ENGINEERS MAKING THE IMPOSSIBLE POSSIBLE
Jones Engineering, Arup and CIBSE have collaborated to produce a Young Engineers Network (YEN) Virtual Technical Tour featuring Ireland’s New Children’s Hospital
“You have to dream big.” says Jones Engineering Director Paul Nicholls.
Jones Engineering and Arup have worked closely with the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) to produce a virtual technical tour for CIBSE’s Young Engineers Network. This virtual tour takes place at the National Children’s Hospital, a standout project in the career of any Engineer, and the largest and most complex capital investment project ever undertaken in healthcare in Ireland.
The tour focuses on the now complete Utilities Tunnel and gives an unprecedented insight into the entire process from initial concept design through tender stage, construction stage and on to the final testing and commissioning stage. The aim of this video is to provide a platform to share new and innovative approaches to design and knowledge exchange. It is also intended to encourage more people from within and outside the industry to investigate the many appealing aspects of engineering in all it’s different forms. Whether you are a seasoned engineer, a young student considering your options or just someone with an interest in engineering you will find something to fascinate you.
The tour introduces us to engineers, project managers, and directors all speaking candidly about their experiences throughout their career and in particular on the New Children’s Hospital. There is a clear resounding echo of encouragement throughout. The team spirit and camaraderie on the project shines through. Josune Portillo, Project Engineer for Jones Engineering implores young students to remember that college grades are not everything. She thinks there’s a lot to be said for your eagerness and willingness to learn, believing that the real learning starts when you enter the working environment.
An often-repeated phrase throughout the interviews is “Don’t limit yourself”. Career options for engineers are limitless and with some additional learning it can be easy to cross sectors and functions. As Jack Quinn, Associate Director for Arup explains, a project like this hospital is very technically challenging and includes restaurants, offices, operating theatres, ICT rooms (data centres), laboratories, kitchens, and plant rooms larger than most modern offices in Ireland at approximately 15,000m2. Brian Bartley, Project Manager for Jones Engineering agrees adding that every day on the project you’re learning something new which is not only raising the bar for this project but for every one that comes after, producing a whole new class of engineers.
This tour provides a rare chance to get a glimpse behind the scenes of one of the most technically advanced, most architecturally striking Children’s Hospitals in the world. Many of those working on the project have young children themselves and speak about how close the project is to their hearts. Their ultimate clients are the children of Ireland, and their pride in being part of the team creating this world class facility is clear.
If you or someone you know is interesting in taking the virtual tour it will be made publicly available on the CIBSE Young Engineers Network website.
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Denise Maguire Editor of Irish Construction Industry Magazine & Plan Magazine
