Recognising Ireland’s engineering talent
Launched this week, in association with ESB, the six-part video series spotlights the top engineering projects delivered by Ireland’s engineering community in 2021 and the positive impact that engineers have made to society.
Following a free-to-enter competition and judging process, five engineering projects were selected to represent the top engineering initiatives undertaken in the fields of innovation, impact, sustainability, buildings and structures, and infrastructure in 2021. The sixth video in the series recognises Engineers Ireland’s Engineer of the Year.
The five projects that feature in the series and now available to view are:
The Load Reduction Device, developed by marine engineering specialists Dublin Offshore to support offshore wind development. In addition to cost savings of over €300m for a 1GW project, the device is set to reduce the risk of mooring failure and will bridge the gap between the cost of floating and fixed offshore wind.
Dunderrow Solar Farm, the largest solar farm in the Republic of Ireland, developed by Eli Lilly Kinsale and Enerpower. The annual power generated by this solar farm is equivalent to the power consumption of Kinsale town. This will allow Lilly to reduce its annual use of electricity from carbon sources by almost 6GWH and its carbon footprint by 2,350 tonnes.
The L12 Heat Pump, the world's largest solid state, zero emission heat pump, developed by Exergyn, a Dublin-based creative clean-tech company. The heat pump is currently the only refrigerant free, and carbon neutral alternative to vapour compression technologies and is putting Ireland to the forefront of the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) industry.
The Cork Lower Harbour Main Drainage Project, which has connected 20,000 homes and businesses to the scheme and has ended the practice of discharging the equivalent of 40,000 wheelie bins of raw sewage into Cork Harbour every day. This project by Irish Water has also greatly improved the amenity value of the Cork Lower Harbour for the surrounding communities of Ringaskiddy, Carrigaline, Crosshaven, Passage West, Monkstown, and Cobh Town.
The National Children's Hospital Concrete Frame, a structurally ambitious and intricately engineered frame which forms the heart of the new Children's Hospital in Dublin. From exposed concrete finish elliptical columns, to 20-metre tall inclined columns, the frame, developed by Kwik RC Frames and BAM Ireland, is vast in scale and incorporates innovative construction methodologies.
Engineer of the Year
In addition, Aisling Hahessy, a senior structural engineer with Arup, also features in the series having been chosen by Engineers Ireland’s Officers as the institution’s Engineer of the Year.
Aisling, a graduate of the University of Limerick, has worked on city shaping projects globally as well as development context projects in Rwanda, Uganda, and Bangladesh. Aisling’s video in the series provides an insight into the most rewarding aspects of her career and the contribution that she has made through her work in reducing the inequalities in the world, alongside the wider engineering community.
Watch now and be inspired
“ESB is proud to support the Engineering Excellence Digital Series as it celebrates the endeavour, impact, and inspirational nature of Ireland’s engineering talent. Engineering is integral to modern life and this video series demonstrates how Ireland’s engineers are leading the way to develop innovative, inclusive and sustainable solutions to combat climate change and to support communities in Ireland and overseas,” commented Paddy Hayes, CEO, ESB.
Caroline Spillane, director general of Engineers Ireland, commented: “The engineering initiatives profiled in our Engineering Excellence Digital Series remind us of the impact that the engineering profession has on the daily lives of individuals, families and communities. The challenges we face as a society all require and benefit from engineering innovation.
“By providing the public with an insight into the stories and people behind Ireland’s top engineering projects of 2021, we hope to showcase the diversity of the profession and the many ways engineers are vital to delivering creative and sustainable solutions for modern society. We would like to thank our title sponsor ESB and our supporters Accenture and Geoscience Ireland for helping us to bring this series to fruition once again in 2021,” Spillane added.
In addition to viewing the series, Engineers Ireland is also encouraging its 25,000 member engineers and the wider public to vote for their top engineering project featured in the series for the Engineering Endeavour of 2021 Award by noon on Friday, 10 December.
Concluding, Spillane commented: “We look forward to the public and our broad membership engaging with the series, viewing the videos, being inspired and voting for their preferred project for 2021.”