In our ‘day in the life’ series, we aim to showcase the work of our talented team and help you get to know them a little bit better. In this edition, we sat down with Gordon, one of our Civil Engineers, to chat a bit more about what he enjoys most about his role and why civil engineering offers him a broad range of variety in his day-to-day work.
Tell us a bit about yourself and why you decided to
become a Civil Engineer?
I actually grew up wanting to become an architect. I enjoyed
drawing and model making throughout my childhood and enjoyed those aspects of
my education whilst I studied civil engineering and architecture at university.
Towards the end of my degree, I saw that civil engineering seemed to have more
opportunities and was more suited to the life I wanted to live and so I decided
to give it a go. BRS fortunately gave me that opportunity as a
fresh graduate and I haven’t looked back.
What does a typical day in your working life look
like?
When I’m designing, I’m busy problem solving through
drafting and calculations and when I’m doing certification, I’m assessing
designs and out on inspections. Occasionally I’ll head out with our drone to
take some photos for marketing or surveying. There’s quite a lot of variety in
my workday if I want it!
What are some of the projects you
have enjoyed working on the most at BRS?
Civil engineering has a lot more variety than I would originally have thought. I’ve enjoyed working on large greenfield industrial and residential subdivisions through to TfNSW intersection upgrades.
What do you like most about your
role and working at BRS?
In terms of my role, I’m involved in
both sides of the civil engineering design/approval process and enjoy the
variety and what it brings to my understanding of each discipline. In terms of
BRS, I value the flexibility and good work culture that have been established
by our directors and managers who look after each member of the team.
What would be your advice to anyone
looking to become a Civil Engineer?
As I was once told, civil engineering is the broadest type of engineering, so have a look around and be open to the opportunities that are out there. You’ll be surprised what this career has to offer!
Want to get to know our team a bit better?
Check out our other ‘day in the life’ blogs to learn more about our team.
Restoring
and protecting biodiversity and ecosystems
Enhancing
our health and quality of life
Driving
resilient outcomes for buildings, fitouts and communities
Contributing
to market transformation and a sustainable economy
Similarly,
EnviroDevelopment is a scientifically based independent rating system that
recognises developments that have satisfied a high standard of sustainability
requirements from concept through to completion.
These
certifications are determined through six key factors – ecosystems, waste,
water, energy, community engagement, and materials.
BRS is a corporate member and proud supporter of the Urban Development Institute of Australia’s (UDIA) EnviroDevelopment Professional program.
With a focus on sustainability and eco-friendly designs, Central Park by Frasers Property Australia and Sekisui House Australia is a great example of how green walls and facades can be incorporated into new developments.
Making
our Built Environment Green
It
is undeniable that creating greener spaces is an integral part of any
sustainable built environment.
One
such way this is achieved is through the inclusion of green roofs and walls,
which are used globally as an important climate change adaption tool.
With
less ground-level space available in cities for parks, gardens and trees, the
inclusion of engineered forms of green infrastructure including green roofs,
walls and facades creates opportunities to grow plants up and on top of built
structures.
There
are a broad variety of environmental, social, and cultural benefits associated
with the inclusion of green roofs and walls in urban development. Some of these
benefits include:
Improved air quality
Increased biodiversity
Increasing the absorption of carbon dioxide
Insulating buildings from heat and noise
Improving the efficiency of solar panels
Cooling city temperatures and reducing the impacts of urban heat island
Whilst
the built environment currently depends on new materials for its growth, it is
evident that our industry has begun to innovate and develop new ways in which
we can create sustainable change.
At BRS, we are fully committed to delivering environmentally sustainable outcomes to help our communities prosper and grow. We support the United Nations Sustainable Development goals, we are working towards becoming a BCorp certified company, and we will be releasing our Sustainability Report shortly which will outline our commitment to and how we will reach our sustainability targets.
This is primarily because in the past the built environment – the man-made elements of our surroundings such as buildings and infrastructure – has been designed around the linear ‘take-make-dispose’ model, in which materials are sourced, used and subsequently disposed of as waste.
A
question we are now asking ourselves is how can we commit to reaching sustainable
development goals, whilst working in an industry heavily relying upon the use
of natural resources to construct new buildings and infrastructure?
According to the Global Resources Outlook, the demand for natural resources has rapidly increased over the past 50 years, with global extraction reaching 92 billion tonnes per annum. More concerningly, approximately 50% of these resources are used for building materials.
Within Australia, the National Waste Policyestimates that we produce 67 million tonnes of waste per annum, of which 60% is generated by commercial, construction and demolition activities.
On
top of that, the construction, operation, and maintenance of buildings across
Australia comprises approximately one quarter of our total greenhouse gas
emissions.
From
these figures, it is evident that we must create significant change to stop the
devastating environmental, social, and economic impacts that the built
environment can have.
So,
what are the solutions?
If
these figures concern you as much as they concern us then you too are probably
wondering well, what can our industry do about it?
Whilst
there is certainly no one-fix-all solution, the good news is that our industry has
already started to innovate how we can reduce and improve our environmental
impact, particularly through the utilisation of sustainable materials and
restoration of biodiversity in new developments.
The
Circular Economy
In
comparison to the current linear model, the circular economy is an innovative and
regenerative model for rethinking our approach to production by reducing our
consumption of resources and subsequent waste.
According toPlanet Ark, the three principles of a circular economy are underpinned by a transition to renewable energy sources. This includes:
Designing
out waste and pollution
Keeping
products and materials in use
Regenerating
natural systems
By
applying these key principles to the built environment, we can create an
industry that relies more heavily upon recycled materials, maintains natural
ecosystems, and creates urban areas that are more liveable for our communities.
Led
by Professor Veena Sahajwalla, SMaRT works with industry, national and
international research partners and governments across Australia to develop
innovative environmental solutions for our biggest waste challenges.
The
SMaRT Centre has developed MICROfactorie technologies to transform waste
materials, such as glass, textiles and plastics, into new materials and
products, such as engineered green ceramics for the built environment.
These green ceramics have already been incorporated into Mirvac’s Marrick & Co. apartment project in Sydney, which demonstrates how extending the life of the materials we use can have a variety of economic, social and environmental benefits.
Green
Rating Systems
Green
building rating or certification systems help to mitigate the impacts of the
built environment through measuring, encouraging and recognising sustainable
development practices.
Two examples of Australian green rating systems include Green Star, developed by the Green Building Council of Australia and EnviroDevelopment, created by the Urban Institute of Australia.
Green
Star is an internationally recognised sustainability rating and certification
system for buildings, fitouts, and communities. Through a robust, transparent
and independent assessment process, Green Star aims to transform the built
environment by:
Reducing
the impact of climate change
Restoring
and protecting biodiversity and ecosystems
Enhancing
our health and quality of life
Driving
resilient outcomes for buildings, fitouts and communities
Contributing
to market transformation and a sustainable economy
Similarly,
EnviroDevelopment is a scientifically based independent rating system that
recognises developments that have satisfied a high standard of sustainability
requirements from concept through to completion.
These
certifications are determined through six key factors – ecosystems, waste,
water, energy, community engagement, and materials.
BRS is a corporate member and proud supporter of the Urban Development Institute of Australia’s (UDIA) EnviroDevelopment Professional program.
With a focus on sustainability and eco-friendly designs, Central Park by Frasers Property Australia and Sekisui House Australia is a great example of how green walls and facades can be incorporated into new developments.
Making
our Built Environment Green
It
is undeniable that creating greener spaces is an integral part of any
sustainable built environment.
One
such way this is achieved is through the inclusion of green roofs and walls,
which are used globally as an important climate change adaption tool.
With
less ground-level space available in cities for parks, gardens and trees, the
inclusion of engineered forms of green infrastructure including green roofs,
walls and facades creates opportunities to grow plants up and on top of built
structures.
There
are a broad variety of environmental, social, and cultural benefits associated
with the inclusion of green roofs and walls in urban development. Some of these
benefits include:
Improved air quality
Increased biodiversity
Increasing the absorption of carbon dioxide
Insulating buildings from heat and noise
Improving the efficiency of solar panels
Cooling city temperatures and reducing the impacts of urban heat island
Whilst
the built environment currently depends on new materials for its growth, it is
evident that our industry has begun to innovate and develop new ways in which
we can create sustainable change.
At BRS, we are fully committed to delivering environmentally sustainable outcomes to help our communities prosper and grow. We support the United Nations Sustainable Development goals, we are working towards becoming a BCorp certified company, and we will be releasing our Sustainability Report shortly which will outline our commitment to and how we will reach our sustainability targets.
This is primarily because in the past the built environment – the man-made elements of our surroundings such as buildings and infrastructure – has been designed around the linear ‘take-make-dispose’ model, in which materials are sourced, used and subsequently disposed of as waste.
A
question we are now asking ourselves is how can we commit to reaching sustainable
development goals, whilst working in an industry heavily relying upon the use
of natural resources to construct new buildings and infrastructure?
According to the Global Resources Outlook, the demand for natural resources has rapidly increased over the past 50 years, with global extraction reaching 92 billion tonnes per annum. More concerningly, approximately 50% of these resources are used for building materials.
Within Australia, the National Waste Policyestimates that we produce 67 million tonnes of waste per annum, of which 60% is generated by commercial, construction and demolition activities.
On
top of that, the construction, operation, and maintenance of buildings across
Australia comprises approximately one quarter of our total greenhouse gas
emissions.
From
these figures, it is evident that we must create significant change to stop the
devastating environmental, social, and economic impacts that the built
environment can have.
So,
what are the solutions?
If
these figures concern you as much as they concern us then you too are probably
wondering well, what can our industry do about it?
Whilst
there is certainly no one-fix-all solution, the good news is that our industry has
already started to innovate how we can reduce and improve our environmental
impact, particularly through the utilisation of sustainable materials and
restoration of biodiversity in new developments.
The
Circular Economy
In
comparison to the current linear model, the circular economy is an innovative and
regenerative model for rethinking our approach to production by reducing our
consumption of resources and subsequent waste.
According toPlanet Ark, the three principles of a circular economy are underpinned by a transition to renewable energy sources. This includes:
Designing
out waste and pollution
Keeping
products and materials in use
Regenerating
natural systems
By
applying these key principles to the built environment, we can create an
industry that relies more heavily upon recycled materials, maintains natural
ecosystems, and creates urban areas that are more liveable for our communities.
Led
by Professor Veena Sahajwalla, SMaRT works with industry, national and
international research partners and governments across Australia to develop
innovative environmental solutions for our biggest waste challenges.
The
SMaRT Centre has developed MICROfactorie technologies to transform waste
materials, such as glass, textiles and plastics, into new materials and
products, such as engineered green ceramics for the built environment.
These green ceramics have already been incorporated into Mirvac’s Marrick & Co. apartment project in Sydney, which demonstrates how extending the life of the materials we use can have a variety of economic, social and environmental benefits.
Green
Rating Systems
Green
building rating or certification systems help to mitigate the impacts of the
built environment through measuring, encouraging and recognising sustainable
development practices.
Two examples of Australian green rating systems include Green Star, developed by the Green Building Council of Australia and EnviroDevelopment, created by the Urban Institute of Australia.
Green
Star is an internationally recognised sustainability rating and certification
system for buildings, fitouts, and communities. Through a robust, transparent
and independent assessment process, Green Star aims to transform the built
environment by:
Reducing
the impact of climate change
Restoring
and protecting biodiversity and ecosystems
Enhancing
our health and quality of life
Driving
resilient outcomes for buildings, fitouts and communities
Contributing
to market transformation and a sustainable economy
Similarly,
EnviroDevelopment is a scientifically based independent rating system that
recognises developments that have satisfied a high standard of sustainability
requirements from concept through to completion.
These
certifications are determined through six key factors – ecosystems, waste,
water, energy, community engagement, and materials.
BRS is a corporate member and proud supporter of the Urban Development Institute of Australia’s (UDIA) EnviroDevelopment Professional program.
With a focus on sustainability and eco-friendly designs, Central Park by Frasers Property Australia and Sekisui House Australia is a great example of how green walls and facades can be incorporated into new developments.
Making
our Built Environment Green
It
is undeniable that creating greener spaces is an integral part of any
sustainable built environment.
One
such way this is achieved is through the inclusion of green roofs and walls,
which are used globally as an important climate change adaption tool.
With
less ground-level space available in cities for parks, gardens and trees, the
inclusion of engineered forms of green infrastructure including green roofs,
walls and facades creates opportunities to grow plants up and on top of built
structures.
There
are a broad variety of environmental, social, and cultural benefits associated
with the inclusion of green roofs and walls in urban development. Some of these
benefits include:
Improved air quality
Increased biodiversity
Increasing the absorption of carbon dioxide
Insulating buildings from heat and noise
Improving the efficiency of solar panels
Cooling city temperatures and reducing the impacts of urban heat island
Whilst
the built environment currently depends on new materials for its growth, it is
evident that our industry has begun to innovate and develop new ways in which
we can create sustainable change.
At BRS, we are fully committed to delivering environmentally sustainable outcomes to help our communities prosper and grow. We support the United Nations Sustainable Development goals, we are working towards becoming a BCorp certified company, and we will be releasing our Sustainability Report shortly which will outline our commitment to and how we will reach our sustainability targets.
