The winners of the prestigious, CESA Aon Engineering Excellence Awards were announced at a special Gala Dinner held on Wednesday 12 August 2015, at Vodaworld, Midrand.
The Awards sponsored by Aon South Africa are a platform to showcase the important role that infrastructure plays in the sustainable development of our country and focus on consulting engineers and their clients who participate in or initiate projects that promote the advancement of our nation and the people of the continent. Judge Jurgens van Zyl considers it a privilege to be on the judging panel and be exposed to the creativity, tenacity, skill and sometimes sheer determination of this industry. Engineers removed toxic water from the depths of the earth and made it safe for industry to use; built a beautiful highway interchange in the tightest of spaces; suspended buildings; raised a bridge and even played snakes and ladders. No challenge seems too big or complex for this talented group of engineers, who, like magicians, make the impossible appear mundane. These wizards of industry always bear in mind that the best marketing for a company is a happy client and a good engineering project. What set the winners apart are those that display particular innovation and overcome extraordinary challenges of design and construction. Awards were handed out in the following categories: Engineering Excellence for projects with a value of less than R50million; projects between R50million and R250million and for projects with a value of over R250million; Best International Project; Visionary Client of the Year; Mentor of the Year; Business Excellence; Mentoring Company of the Year; Young Engineer of the Year; Publisher of the Year; Job Shadow Initiative; and Branch of the Year. Here are the winners Engineering Excellence with a value greater than R250 million This category was won by Moroff & Kuhne for WBHO’s “The Point”. The client’s brief for the re-development of the old Galleria building at 76 Regent Road, Sea Point, into a 28 000 square meters shopping and lifestyle centre – required innovative and out-of-the-box thinking. The increased retail and commercial space required additional undercover parking for shoppers and tenants. A fourth basement had to be created over the full extent of the building footprint, while anchor tenants were fully operational. Young Engineer of the Year In order to promote the Consulting Engineering industry to young professionals, CESA recognises the contribution young engineers make to the industry and to the future of the profession. The winner must be available to receive the award and attend the International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC) convention. Furthermore, he or she must be available to serve on CESA’s Young Professional’s Forum for a 12-month period. Judges look for outstanding performance in areas including technical achievement on a project; educational achievement; recognition such as awards received; contributions to sustainable development – such as environmental initiatives, social responsibilities, and community involvement. The winner in this category must have leadership ability, and contribute to the image of the firm and the industry as a whole. Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) sponsored the Young Engineer of the Year Award. The winner in the category of Young Engineer of the Year is Geoff du Toit from Aurecom with Rudolf Le Roux from Arup receiving a commendation. Engineering Excellence with a value less than R50 million This category was won by Royal HaskoningDHV DHV for the New Microbiological Laboratory for the National Bioproducts Institute. When the National Bioproducts Institute wanted to upgrade their Microbiology lab they knew who to approach to provide specialised cleanroom services. After all, this is a unique lab which manufactures life saving plasma-derived medicinal products and hence security was critical in their choice of contractor. Engineering Excellence with a value between R50 million and R250 million
This category was won by Bosch Projects for the Bronkhorstspruit Biogas Project for Bio2Watt. The first project of its kind in Africa. It will provide green energy, in the form of electricity, to a private industrial consumer through a City of Tshwane and Eskom agreement.
A unique feature of this project is that Bosch Projects took on the Engineering Design and Project Management as well as the Construction roles. Business Excellence Bigen Africa won this category. This privately-owned project-based group of companies specialises in infrastructure and has the vision of creating long-term development impact within the African economies and communities that it operates in. It is Bigen’s proven expertise in engineering, management consulting and development finance which proactively seeks the best outcome for customer, community and country. Best International Project This category was sponsored by the Built Environment Professionals Export Council (BEPEC), the winner was Bigen Africa for the Botswana North South Carrier 2: Water Transfer System for the Botswana Ministry of Minerals, Energy & Water Resources. The development and execution of this approximately R6 Billion project has demonstrated engineering excellence. It has enhanced regional economic growth and significantly improved the quality of life of the Botswana people. Mentoring Company of the Year Bigen Africa also won in this category which was sponsored by Bosch Holdings. Bigen Africa states that its biggest asset is human capital. They have designed and implemented strategies which align business objectives with individual expectations of career success. All this – through the organisations’ Future Integrated Talent Programme which sits under the Bigen Capacity Framework. Mentor of the year In an effort to promote mentorship of young engineers CESA recognises the contribution Mentors make to the industry and the future of the profession. Colin Andrews is the Mentor of the year. He exudes a passion for mentoring that has produced impressive results at Royal HaskoningDHV, which has made him the obvious choice for preparing guidelines for the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport’s Mentoring Programme. Visionary Client of the Year In this category, which is sponsored by Santam, CESA nominates candidates for the award, which must then consent to their nomination. Nominees in this category can be from the public, parastatal or private sectors, and are judged inter alia on their contribution to sustainable economic job creation in South Africa and or Africa. Creating sustainable development in communities through skills and knowledge transfer is an equally important factor. The judges also look at the opportunities provided for the growth and expression of professionals, including those from formerly disadvantaged communities. Projects should also have embraced innovative designs that highlight the ability of South Africans in the technological field. CESA this year gave recognition, in the category of Visionary Client of the Year to the Development Bank of Southern Africa. Publishing Excellence In recognition of the role that the media plays in the industry, 3S Media received recognition for Publishing Excellence: Trade Publication and Independent Newspapers received recognition for Publishing Excellence: Daily Newspapers. Job Shadow Initiative & Branch of the Year UWP Consulting was announced as the winner of the CESA Job Shadow Initiative with Royal HaskoningDHV, Hatch Goba and Infraconsult as runners-up. CESA’s KwaZulu Natal Branch was named winner of the Branch of the Year Award.
