Sydney Engineering Excellence Awards 2014

The Sydney Engineering Excellence Awards winners for 2014 were last week announced by Engineers Australia Sydney Division. The 13 winning engineering projects were selected by a panel of expert judges from 49 finalists.

The overall winner and recipient of the Bradfield Award, which recognises an engineering accomplishment of exceptional merit, was CSIRO with joint entrants Flinders University, Flinders Medical Centre and Griffith University. The team developed fibre-optic manometry, which combines advanced fibre-optic technology, high-level engineering and software design in an instrument for monitoring muscular activity deep within the human body.

Two projects were selected as recipients of the President’s Award for displaying outstanding engineering and innovative qualities: the University of Wollongong with joint entrant TAFE NSW Illawarra Institute for the Team UOW ‘Illawarra Flame’ Solar Decathlon Home; and the Centre for Sustainable Materials Research and Technology, UNSW with joint entrants OneSteel and Brickworks Building Products for their project to transform waste, automotive glass and plastics into value-added materials.

“The Excellence Awards is a true celebration of what our industry can do,” said Steve Finlay, General Manager Engineers Australia Sydney Division. “It highlights those who are willing to push boundaries in order to have a real impact on the community. This group of talented engineers have delivered exceptional projects, all of which are set to have long-term positive impacts for local, national and international communities.”

Other categories and winners are listed below.

Industry and project winners

• Control Systems and Communications: Fleet Allocation Recording System, by Sydney Trains with joint entrant Quintiq 
• Software and Embedded Systems: Project Caramello, by LX Design House
• Products, Manufacturing, Facilities and Processes: Innovative Development of Ozone Trailer for Disinfection of New Water Mains, by Sydney Water Corporation with joint entrant Oxyzone 
• Environment and Heritage: Tomago Wetlands Restoration Project, by Water Research Laboratory, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, UNSW Australia and joint entrants Parks and Wildlife Group, Office of Environment & Heritage and Conservation Action Group, NSW Department of Primary Industries
• Welfare, Health and Safety: Fibre-optic manometry - A 21st Century approach to in-vivo diagnostics, by CSIRO with joint entrants Flinders University, Flinders Medical Centre and Griffith University
• Innovations and Inventions: Fibre-optic manometry - A 21st Century approach to in-vivo diagnostics, by CSIRO with joint entrants Flinders University, Flinders Medical Centre & Griffith University
• Research and Development: Green Materials - Novel processes to transform waste automotive glass and plastics into value-added materials, by Centre for Sustainable Materials Research & Technology, UNSW, with joint entrants OneSteel and Brickworks Building Products
• Project Management: Waratah Train PPP Project, by Transport for NSW, Transport Projects
• Infrastructure Projects: Matched Precast Vertically Post Tensioned Piers On The Hunter Expressway, by VSL Australia with joint entrant Thiess
• Buildings and Structures: One Central Park, by Robert Bird Group with joint entrants Arup, WSP and Kennovations
• Engineering Reports: Sydney Regional Aviation Capacity Study - Planning and Engineering Studies for Airport Site Selection, by WorleyParsons with joint entrant Airport Master Planning Consultants
• Engineering for Regional Communities: Burrendong Dam Temperature Control Structure, by State Water Corporation with joint entrants AMOG Consulting and Geotechnical Engineering
• Education and Training - Highly Commended: UNSW Masters of Engineering Science Developed for Leighton, by UNSW School of Civil & Environmental Engineering with joint entrant Leighton Holdings

Individual award winners

• Professional Engineer of the Year: Dr Robert Care AM FIEAust CPEng EngExec
• Associate Engineer of the Year: Dennis Lockwood AM FIEAust CPEng EngExec
•  Entrepreneur of the Year: Professor Gernot Heiser MIEAust
• Young Professional Engineer of the Year: Alex Metelerkamp GradIEAust
• Engineering Student of the Year: Dane Griffin StudIEAust