CESA Aon 2019

CESAAON ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2019

AON ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2019

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CESA AON ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2019

Business Excellence

36

Young Engineer of the Year

Publisher of the Year: Newspapers and Trade Publications 40

MESSAGE FROM CESA’S CEO

The importance of correct procurement “Execution of projects becomes

is respected worldwide.“As an industry we are optimistic about contributing to the infrastructure that is required in the country. This is not a profession that can be taken lightly as infrastructure always concerns the health and safety of the public.” The status quo remains Campbell explains that even though there is no difference in economic activity between 2018 and 2019, the difference is that there now is increased hope of a better future. “The issues that have affected infrastructure delivery leakage corruption and discourage people from pursuing such activities. In addition, tax collection that will feed the fiscus is no better than it was last year which means there will be budget constraints in terms of infrastructure spend.” He says the challenges for consulting engineering are the same. “The industry is still facing poor procurement decisions, money originally destined for infrastructure is being siphoned off while there is a vacuum of leadership at the major state owned entities. Many leadership positions are acting positions. We need to get to a point where we have a future-thinking leaders to turn these organisations around, enabling them to deliver on their mandates and use the services of reputable consulting engineers.” are not going to change overnight. “It is a massive task to root out

problematic when the procurement is defective,” says Campbell. In local government, final decisions about tenders are not made by technical people, but driven by procurement practitioners. The latter assume that ‘cost’ is their only responsibility: they also have to also ensure that the bidding companies are indeed in the business of consulting engineering and not tenderpreneurs. “If this does not happen, there is no value for money and the business of consulting engineering is eroded.” According to Campbell, the problem is twofold. “Even when you have legitimate companies bidding, the scope is often poorly defined. In addition, the less expensive service provider is not going to provide clients with the end product that is needed and clients may end up with a product that is an operations and maintenance nightmare”. Part of the discussion Campbell says there is a need to collaborate with key stakeholders in both the private and public sectors to undertake the roles they are meant to play in delivering infrastructure. “For a few years now we have embarked on a campaign of partnerships with Government in order to assist and advise the public sector how to maximise investment in infrastructure,” he explains.

“N ow more than ever,” says Campbell, “we require ex- cellence from engineering practitioners as we have an increased number of users that rely on functional infrastructure. This requires greater emphasis on innovation, quality, outstanding workmanship, and pro- fessionalism in delivering sustainable solutions. We need the infrastructure to provide the functionality that societies and communities depend on.” As an industry association CESA recognises companies that put their best feet forward and produce quality service delivery, despite challenging conditions. “Recognition is significant as our procurement regime now gravitates towards appointing a ‘least cost service provider’, many of whom are not members of CESA. We need to recognise the value of what quality is all about.” Campbell says South African engineering expertise

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CESA AON ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2019

MESSAGE FROM CESA’S CEO

infrastructure is as important as investing in new infrastructure. If you spend more money on maintenance, you will need to spend less on recapitalisation,” Campbell maintains. Multinationals: threat or opportunity? Campbell says that South Africa is not an island. “We live in the global economy. We have had multinationals set up shop in the country for some time now. This is something we welcome as it is a good opportunity for local practitioners to get big project exposure and dispel the myth that South African engineers do not have sufficient experience to manage large projects. In addition, it offsets the lull in workload locally – rather than retrenching people they can often be redeployed elsewhere in the world – a double benefit.” Recognising excellence, despite industry challenges Despite challenges, there are still examples of excellence. Infrastructure

“Sadly,” says Campbell, “I still see elements of mistrust between Government and industry borne out of the 2010 collusion. So, in some instances the tarring with the same brush of contractors and consulting engineers is still the case. But it is borne out of a limited understanding of the distinction between contractors and consultants. Education needs to happen – but this will be a long journey.” ‘Doing more with less’ Campbell says the phrase means that the industry can be more efficient in how it goes about investment in infrastructure. “Originally about R800-billion was budgeted for infrastructure over a three year period. With the drain on the fiscus, lower tax collections and adjustments to the medium term expenditure frameworks these budgets were all adjusted downwards. Our need for the infrastructure has not changed, but the money available has. A smarter approach to the process will derive more efficiencies.” A recent South African Institution of Civil Engineering report gave the infrastructure in South Africa a D+. “That means that our infrastructure has not failed, but that is in nowhere near what it should be. Obviously maintenance is a big factor. An ongoing rigorous maintenance regime is necessary as maintenance of existing

is a long term investment and needs an informed and holistic approach. “Only in this way will we ensure that future generations are not saddled with the plague of early failure of infrastructure. Such infrastructure was created by the recipients of the CESA Aon Awards for Engineering Excellence. These projects also play a role in stimulating our economy,” concludes Campbell. z

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CESA AON ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2019

AON MESSAGE

Defining volatility “Before you can discuss the importance of risk readiness in a volatile environment, you have to define what ‘volatile’ is. South African businesses are faced with policy, economic, political, and labour force uncertainty. Climate change can now be added. “Volatility takes different forms and businesses need to adapt to what is important for risk mitigation for traditional and non-traditional risks,” he continues. “The biggest risk for the CESA member companies – also the biggest risk currently worldwide – is economic slowdown and slow recovery.” The danger with the slowdown in the economy is that it influences the risk preparedness of companies. “Across the country businesses are looking for ways to save money. They are making selective decisions around where they believe they can cut costs,” warns Williams. “In tough times companies accept a lot more risk – when there is not much work, everyone is fighting for a little piece of the pie. That is where the role of professional and qualified advice comes in. Aon’s Legal Risk Management Services provide a clear understanding of professional risk, and give specialist legal opinions and advice. Sustainability of clients Williams is clear about Aon’s role in the sustainability of clients. “Sustainability is the basis to achieving empowered results. No bank loans money for infrastructure without an insurance policy to back it up. We do not give ourselves enough credit for our role in empowering results, communities, and economic

possibilities. Insurance underpins all of that as it gives individuals and companies the ability to start again.” No one size fits all “With insurance, companies expect advice first and foremost. For consulting engineers especially, Aon South Africa offers a rich understanding of the business challenges on the continent. Businesses can no longer use insurance as a transactional type reward – it has to be a tripartite relationship: client, broker and carrier. In addition, it has to be a relationship that stands the test of time – only this will drive businesses forward,” says Williams. As a leading provider of insurance and reinsurance broking, risk consulting and employee benefit solutions globally, Aon has a unique understanding of the status quo in various industries, can leverage scale and has availability to take a global look and create solutions for South Africa. “Ethics and integrity play out across every aspect of insurance. As much as it is a contract in law, it is a contract in good faith and trust. Insurance policies are not written to deal with people’s integrity and ethics, they are written to support companies and those that work for them when it all goes wrong. We are an utmost good faith environment,” Williams concludes. z

A on’s 2019 Global Risk Man- agement Survey provides insight into the risks facing businesses in general. This survey is a web-based biennial research report that this year gathered 2 672 responses from risk decision makers in 33 industry sectors across 60 countries, encompassing small, medium and large organisations. “CESA’s focus in 2019 is ‘Reshaping the future together,” says Terence Williams, CEO of Aon South Africa. “We assist them in this quest.” CESA believes that all South Africans can be mobilised to participate and actively reshape South Africa’s economy, the country, projects, its government and ultimately everyone’s lives. “This focus comes down to Aon’s aim of achieving ‘empowered results’. As a business we aim to empower clients to get results,” says Williams. Aon’s 2019 survey ranks economic slowdown/slow recovery as the number one current risk. Even though the report places political risk at number 15, it is a major risk in South Africa. “Traditional risk mitigation tactics are not what they were. Risk mitigation is not uniform and this stretches across both the private and public sectors. “South Africa has entered into a market where capacity has dried up. Companies are now being forced by insurance companies to think differently about risk, its mitigation and their approach to these challenges. Companies firstly need to understand the risks and then find the best possible mitigation for those risks,” Williams explains.

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CESA AON ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2019

PROJECTS LESS THAN R50 MILLION: LELIEFONTEIN

WINNER

Drakenstein Municipality

Client

Aurecon Aurecon Aurecon Aurecon

Contract Management

Civil Design

Electrical/Electronic Design

Mechanical Design

Guillaume Nel Environmental Consultants

Environmental Compliance Management

JVZ Construction Hidro-Tech Systems Black Arc Electrical

Civil Contractor

Mechanical Contractor

Electrical Contractor

Integ System Integrators Spectrum Communications

Systems Integration Contractor

SCADA Contractor

I n 2015, Aurecon was appointed by the Drakenstein location within the Drakenstein Municipality’s bulk water network proved ideal for the establishment of a mini hydro- electric power station. The project team designed a novel solution that uniquely utilised the same set of pumps to pump water and generate electricity by reversing flow through the pumps. This was achieved by the innovative use of active front end variable speed drives to lower the speed of the PAT to generate electricity at the available flow rates, a series of actuated valves and some creative pipework. Municipality to augment the supply of potable water to Wellington through the implementation of the Leliefontein Pump-As-Turbine Station (PAT). Originally intended to be a booster station, Leliefontein’s

The power generated at the station is fed back into the municipal grid, offsetting the energy consumed during pumping. The PAT conversion cost only R3M extra to a contract value of R30M. The estimated annual generation is 320MWh, which translates to 44 days of free pumping for the client. The PAT station is considered a first of its kind in South Africa. While using pumps as turbines is not a new technology, Leliefontein uses the same set of pumps to pump water and generate electricity by reversing flow through the pumps. The project is a true marriage of the civil, mechanical and electrical engineering disciplines and serves as an example of how municipalities can use low cost, off the shelf equipment like centrifugal pumps and induction motors to generate clean power using potential energy in their existing infrastructure. z

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CESA AON ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2019

PROJECTS LESS THAN R50 MILLION: SANI PASS

commendation

PROJECT TEAM Client Consulting Engineer

KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport Royal HaskoningDHV/SFC Engineers/ Ndizani Civil Works Joint Venture Leporogo Specialist Engineers

Sub-Consultant

ARQ

Geotechnical Expert

Chris Africa Civils cc

T he KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport is in the process of upgrading the existing Sani Pass, which transects the uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park World Heritage Site near Himeville. The main motivation for the upgrade is the high maintenance cost caused by gravel loss during high intensity rain storms, which result in periodic closures due to erosion. This submission is for the structures in Phase 2a of the project, which are from km 14 to km 25. The project consists of three phases. Phases 2 and 3 have been combined into one, referred to as Phase 2. Phase 2a extends from km 13,6 at the old Good Hope Trading Post, also the boundary of the World Heri- tage Site, to km 25 at the South African Sani Border Post. Phase 2b will extend to the summit of the Sani Pass at the Lesotho Border post at km 33. The client’s requirements were for cost effective and aesthetically pleasing structures, which could be constructed while accommodating public traffic. Innovative designs were provided to comply with the client’s requirements and accommodated difficult founding

conditions and restrictive environmental conditions. The construction of Phase 2a was split into two separate contracts: one for the structures and another one for the road- works. The structures contract consisted of the construction of seven culverts, one bridge and one Mechanically Stabilised Earth Retaining Wall (utilising gabion cladding) structure which incorporated a large box culvert. The construction contract for the structures has been completed, but the construction contract for the roadworks is still in progress. z

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CESA AON ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2019

PROJECTS LESS THAN R50 MILLION: HOUGHTON WALL

PROJECT TEAM Client Consulting Engineer

Johannesburg Development Agency

Royal HaskoningDHV

Architect Contractor

Michael Hart

Axton Matrix Construction

T he Houghton Heritage Wall Pedestrian Bridge forms part of the Johannesburg Development Agency’s Bus Rapid Transport System project connecting Sandton and the Johannesburg CBD. The project is multi-phase and the majority of the construction has already been completed. Section 15J is the penultimate phase of the project and includes the construction of BRT lanes along Louis Botha Avenue and the construction of a pedestrian walkway structure at Houghton Drive.

The length of roadway between Fife and Lily Roads was too narrow to accommodate the widening required for the BRT lanes and an existing stone retaining wall of historical and heritage significance formed the northern roadside boundary. These challenges led to the proposal to construct a pedestrian bridge adjacent to the heritage wall to provide a safe walkway and cycleway for the many pedestrians along Louis Botha Avenue. An innovative and original design was developed that met the client’s requirements, maintained the heritage and historical significance of the area, and was achieved within budget. z

FINALIST

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CESA AON ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2019

AON ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2019 PROJECTS LESS THA R50 MILLION: MALUKAZI & SKY CITY

FINALIST

PROJECT TEAM Client Consulting Engineer

Cosmopolitan Projects Infraconsult Engineering Sikhumba Construction

Main Contractor

FINALIST

PROJECT TEAM Client Consulting Engineer

eThekwini Water and Sanitation

Bosch Projects

T he design and construction of the Malukazi Bulk Sewer project, including Malukazi Pumpstation, was completed in February 2019 within the allocated R32 million budget. The project entailed civil design including the Pumpstation design review, a temporary Pumpstation, bulk and reticulation sewer infrastructure, roads and stormwater rehabilitation and the environmental manage- ment of the water course. The electrical and mechanical com- ponents included pump and pipework design, ventilation design, lighting and electrical supply, lightning protection and telemetry. The construction of the pumpstation was governed by the concrete superstructure, partially completed in Phase 2 of the Sanitation Project, having to take into consideration the complexities due to excessive ground water ingress. In addition, interim communal ablution facilities sewer flows had to be dealt with through the introduction of a temporary pumpstation, then converted into the overflow chamber at completion of the pumpstation. Despite the numerous challenges affecting the continuity of work and contractual issues with contractors, the project was successfully completed within budget and to the highest level of quality. There was a large coordination management component for coordinating the sub-specialists on the project, together with the contractors (e.g. mechanical, ventilation, fire, geotechnical, electrical, roads, and earthing contractors). z

A gainst the backdrop of a huge national housing backlog and, more specifically, the Ekurhuleni Region (East Rand) in Gauteng, the client Cosmopolitan Projects, on 1 June 2016, launched a mega housing development, Watervalspruit (now named Sky City mega housing project), south of Alberton (City of Ekurhuleni). The conceptual planning, town-planning and preliminary designs on this project started as early as 2005. Infraconsult Engineering was part of the project from the outset. The Sky City project differs significantly from most other conventional housing projects. It is designed so the community can immediately benefit from amenities included in the project. The focus is on – move in and live. Sky City stands in stark contrast to conventional housing developments where amenities such as schools, shopping centres, parks and so forth are the responsibility of provincial and national government departments. These facilities are normally only implemented long after the housing development is launched. Sky City was planned and designed to cater for more than just basic conventional engineering services for the home-owners. Consequently, the project includes: • High quality affordable private primary and secondary schooling as part of the development. A world class private school is already operational. • A safe local commercial hub in the form of a shopping mall that was recently launched. • Social amenities such as sports grounds, play grounds and community halls. • Local stormwater attenuation areas will be landscaped into recreational areas, i.e. picnic/braai areas, for the community. z

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CESA AON ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2019

PROJECTS BETWEEN R50 & R250 MILLION: DOCKLANDS APARTMENTS

WINNER

PROFESSIONAL TEAM Client

FWJK Developments

Architect

FWJK Architects

Project Manager Quantity Surveyors

FWJK Project Management FWJK Quantity Surveyors

Structural and Civil Engineer

Aurecon

Fire, Mechanical and Wet Services Engineer

Ekcon

Electrical Engineer Piling Contractor Main Contractor

Converge

Franki Afrika

JLK

Structural Steel Contractor

LJ le Roux Steel

S ituated in the scenic De Waterkant in Cape Town’s sought after Prestwich Street and located less than 200 m from the V&A Waterfront Marina, The Docklands is a nine-level, mixed-use building that consists of 200 m² of retail, 134 apartments and 160 parking bays. Aurecon was appointed as the structural engineer to help realise the client’s vision for an affordable yet upmarket apartment building within walking distance of the prestigious Cape Town V&A Waterfront. The site housed an existing office building with one level of

semi-basement parking, ground floor parking and three levels of offices above that. The proposed new development required three levels of parking and six levels of apartments over the full footprint of the property. Tight budget and time constraints meant the construction programme had to be fast-tracked, which negated the option of building from scratch. In response, the project team came up with an innovative conceptual design that incorporated the existing building. The solution required an additional two basement levels to be constructed below the existing four-storey structure, while simultaneously constructing four levels above. z

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CESA AON ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2019

PROJECTS BETWEEN R50 & R250 MILLION: ROSSLYN BREWERY

PROJECT TEAM Client Consulting Engineer

commendation

AB-In-Bev

(EPCM services) Hatch Africa

A B-InBev appointed Hatch to provide the EPCM services for a new Co-Generation plant at the Rosslyn Brewery based in Pretoria, Gauteng. The scope of the Co-Generation plant included the gas fired turbine and generator, a heat recovery steam generator, hot water recovery circuit, a new high-pressure gas line and upgrading of the electrical reticulation system and the control network. The Co-Generation plant was designed to deliver 4 MW of electricity, 28,5 tonne/hour steam and 41 tonne/hour of hot water, using the same amount of gas previously burned in gas fire boilers to generate the same amount of steam. The project involved complex brownfield construction activities to ensure no interruption of existing brewery production and processes while connecting to the existing electrical and control networks. The outcome of the project was a successful delivery of the project: • Safety – Zero LTI in 164 000 hours.

• Performance – Exceeding the guaranteed efficiency of 88%. • Financial indicators – Payback in less than four years. AB-InBev’s Rosslyn Brewery is the largest brewery in South Africa and key to the company’s Southern African production targets. Brewing is an energy intensive process requiring large quantities of electricity and steam, and a reliable source of affordable energy is essential. In February 2016, with ongoing load shedding affecting operations, AB-InBev appointed Hatch to conduct an engineering study of options to provide a source of in-house electrical generation while, at the same time, optimising the brewery’s steam production process to ensure security of supply. The study identified attractive benefits for the brewery if they installed a natural gas fired Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plant. Based on the outcome of the study, AB-InBev extended Hatch’s appointment to provide full EPCM services to design, construction manage and commission the entire CHP plant. z

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CESA AON ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2019

PROJECTS BETWEEN R50 & R250 MILLION: NEW MECHANISED STERCUS FACILITY

S olutions are found when businesses work with government to deal with socioeconomic challeng- es faced by the country. Such was the case with the New Portable Flush Toilet Cleaning Facility at Borcherds Quarry Wastewater Treatment Works, where a multidisciplinary team of engineers designed sustain- able solutions to meet the basic human right of toilet digni- ty. And dignity through the full cycle – from householder to everyone involved in the cleaning process. Client for this project, City of Cape Town, provides portable flush toilets (PFTs) to those areas not connected to water and sanitation infrastructure. PFTs, closely resembling ordinary toilets, work on a wa- ter-based system and some 20 000 residents of informal commu- nities have been accommodated in this way. However, cleaning operations at the depot posed a serious health hazard with workers being exposed to raw sewage in an unsanitary work environment; clearly an untenable situation. Today, mechanisation and automation of the cleaning pro- cess in enclosed booths has completely changed the working environment. Workers operate in a hygienic, safe, space filled with fresh air and light. This unique mechanised and automated

PROJECT TEAM Client

City of Cape Town

Civil Consultant

JG Afrika

Mechanical & Electrical Consultant

Project Assignments (SA) in conjunction with Water and WastewaterEngineering

Civil Main

Contractor Ruwacon

Main Mechanical & Electrical Contractor Sub Mechanical & Electrical Contractor

Inenzo Water

TF Design

commendation

facility is believed to be the first of its kind in the world, and several patent applications are pending. z

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CESA AON ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2019

PROJECTS BETWEEN R50 & R250 MILLION: RESURFACING OF R503

FINALIST

PROJECT TEAM Client Consulting Engineer

intersection was constructed over a 400 m length by means of constructing a temporary bypass operational 24 hours a day in order to make the necessary super elevation geometric adjust- ments to the existing carriageway. The community of both Lichtenburg and Coligny were exten- sively involved in the construction phase of this project. A total of 22,3% of the contract expenditure was spent on targeted la- bour, youth, woman and targeted enterprises for the successful completion of this project. The local labour force was empow- ered by means of hands-on training which resulted in valuable scarce skills to assist with future work opportunities. z

SANRAL

Knight Piésold

Contractor

Roadmac Surfacing

K night Piésold was appointed for the design and con- struction supervision of the repair and resurfacing of the R503 and the construction of a weighbridge intersection with the R503, which is in the District Municipality of Ngaka Modiri Molema and Ditsobot- la Local Municipalities in the North West province. The R503 between Coligny and Lichtenburg is an important link between South Africa and Botswana. The weighbridge is part of the road authorities’ ongoing monitoring of vehicle load- ing on national roads. Statistics show that the damage caused by overloading a 24t truck by 10% has the equivalent effect that 18 No 24t trucks would cause on any particular road. Hence the importance not only of maintaining the road, but also of facilitat- ing the continuous monitoring of vehicle loading. Knight Piésold was tasked with the repair of localised failures and the asphalt resurfacing of this 21,8 km section of the R503, and resurfacing of the R505 with a single rubber seal for a length of 27 km. The works further included the construction of an intersection with the newly constructed weighbridge facili- ties located close to the town of Lichtenburg. The weighbridge

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CESA AON ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2019

PROJECTS BETWEEN R50 & R250 MILLION: LOERIESFONTEIN BULK WATER

PROJECT TEAM Client Consulting Engineer

FINALIST

Hantam Local Municipality

BVi Consulting Engineers (Northern Cape)

Consulting Hydrogeologists

Geoss South Africa

Environmental OHS Consultant

Consultant ENVIROAFRICA

Safe Working Practice

Principal Contractor

ASLA Construction

L oeriesfontein is a small town in the Hantam Karoo. It has a population of approximately 3 800 people and is wholly dependent on groundwater for its water supply. When the town’s existing boreholes started to fail owing to lack of rain to recharge the groundwater, BVi Consulting Engineers got involved. From May 2013 until November 2015, extensive groundwater exploration was conducted within a radius of 40 km in an effort to find sustainable groundwater sources for the town. While exploration drilling was underway, BVi sourced funding from the Department of Water & Sanitation to con- struct an emergency water supply system. On completion of drilling and determi-

nation of sustainable yields and water quality, nine boreholes were selected for future production wells. The wellfield was located approximately 30 km south of Loeriesfontein in a deep valley, known locally as the Rheeboksfontein valley, through which the Koppieskraal River flows. The Koppieskraal River is ephemeral and only flows when rainfall occurs. The successful boreholes are all located within this valley and along the Koppieskraal River. The elevation of the Rheeboksfontein Valley is 660 m above mean sea-level while the Loeriesfontein reservoirs are located at 948 m above mean sea-level. This requires that all water from the bore- holes must be pumped to the town. z

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CESA AON ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2019

PROJECTS BETWEEN THAN R50 & R250 MILLION: RECONSTRUCTION OF TWO BRIDGES

T he Sowetan of 17 September 2013, reported: “Every summer the villagers of Ga-Ntata in Bo-lobedu near Modjadjiskloof become prisoners in their own homes; schools shut down, local entrepreneurs close shops and the villagers cannot access basic services”. This was as a result of two low level bridges that had been washed away during heavy rains that occurred between 2000 and 2005, and had not been repaired. The village of Ga-Ntata is situated between two rivers, which were previously only provided with low-level bridges for commu- nity access and mobility. At the end of 2013, Roads Agency Limpopo (SOC) appointed Nyeleti Consulting for the planning, design and construction

PROJECT TEAM Client Consulting Engineer

Roads Agency Limpopo (SOC)

Nyeleti Consulting)

supervision of the above project. Construction started in October 2015 and was completed in May 2018. The client’s objective was to provide a long-term solution for the community of Ga-Ntata with continuous access and mobility, even during heavy rainfall. The result was the construction of two new high-level standard bridges over the Motlatswi River on the north, and from the south crossing the Molototsi River. The solution allows for easy future upgrading of the existing gravel road network. z

FINALIST

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CESA AON ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2019

PROJECTS BETWEEN R50 & R250 MILLION: MPACT PAPER ROLL STORAGE

PROJECT TEAM Client

Mpact Operations

Civil and Structural Engineersr

LNW Consulting Engineers & Project Managers LNW Consulting Engineers & Project Managers

Cost Engineer

Mechanical Engineer

GES Consult

Fire Engineer Contractors

Crossfire

Leomat Construction, Franki Africa and Terex MHPS

T his is the first automated paper mill and storage handling facil- ity to be built in the southern hemisphere. The project com- prised the design, engineering and construction of the fully automated paper reel storage facility, roll transporta- tion system, inbound and outbound traffic

• A fully automated electric overhead crane handling system. • A logistics load out system. • A fire prevention water sprinkler system. • A truck parking facility entrance and internal roads. • A weighbridge facility. z

logistics, vehicle weighing stations and all related mill services such as power, water, air, steam, etc. to accommodate the project. The paper reel storage facility further included the following: • A reel handling system from the paper machine.

FINALIST

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CESA AON ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2019

PROJECTS BETWEEN R50 & R250 MILLION: UPGRADING OF SELBY MSIMANGO

FINALIST

PROJECT TEAM Client

Msunduzi Municipality: Integrated Rapid Public Transport Network

Consulting Engineer

VUMESA

T he upgrade of Selby Msimango Road, km 5,50 to km 6,50 in Edendale, for uMsunduzi Municipality (IRPTN) was entered by Vumesa.This section is within Eden- dale Road, which is a major arterial providing direct access for motorists. The road services about 8 500 vehicles per peak hour. The BRT seeks to reduce these traffic flows by providing an alternative reliable and attractive public transport system. Faster: With the right features, BRT can avoid the delays regular bus services often encounter. Features such as dedicat- ed lanes or bus-only corridors, off-board fare collection, traffic signal priority, consolidated stops, and high-capacity

vehicles can all contribute to faster service. Flexible: BRT uses an open busway, which allows a BRT system to grow and change with the city in which it’s implemented. Along with the ability to change service relatively easily in response to demand, open busway allows other BRT vehicles to remain on schedule by entering mixed traffic to pass the disabled vehicle, or the disabled bus can easily be towed out of the busway. A total of 90 people were employed during construction. Apart from monetary gains, they acquired skills in brick laying, kerb laying and general road construction. A total of 23 households had to be relocated. z

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CESA AON ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2019

PROJECTS BETWEEN R50 & R250 MILLION: CORNUBIA BOULEVARD

PROJECT TEAM Client Consulting Engineer Geotechnical Expert

FINALIST

eThekwini Municipality Royal HaskoningDHV

Drennan Maud

Contractor

CMC Di Ravenna SA Branch

R oyal HaskoningDHV was appointed by eThekwini Bridge. The geometric design of the interchange was carried out by eThekwini Municipality. The Cornubia Boulevard Bridge was required to accommodate the Cornubia Boulevard Cross Road across the N2/26 to link the town centres of Umhlanga Ridge and Cornubia. The bridge was designed to accommodate eight lanes with two pedes- trian sidewalks. It crosses the N2/26 at km 4,65 at a skew of 13,5° to the centre- line of the N2/26, and is 125 m long. Span 1 to the west crosses a ramp from the N2, which loops to the west and back to join Cornubia Boulevard Cross Road Municipality for the design and construction monitoring of the Cornubia Boulevard

to the north, providing access for traffic on the North Bound Carriageway (NBC) across the N2 towards Umhlanga Ridge. Spans 2 and 3 cross the NBC and SBC of the N2/2 respectively. The deck is a three single cell box girder, cast in three stages longitudinally and transversely. The deck depth is 2.1 m and the width varies from 34 m to 43 m. To accommodate this varying deck width the bottom of the box was varied from 5,1 m to 7,6 m while the cantilevers width was kept constant. The bridge also accommodates the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lanes. The BRT projects are being rolled out across South Africa in 13 cities as part of a national co-ordinated public transport programme. The BRT lanes across the Cornubia Bou- levard Bridge form part of the GO!Durban BRT project. z

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CESA AON ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2019

PROJECTS GREATER THAN R250 MILLION: NEW LAKESIDE OFFICES

WINNER

T he Growthpoint new Lakeside office development is a nine storey commercial office development in the Centurion CBD, with a 5 Green Star Design rating. Located opposite the Centurion Gautrain station, it stands on Inherent Hazard Class 8 dolomite, the most critical dolomite hazard class within South Africa. The site posed severe geotechnical challenges that have impacted previous developments. Growthpoint Properties’ new Lakeside offices are evidence that, with sufficient site information and knowledgeable experts, a cost-effective solution can be found to overcome severe challenges whilst addressing client needs. A key component for the success of this project was the cross-discipline collaboration to devise a holistic ap- proach whereby the engineering systems were not treated in isolation, but rather worked together effectively. Upfront design and planning mitigat- ed the risk considerably, allowing for a robust solution to be found. This permitted the developer to focus on the budget, even when dealing with the unexpected and the unknown. This project required the dedication of the entire team – client, architects, engi- neers and contractors – working together to demonstrate what is truly possible in the engineering field by delivering a successful project within scope, on time, and within budget. z

PROJECT TEAM Client

Growthpoint Properties

Structural, Civil, Geotechnical and Traffic Engineering & Quantity Surveying Mechanical Engineering, Environmental and Green Star

AECOM

Aurecon Chimera

Fire Engineering

Electrical and Electronic Engineering Project Management and Safety

CA du Toit GladAfrica

Earthworks

Stefanutti Stocks

Main Contractor

WBHO

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CESA AON ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2019

PROJECTS GREATER THAN R250 MILLION: DISCOVERY PLACE

commendation

PROJECT TEAM Client

Discovery Joint Venture

WBHO & Timber JV

Main Contractor

Boogertman + Partners

Architect

Paragon Interface

Interior Architect

Pure Consulting

Façade Engineer

Sotiralis Consulting

Structural Engineers

Aurecon

Mechanical Engineer ESD Consultant

Conscius Consulting & Classen Auret Inc

Electrical Engineer

RLB Pentad

Quantity Surveyors

Morta

Project Manager

Sutherland Engineers

Wet Services

Solutions for Elevation

Lift Specialist

African Environmental Design

Landscape Architect

TWCE

Fire Engineer

G rowthpoint and Zenprop (Discovery Joint Venture) appointed Aurecon to provide mechanical and environmentally sustainable design (ESD) services to build their iconic 112 000 m 2 Discovery global headquar- ters in Sandton. The building recently received a 5 Star Green Star SA Design rating from the Green Building Council South Africa (GBCSA), making it the largest new build project to receive this rating to date. From the inception of the

large skylights, which bring an extensive amount of daylight and interconnect the people in the building, horizontally and vertically. An extensive Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis was also carried out to gain insight into the performance of the building envelope under peak conditions. The results of this analysis, backed up by an experimental study, were used in the selection of suitable glazing and shading elements to achieve the required level of occupants’ thermal comfort. z

project, innovation, sustainability and oc- cupants’ wellbeing were the fundamental principles imbedded in the design and construction. The project team’s remarkable journey commenced with learning from the best building examples in Australia. Over 20 buildings were visited to gain deep understanding of emerging trends in sustainability, innovation and wellbeing. The knowledge accumulated in Australia resulted in some of the major design features – incredible atria with

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CESA AON ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2019

PROJECTS GREATER THAN R250 MILLION: MOUNT EDGECOMBE

T he improvement of the Mount Edgecombe Interchange was a successful combination of planning and innovative engineering design to resolve the difficult problems that were being experienced with traffic volumes through the interchange, which exceeds 1 178 500 vehicles per day. A creative geometric solution which took the form of a four level, full free flow interchange that caters for high traffic volumes, overcame the severe traffic congestion and the physical space constraints of the interchange. Of the six newly constructed bridge structures, the two incrementally launched viaducts aesthetically dominate the interchange skyline crossing the N2 at heights of 26 m and 18 m respectively.

PROJECT TEAM Client

South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited Eastern Region KZN Department of Transport

Consulting engineer

SMEC South Africa

Civils Contractor

CMC di Ravenna South Africa

Geotechnical

Franki Africa

The top viaduct has a deck length of 947 m which not only makes it one of the lon- gest in the Southern Hemisphere, but the longest bridge structure in South Africa. The design, because of space restraints, further included three different types of retaining wall structures, ranging in heights up to 6 m, as well as 8 m vertical fill retaining structures (Mechanically Stabilised Earth Walls - MSEWs), ranging between 4 m and 18 m in height. A total of 402 innovative full-length friction piles ranging from 15 m to 38 m in

length, and providing a cumulative length approaching 11 km, overcame the poor founding conditions for the bridge struc- tures. Similarly, the provision of grids of rock columns, with platforms of crushed aggregate, overcame the poor founding conditions for MSEWs. The project provid- ed employment amounting to an average of 500 persons per month for the duration of the project. Expenditure for the works, as registered at the time of the Taking Over Certificate, was within the accepted budgeted amount. z

FINALIST

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CESA AON ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2019

PROJECTS GREATER THAN R250 MILLION: SEBENZA

PROJECT TEAM Client Consulting engineer

City Power of Johannesburg

FINALIST

PSW Nyeleti JV

Main Contractor

Consolidated Power Projects

S ebenza Substation (Sebenza) is a 1400 MVA 400/275/88 kV infeed transmission substation at the heart of the City Power of Johannesburg’s (City Power) network. Sebenza replaced Kelvin substation in supplying a large portion (eastern third) of the City of Johannesburg via a bulk power line corridor consisting of 16 power line circuits. Sebenza has the capacity to supply an estimated 700 000 households. It has unlocked industrial, commercial and resi- dential development in the Eastern sector of Johannesburg, increasing employment and supporting economic growth. The project team successfully constructed and incorporated Sebenza into the City Power network whilst maintaining supply to existing customers, catering for the additional load growth during the project and keeping within City Power’s allocated budget. This included the transfer of 2 x 275 kV and 16 x 88 kV existing power lines whilst catering for the restrictions and limitations presented by the existing Eskom and City Power network. Despite multiple engineering and management challenges, the project team succeeded in completing the project within the original contract value, in time and to a standard of quality that met the client’s requirements. z

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CESA AON ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2019

PROJECTS GREATER THAN R250 MILLION: MOKOLO

PROJECT TEAM Client Consulting Engineers

TCTA

FINALIST

Mokolo Crocodile Consultants (MCC), a joint venture between Aurecon, Hatch Africa, iX engineers, Mott Macdonald and SMEC

Environmental Management

Nemai Consulting

Construction

Aveng Grinaker-LTA in joint venture with Umbutho Civil-and- Electrical (AUJV)

Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS)

Custodian and Operator

E xtensive augmentation of industrial activities. The Trans-Cale- don Tunnel Authority (TCTA) appointed Mokolo Crocodile Consultants (MCC) JV to provide comprehensive engineering, environmental and safety services for the first phase of the Mokolo Crocodile Water Augmentation Project (MCWAP-1). The main components of the MCWAP-1 infrastructure were abstraction from Mokolo Dam, a 7,4 MW pumpstation, water supply in the Lephalale region of Limpopo Province is required for power generation and related coal mining and

45 km large diameter pipeline, and balancing storage. Services included design, construction supervision, contract administration, management of environ- mental and safety, risk management, and condition assessment of existing infrastructure.The project terrain was particularly challenging, but through an intensive approach to manage impacts on the natural and social environment, coupled with a comprehensive socio-eco- nomic development programme, this project is an example of how to success- fully engineer within a sensitive environmental setting. z

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CESA AON ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2019

BEST INTERNATIONAL PROJECT: AZAMBI HYDROPOWER

WINNER

PROJECT TEAM Client

Kibali Gold Mine a subsidiary of Barrick Gold Corporation

Consultants

Knight Piésold Consulting

L ocated in the remote north-east province of Democrat- ic Republic of Congo, the 11MW Azambi Hydropower Project was developed to support the increasing power demands of Kibali Gold Mine, one of the largest gold mining operations in Africa. Producing approximately 64 GWh of renewable, reliable electricity each year the project has reduced the mine’s overall energy cost by approximately 75% and its reliance on diesel fuel, a saving equivalent to USD19,2-million per year. In addition to facilitating skills transfer and local procurement, a portion of the mine’s power grid capacity is provided to local communities free of charge. This reduces their reliance on de- forestation for energy supply and will become a legacy asset for the communities once the mine reaches its end of life. Knight Piésold worked closely with Kibali Gold Mine to devel- op the purpose-built, low-impact, and cost-effective run-of-river hydroelectric project. With the commissioning of the project, the mine now has three run-of-river hydroelectric projects, providing the majority of the mine’s energy requirements. It has drastically reduced its reliance on diesel power supply, plus it has been able to reduce its energy costs from about USD400/MWh to close to USD100/MWh. The project development and construction strategies placed emphasis on uplifting the region through skills transfer by employing local workers and contractors as well as material procurement by purchasing goods and services from local and national suppliers. Local communities were consulted for the design of infrastruc- ture affecting their communities to ensure a positive legacy, fostering trust and confidence, as well as promoting community safety. z

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CESA AON ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2019

BEST INTERNATIONAL PROJECT: CONSTRUCTION OF MAIN ROAD

commendation

PROJECT TEAM Client Consulting Engineer

Ministry of Works and Transport

for the preparation of full tender documents. Despite this, the project was completed to the highest quality standards and is a monument to the harmonious blend of a road with its beautiful surroundings. This exceptionally tight schedule did not allow sufficient time for a complete design which needed a materials investigation, a terrain survey, affected public participation es- pecially the mining authorities, a full hydrological study, intense examination of alignment and cost options, and the preparation of contract documents and bills of quantities. However, the proj- ect was completed under this fast-track schedule and in the face of enormous technical, administrative and financial difficulties. z

SMEC South Africa

T he 98 kilometres of Main Road 118 connecting the world’s largest alluvial diamond deposit at Oranje- mund in Namibia and its eighth largest zinc mine near Rosh Pinah, had existed for nearly 100 years as a gravel road. It was in urgent need of re-construc- tion and in 2013 SMEC, through its Namibian subsidiary VKE Namibia, was appointed to design and oversee the construction of a new road to full bitumen standards. The challenges to this project were physical and administrative. The former included the geography of the area, which runs through the wind-swept Namib gravel plains, rough mountainous country and shifting sand dunes. The administrative challenge was the extremely short time allowed between appointment and the contract commencement date. In fact, only three weeks were available

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CESA AON ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2019

BEST INTERNATIONAL PROJECT: SANAE

PROJECT TEAM Client

National Department of Public Works Department of Environmental Affairs

FINALIST

End user

Consultant Contractor

Royal HaskoningDHV (Mechanical, Electrical and Civil/Structural Engineers)

Nolitha S ANAE IV, South Africa’s limited to the Antarctic summer months of December to end February. Commissioned in February 1997 and following 18 years of non-stop, round the clock operation, it was time to refurbish the base as the old systems had reached the end of their economic life. Transport, adverse weather conditions and continued operational requirements posed a daunting challenge for the project team. Systems could only be switched off for limited periods, essential to prevent research base in Antarctica, is situated on one of the most inhospitable continents in the world, with access

freezing up and to allow scientists and the contractor to continue with normal activities. In addition, the design had to allow for the systems to be readily main- tainable by the small team that mans the base throughout the year while adhering to strict DEA requirements regarding protection of the environment and waste generation and disposal. Notwithstanding the challenging logis- tics process and site conditions, the proj- ect objectives were successfully attained and the functional life of SANAE IV base has been extended by 20 years, allowing the scientific community to continue its research and continue to contribute to the international scientific community. z

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CESA AON ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2019