The innovative use of collaboration and digital engineering tools to protect London’s water supply by a Cork-based engineering company, and a project born to life in Galway to reduce its customers’ carbon footprint by one gigaton by 2030, are among six projects to be recognised by Engineers Ireland and ESB in a newly unveiled Engineering Excellence Digital Series.
Commenting on the new Engineering Excellence Digital Series, Caroline Spillane, director general of Engineers Ireland, says, “At Engineers Ireland, we want to shine a light on the role of engineers and share with the public, the wonderful diversity of work and projects achieved by engineers in Ireland.
“Our new six-part Engineering Excellence Digital Series, held in association with ESB, will showcase through video the level of talent, skill and hard work demonstrated by the engineering profession in a range of settings, whether that is through keeping our healthcare workers and their patients safe during the Covid-19 crisis; or engineering, building and infrastructure work or highlighting those who are developing sustainable solutions for society. We encourage the public to view this new series and see the innovative and sustainable solutions delivered by Ireland’s engineers and their positive impact on communities in this country and overseas.”
In today’s Irish Times, the winners of the Engineering Innovation and Sustainability category, selected by a panel of judges following an open, free-to-enter competition, are recognised for their engineering vision and creativity.
The ADVANCER Project
Thermo King – by Trane Technologies, a global climate innovator – is a worldwide leader in sustainable transport temperature control solutions. Their refrigeration and temperature control products are responsible for protecting sensitive cargo from the food we eat to pharmaceuticals, vaccines and much more.
The ADVANCER product is built on a new world class sustainable assembly line that has reduced its energy consumption by 60 per cent
In response to its parent company’s 2030 sustainability aspirations, and the commitment to reduce its customers’ CO2 emissions by one gigaton by 2030 – equivalent to 2 per cent of the world’s annual emissions or, the annual emissions of France, Italy and the UK combined – Thermo King responded with the introduction of ADVANCER, a disruptive new re-imagining of the trailer refrigeration unit.
Built with ambitious sustainability goals at its core, ADVANCER was developed in Thermo King’s manufacturing site in Galway through the use of all-new Mild Hybrid electrified architecture that creates a new standard for performance, fuel efficiency, temperature control and environmental sustainability. This architecture enables paradigm shifting fuel efficiency which is at least 30 per cent lower than the market average. This, combined with the unrivalled electrical efficiencies contributes to an over 50 per cent reduction in overall emissions and CO2 footprint.
Additionally, the ADVANCER product is built on a new world class sustainable assembly line that has reduced its energy consumption by 60 per cent, utilising 100 per cent renewable energy. This Galway-based assembly line is now on track to become the first Carbon Neutral assembly line in the sector.
Coppermills water treatment works
Founded upon 52 years of operating experience, EPS Group has grown from an electrical and pumping services business in to an innovative, internationally exporting group, headquartered in Mallow, Co Cork and focused upon the water and wastewater and clean technology sectors.
Coppermills water treatment works is located in north London adjacent to the Walthamstow Wetlands, a 300-acre reservoir system providing approximately one third of London’s drinking water.
Challenges to the supply of water from Coppermills were identified by Thames Water with effective capacity being reduced during periods of algal bloom. These periods of bloom placed an increased workload on the existing 24 rapid gravity filters within the treatment works, which in turn could restrict output to 380 million of litres per day (MLD), limiting headroom in the London supply demand balance.
As a solution it was decided to build an additional 12 rapid gravity filters to augment the existing infrastructural capacity on site. The overall project was co-ordinated by SMB as part of the eight2o delivery alliance and collaboration was supported by EPS/MWH through their MEPS JV.
EPS Group undertook the concept design, manufacturing and off-site construction of 12 filter flumes in stainless steel to provide 200MLD capacity, using an off-site ethos to maximum effect while massively reducing health and safety risks when compared with traditional construction methods.
This 18-month programme of work and off-site approach saved £6 million in preliminaries, in addition to a 40 per cent reduction in carbon. A total of 3,400 tonnes of pre-cast concrete was installed in 18 weeks, with zero temporary works or formwork, and zero accidents on site.