Construction World July 2016

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MOU WITH ARCHITECTS’ COUNCIL OF EUROPE

The MOU commits the organisations to work towards an agree- ment that will facilitate sharing of knowledge and skills; engaging in critical dialogue on critical issues facing the sustainability of the profession; establishing international standards, norms and benchmarks and promotion of excellence in architecture, to name a few areas of mutual with the recent signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between SACAP and the Architects’ Council of Europe (ACE). > The South African Council for the Architectural Profession (SACAP) has honoured its commitment to position the South African architectural profession within the global community. This was achieved

interest. It promotes consistent professional qualifications criteria and national syllabi based on international standards, such as the UNESCO/UIA Charter for Architectural Profession and the Canberra Accord (CA), as well as international dialogue on issues facing practice. According to SACAP president Yashaen Luckan, who signed the MOU with ACE president Luciano Lazzari on 22 April 2016 at the ACE General Assembly in Berlin, the recent rapid changes in global climates, societies and economies has placed the architectural profession in a position of self-reflection, self-critique and new opportunities. Such challenges require broad participation, intense collaboration and a better world view in order to develop meaningful responses. SACAP was established in late 2000 and fulfils the function of controlling the standards of education at tertiary institutions, through visiting boards, for the purposes of professional registration. It protects public interest by identifying the type of architectural work each category of registered person is capable and competent to perform and administrates a Code of Conduct. The Architects Council of Europe (ACE) is non-profit organisation that represents the architectural profession at the European level. Its membership consists of regulatory and professional representative bodies throughout Europe. Through them, the ACE represents the interests of architects. Speaking from Berlin, SACAP President Luckan said, “SACAP’s mission is to transform, grow, develop and regulate the architectural profession through collaborative engagement in the pursuit of excellence. This MOU recognises our shared goals. “We are convinced that the co-operation described in it will help to consolidate and reinforce actions and efforts towards addressing mutual concerns and interests pertaining to architecture, architectural education, research, professional standards and regulation, professional mobility, environmental issues, professional development and practice and political influence - among others.” ACE President Lazzari says, "The signing of the MOU between ACE and SACAP marks an important milestone on the road to international collaboration of our profession, bringing new impetus to our common cause for enhancing the value of architecture, for the betterment of all. It is particularly significant because it brings a new and thoughtful alliance between architects of two continents, based on a future that is both chal- lenging and promising.”

ACE president, Luciano Lazzari and Yashaen Luckan (SACAP President).

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SIX PMR AFRICA EXCELLENCE AWARDS Aurecon has excelled in the national survey of consulting engineers undertaken by the management journal Professional Management Review Africa (PMR.africa).

received six awards last year as well as the same number of awards in 2014. “Getting positive feedback from clients and colleagues in the industry shows that we are on track to achieve our goal of bringing clients’ ideas to life. The PMR Africa awards is a recognised and valuable indicator of a company’s technical expertise, brand awareness and their ability to serve in the best interest of their clients. We are humbled to be recognised as a top performing consulting engineering firm by so many decision-makers and professionals in the industry,” comments Nell.

To determine the award winners, PMR.africa interviewed 140 profes- sionals in the South African built environment and construction sector, including property developers, architects, quantity surveyors and contractors. During the interviews, participants were asked to rate their perceptions of the performance of companies across a number of attributes such as Black Economic Empowerment, Competitive pricing, Problem solving, Reliability, Reputation, Responsiveness, Skills and qualifications of personnel, Technical competence, Timeous completion and Understanding and commitment to the clients’ interests. The awards ceremony was held on 13 May at the Killarney Country Club in Johannesburg. Three of the six awards that Aurecon received were Diamond Arrow Awards, signifying ‘highest rated in category’. These cate- gories include mechanical engineers, combined electrical and mechanical consulting engineers and electrical consulting engineers for firms with over 400 employees. The company also received three Golden Arrow Awards, which indicates that Aurecon was 1 st or 2 nd overall and rated at least 3,75 (Excellent) out of 5 by respondents. The categories that Aurecon received Golden ArrowAwards for are civil consulting engineers, structural consulting engineers and combined civil and structural consulting engineers. Ferdi Nell, Aurecon managing director Africa, says that the company is honoured to receive these prestigious awards once again. The company >

Jaco Blignaut (Aurecon technical director) and Emmanuel Makhele (Aurecon structural engineer).

CONSTRUCTION WORLD JULY 2016