelots of new and excitingdevelopments to thesoftware coming uplater in 2010.”Further information:isisuser.com

Longbridge Birmingham:Development begins...Astepforwarduclear new build. US high speed rail. City management.NThe UK’s Severn barrage for tidal power generation.On the surface, a seemingly disparate smorgasbordof market opportunities, but they are all united by one common– and critical – denominator. Each is a key target for Halcrow’smajor projects programme.This bold programme is a critical initiative underpinningHalcrow’s ambitious Strategy 2018, which seeks to deliver a£1.5 billion business in under a decade.There is no escaping the major project programme’s significancein achieving this aim, as it will be responsible for delivering some30 per cent of that figure – £450 million. That’s virtually the sameas Halcrow’s current global turnover.And such a seismic shift in the global fortunes of Halcrow cannotbe achieved solely by an executive task force spearheading it fromthe top. By its very nature, it requires – demands, in fact – thateach and every Halcrow employee invests time and intellect toensure its success.Group board director Les Buck, who chairs the major projectsprogramme board, echoes these pugnacious sentiments:“This programme’s goals are so big that they have to becomethe largest single influence behind the business growth plansunderpinning our 2018 strategy,” he said.“We won’t stop doing the current mix of small, medium and largeprojects, but we have to make a step change to pursue and win anincreasing proportion of major projects, too,” explained Les. “It iscritical, then, that each and every Halcrow employee fully engageswith the evolution of the programme as it unfolds in the monthsand years to come.”A fundamental shiftDespite the global economic slowdown, significant progresshas been made in the programme’s first year. “We believe therationale for developing our capability in major projects has notbeen impacted by the recent economic slowdown,” explainedGlasgow-based programme director Steve Swain. “In fact, it’slikely that governments in our key global markets will acceleratemajor projects as part of their fiscal stimulus packages. We’realready seeing the resurgence of major projects in the MiddleEast, for instance.”In early 2009, four key employees were seconded from theirrespective business groups into the major projects office tofocus on the programme full-time. Drawing on specialist skillsin project management, project planning and controls, fast-trackrecruitment and IT and work systems, the team will supportbids and projects, particularly during the critical first 100-daymobilisation period.“The programme will enhance our capability to deliver largeand complex projects in increasingly senior roles in the projectdelivery hierarchy. We will do this by adding key people,competencies, tools and processes to our core engineering andplanning skills,” said Steve. “This has moved a long way froman intellectual statement of intent to a living, breathing and veryreal programme. It will translate into bigger opportunities foremployees across the world and strengthen our brand, as wellas creating a foundation for Halcrow to move into project andprogramme management in the medium term.”Connecting neighbours: Halcrow is providingprogramme management services for the£8 billion Bahrain-Qatar Causeway22Vox | issue five

Getting there... fast: plans for high speed rail are progressing in countries across the worldA rational beastFor every interested employee to fully engage, it is important tounderstand the programme’s rationale, basis and differentiators.Taking each in turn, the rationale is to take on project roles thatenhance the wider Halcrow brand and offer opportunities forenhanced profit. Its basis is to maintain the existing Halcrowbusiness while developing a major projects capability through astaged approach.There are several areas in which a major project differs fromroutine business:• pursuit of these projects will involve significant investment toposition Halcrow in the mind of the client, with partners andin the wider marketplace, well before any formal solicitationis made by the client. All five business groups have agreed tocollaboratively fund pursuit activities well in advance of bidding• a number of key project management skills – critical tosuccessfully manage large, complex projects – will now be builtinto project teams• improvements in project specific recruitment and fast-trackdeployment• a structured approach to the first 100 days of a major projectPillars of the communityHeading up the initiative are the four pillars of the major projectsprogramme board – Les Buck, David Kerr, Yaver Abidi andAlasdair Coates.This quadratic powerhouse will oversee, steer and inform theprogramme’s strategy. Along with core governance, they willCurrent major projects• master planning, design and construction supervisionof the primary infrastructure for the £29 billion Lusaildevelopment, Qatar• lead consultant for all infrastructure elements of thefirst phase of the £23 billion Yas Island project, UnitedArab Emirates• project delivery partner for the £14 billion centralsection of CrossRail, UK• detailed design services for one section of HongKong’s Mass Transit Railway Corporation£10 billion Sha Tin to Central link, China• project management services for the £6 billionBahrain-Qatar Causeway, Qatar• lead designer for one section of the £5.6 billionMass Transit Tunnel project linking New Jerseyand New York, US• programme management services for the £2.7 billionThames Tideway scheme, UK• tender design services as part of a consortia(Forthspan) competing with one other for the£2.3 billion Forth Replacement Crossing, UK• technical advice for Sydney’s £1.2 billionpublic-private partnership rolling stock procurementprogramme, Australia• project management oversight for £1 billion of transitprojects funded by the Federal Transit Authority in theUS’s north-east region>

Longbridge Birmingham:Development begins...AstepforwardA three-pronged approachStage one – we will expand our capability to manage large,complex design and construction supervision assignmentsinvolving multiple partners and sub-consultantsStage two – we will develop our project and constructionmanagement capability over a period of five yearsStage three – we will develop our programme managementcapability, experience and reputationprovide overall accountability for its successful implementationand roll out across the company.The benefits of success are immense – brand building, businessstability through profitable long-term projects, and a truly excitingexpansion of employee career development prospects.And there is no time like the present in which to crack on, asSteve is quick to testify.“Most people are surprised to learn that the average Halcrowproject size is £90,000. They believe it is much bigger,” said Steve.“Currently, we inhabit the service provision space that deliverstraditional design solutions. While we will continue to do so, theprogramme will transform this focus into one targeted at majordesign and multi-disciplinary design management and project/programme management services. This will increase the qualityof earnings while simultaneously driving down risk.”With the help of an outside consultant, the team has alreadycommenced an assessment of Halcrow’s major project leaderpotential, benchmarked against the highest industry standards.“We will use the results of this to identify our potential leaders –each of whom will be fundamental to our success,” said Steve.Looking forward, the pipeline of potential business is also critical,as Steve adds: “We are engaging with the regional managementteams to identify major project leads and opportunities aroundthe world that are set to emerge over the next ten years.”A vision of successSo what does a major project actually look like? Yaver Abidiexplained: “Already our clients are entrusting us to play leadingroles in their multi-billion pound projects. Our top ten to 20projects are worth tens of billions of pounds, but we need to movecloser to the overall management of these projects and look toexpand the role we play.“Currently, we generally project manage as a junior partner butwe want to take the lead. Clearly we can’t do this overnight. It willtake significant individual, team and organisational change. Thatis our challenge. You may think this is something for the future –but it is not. It’s happening now.”Mapping for growthWith such a huge strategic task ahead, getting theimplementation right will be critical. Halcrow is following a threestaged approach (see box) with the ultimate goal of moving intoservices that are perceived by clients to be of higher value.“Industry benchmarking of this sector shows that firms providingprogramme management services achieve margins of over30 per cent greater than more traditional design and projectmanagement,” said Steve.This roll-out will not only allow sufficient time for capacitybuilding,learning and adaptation, but also avoid the pitfallsencountered by some of Halcrow’s competitors. By shiftingtheir emphasis too rapidly to programme and constructionmanagement, some of these companies lost capability intheir core planning, engineering and design disciplines. Theprogramme’s duration, while extended over several years, mapswell to the experience of other organisations that have made asimilar successful transition.With everyone singing from the same proverbial hymn sheet,the future for the major projects programme, Halcrow and itsemployees, should be so bright, we’ll all be wearing shades.Qatar’s newest city: Halcrow helpeddeliver primary infrastructure for the£29 billion Lusail development24Vox | issue five

State ofthenationAn interview withchief executive Peter Gammiey any standards, 2009 was aBdifficult year as many of the world’seconomies slid into recession.Projects were shelved, downsized orstalled; private sector clients operatedwith a renewed sense of caution; and thepublic sector tightened its grip on fiscalpurse strings.Yet despite fragile global markets and difficulttrading conditions, Halcrow closed the yearwith annual profits of £16 million (subject toaudit) against a target of £24 million. Thisreflects the significant costs of restructuringthe business and downsizing, whichaccounted for close to £8 million.Chief executive Peter Gammie is swift to pointout the team’s successful efforts to mitigatefinancial losses: “With the company rising tothe challenges set by our focus on the 3Cs– clients, cash, costs – we were able to pullback £4 million from overhead and regionalcosts, along with the recovery of somesignificant debts in the Middle East.”Looking forwards to the year ahead, thecompany has set a profit target of £20 million.Two strategic business areas are integral toachieving this: global delivery and businessdevelopment. As Peter explained: “The stepchange we made a few years ago with thebetter bidding process now needs to berevisited. The principles are simple: usethe right people; set individual targets andaccountability; use common tools and applybest practice. We’re also looking at globaldelivery and how to maximise the skills andexperience of employees around the world.”To help achieve this, the company willbe investing in rail, power and assetmanagement, all of which are important tothe three main regions – the UK, Middle Eastand North America. “We’ll also continueto focus efforts on the major projectsprogramme, which underpins our long-termgrowth plans,” said Peter.Halcrow’s emerging regions – Latin America,Australia, India, Europe and east Asia – allperformed well in 2009, with India doublingin size and Latin America growing by 40 percent. In response, the company has decidedto accelerate growth in these countries.Expanding on this, Peter said: “Followinga review of proposals from each region, wehave agreed to focus on Australia. Employeenumbers are set to rise from 200 to 500 bythe end of 2012 to take advantage of theopportunities the country offers. We’ll also belaying the foundations for accelerating growthin other emerging regions.”2010 must be theyear of the clientThe year also closed with a notable financialsuccess, helping secure Halcrow’s ongoingstability, as Peter explained: “We finaliseda deal with a consortium of three banks –HSBC, Lloyds Bank and China ConstructionBank – to provide £50 million of workingcapital facilities, along with additionalfacilities, including over £45 million ofbonding lines. We’ve also secured leasefinance for our new headquarters in London.”The 3Cs remain pivotal as the companyenters another challenging period. Halcrow’sclient care programme – launched last year– has generated a positive response fromaround the business, yielding encouragingresults. “2010 must be the year of the client,”emphasised Peter. “I’m asking all of ourmanagement teams to put client care at thetop of their agenda.”Cost control and cash collection are equallyimportant as Halcrow seeks to ride out theglobal recession. Reducing costs by some10 per cent this year is amongst thecompany’s stated goals. “Cash remainsthe lifeblood of the business,” said Peter.“Negotiating good payment profiles on newprojects, invoicing promptly, resolving issueswith clients and insisting that they honourcontracts by paying us on time all remain toppriorities for 2010.”

Longbridge Birmingham:Development begins...Tunnelling for the Bilanghana hydropower schemeTarget market to helpachieve Strategy 2018 goalsf global recession has stalled infrastructure developmentIaround the world, it has barely touched the economicpowerhouse that India has become over the last twodecades. Halcrow’s business there has doubled in each of the pasttwo years and a repeat performance is expected in 2010, just as itsregional managing director of seven years, David Birch, steps down.David’s tenure has seen some dramatic developments: Halcrow’soperation there has grown from five to 200 people; the Indiangovernment plans to spend £320 billion in the next five years oninfrastructure; and economic growth has set the country on course tobecome the world’s third largest economy by 2030.Since its decision to enter India, Halcrow has been riding thecountry’s economic boom. Growth in gross domestic product (GDP)peaked at almost 10 per cent in 2006 and 2007 and, while it hasdipped during the global recession of the past two years, it was stillrunning at 6.7 per cent in 2009. The country’s increasing wealthis driving an unprecedented increase in spending to improve itsnotoriously poor infrastructure, which has acted as a brake on itspotential and impacted the lives of all Indians.“In India, we are losing a lot on logistics – 40 per cent of perishableproducts in India are no good by the time they reach theirdestination,” said Rajeev Vijay, Halcrow’s regional director forconsulting business group.Halcrow is already helping to realise the government’s infrastructurechallenge. By the end of 2010, employee numbers are expected toincrease by 50 per cent to 300 and the company is expanding into newmarket sectors. It has just started work on a major urban planningproject there and is moving into the wastewater sector.Halcrow made its debut in India supervising several highwaysprojects during the then government-financed highways programme.This soon led to hydropower development, which has become astalwart of the business.Economic growth has set India oncourse to become the world’s thirdlargest economy by 2030Transport planning and then highway and bridge design for privatesector players, who were then entering this market, were soon tofollow and these three areas have become the mainstay of Halcrow’sDelhi office.“By late 2005,” said David, “the property and maritime sectorsbecame potential new business prospects for us and we opened oursecond office in Mumbai. Our work is developing well in Mumbaiwith projects like Dighi port, which we are helping to turn intoa multipurpose, nine-berth all cargo port that will capitalise onincreasing freight movement, taking a bigger share in world trade.”“We’re going to be very aggressive in our growth,” said Mital Shah,regional director for both the maritime and property businessgroups. “The greatest challenge is going to be delivering value andinnovative thinking.”More recent developments include work on airports, a moveinto urban planning and, at the beginning of 2010, the opening ofHalcrow’s new office in Hyderabad, which will serve clients in southIndia, initially in highway planning and design. It will also provide abase for global delivery, particularly for the Middle East.The Mumbai team26Vox | issue five

Dighi portIndia’s management teamHydropower development at KishangangaIncluded in current projects is a major hydropower scheme atKishanganga in northern Kashmir where the team is providingmathematical modelling, tunnelling, underground space andpower station designs. “We have people working on this projectin India, Australia and the UK,” said Iftikhar Drabu, regional directorfor water and power.Halcrow is also building a strong relationship with one of India’spremier hotel chains, Taj Gateway. Work is underway on a newDelhi-to-Mumbai freight corridor, India’s first mainline rail link tobe built to 21 st century standards. The company is also working ona master plan to develop one of the largest industrial regions inthe world in Dholera – a largely self-contained new industrial cityspread over 900km². Halcrow’s specialist expertise is needed tomanage challenges ranging from poor soil conditions, coastal zonesregulation, flooding, and the social and environmental aspects ofdeveloping infrastructure.Looking at the achievements over the last eight years, David says thatthe main legacy he will leave for his successor, Bill Peacock, will bethe strength of Halcrow’s management team and relationships withkey clients, as well as employees’ extensive capabilities and skills.Bill is looking forward to building on Halcrow’s business in thisemerging region. “This is a great opportunity to build on David’slegacy here,” he said. “We have a strong regional management teamand a real platform for growth.”David, who will continue to work for Halcrow as a consultant, aswell as taking on a new consultancy role to a medium-sized Indiancompany, feels Halcrow’s India operation is well positioned to achieveits ambitions over the coming years. They include a plan to contribute10 per cent of Halcrow’s global turnover by 2018. That will requiresustained average growth of 40 per cent each year for eight years– no mean feat, but one that David believes is achievable given theever-increasing size of the market for Halcrow’s services.David Birch spentmuch of his careerin the south Asiaregion and, longbefore he joinedHalcrow, heembraced whathas become thecompany’s purpose:to sustain andimprove the quality of people’s lives.David (second left) on an early irrigation projectAmong other things, he is credited withreorganising much of the irrigation system inBangladesh at the age of just 28, beginning hiscareer there as a volunteer for VSO.On his return from Bangladesh he completed amasters degree in irrigation, before joining Halcrowin 1979. He was seconded almost immediatelyto the World Bank to develop irrigation plans forBangladesh. In 1983, Halcrow established anoperation in Pakistan under David’s direction anduntil 1997 he travelled between there and the UK.He returned to the UK for three years before beingasked to set up Halcrow’s India operation in 2002.To this day, David is heavily involved in charitablework spearheading a plethora of projects to helpseverely disadvantaged people, for both theHalcrow Foundation and the Eva Rickett Trust.Chief executive Peter Gammie agrees: “India is going to be a realeconomic and political force in the world in the coming decades andit is for that reason that we see it as a strategically important countryfor Halcrow.”Fond farewell: David and his wife, Jane, with the Delhi team

Business Longbridge beat Birmingham:Profiling Development our begins... expertiseConference circuitToronto tapsgrowth marketIf you hop on a train or drive on a toll road inCanada, there’s a growing chance Halcrow’sToronto-based consulting team will have had ahand in the infrastructure.Led by David Crowley, this diverse, multinationalteam has been busy expanding Halcrow’s footprintin eastern Canada’s transportation, planning andengineering markets, while concurrently firmingup its presence in the country’s western provinces.Armed with PowerPoint presentations, exhibition stands, information and enthusiasm,Halcrow experts have been boosting the company’s profile at a host of industry conferences.British Ports AssociationJohn Martin and Michael Stickley represented Halcrow at theBritish Ports Association’s conference, held in Scarborough,UK, on 7 and 8 October. John delivered a presentationfocusing on the effective management of port assets, whilevisitors to Halcrow’s exhibition stand gained an insight intothe company’s port asset management system, PORTAL.Visit halcrow.com/portal for more information.American Shore and Beach Preservation AssociationUnderscoring Halcrow’s growing standing in the US coastal market, abstracts forfive presentations were delivered at the American Shore and Beach PreservationAssociation’s (ASBPA) annual conference.Halcrow’s John Martin withMike Toulsen, CostainClockwise from top left: Leah Russell, Baha Alshalalfah,Lisa Wang, Jeff Tjiong, David Crowley and Chris FongSince its formation four years ago, the team hasbeen responsible for several major transportationand transit planning projects in Ontario, Alberta andQuebec. These include ongoing transit planning,policy studies and benefits case analysis for theGreater Toronto Transport Authority (Metrolinx) andmodal demand forecasting for the City of Vaughan.Toronto is the consulting business group’s secondCanadian base, following its success in Vancouver.Held between 14 and 16 October in St Pete Beach, Florida, the event covered a rangeof domestic and international themes, including shoreline and coastal management;federal, state, and local coastal policy; and global coastal issues.Emma Fisher, Brian Joyner, Mamta Jain, John Pauling and Adam Hoskingall gave talks at the conference. Comprising a significant proportion of the80 papers delivered – drawn from across the US and internationally – Halcrow’spresentations reflected the capabilities the company brings to the US coastalmarket. Adam also served on the conference’s abstract review committee,reinforcing Halcrow’s growingstature in this field.In addition, a boothdemonstrating Halcrow’sshoreline and nearshore datasystem (SANDS) software andits range of coastal capabilitiesfurther boosted the company’spresence at the event.Terminal Operations Conference for the AmericasRounding out the company’s ports prowess Halcrow made its presence felt at theTerminal Operations Conference (TOC) for the Americas 2009, held in Buenos Airesfrom 9-11 November.(L to r) John Pauling, Emma Fisher,Michael Stickley and Jay Jahangirifrom TRE ConsultantsWarsaw expandsBooming business in Halcrow’s Warsaw office hasmeant colleagues budging up ever closer overthe last couple of years. In 2010, a doubling ofavailable office space will allow them to breathemore easily.With 475m² of new space the office now occupiesa total of 850m² over two floors, meaning the60-strong team can work in greater comfort.This is the third major move for Halcrow’sWarsaw employees in less than two years.A shortage of space prompted the shift tothe current premises in July 2008. Halcrowopened its Warsaw office in 2005 with ateam of just two.As well as organising an exhibition stand to showcase some of Halcrow’s maritimeprojects, regional managing director Sergio Sour and the local team co-ordinated allof the conference logistics – significantly raising the company’s profile at the event –while Bob West and Guillaume Lucci featured in the event programme.Some 350 people attended the conference, including port directors, maritime designand construction firms, equipment suppliers, consultants and government officials,along with a number of Halcrow’s regional contacts.Halcrow employees from New York, Boston, Houston, Santiago and London flew in forthe event.Further boosting Halcrow’s profile,the company hosted a well-attendednetworking dinner and tango show.Guillaume delivered a welcomepresentation in English and Spanish,which included an overview ofHalcrow’s involvement in the region, andannounced the opening of its new officein Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.Looking ahead to 2010, the TOC Americasevent will be held in Rio de Janeiro.(L to r) Jonathan Goldstick,Guillaume Lucci, Alejandro Labbeand Bob West28Vox | issue five

Give us the toolsHalcrow’s new asset management toolkit aids decision makingredicting the future has always been a dubious science.PHundreds of years ago Nostradamus stared gloomily intohis bucket of water and old Mother Shipton mumbled awayin her Knaresborough Cave.Engineering consultants make unlikely ‘mystic megs’ but they arecertainly in the business of peering into the future when they manageassets. However, unlike the end-of-the pier merchants, they don’thave the luxury of airy vagueness.“Clients need to know the expected life span of a road network, bridgeor drainage system if they are to avoid endless crisis management,”explained Will Williams, urban water asset management growthstrand leader. “For financial and practical purposes they need tobalance the likely benefits of different options, especially in times oftight budgets. Without solid, reliable predictions about asset longevity,clients could face severe financial headaches down the line; at worstthey could face a disaster.”Awareness of the importance of asset management has grownsharply in recent years, not least because of carbon accounting. Butthe methodology has lagged behind demand and has often relied ontime-consuming inputs based on fragmented historical data.The Halcrow asset management toolkit is a new all-in-one solutionto this increasingly important challenge. Created by the urban waterasset management team in Swindon, UK, with support from Halcrow’sinnovation fund, the toolkit aims to help technical engineers assistclients in considering investment decisions. The suite of softwaretools, developed over two years of testing and collaboration withcolleagues, allows consultants to get a bird’s-eye view of costbenefits, optimisation, carbon accounting and risk modelling.Asset management planner Sue De Rosa project manageddevelopment of the toolkit, along with colleagues Paul Conroy, AlecYeowell, Nicola Vemmie and Zhengfu Rao. She says the componentscan be used individually or in combination to produce an integratedbespoke analysis of assets.“The tools all complement each other,” explained Sue. “They helpwith decision making and allow joined-up thinking, boosting ourpresence in the international asset management market. I anticipatethat many people will use a pick and mix approach. For instance,in a water project you could run the cohort analysis to rank pipes thenrun the cost-benefit analysis on the different cohorts to assess theoptions and priorities.”“Although the toolkit has only recently been released it has generatedconsiderable interest throughout Halcrow,” said Paul Conroy,chief engineer for urban water asset management. “We’ve alsohad positive feedback from clients, particularly Bournemouth andWest Hampshire Water, which used the cohort and cluster models totarget their investments, make informed choices and prioritise theirdecision making.”With more and more clients seeking asset management expertise,Paul points out that the toolbox will require ongoing development.“Our challenge is to integrate an even broader range of assetmanagement tools and methodologies for a range of asset types,” hesaid. “We hope this will help Halcrow increase its potential marketand reach its targets for life-cycle asset management.”The downloadable software suite is available in four separateExcel spreadsheet or Word files:• a cost-benefit analysis tool providing comparisons ofpotential investment returns from different options• optimisation software tools, including a cohort model anda ‘cluster’ tool for infrastructure assets and an energy costminimisation system (ENCOMS) for non-infrastructureassets looking at the project’s whole life cycle• a carbon accounting tool measuring all greenhousegases produced through burning fossil fuels during assetconstruction, transportation and installation• a generic risk model, applicable to any set of assetsFurther informationWill Williams on +1 678 461 3412Paul Conroy on +44 (0)1793 815600

Sustainable solutionsIt’s in our handsAwash with ideas for boosting wildlifeDreary flood storage areas in the UK could be transformed intoecologically rich havens bursting with wildlife and damp-lovingplants as a result of Halcrow research.While natural flood plains buzz with wildlife year round, man-madeflood storage areas (FSAs) have always been their poor relation.Still and stagnant, the deep waters that bank up during flood eventsswamp any plants lying beneath and are inhospitable to wildlife. Thereceding floods reveal stretches of parched, dank wasteland.An imaginative new report from Halcrow, however, should ensurefuture FSAs adapt valuable lessons from nature. Existing FSAs willalso be rehabilitated to create richer habitats.‘Achieving more: operational flood storage areas and biodiversity’,is one of the more inspirational outcomes of the government’sPitt Review into the floods that engulfed the UK during the saturatedsummer of 2007.With flood events likely to increase as a result of climate change,the review made it clear that improved flood prevention would beneeded, but also recommended that the Environment Agency and itspartners look at working with more natural processes in managingflood water.Commissioned by the Environment Agency, Halcrow providedtheoretical and practical guidance to ensure FSAs contribute tonational biodiversity and designations targets, such as the UKbiodiversity action plan. Project manager Jo Cullis and her teamworked closely with renowned Open University wetlands expert DavidGowing and Cranfield University’s Tim Hess as consultancy advisers.The report will be used to inform Environment Agency policy makingand provide practical guidance to its project managers.Central to the newapproach is a five-stagebiodiversity potentialdecision key. The keyproposes solutions andtrade-offs betweenthe engineeringrequirements offlood managementand opportunities tomaximise biodiversity. Inpractical terms, simplycreating a wider floodarea with reed beds and island refuges could create an enhanced,more diverse environment – allowing reed beds to flourish and layersof nutrient-rich sediment to settle.“This is a highly innovative project,” said Jo. “Environmental inputshave often been treated as an add-on to the design process. Now,they should be considered an integral part of the project rightfrom the outset with ecologists working in partnership withengineers and designers.“The project has been very wellreceived by the EnvironmentAgency and we hope itwill begin to influenceits policy until thisapproach becomesfully embedded inthe designprocess.”Diversity beckons:Lower Todmorden flood storage areaA blue iguana soaks up some raysHome sweet homeLife is never easy when you are a member of an endangered species– ask any Cayman Islands blue iguana.Try meeting the girl or boy of your dreams when there are only 100or so potential partners on the market…Fortunately, the daily grind of iguana life on the sun-soakedCaribbean island is looking up with the arrival of some attractivenew low-cost housing which should appeal to even the mostdiscerning iguana householder.Over 100 iguana shelters ofdifferent sizes have been builtwith help from HalcrowYolles’s CaymanIslands office.The director of the Blue Iguana Recovery Programme (BIRP), FredBurton, approached Halcrow Yolles for advice on a resilient materialto replace the previous wooden shelters which had rotted away.The brief was to find a material that was light yet durable andalso lent itself to mass production. Halcrow Yolles suggested anunreinforced latex modified grout and the supplier kindly agreed toprovide the material for a fraction of commercial costs.Dozens of shelters have already been cast by volunteers andcarried into the Salina Reserve where BIRP is leadinga drive to boost iguana numbers. The shelters willprovide a safe hiding place for the iguanas, whosepopulation was decimated by modern farmingpractices and predators. In recent years, thanks toBIRP, blue iguana numbers have climbed from an all-timelow of around 25 to over 200.In addition to developing the new shelters, the Cayman IslandsHalcrow Yolles team is standing by to provide structural engineeringservices for a proposed European Union-funded visitor centre.30Vox | issue five

Sowwah seeds of changeAs Sowwah Island rises steadily fromthe sea off Abu Dhabi’s coast, Halcrow’sinvolvement in the project has evolvedand expanded to keep pace with theemirate’s latest mixed-use development.Halcrow provided environmentalservices to the dredging and reclamationcontractor, Oger Abu Dhabi, as theisland took shape. What began as athree-month contract snowballedinto a 16-month undertaking, withHalcrow retained for a handful of projectextensions after demonstrating itspalpable worth. As well as providinga full-time site presence, the teammanaged all environmental aspectsof the project on the contractor’sbehalf, including representing OgerAbu Dhabi in meetings withclient Mubadala.The client clearly approved.In December 2009, Mubadalaawarded Halcrow a separatetwo-year contract to conductenvironmental monitoringaround the island. This workis a built-in requirement of theconstruction permits issuedto contractors.Aerial view in November 2008Artist’s impression of the completed developmentHalcrow will undertakeweekly water qualitymonitoring at four locationsin the channels encirclingSowwah Island, as well asmonthly noise monitoringat four sensitive receptorpoints. Halcrow’s marinebiologists are gearing up to Construction continues apace, March 2009carry out quarterly ecologicalsurveys at ten sites around the island’s perimeter, drawing on the team’s specialistdiving skills to analyse the environmental effects of construction.What began as a three-month project worth £50,000 has swelled to three-anda-halfyears of work generating over £520,000 in fees – illustrating the potentialrewards of a proactive approach to client care and securing repeat work.Tradeston bites green appleAs well as connecting physical spaces, Glasgow’s Tradeston Bridge has closed thegap on the city’s future aspirations through its forward-thinking, visionary design.The new pedestrian bridge received the gold award for regeneration at theUK’s Green Apple Awards 2009, reflectingthe judges’ focus on sustainableconstruction and urban renewal.Glasgow’s latest landmark pickedup further plaudits at theSaltire Awards – seepage 19 for details.Halcrow’s Peter Lyttle (right)and BAM Nuttall’s Ian Steelewith television presenterAlexandra BastedoWRAPping upconstruction wasteThe UK construction industry sends some 25 milliontonnes of waste to be buried in landfills each year,amounting to almost one third of the country’s totalrefuse. Halcrow recently signed up to a bold commitmentto halve the amount of construction waste dumped by2012, compared with 2008 levels.Steered by the Waste and Resources Action Programme(WRAP), the initiative represents a tangible step towardstreating waste as a resource and boosting reuseand recycling rates within the industry – recognisedas an essential step-change by the commitment’s200 signatories. And the potential carbon savingsgenerated by a consistent, structured approach to wasteminimisation and management are undeniable. Materialsare extracted, processed and transported to site atconsiderable economic and environmental expense,frequently only to be discarded unused. Conservativeestimates suggest that reducing waste by ten tonnesaverts around five tonnes of CO 2equivalent.Group sustainability manager Nick Murry commented:“This represents a collectivepush from clients,designers andcontractors to worktogether, ensuring wedesign out waste rightfrom the outset ofevery project.”More informationwww.wrap.org.ukNick Murry with JohnBarritt, WRAP’s aggregatestechnical advisorFuture focusedYoung engineers at Halcrow are taking on engagingresearch projects through the Engineers of the21 st Century (E21C) programme; a collaborativeinitiative led by Forum for the Future.A conduit for enthusiastic, innovative thinking, thescheme involves partnering strategic clients in cuttingedgesustainability research. As part of the currentE21C project Halcrow – together with the EnvironmentAgency, Morrison Construction, Interserve and BritishWaterways – is developing an appraisal method forconstruction materials used in flood defence projects.The project aims to establish a strategic approach tomaterial use; enabling accurate whole-life assessmentand costing from the earliest design stages.More than 30 future leaders from within Halcrowput themselves forward for the current project. “Thekeenness to get involved was inspiring, and I amlooking forward to similar enthusiasm in relation tothis year’s project,” commented group sustainabilitymanager Nick Murry.Further information: murrynja@halcrow.com

Halcrow expertise helps address coastalerosion in Costa Rican conservation reserven his first night in Costa Rica, Simon Burchett crouchedin the sand and watched by torchlight as a matureOleatherback turtle painstakingly dug a hole and laid hereggs, before slowly dragging her gnarled carapace back down thebeach to the waiting tide.Halcrow’s principal coastal engineer initially headed to PacuareReserve on the central American isthmus in June 2009 to assessthe extent of coastal erosion. Owned and managed by UK charitiesRainforest Concern and the Endangered Wildlife Trust, thereserve is one of the world’s top five nesting sites for the criticallyendangered leatherback, hawksbill and green turtles. A slender6km strip of rainforest, it is bordered by the Caribbean Sea on oneside and Tortuguero Canal on the other.Hemmed in by these watercourses, the reserve is only accessible byboat and is devoid of infrastructure connections – visitors to Pacuaremust cope without electricity, telephones, fresh water or seweragemains. Howler, white-faced capuchin and spider monkeys and bigcats prowl and chatter through the undergrowth while agami heronsconstruct their nests in the wooded wetlands. “Although the areais very wild and remote,” Simon explained, “it’s readily apparentto anyone visiting that it is also extremely fragile. A delicateequilibrium exists that sustains the overall health of the ecosystem.”Faced with increasingly frequent breaches from the nearby lagoonand coastal erosion threatening to destabilise nesting groundsand sweep away camp buildings, the charities’ trustees – aware ofHalcrow’s strong coastal management reputation – originally soughtthe company’s help through its London base in March 2009. Withthe maritime business group agreeing to find volunteers to assist,coastal market sector director Peter Barter and Glasgow-basedJulia Nammuni met with the charities in April to establish the extentand severity of the problem.His close proximity to Costa Rica and ideally matched skillsrendered Simon – from Halcrow’s office in Tampa, Florida – anideal volunteer. Based on his June site investigation Simon reportedback on his immediate findings, recommending further monitoringand modelling to help determine the most sustainable short,medium and long-term strategies to combat both river breachesand coastal erosion.Meanwhile Julia – a recent graduate of Delft University ofTechnology’s master of science programme with the Halcrowawards scheme – was ploughing through her network of academiccontacts to find willing partners. Through her former professorat the Netherlands’ largest technical institution – renowned asa world-leading research hub for coastal and fluvial science andengineering – an enthusiastic group of graduate students wasselected to pick up where Simon’s evaluation left off.Armed with support, advice and £500 backing from Halcrow, theDutch quartet formulated a research plan and sought further32Vox | issue five

The Delft students on the beach at PacuareCreeping erosion threatens breeding grounds and research buildingsfunding. During their October visit to the reserve, thegroup measured beach profiles, river cross-sectionsand flows. This data was then used to build computermodels capable of testing different options for futurecoastal and fluvial management.Julia, Peter and Simon provided ongoing supportand advice, helping the students with their studywhere possible.Back in the Netherlands, the students presentedtheir work on the project, which has formed anintegral part of their masters programme. Peterand Simon are hoping to meet the charities over thecoming months to present and discuss the findings.“This research highlights the inter-relationshipsbetween river and coastal systems and humanintervention” said Simon. “Ultimately, we hopethis project will encourage local authorities topromote a more balanced and holistic approach toland-use planning.“Further, we hope this example of a meaningfulintersection between education and charity needs,delivered via Halcrow, can encourage and promotesimilar projects in the future.”Giant of the sea• The leatherback turtle is the largest of all living seaturtles, averaging 1.2m to 1.9m in length and weighing250-700kg• It is the only sea turtle with a soft shell – a leathery,oil-saturated carapace that is dark gray to black withwhite or pale spots• Nesting at intervals of two to three years, leatherbacksonly lay their eggs on lonely stretches of beach ineastern Malaysia, south east Africa, French Guiana, andon Costa Rica’s Caribbean shore• A male leatherback, found on the coast of Walesin 1988, was 3m long and weighedalmost 908kg• Recent estimates of global nestingpopulations indicate26,000 to 43,000nesting femalesannually – a dramaticdecline from the115,000 estimated in 1980

Sustainable solutionsIt’s in our handsLook up for green space in TorontoCanada’s financial capital is now 835m 2 greener, thanks to TorontoTransit Commission’s (TTC) recently unveiled garden roof at EglintonWest subway station.Halcrow Yolles provided consultancy services and is currentlyreviewing the feasibility of installing green roofs at other TTC sites.The Eglinton West roof will capture and absorb storm water,reduce urban heat island effects and protect the roof membranefrom weathering, prolonging its lifespan. Life cycle analysisundertaken by Halcrow Yolles demonstrated the net savingsavailable to the TTC.Ensuring subway services remained uninterrupted during theroof’s construction, the Halcrow Yolles team delivered a design thatcomplements the original architectural features of Eglinton West, builtin 1978.Installed by Gardens in the Sky, the Eglinton West green roof is thefirst of its kind on TTC property and adds to Toronto’s existing 200rooftop green spaces.The hardy sedum plant, which requires little water and provides a‘green carpet’ look when not in bloom, was ultimately selectedfor the project.Motorists and passengers on the city’s public transport networkare now afforded a pastoral view as they travel through Toronto’sbustling mid-town.Over 70,000 sedums blanket the station’s roof, divided into 5,000pre-vegetated modules and laid out in evenly spaced rectangularrows framed by gravel walkways for easy access and maintenance.Eglington West: green space inthe heart of the cityNatural selectionHalcrow’s natural wastewater treatment team – part of the urban water andwaste skill group – is preparing for a new wave of water treatment processes.As the amount of wastewater produced by the global population grows, naturalwastewater treatment systems are increasingly being seen as a simple, costeffectiveand efficient purification method. These systems are used all over theworld to purify industrial, domestic and agricultural wastewater.Under the direction of Michael Norton, the team has expanded and developedat a rapid pace in answer to this increasing demand, with members in the UK,US, United Arab Emirates and India. The team has recently thrown itself into achallenging programme of research and development activity, strengtheningHalcrow’s position as a leader in the field.The work includes a critical assessment of design approaches for naturalwastewater treatment. Also, a quantitative carbon assessment and comparisonhas been made of treatment plants that service approximately 2,000 people,using alternative methods such as extended aeration, constructed wetlands andwaste stabilisation ponds.Elsewhere, a collaboration with Cranfield University in the south of Englandincludes researching methane recovery from anaerobic waste stabilisation ponds– a type of pond system used in waste stabilisation treatment facilities.Colin Gittings, who acts as a central contact for the team, explained: “Wepresented a paper using this research at the third European water andwastewater management conference, held in Birmingham on 22 September 2009.The event offered a terrific platform on which to share our findings. Entitled ‘Lowcarbon technology for wastewater treatment’, it was written in collaboration withmembers of the consulting business group’s environment team.”Upping Halcrow’s profile – in particular in the area of constructed wetlandtreatment systems – the company has also joined the Constructed WetlandsAssociation and was recently elected to a position on the committee.Why the future is naturalSimplicity: the design and construction ofnatural wastewater plants are very simple. Evensmall building companies can build them andlittle training is required to maintain them.Cost-effectiveness: building, labourand maintenance costs for these plants arerelatively low. They are much more convenientthan the conventional (biological) wastewaterplants during the operational phase, as theyrequire almost no energy consumption or wastetreatment. Mechanical devices are not used inthese treatments, which keeps maintenancecosts down.Efficiency: natural systems will generallyremove most pollutants, though efficiency ishighly dependent on climatic conditions – lowtemperatures can make them less effective.Reliability:natural systemsare very reliableeven in extremeoperatingconditions, andthey can absorba wide varietyof hydraulic andorganic feed.A natural wastewater treatment system34Vox | issue five

Stream of successfor cloud to coastAs climate change tightens its grip over the coming century, water is undoubtedly theresource where extremes of scarcity and excess will be visibly manifested. Drought, flooding,chronic shortages and conflicts over water supplies are set to blight communities around theworld with increasing regularity – and the effects are already apparent in some regions.Halcrow’s new approach to water management and investment planning – developed jointly withCardiff University’s school of engineering in Wales – provides an integrated vision of the water system,aligned with the company’s recently launched water scarcity strategy. The cloud to coast (C2C) conceptadvocates a holistic method for considering water infrastructure development and maintenance over shortand long-term planning timescales. As well as assessing the impact of climate change on water resources,C2C provides a framework for evaluating potential mitigation and adaptation strategies. Weighing upinvestment decisions, the concept ensures proposed solutions are robust, flexible and cost effective.Halcrow’s water and power managing director, Michael Norton, and Halcrow professor for watermanagement at Cardiff, Roger Falconer, recently presented the C2C concept at the UK’s Royal Academy ofEngineering workshop on water security. Michael said: “By considering the water system as a whole, fromcloud to coast, Halcrow will be recognised as a thought leader and effective provider of consultancy servicesrelated to current and future challenges.”Kunle Akande, who leads the C2C core team comprising Sarah Heardman and Peter Halstead, added:“The global water scene has had, until now, a dual responsibility to provide water and wastewater servicesand protect water quality, and to prevent damage from flooding – irrespective of the nature of wider watersecurity threats to its water systems. While different, these responsibilities are complementary and fallunder the broad umbrella of strategic water management, which is the pivot upon which C2C revolves.”Fleshing out this system-based approach, the C2C core team and Cardiff University employees arecurrently developing a unique, multi-disciplinary programme; designed to provide solutions and servicesfor water industry clients. Given its broad range of applications and capacity for adding value, Halcrow’sC2C programme is being targeted at existing and potentially new global clients. These include water utilitycompanies, wholesale suppliers of water and water-based products, international financial institutions,regulators, non-governmental organisations, local authorities and developers.Halcrow’s chairman, Tony Pryor, commented: “The C2C concept motivates us to think more holistically whenaddressing multi-disciplinary projects and encourages greater communication, giving clients confidencethat we’re providing integrated solutions to their greatest challenges.”Paradise regainedA watery wildlife haven near Romania’s Black Sea coast is to bepreserved using Halcrow expertise.Located south of Braila city – one of Romania’s largest port hubs– Braila wetland forms part of the country’s national natural parksnetwork and is home to pelicans, otters and wild boars.Its ten small islands are threaded through with a tangled networkof narrow channels and its position – midway on the migrationroutes between northern Europe and north Africa – makes it adestination of choice for birdwatchers.Halcrow’s development planning and design team has won acontract to develop the zoning urban plan (ZUP) for the wetland.The 12-month contract, which began in December 2009, willpreserve the natural environment within a protected area, with theoverarching aim of developing environmentally friendly tourism.ZUPs have developed in response to ongoing damage to fragilewetland zones,which are frequently Braila wetland is a wildlife havendrained and convertedto farmland orcontaminated byupstream pollution. Thecontract was awardedby Braila County Counciland will constitute thebase for future work inthe area.

Mpunguzi villagers get to grips with their new stoveGiving generouslyHalcrow Foundationcookingup changein tanzaniaThe Halcrow Foundation has donated £7,000 to supportthe Sunseed Tasmanian Trust’s (STT) fuel efficient stoveprogramme. Working with three villages in the semi-aridDodoma province, central Tanzania, STT promotes the use of, andhelps to build, sustainable mud stoves.Previously, local women cooked on open fires inside their huts. Aswell as being highly inefficient requiring large quantities of fuel,the indoor fires spew out smoke – leading to eye and respiratoryconditions – and are prone to spills, causing burns. Harvestingwood for fuel has led to chronic deforestation in the region, with92 per cent of residents relying on vulnerable forests for survival.Insulated mud stoves – constructed with locally-sourced,sustainable materials – drastically reduce the fuel requirementsfor cooking. Requiring less wood, village women have to makefewer trips carrying heavy loads, exposed to the risk of potentialanimal or sexual attacks. This frees up time for schooling orincome-generating activities. External chimneys direct smoke outof the cooking area, promoting better health.With the foundation’s backing, STT has trained selected villagersas stove builders, helping them invest the money they earn fromthis work. They are fully trained to monitor stove quality andperformance to resolve any arising problems.Cerci says merciIn just a few short years aschool for children with specialneeds in Maputo, Mozambique,has expanded from a singleroom, where students watchedtelevision all day, to a purposebuiltfacility providing specialistcare, education and support.This rapid transformation isthanks, in part, to £10,000 fromthe Halcrow Foundation.Established in 2002, registered local charity Cooperativa para aEducação e Reabilitação de Cidadãos Inadaptados (CERCI) works withchildren ranging in age from six to 15 years. Their needs and level ofdisability also vary – students’ conditions include Down’s syndrome,Asperger’s, autism and severe learning difficulties.The majority of those attending CERCI’s school are unable tocontribute towards school fees, severely curtailing the school’s abilityto operate.Project managed by former Halcrow employee Baghi Baghirathan, theHalcrow Foundation’s funds coverrunning costs for a year.With the support of a trained,specialist team, providing speech,occupational and physical therapy,the children are flourishing. Theschool is split into three classesbased on the children’s level ofdisability and each group has madeconsiderable progress.Intensive physiotherapy has beenintroduced for those with severe physical disabilities, and two childrenwho were previously unable to walk are now able to do so unassisted.A girl whose movement had been restricted to lying on her stomachcan now sit up on her own. Children with moderate levels of mentaldisability and other disorders are making huge strides in developingtheir speech, vocabulary, emotions and fine motor skills.For children with relatively minor disabilities, the goal is to enableprofessional and social integration with their peers. Motivated andeager to acquire new skills, the majority of this group are now able toread, write and do basic mathematics.From 20 children at the beginning of 2009, CERCI’s school now catersfor 28 students. The support and treatment they receive is helpingthese vulnerable young people develop to the best of their ability;saving them from a life of hardship on the fringes of society.The children and staff of CerciIntensive physiotherapy ischanging children’s livesExercises to develop fine motor skillsOver the course of the first year, the aim was for 25-30 per centof households in each village to gain an efficient mud stove. Bythe end of 2009, this means between 750 and 1,000 households– approximately 3,000-4,000 people – have benefited from theHalcrow Foundation’s donation.Find out more at www.sunseedtanzania.org36Vox | issue five

California dreamin’becomes realityOpting for a hand up rather than a hand out, a £10,000 grant from theHalcrow Foundation is helping transform the lives of young peoplefrom some of California’s most deprived communities.This much-needed cash injection is set to bolster the InternationalTrade Education Program’s (ITEP) internship scheme, which targetsdisadvantaged students from Los Angeles and the surrounding region.Long Beach-based sponsor Stacey Jones recognised the potential toreinvigorate the industry by engaging tomorrow’s workforce. Blowingopen predefined life paths and steering isolated young people towardsa productive future, the internship scheme’s long-term benefits willpermeate the southern California harbour community.Working with local schools, the ITEP boosts students’ skills and selfesteemthrough work experience placements, along with workshopsand mentorships.Interns are exposed to a host of professional and personal experiencesthat mesh together to prepare them for a working future. Graduatesleave the ITEP with a new found sense of self-confidence andteamwork, a solid work ethic and effective communication skills.Looking forwardto a brighter futureHalcrow is working closely with the ITEP and schools in theWilmington neighbourhood of Los Angeles. Home to the largest portcomplex in the US, Wilmington is one of the most impoverished andunderserved communities in the state.Complementing the foundation’s financial commitment, local Halcrowoffices are both hosting interns and providing mentors for programmeparticipants – nurturing nascent talent and shattering students’constrained career expectations. Drawing on industry contacts,Halcrow is helping the ITEP set up further placement opportunities inmaritime trade, transportation and logistics companies in the area.Lessons at Sengera primary school, Kenya, are now shielded from theelements following a collaboration between the Halcrow Foundationand a local charity, the Health and Water Foundation (HWF).Established in 1937, Sengera is the district’s oldest school. Severalclassrooms had fallen into disrepair and it lacked sufficient teachingspace, with some children forced to take lessons outdoors.An £11,000 grant from the Halcrow Foundation enabled HWF toconstruct two classrooms, fitted out with desks for 100 of the school’spupils. Extensive planning meetings were held with parents andteachers as the project scope and designs were developed, serving tomobilise the community.Constructed from brick and concrete, the sturdy buildings featurereinforced roofs to combat the high winds that whip through the region.Parents chipped in, providing unskilled labour to complete the build.Thanks to their improved learning environment, Sengera pupils arethriving. Attendance levels are up and following this success HWFplans to refurbish schools across the district.The champion quiz team with F.R.O.D.O. chief executive Vanessa CummingsLondon team triumphsat business challengeA London quiz team blitzed the competition at the Canary WharfBusiness Challenge, coming in first place.Held on 9 November, Halcrow thrashed the competition from suchbig city names as Morgan Stanley and PricewaterhouseCoopers.Sengera pupils outside one of the classroomsPutting the secret of its success down to a well-rounded team,captain Sue Davies said: “We had Ben Hillier from finance, ConanDwyer and Frances Lubbe from MIS and transport planner BarrieSheppard, along with modern cultural knowledge from Roy Mustoeand Andrea Warr.” Rounding off the team were Reg Evans, whorecently retired from Halcrow, and a guest contestant, Tom Jay.The quiz was organised by the Foundation for the Relief of DisabledOrphans (F.R.O.D.O.), a local charity – supported by the HalcrowFoundation – that improves the quality of care for children living inRomanian orphanages. The London offices raised £500 to donate tothe charity at the event.

Employees around the worlddig deep to help rebuildshattered communitiesFlooding in the Philippines, earthquakes in Indonesia,Haiti and Chile. Over the past six months, the worldhas been rocked by a series of natural disasters –killing thousands, displacing whole communities anddestroying homes.In response to the Halcrow Foundation’s emergencyappeal, employees in their droves plunged themselveselbow-deep in flour, ditched their regular office outfits infavour of jeans and pounded the pavements – all to raisemuch-needed funds.Halcrow offices around the world held cake sales, dressdown days, sponsored walks and raffles, with some evencombining all these activities – and more – in dedicatedfundraising events.The Doha team raised£980 through voluntarydonations, a buffet lunchand an office bingo event,with the Lusail site teamadding a further £375 toQatar’s contribution.CelebratingScotland’s patronsaint, Glasgow’sCity Park office helda Wii championship,golf puttingcompetition andcake sale, raising atotal of £450.The Toronto team donned fancy dress costumes for aHalloween-themed charity event. A pumpkin carvingmission of epic proportions produced an array ofghoulish jack-o’-lanterns, raising £615 forthe foundation.A ‘sweet and savoury’ day in Australia’sChatswood office netted £240 for theHaiti appeal.As part of its Haiti appeal the Dubai teamswapped houseful furnishings through a novel‘re-home a chair’ breakfast, raising £730 forthe foundation.38A cake sale at Swindon’s Burderop Parkoffice in late 2009 brought in £150, while arecent cake and book sale on 24 Februaryraised a further £368 for the Haiti appeal.Family recipes were on show in Marchas entrants vied for the title of ‘bestcake maker’ – and the rest of the officescrambled to purchase the results.The Chichester office stretched its cake production over several weeks –dangerous times for dieters but a top result for the Haiti fund, with£175 donated.While most employees in the Cardiff office took advantage of the casualdress code on 30 October, some of the team came to work in super herooutfits, helping to raise £75.Sharjah office staff council representatives Manish Anand and RichardHatfield organised a local collection for the Haiti appeal, raising animpressive £1,855.Vox | issue fiveFundraising in Tees Valleyraised a grand total £450 forthe emergency appeal.Two cake sales, twodress-down daysand a Christmasraffle in London’sVineyard House andShortlands officesraised around£3,000, and aninternational lunch isplanned for March.Halcrow’s Middle East offices held aregional morning tea in November, raising£1,370 in Dubai, £950 in Sharjah and £661in Abu Dhabi.The Bucharestteam ‘daredto wear theircraziest t-shirts’,donating £125to support thefoundation.Goodbye, old friendFriday 26 February marked the end of an era. After 31years spent jostling for supremacy with fu manchus,handlebars, pencils, walruses and pancho villas, thedeath knell sounded for Yaver Abidi’s moustache.Halcrow’s hirsute group development directorpledged to shave off his prized facialfurniture once the amount raised hit£1,000. Safety proved fleeting for Yaver’smo as donations galloped past thetarget within 24 hours. Vineyard Housecolleagues met Yaver’s upper lip for thefirst time after a date with a cut-throatrazor, with the total amount pledgedtipping the £2,000 mark.

Green Phoenixspreads itswingsVulnerable people living in an affordablehousing project in Toronto will enjoybetter kitchen and dining facilitiesthanks to Halcrow Foundation funding.A £20,000 grant is re-equipping thecommunity kitchen in the basementof Phoenix Place – a tower block inthe historic Parkdale area of Torontoproviding 136 single occupancyapartments for people on low incomes.Run by the Parkdale United ChurchFoundation, Phoenix Place has providedhomes since the 1970s for people whostruggle to find alternative low incomehousing, in an area where demandgreatly exceeds supply. Tenants includementally and physically disabled peopleand recent immigrants.Providing access to healthy food, aswell as good quality, affordable housingis a central plank of the Phoenix Placemission. The kitchen facilities are usedby members of the local community aswell as residents.Foundation funds will pay for theexisting kitchen to be reconfigured andequipped with new appliances, allowingfor a possible expansion of the PhoenixPlace community dinner programme,which provides meals for up to 60community members.Improving end of life careSt Catherine’s Hospice in Crawley, UK, is leading alocal ‘end of life care’ education, training and supportprogramme, partially funded by an £8,000 grant fromthe Halcrow Foundation.Working with four care homes in the hospice’scatchment area, the project aims to drive significantimprovements in palliative care practices in the region.According to a recently publicised end of life carestrategy, produced by the UK government’s departmentof health, inadequate employee training is the singlelargest barrier to delivering quality care in residentialhomes – and insufficient funding is the primary hurdle to improving training.Rising from the ashesMarysville in the Australian state of Victoria was almost wiped from the map on ‘BlackSaturday’ in February 2009, when raging bush fires tore through the peaceful tourist resortclaiming 34 lives.When the flames finally died down the stunned survivors returned toa blackened wasteland. Hearing that fellow Victorians were frustratedby their inability to provide practical help, local resident Judy Janscame up with a novel plan. “I rang up ABC Melbourne and said thatone easy way to help was to give a cutting or two to people whosegardens had been completely destroyed,” she said.Lending an ear: a hospice employee with patientWith the Halcrow Foundation’s support, the initiative will help influence and shape the deliveryof end of life care in the local area. Improved training will enable more people to be looked afterand die supported at the home they are familiar with, rather than in hospital. The project aimsto produce an educational model that can be passed on to other care homes, making a real andlasting contribution to the quality of end of life care.Employees from Halcrow’s nearby Crawley office took part in St Catherine’s annual dragonboat race and bike ride in 2009, and the team is planning further fundraising activities tosupport the hospice.Phoenix Place residentsThe kitchen refit is part of the GreenPhoenix project – an extensive overhauland updating of the apartment complexusing green technology such asgeothermal heating, green roofs andenergy efficient windows.Katharine Harvey, apersonal assistant inToronto’s Halcrow Yollesoffice, proposed thegrant.Green-fingered well wishers from around Victoria immediatelyopened their hearts and raided their borders and greenhouses. Sooverwhelming was the flood of plants that poured in that it looked asif it would be an impossible task to keep them alive – until Halcrowemployees and the Halcrow Foundation stepped forward.Digging deep, Halcrow colleagues in Australia and the HalcrowFoundation donated £1,600 to help provide an irrigation system tokeep the valuable gifts alive until local people are able to rebuildtheir homes.On a recent visit to the town, Halcrow’s regional communicationsmanager, Tim Dehn, met Judy and witnessed first hand thecommunity’s indomitable spirit.Dwarfed by flameMarysville, November 2009Pointing to a pipe running around the guttering of her property,from which hang small spray nozzles, Judy explained why herswas the only house on the street left standing: “That’s what savedour home.” she said. “It created a curtain of water as the firecame through, and kept us alive.”Judy Jans in front of the nurseryA lump of metal is all that remains of Judy’s car. “It’s hardto comprehend, as a city-dweller, just what bushfires cando,” said Tim. “I’m glad I came. I’m glad there are survivorslike Judy. And I’m glad my colleagues and the HalcrowFoundation are playing a part in this community’s recovery.”A green-fingered gift

Giving generouslyHalcrow FoundationChildren are benefitingfrom improved sanitationThousands of desperately poor people living in Kenya’s overcrowded urbanareas are seeing their lives transformed by all-in-one biocentres, funded bythe Halcrow FoundationAsuccessful pilot biocentre in Kibera has been serving up to500 people since 2007. Now, thanks to a £20,000 grant, anew centre is to be built in Kisumu, western Kenya.Crowded together in the low-income settlement of Obunga, theindustrial area of Kisumu, people face a grinding daily struggle forfresh water and toilet facilities. Latrines are few and far between andof poor quality. In recent years cholera has broken out several timesin Obunga’s densely-crowded back lanes, claiming dozens of lives.The £20,000 two-storey biocentre will house a public toilet blockdivided into male and female sections with showers and water taps.Solid waste will be converted to organic fertiliser with methane pipedto a gas cooker in the first floor kitchen.“The biocentres are planned to be sustainable community facilities,”he said. “Local people gain valuable skills through being trained todo the building work and they take part in operating the centres.The income generated by the centres covers their running costs andensures their sustainability.”The Kisumu biocentre is the latest Kenyan project to be fundedthrough the Halcrow Foundation. As well as the Kibera biocentre,the foundation has funded emergency relief work in Kibera and theconstruction of a latrine block for children at a school in Rirumi.A community centre on the second floor will be used for meetings,markets or as a café. A water kiosk will be erected beside thebiocentre, ensuring a constant supply of fresh water.Around 500 local people will use the sanitation facilities on a dailybasis, and the kitchen and community facilities should also provide afocus for up to 3,000 people in a settlement which has practically noinfrastructure. It is hoped the centre will be open by late 2010.The design will be based on the highly successful Gatwekerabiocentre in Kibera – also funded by the Halcrow Foundation – butwill be adapted to suit local needs through consultation with thecommunity. The Gatwekera project has already been used as a pilotleading to a further three centres funded by Water and Sanitation forthe Urban Poor (WSUP).Opened in 2007 to serve people living in sub-Saharan Africa’s largestslum, the Kibera biocentre received a £10,000 grant from the HalcrowFoundation. Prior to the facility’s construction, residents enduredsqualid sanitary conditions with faeces lying in the streets. Womenwalking to communal toilet areas late at night were especially at riskof assault and attack.40The foundation’s involvement with the project is led by Halcrowemployee and WSUP programme co-ordinator Rob Clarke. Robworks closely with local non governmental organisation the UmandeTrust to ensure the scheme’s safe delivery.Vox | issue fiveThe original biocentre in Kibera

Ernesto volunteersskills for PeruWith millions of Peruviansheavily reliant on the stately – yetincreasingly unstable – Andeanglaciers for their water supply,the future of this delicate watercycle hangs in the balance.Donating his time and skillsthe cause, Atlanta-based ErnestoGianella played an integral rolein a water mapping project in thecountry’s northern region.Ernesto discusses hand-washinghabits with the next generationHalcrow’s principal engineer – who originally hails from the LatinAmerican republic – joined a specialist volunteer team for thetwo-week stint in October 2009, based in Cascas (La Libertad) andCajamarca. Working as part of the Water for People’s volunteerprogramme, the group mapped and assessed existing water supplysources and sanitary conditions in the area. Ernesto dipped into hisannual leave to participate in the project, funding the trip himself.toPink and hairyin Norwich“Don’t worry, it will grow back,” is the standard appeasement dishedout after a particularly bad haircut.Halcrow’s Norwich office, along with teams from the EnvironmentAgency and BAM Nuttall, took this adage to the extreme to raise fundsfor Cancer Research UK and the Breast Cancer Campaign.Shelving their razors at the beginning of October clean-shavencolleagues Matt Philpot and Ben Raybould cultivated enviable beards,while the usually closely shorn Tom Jones stopped shaving his headfor a month.Upping the stakes, Kevin Marsh bet BAMNuttall’s Adele Dodgson and Halcrow projectadministrator Angela Rowe they couldn’tmaintain a week’s solid silence in the office.Turning uncharacteristically taciturn, thecommunicative pair secured the sponsorshipfor charity.Jamie (seated) with Matt and TomReflecting on the experience, Ernesto said: “I’ve always wanted tovolunteer my time and engineering skills. Having the opportunity to dothis in my native country was especially meaningful.”Rated residentReinforcing its reputation as a valued neighbour, Halcrowreceived effusive thanks at a prize-giving ceremony held by theBrook Green Association – a local residents’ group active in thearea adjacent to London’s Vineyard House office.On 30 October the team swapped office attirefor head-to-toe pink and held a cake sale. LyleMersey had his legs waxed – an eye-wateringexperience through which the entire officegritted its collective teeth – while JamieManners sacrificed his prized flowing locks.The team’s efforts saw over £800 raised forthe charities, with more than a few folliclesshed in the process.The team goes pink for a dayHalcrow donated £500 to support community projects, threeof which were recognised at the awards – a church meshingtogether diverse societal groups, a newly-created play spaceinitiated by local gardeners, and the Kilornan Trust, whichprovides respite and support for carers.London regional director Sam El-Jouzi, who attended theceremony, commented: “Local residents I spoke to were pleasedHalcrow has decided to stay in the area, and our sponsorship wasgreatly appreciated.”Ten taches raze MovemberGlobal razorblade sales dipped slightly in November as men in theirthousands shunned a daily shave to raise money for men’s health– specifically prostate cancer. Ten follicly-facile employees fromHalcrow’s Edinburgh office shelved their razors, cultivating gravitydefyingmoustaches for the month of ‘Movember’.Clean-shaven at the start of the challenge, their ensuing stubbleblossomed into an ambitious range of styles – from dense caterpillarsand impassive pancho villasto graspable handlebars andother comical appendages.month-long challenge,grooming and trimming theirrampant facial hair with relish. As Movember wore on,visitors to the office could have been forgiven for thinking they hadinadvertently stumbled into a Burt Reynolds appreciation convention.The team’s bristly commitment raised £850, contributing to the£24 million donated worldwide.Once the inevitable concernsfaded – ‘Will my girlfriend stillbe attracted to me?’ ‘How willmy Gran recognise me?’ – thetached ten embraced theHirsute pursuits in Edinburgh

Giving generouslyHalcrow FoundationGet on the busAs the white speck drewcloser, shrouded ina pulsing dust cloud,unbridled anticipationrippled through theremote Gambian villageof Bakary Sambouya.After more than a year’swait and lengthy delaysin transit, the newcommunity bus finallyarrived in the ruralhinterland – tightlypacked with essentialequipment and supplies– to an ecstatic welcome.Packing the vanwith suppliesJubilant arrival:community driver, PaThe welcoming partySince the previous vehicle spluttered to a halt residents had no meansof transport to bridge the long distances to neighbouring villagesor vital medical services. Halcrow Foundation funding has helpedUK-based registered charity The Kambeng Trust implement severalprojects in the rural village, including a bee-keeping initiative.The trust applied for a £10,000 grant to source a replacement bus, andthen spent a year trying to find a suitable vehicle – one old enough toensure spare parts are available in Gambia, but still with plentyof wear left. Eventually a well maintained ex-police vehicle wassourced from Germany, with sufficiently low miles on the clock.After a protracted delivery process – the precious cargo wasmistakenly shipped to the Ivory Coast, then rerouted to Gambia viaAntwerp – the bus was impounded at the docks for several nail-bitingdays, with its release hinging on a form-filling marathon.Another project for ProspectBreath of fresh air: a Prospect resident takes in the hospice groundsContinuing its support for Prospect Hospice in Swindon, the HalcrowFoundation has provided £15,000 towards the overhaul of one of itsspecialist inpatient bathrooms.The foundation had previously written an £8,000 cheque for a newpatio, completed in April 2009, which provides residents and visitorswith a sheltered space overlooking the hospice grounds.With over 300 admissions last year, the hospice’sinpatient facilities must be capable ofaccommodating people during their final stages of life. Originallyfitted 12 years ago, the existing bathroom fittings required continuousrepairs to maintain even the most basic functions.Refurbishment work includes a revision of the total available bathroomspace with a view to maximising patient independence and control.The existing bath and hoist will also be replaced, meaning even themost physically dependent patients will be able to bathe comfortablyand with dignity.Promoting a sense of well-being is a high priority, and the HalcrowFoundation is helping ensure the hospice’s physical facilitiescreate a calm yet stimulating atmospherethrough the use of specialist planning,design and equipment.42Vox | issue five

To send condolencespensionsteam@halcrow.comTo rememberMohammed Altaf from the Leeds office passed away on26 November 2009. He is survived by his wife, Rizwana.Benjamin Garfield died on 4 January 2010. Aged 92,he was a widower.Philip Morris died on 30 January 2010, aged 84. He is survivedby Margaret, his wife.David McCutcheon(1948 – 2010)A respected role modelA distinguished Halcrow careerspanning more than two decadeswas unexpectedly cut short with thesudden death of David McCutcheon on1 January 2010.Joining the company in 1988, Davidworked on a huge variety of projects inlocations around the world – from Saudi Arabia to Asia and the UK.Whether designing roads or nuclear power plants, his approach to alltasks exuded a calm sense of focus.David’s contribution in Hong Kong and China between 1996 and 2001is particularly noteworthy, where his input helped deliver strategicregional projects such as West Rail, Tolo Harbour and the East Lantaurail tunnel. More recently, David helped steer Halcrow’s involvementin UK nuclear projects at Harwell, Dounreay and Aldermaston, andwas held in high regard by clients and colleagues alike.At the time of his death, David was working as a senior structuralengineer within the water and power business group, based inSwindon’s Burderop Park office.Water and power managing director Michael Norton said: “Davidalways conducted himself in a calm, respectful and dignified mannerand was a role model of Halcrow’s values.”He is survived by his son, Neil.Halcrow pensioners’ 2010 reunionFollowing the success of 2008’s Highlandgathering, a warm welcome is extended to allretired Halcrovians, partners and associates forthe 2010 event.Where: Atholl Palace Hotel,Pitlochry, Perthshire, PH16 5LYWhen: 16 October 2010, 12.30pm – 4pmCost: estimated at £35 per headTo confirm attendance: Harry Peterstel +44 (0) 1292 266933email harry.peters1@btinternet.comFor accommodation bookings, contact:Atholl Palace Hotel (Gillian Gordon or Jessica Beattie)tel +44 (0)1796 472400email info@athollpalace.comAlumniObituariesCharles ‘Chic’ Walker(1944 – 2009)An imaginative explorer who loved lifeCharles ‘Chic’ Walker’s inquisitive streak was clearly evident at manypoints in his life – one which he lived to the full. He died in November2009 following a brave, protracted battle with cancer.Chic joined Halcrow’s Edinburgh-based performance audit group(PAG) in 2001, specialising in contractual issues. Drawing on hisextensive experience – gained from a quarter-century spent in HongKong and Malaysia – he was a popular member of the PAG team,imparting knowledge and advice with trademark care and humour.In sharp contrast to his previous work in sweltering tropical conditionshe quickly carved out a niche in winter maintenance, helping raisegritting and ploughing standards on Scotland’s trunk roads. Chic’scharacteristic modesty, however, meant his colleagues were largelyunaware of his extensive charitable work outside the office.While working in Hong Kong during the 1980s, Chic becamefascinated by the story of the Scottish Olympic athlete and missionary,Eric Liddell, who died in a Japanese prison camp in China, 1945. Thebackground to Liddell’s 1924 Olympic track gold was recounted in theOscar-winning film Chariots of Fire. All traces of Liddell’s grave hadevaporated after the war, but Chic set out to uncover it. After monthsof determined research and several visits to the former camp, Chicidentified the grave site and organised a 2m granite headstone to betransported to China. The permanent memorial was unveiled in 1991at a ceremony attended by Liddell’s relatives and ten former interneesfrom the prison.Later that year Chic helped set up an international charity based inHong Kong, the Eric Liddell Foundation, and in 2008 was appointed atrustee of the Eric Liddell Centre in Edinburgh. The centre operatesnumerous community care projects for the elderly, and thosesuffering from dementia and other illnesses.Mining Scotland’s rich past, Chic profiled some of the country’s mostdistinguished leaders and achievers in an expansive, reflective book;A Legacy of Scots. He also co-authored a definitive textbook on privatefinance initiatives (PFI) in infrastructure, published in 1995.Chic is remembered for his infectious enthusiasm. In typical style, hereturned from a Halcrow project in Kazakhstan with an enhanced CV:he had acquired the skill of belly-dancing. Chic retired in 2005 andcontinued to work part-time with the PAG team until early 2009.Chic’s former Halcrow colleagues miss a man who lived every day tothe full, who shared knowledge and advice freely, and enriched thelives of all he worked with.He is survived by his wife, Liz, four children and six grandchildren.

People paradeTaking a breakCity slickersBudding young engineers across the US faced a timely challenge in January whenthey displayed their entries for the Halcrow-supported Future City Competition.Just days after the Haiti earthquake, the youngsters were exhibiting modelsintended to ‘create sustainable housing for people who have lost their homes dueto the financial crisis or a natural disaster’.Held as part of National Engineers’ Week, the annual competition is open to middleschool students – usually aged between ten and 14 – and aims to introduce youngpeople to engineering. It also encourages problem solving and teamwork, alongwith research, presentation and computer skills.This year, Halcrow sponsored special awards in the New York and Tampa regionalfinals of the competition.Mine your head: Halcrow’scavers take a breakGoingundergroundNovember 2009 saw geotechnical teams fromManchester, Tees Valley and A-one+ Area 7, Area 10 andArea 12 meet at Halcrow’s Manchester office for theannual UK north geotechnical training day.Highway geotechnics framed the day’s discussion – atopic selected for its relevance to the teams’ ongoinggeotechnical support of managing agent contractor areasfor A-one and A-one+.After the day’s activities, 11 nocturnal cavers donned hardhats and followed Derbyshire Caving Club volunteers deepinto a local copper mine’s inky depths.While miners last chipped away at the subterranean rockface during the early 20 th century, metal extraction fromthe Alderley Edge site dates back over 4,000 years.In New York, the Halcrow-sponsored award for the most environmentally friendlycity was carted back to the Bronx by the winning school. Halcrow’s judges, TalhaMuhammad and Amol Paranjape, applauded the students’ design efforts, whichincluded greenhouses, a water treatment system and solar panels integrated intohigh-rise buildings.Halcrow backed the visionary water and wastewater system category at the Tampafinals, judged by Paul Robinson. The water resources engineer met with each ofthe 20 entrant teams on the day and talked through their designs.“Many of the teams had come up with strikingly imaginative back stories for theirdesigns,” said Paul. “Some had re-engineered cities in the US and even Cairo inEgypt. Another team had set theircity in the year 3429 aftermost of mankind had beendestroyed by man-eatingmosquitoes!”Continuing herinvolvement as partof the organisingcommittee, Halcrow’sEva Chan helpedco-ordinate corporatefunding for the 2010 event.Members of the winning team with theirenvironmentally friendly citySnapping up recognitionAzure sky meets cerulean ocean, its glassy surface pierced by statuesque concrete piersrising out of the sea. The bridge span stretches, purposefully but incomplete, from the tunnelportals drilled deep into the rocky island’s sheer face.Viewed through the lens of Halcrow’s Garry Whitaker, this rendition of South Korea’sBusan-Geoje Fixed Link was recognised by US-based infrastructure magazineEngineering News Record as one of the top construction images of 2009.Looking east towards Daejuk and Jungjuk islands, the photo captures theproject’s scale and magnitude for posterity, providing a record as the8.2km-long link takes shape.The Swindon-based communications manager snapped the image from thetop of an unfinished bridge pylon – towering a vertiginous 150m above sealevel – as part of an international press visit.Selected by a panel of judges from 1,752 entries, Garry’s shot is one of 30chosen to represent the best in amateur construction photography.Garry’s winning shot44Vox | issue five

Model studentsHats off: Halcrow’s Colin Walker and Chris Short with St Roch’s studentsHalcrow’s ongoing endeavours to make the world of work come alive in Glasgow’sclassrooms were recognised at the Scottish Council for Development and Industry’sInternational Awards 2009, held on 6 November in Edinburgh.Halcrow took home the Scottish Government’s outstanding partnership working withschools award for its collaboration with St Roch’s secondary school and linked primaryschools in Glasgow.Over the past three years Halcrow has worked closely with teachers and pupils from theschools – located in some of the city’s most deprived areas – to introduce technical conceptsin an engaging, practical context. Students get a feel for a career in engineering and theskills involved through projects such as the ‘bridge design challenge’. Run by Colin Walker,this initiative guides primary school pupils through each aspect of the bridge design process– from initial concepts on the drawing board through to construction.Grand standingA hangover from a more genteel era, theUK’s bandstands have enjoyed a recentrenaissance as investment is pumped intohistoric parks. Halcrow’s principal landscapeand recreation consultant, Paul Rabbitts, hasextended his passion for civic spaces to theirornamental Victorian structures.In his spare time, Tees Valley-based Pauldelved into the history of the bandstand andcompiled a book on the subject. “In my lastjob I was responsible for the replacementof the original Sun Foundry bandstand inMiddlesbrough’s Albert Park,” he explained,“and I found the history of it fascinating.Historic parks up and down the countrywere being restored along with numerousbandstands, and I wanted to know more.Nothing existed on bandstands so it becamemy subject matter.”Paul appealed to his consulting colleaguesacross the UK for examples of bandstandsin their local parks, steadily accumulatingcontent material. Bandstands will bepublished in early 2011, and the manuscriptis currently with publisher Shire Books.As the UK’s resident bandstandexpert, Paul was invited toappear in a new BBC4documentary on parks, due toair in May 2010.As part of the programme Halcrow’s Glasgow office threw open its doors, steering pupilsthrough computer-aided design techniques to fine-tune their structures and polish theirpencilled plans to a professional standard.Class trips to Halcrow-designed bridges in the city – including the Clyde Arc and Tradestonfootbridge – gave the budding engineers an up-close look at the finished product, renderingthe project’s purpose in steel and concrete.St Roch’s pupils further ramped up their employment preparation with a series of Halcrowledcareer information initiatives, mock interviews, enterprise events and visits to the office.Commenting on the accolade, Donald Bell said: “This award puts Halcrow at the forefrontof sustainable community development in Scotland and is the result of the imagination andcommitment of people across the office. We are proud to be part of the St Roch’s community,helping local young people achieve their potential.”Halcrow’s Colin Walker and Donald Bellaccept the award with pupils from St Roch’sGive us a tune: Paul is interviewed by BBCpresenter Dan Cruikshank in Lincoln Arboretum’srecently restored Sun Foundry bandstand

Achieving ambitionsRaising the barConsummate professionalsChairman Alun Griffiths withapprentice Matt JonesGraduating with honoursChris and Natalie with Halcrow’s Caroline TongYou’re hiredTwo Halcrow graduates won plaudits at the 2009 New CivilEngineer (NCE) graduate awards – the first time any companyhas fielded two finalists in one year.Having both been selected for a six-strongshortlist for the graduate of the year award,Swindon-based Chris Lloyd was namedrunner-up, while Glasgow’s Natalie Wardwas highly commended.Entrants were judged on all-roundability, with their enthusiasm forcivil engineering evaluated alongsideacademic and work-related achievements.Matt Jones is set to shadow Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) Wales Cymruchairman Alun Griffiths during his year in the post. Selected as the chairman’sapprentice after an intensive interview andpresentation process, the Cardiff-based assistanthighways engineer will attend seminars andtake part in ICE Wales Cymru board meetingsand other activities. Matt’s role amplifiesHalcrow’s engagement with the ICE in Wales,strengthening the company’s local networks.Follow Matt’s 12-month apprenticeship:www.icewales.blogspot.comJulia Gilles, Susan Cross, Gareth James, RichardSmith and David Gregory have been awardedthe UK transport planning professional (TPP)qualification via the senior route – a time-limitedprogramme for experienced transport plannerswho have made a substantial contribution to theprofession. They are joined by Clive Tombs, whoachieved TPP qualification through the normalassessment channels.Prize-winning posterBack in May 2009, Rahat Ali Siddiquiimpressed the judges at the ConcreteSociety’s annual poster competition withhis entry, entitled: Parametric study onsnap-fit connection systems using finiteelement methods.Rahat was subsequently invited to attendthe society’s annual constructionlunch in October. TheGlasgow-based structuralengineer took homesecond place, awardedby the Concrete Society’schief executive, RichardEngland, and Scotlandregional chairmanPaul Browne.Rahat Ali SiddiquiIN BRIEFHalcrow achieved a sterling 81per cent pass rate at the recentInstitution of Civil Engineers(ICE) 2009 UK professionalreview session.The following employees are nowcorporate members of the ICE:• Ryan Chan, transportation,Warrington• Jonathan Copnalltransportation, Warrington,(commended)• Andrew Etheridge, maritime,Chichester• Marcus Holley, transportation,Manchester• Kathryn Holroyde,transportation, Manchester• Iain MacDonald, maritime,Swindon• Susanne McInnes, property,Glasgow• Sarah Dye, water, Reading• Sanjiv Mishra, transportation,London• Peter Stanbury,transportation, Worcester• Paul Evans, water, Swindon• Felix Tam, transportation,London• Nuno Muralha, transportation,ChichesterThe following transportationbusiness group employeessuccessfully passed theirprofessional review withThe Geological Society,and have gained charteredgeologist status:• Kate Denton, Manchester• Jenny Green, Swindon• Andrew Doe, London• Chris Jackson, Tees Valley• Joanne Norris, Peterborough• Andrew Hoskins, CardiffGianpaolo Busacchi fromLondon’s tunnels team hasgained chartered status throughthe European experience routeby submitting a report of hisexperience to the ICE.Lynsey Wallace from Glasgow’stransportation team has becomea chartered member of theQuality Institute.Jet Cameron, a senior plannerin Edinburgh, Scotland, has beenselected asan examinerfor theArchitect’sRegistrationBoard, whichmaintainsthe UK’sregister ofarchitects.Graeme Forsyth hasbeen appointed asthe UK representativeto a PIANC workinggroup – the worldassociation forwaterbourne transportinfrastructure. Seeking to impartbest practice for navigationstructures – improving resilienceto overloading – the internationalgroup will develop structural,mechanical, electrical andoperational guidance to assureperformance during and after aflood event.Eva Felpel recently completed amasters in economics, gaininga distinction. Juggling part-timestudy with full-time work, theEdinburgh-based economist’sdissertation focused on thesocial cost of carbon and itsapplication in UK policy.46Vox | issue five

Right: Andy and RobinHaile andhearty runnersHalcrow’s Andy Lowe and Robin Wood,along with two colleagues from theNile irrigation project, joined 34,000green-shirted runners surgingthrough the streets of Addis Ababafor November’s Great Ethiopian Run.With the doyenne of UK distance running,Paula Radcliffe, and Ethiopian double Olympic gold medallist Haile Gebrselassie firingthe start gun, the quartet embarked on the gruelling 10km course. Battling soaringtemperatures and the formidable 2,300m altitude, Andy was the first Halcrow runner tocross the finish line, posting a time of one hour.She shoots, she scoresGlasgow’s City Park office fielded two teams for the Ladies’ Engineering Shield fivea-sidefootball tournament in October. After closely contested play-offs, Halcrow’sThundercats emerged victorious with two wins out of three.Cool runningsBraving glacial temperatures, Ula Zawadzka fromHalcrow’s Warsaw office swept to third spot in alocal cross-country skirace. An assistantproject managerin the capital’shighways team,Ula ploughedthrough snow drifts in-20 degree celsiusconditions to claima well-deservedpodium finish.Ula has alreadylined up her nextendurance test – a30km run.Sporting successField of dreamsDavid Birch was on hand to present the prizesThe teams celebrate witha post-match drinkDaredevils soar to victoryTreacherous off-break spin, blistering pace and venomous boundary strokes were onshow at the India team’s annual cricket match on 10 January, as the Daredevils tookon the Royal Challengers.With captain Neeraj Sharma opting to bat first, the Royal Challengers faced a barrageof speed and spin from the Daredevils’ bowling attack, including a lethal second spellby Hari Kumar and Sunder Singh.Set a target of 109 the Daredevils launched their offensive, with Subhash Nautiyaland Hari anchoring the innings. Despite the toiling of bowlers Jitendra Manwani andSunder Rawat, the batting side coasted to victory. Subhash won the dual accolades ofman of the match and best batsman for a classy half century, while Hari was namedbest bowler.Ula in actionHigh fivesSix hardy souls from Inverness traded theirSunday lie-in for bone-crunching tackles andsustained exertion on 5 December.Braving the piercing December chill, StuartCampbell, Murray Innes, Lachlan Cowan,Darren Richardson, Duncan McKellar and IainMacCallum took on all-comers at a local five-asidefootball tournament.Despite fielding one of the oldest squads in thecompetition, Halcrow squeezed through thegroups stages on goal difference.Battling fatigue the team dug deep for thequarter finals, eventually succumbing to a5-1 defeat.

Longbridge Announcements Birmingham:Development Happy days begins...2314567891210111) Mario Arenas from the Santiago officeand his wife, Paloma, welcomed their son,Martín Nicolás, to the world on 1 December2009. He weighed 2.8kg.2) Delhi’s Komal Prakash and husbandRahul were blessed with a baby girl,Tiruprasundari, on 7 September 2009.3) Sirinthorn Libwanich from Bangkokand her husband, Pramuan Bungsai, wereoverjoyed at the birth of Pley on 8 December2009. She weighed 4.6kg.4) Roger was born on 6 December 2009,weighing 3.3kg, to Andrew Gao of theToronto office and his wife, Jennifer Xu.5) London’s Kuru Kasilingam and NirushiyaKuruparan became proud parents whentheir son, Adithya Kuruparan, arrived on19 September 2009. The baby’s name waschosen based on his birth numerologynumber of one and means ‘sun god’according to the Hindu scriptures.6) Congratulations to Glasgow’s Paul Reidand his wife, Donna, who are now proudparents of a little girl – Megan Elise. Meganwas born three weeks early on 11 May 2009,weighing in at a healthy 3.5kg.7) Mohan Joshi from the Delhi office and hiswife, Babli, were overjoyed at the arrival ofbaby boy Ritesh on 22 September 2009.8) Ethan Tam was born on 2 October 2009to proud dad Felix, from London’s VineyardHouse, and mum Tracy. He weighed 3.3kg.9) Roseanna was born on 1 October 2009,weighing 4kg – to the delight of Chichester’sDavid Hollingsworth and his wife, Robyn.10) Bing Yao from Shenzhen and husbandRoc Jin celebrated the birth of their son on6 December 2009. He weighs 3.55kg.11) Double delight for Peter McAteer of theToronto office and his wife, Erin, when theirtwin girls were born on 8 February 2010.Eleanor Jane weighed in at 2.47kg and hersister, Abigail Maye, at 2.75kg.48Connections Vox | issue five | July 2008

131415161719182021 2212) Krisha Kaur was born on 24 October2009, greeted by ecstatic parents RavinderSason from Delhi and his wife, Kiranjit.13) Nauras Sayed from the Delhi office andher husband, Saiz, welcomed their beautifulbaby girl, Rimsha, into the world on26 November 2009.14) Andrew Logie of Glasgow’s environmentteam and his wife, Daniela, are now theproud parents of bouncing son Alessio, bornon 11 October 2009 weighing 3.5kg.15) Charlotte Grace was born on9 October 2009, weighing 2.8kg, tooverjoyed parents Ian Hellen from theEdinburgh office and his wife, Alison. Hereshe is with daddy and big sister Lucy.16) Catherine Taggart and her husband,Kevin, are proud parents of MaeveVeronica, who arrived on 4 November2009, weighing 2.95kg.17) Hannah Yvonne Seymour was born on13 September 2009, weighing 3.3kg.Parents Laura and John both work inHalcrow’s Manchester office.18) Delhi-based urban planner BhavyaPurswani celebrated her marriage toDeepak Kukrety in a romantic ceremonyon 1 December 2009.19) Jiao Mengjun from the Shanghai officemarried his beautiful bride, Yan Dandan, on6 October 2009.20) Shenzhen bridge engineer Sam Ruanand bride Guo Xuan enjoyed their wonderfulwedding day on 20 December 2009.21) Worcester’s Jennifer McInerneytied the knot with husband Steve beforefamily and friends on 19 June 2009 inWhittington Church.22) Mark and Sally Robinson (nee Balding),both of Halcrow’s York office, exchangedvows on 30 August 2009 at the York Hiltonand enjoyed a blissful honeymoon in Crete.

Longbridge Out of officeBirmingham:Development A day in the life begins...OFF THE MAPChris Ewing helps chart Niger’s road to recoveryFlood water flattened mud-walled housesThousands of people were left without shelter after largescaleflooding swamped Niger in September 2009, withtorrents of muddy water claiming homes and livelihoods.Halcrow’s Chris Ewing visited the land-locked west African republicin December last year as a volunteer with MapAction. The charitysupports disaster relief efforts by providing up-to-date situationmaps, pinpointing areas where resources and aid are most urgentlyneeded. More recently, MapAction deployed ten volunteers to Haiti inthe wake of January’s earthquake. Working closely with emergencyagencies, the team compiled search and rescue maps to co-ordinatethe hunt for survivors trapped in the rubble.In Niger, Oxfam sought MapAction’s help to train local aid agenciesin mapping regions devastated by flooding. The London-basedgeographical information systems (GIS) analyst signed up for theproject, which forms part of a wider Oxfam/Water Aid initiativehelping communities across west Africa apply water resourcemanagement techniques to combat water scarcity.After touching down in Niger’s capital, Niamey, the team of threespent the next few days training local employees to use handheldglobal positioning system (GPS) and low-cost GIS tools. Used tochart points of interest, this technology enables Oxfam to build mapsof designated areas and share information across project teams –the location of a well or impassable road, for example.to GPS software andGoogle Earth. Thegroup then visiteda local village thathad borne thesurging brunt ofrecent flooding– wells had beeninundated, farmlandsubmerged, andmud-walled homesdestroyed. Chriscontinued: “Usingtheir newly-acquiredGPS skills, the AIP Takkeyt team located and recorded the locationof damaged wells and boreholes. Back in the office we downloadedthe GPS data to Google Earth, which was the first time any of thetrainees had seen satellite imagery of their surroundings. It enabledthem to place the whole exercise in context – after everyone hadfound their house, of course! Most importantly, the subsequent mapshelped show locations where water reserves are low.”Community mapping in the field, AgadezOxfam’s local employees are now adept at producing community andlocal-level maps – an essential tool in responding to humanitariancrises. Water Aid and Oxfam plan to replicate this initiative in othercountries in western Africa, harnessing mapping techniques forwater resource management and helping communities to installbasic sanitation and water supply facilities. MapAction is gearing upto provide GIS and GPS training as the project gathers momentum.Chris’s extra-curricular activities require a hefty time commitment:“Last year I volunteered about 20 days of my time for MapAction,” hesaid. “We also have to be able to deploy to a disaster area in as littleas 24 hours, so it’s helped that Halcrow has been very understandingand supportive.”Reflecting on his experience, Chris commented: “I was struck byhow interested and keen everyone was. It was a highly rewarding tripand the enthusiasm of the local teams means water resources willcontinue to be mapped at a local level – helping Oxfam seethe overall picture in the region more clearly.”Chris with the team from AIP TakkeytFrom Niamey, Chris travelled north east to Agadez –a market town in the country’s northern region.“The area has a rich history and was previously athriving tourist hub,” explained Chris. “But visitornumbers have dwindled in the face of simmeringconflict between Tuareg rebels and governmentforces, with the local economy faltering as a result.”This lack of alternative income sources means thatdespite the region’s desolate, dehydrated plains,local communities remain heavily reliant on livestockand agriculture for their livelihood.The trio led a three-day training programme tointroduce Oxfam’s local delivery partner, AIP Takkeyt,50Vox | issue five

Spot the differenceMake a differencePhotomontages help everyone involved in a project – clients, consultants,contractors and all stakeholders – share a single vision.A powerful explanatory tool, photomontages let you illustrate thetransformation of a site – in urban spaces or rural environments.Enhance the service you offer your clients. Say more with a picture.More informationAndrew Linfoot, linfoota@halcrow.comNick Flower, flowernp@halcrow.com

Longbridge Birmingham:Development begins...In uncertain timesonly the agile surviveOnly the most adaptable companiesride out difficult conditions. Providingfree, commissioned client, marketand competitor research and analysis,the business intelligence unit (BIU)can help you gain a competitive edge.Get the big picture, assess allopportunities and obstacles, andgain strategic insights.The BIU – helping youstay ahead of the gameFind out more about the BIUHalnet/business development/business intelligence unit