Australia's National Local Government Newspaper Online

IPWEA Engineering Excellence Awards

Celebrating 100 years of achievement

At its State Conference on 23 May, the Institute of Public Works Engineering Australia – NSW Division presented its Engineering Excellence Awards for 2005. This year there were 77 entries representing some 56 Councils/organisations across New South Wales.

Award Categories included:

• Design and/or Construction of a Local Government/Public Works Project
• New or Improved Techniques
• Innovation in Water Supply and Wastewater (sponsored by the NSW Water Directorate)
• Occupational Health & Safety (sponsored by Komatsu)
• Resource Efficient Construction (sponsored by the NSW Department of Environment and Conservation)
• Excellence in Road Safety Engineering (sponsored by Roads and Traffic Authority)
• Environmental Award (sponsored by Landcom).

The IPWEA Excellence Awards are presented annually at the State Conference to encourage excellence in innovation, development, completion and management of Local Government and public works projects. Categories winners are listed below.

Bankstown’s Georges River foreshore

Bankstown City Council was awarded the Design and/or Construction of a Local Government/Public Works Project Excellence Award for its Georges River Foreshore Accessway project.

This innovative series of walkway/ cycleways through out the local area and along the Georges River is being constructed with the support of the Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources.

Once completed, it will allow residents to take a leisurely stroll, a vigorous walk or energetic bike ride along a scenic path with kilometres of beautiful scenery and environmentally significant bushland areas.

Bankstown Mayor, Councillor Helen Westwood, said the Georges River Foreshore Accessway was an innovative project that would be a great benefit to all local residents and visitors to Bankstown.

“This project, which was developed in line with our Community Open Space Corridor Plan of Management, increases access to the beautiful recreational areas along the Georges River while maintaining a focus on protecting the environment that aligns this amazing stretch of water,” Councillor Westwood said.

For further information contact Rowan Morrison, telephone (02) 9707 9975.

Campbelltown’s asset management system

Campbelltown City Council was awarded the New or Improved Techniques Excellence Award for its Achievements in Asset Management project.

Council is responsible for the management of its infrastructure assets with a replacement cost (excluding land value) of approximately $850 million. Council staff critically assessed the way in which it managed its assets due to increased expectations from the community for improved levels of service at minimum cost. It also developed a rational and realistic strategic focus to achieve maximum value from its infrastructure assets for the funds expended.

Council’s Corporate Asset Management System (Conquest) has been utilised to maximise asset identification, condition assessment and valuation providing a foundation for determining financial requirements whilst minimising risk over time.

Council has also developed a comprehensive asset management plan that contains desired level of services, optimising cost-effectiveness for existing and future community assets.

The Asset Management Plan is a key component of Council’s strategic financial and social planning process.

For further information contact Mahbub Hossain, telephone (02) 4645 4642.

Inverell’s multi-use tourism facility

Inverell Shire Council was awarded the Resource Efficient Construction Excellence Award for its Tourism Inverell Multi-use Facility project.

In July 2002, Inverell Shire Council purchased the ageing Inverell East Bowling Club for major redevelopment works. By July 2003 the site was transformed into a showcase facility including a tourist information centre, function room, bus interchange, carpark, café/restaurant, landscaped gardens and children’s playground.

Council staff undertook the design and construction of civil works and building renovations as well as project management. The project involved the redesign of the interior space and external modifications that give the facility a more stylish look to take Inverell tourism into the new millennium.

For further information contact Greg Moran, telephone (02) 6728 8235.

Kiama leads the way in sustainable development

Kiama Council was awarded the Environmental Excellence Award for its Leading by Example – Best Practice Sustainable Development and Water Management project.

Council’s Elambra Estate residential development, and the progressive Black Beach Catchment Caretakers Project have integrated innovative and comprehensive stormwater treatment technologies, reuse schemes and water sensitive strategies achieving exceptional success in stormwater treatment, reuse, water conservation and environmental sustainability.

By requiring compulsory rain tanks be used for toilet flushing, laundry and outdoor uses, the sustainable estate will save up to 37 million litres of precious drinking water from Sydney Water’s supply per year.

Not content with simply leading by example, Council has put a leading edge policy in place that requires all developers to adopt similar measures to achieve sustainable development.

“Council has clearly demonstrated leadership on environmental sustainability,” said the Mayor, Councillor Sandra McCarthy.

For further information contact Colin Jones, telephone (02) 4232 0444.

Coffs Harbour’s telemetry control system

Coffs Harbour City Council was awarded the Innovation in Water Supply and Wastewater Excellence Award for its Telemetry – Switchboard Standardisation project.

This Award recognises the success of Coffs Harbour Water’s advanced integrated telemetry control system for water and wastewater management.

“By taking advantage of emerging technology, Council is enhancing the sustainability of its water and wastewater infrastructure,” said Mark Ferguson, Council’s General Manager.

The integrated telemetry system is a cost effective and reliable way to automatically control Council’s water and wastewater systems.

“The success of this project demonstrates that regional Councils such as Coffs Harbour City can lead the way in the uptake of new technology without having to invest large amounts of resources into research and development,” Mark Ferguson said.

For further information contact Geoff Newton, telephone (02) 6648 4450.

Tweed’s operational management system

Tweed Shire Council was awarded the Occupational Health and Safety Excellence Award for its Operational Management System (OMS).

Council officially launched the OMS web site on its Intranet in May last year. The site was developed in house using resources from Council’s Occupational Health and Safety, Environment and Information Technology Units in a challenging and cooperative effort.

The OMS has improved incident and accident reporting procedures, document control and monitoring and corrective outcomes through the workplace auditing process. The development of the OMS is an expansion of an existing function and is in response to increasing legal and social obligations relating to occupational health and safety and environmental management.

The project was endorsed by the Executive Management Team in May 2003 and over a period of 12 months all OHS procedures were reviewed to include risk assessment for both OHS and environmental hazards.

In May 2003 Council participated in the CouncilSafe II project where a number of risk management activities were identified and Councils OHS policies were reviewed to improve Councils OHS performance.

For further information contact Bob Missingham, telephone (02) 6670 2400.

Lismore’s Molesworth Street makeover

Lismore City Council was awarded the Road Safety Engineering Excellence Award for its Molesworth Street Makeover project.

Molesworth Street, a main street within the Lismore CBD, received a major makeover in 2003. Comprehensive community consultation coupled with good engineering design plans and coordinated engineering works resulted in improved traffic flows, easier parking, improved pavement, streetscape and amenity.

Lismore City Council’s Engineering Group managed all the planning, design and construction in house, allowing Council staff to take ownership and pride in the project.

The innovative design included 45 degree angle centre parking, more shade trees, parallel parking on shoulders, a dedicated parking lane, resurfacing the street, removal of a steep camber, wider pedestrian spaces, street furniture and refurbished outdoor dining spaces.

The result has been positive for Lismore’s economic development, businesses and shoppers. The success of the Molesworth Street upgrade is evident through public demand for the remaining streets and lanes within the CBD to be rejuvenated.

In January 2005 works began to continue the upgrade in the CBD into Keen Street, at a cost of $1.5 million.

For further information contact Bill Moorhouse, telephone (02) 6625 0480.

The following articles are also included in this edition or go BACK to the main page: