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Ireland wins the Green Professional Services award 2013

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Arup in Ireland has been recognised for its commitment in developing sustainable business practices at the 2013 Green Awards ceremony, in addition to being shortlisted for the Green Transport Award.

The Green Awards celebrate excellence in sustainability and encourage green best practice in Ireland amongst both organisations and individuals. This year the awards attracted over 160 entries across 22 categories.

Arup's winning submission demonstrated environmental and sustainability strategies and achievements across nine fields including commitment and leadership, training, energy management, waste, chemicals, supply chain management and procurement, innovation and certification.

"We are delighted to receive this award. It is great to be recognised for our efforts and commitment in being a sustainable organisation. Our mission statement 'we shape a better world' really defines our purpose. We strive to incorporate environmentalism and social purpose into all our projects. We have a number of initiatives planned for 2013 to ensure our commitment to sustainable practices is maintained and improved upon."

—Eoghan Lynch, Group Leader Ireland

Arup was selected from a pool of competitors across a range of sectors including accountancy, law, management consultancy and other professional services. The judges recognised Arup's long-standing commitment to sustainability in the way business is conducted, the way staff are treated and the way the organisation interacts with society as a whole.

The award is a recognition of the large level of employee engagement in sustainability practices through both project work and Arup's certified Environmental Management System.

World's first microalgae façade goes 'live'

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT

The world's first full-scale bioreactive façade at the BIQ house in Germany is going 'live' as microalgae are fed into the system for the first time.

The tiny green algae will play a huge role in determining the future potential of this technology, which aims to provide shade and a renewable fuel source for the experimental apartment.

The BIQ house was built as part of this year's International Building Exhibition (IBA) in Hamburg. With 200m² of integrated photo-bioreactors, this innovative passive-energy house generates microalgae biomass and heat as renewable energy resources. At the same time, the system integrates additional functionalities such as dynamic shading, thermal insulation and noise abatement, highlighting the full potential of this technology.

The microalgae used in the facades are cultivated in flat panel glass bioreactors measuring 2,5m x 0,7m. In total, 129 bioreactors have been installed on the south west and south east faces of the four-storey residential building. The heart of the system is the fully automated energy management centre where solar thermal heat and algae are harvested in a closed loop to be stored and then fermented to generate hot water.

Known as "SolarLeaf", this innovative façade system is the result of three years of research and development by Colt International based on a bio-reactor concept developed by SSC Ltd and design work led by the international design consultant and engineering firm, Arup. Funding support came from the German Government's "ZukunftBau" research initiative.

"We've done the research. We've got the units in place. Now as we add the microalgae we will see for the first time how the bioreactor façade operates in a real life situation. It is a test for the technology, but it also represents a huge step forward. If we can demonstrate that microalgae biofaçades can become a viable new source of sustainable energy production, we can transform the urban environment, as well as providing architects with a new source of inspiration."

—Jan Wurm, Arup's Europe Research Leader

The microalgae biofaçade goes live on 25 April 2013 when the technology will be presented in detail to the media and the team will publish comprehensive documentation on the system.

This new system is going to be distributed through Colt International.

Ireland strengthens fire engineering leadership

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Arup Ireland has welcomed Kenneth Wynne to the fire engineering practice.

Kenneth leads a team of six fire engineers in Ireland, members of an 18 strong fire team working together on projects across Europe and linked to Arup´s 180-plus fire engineers based in around 30 locations worldwide and specialized in local and country-specific codes and planning standards for fire safety.

Kenneth, who has over ten years of experience as a fire engineering professional in Ireland, will play a major role in developing Arup's fire engineering service within Ireland and globally. Kenneth is also a Committee Member on the Fire and Safety Division at Engineers Ireland and holds a Master and Bachelor's degree in fire safety engineering.

As a chartered fire engineer Kenneth's addition to the team will allow Arup to maintain their established reputation for achieving high standards of safety while introducing innovative and functional solutions.

The fire team he will be joining consists of highly qualified and experienced engineers who combine their skills and experience to deliver solutions to the highest standard.

Examples of the team´s expertise include local projects at Dublin Castle Complex and ALDI Mitchelstown as well as worldwide projects such as Schipol Airport in Netherlands, Ashgabat Olympic Complex in Ashgabat, Ikea fire safety rectifications in Russia, Jersey Airport and North East Energy Recovery Centre both in UK.

World first bio-reactive façade debuts in Hamburg

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT

The bioreactor façade at the BIQ house is in position and will be showcased for the first time on 23 March at the opening of the International Building Exhibition in Hamburg.

After that, the integrated algae-based system will be put into full operational mode at an inauguration event for the media on 25 April.

The BIQ house will become the world's first pilot project to showcase a bioreactive façade at the International Building Exhibition (IBA) in Hamburg on 23 March. With 200m² of integrated photo-bioreactors, this passive-energy house generates biomass and heat as renewable energy resources. At the same time, the system integrates additional functionality such as dynamic shading, thermal insulation and noise abatement, highlighting the full potential of this technology.

The microalgae used in the façades are cultivated in flat panel glass bioreactors measuring 2.5m x 0.7m. In total, 129 bioreactors have been installed on the south west and south east faces of the four-storey residential building. The heart of the system is the fully automated energy management centre where solar thermal heat and algae are harvested in a closed loop to be stored and used to generate hot water.

The innovative façade system is the result of three years of research and development by Colt International based on a bio-reactor concept developed by SSC Ltd and design work led by Arup. Funding support came from the German Government's "ZukunftBau" research initiative.

"Using bio-chemical processes in the façade of a building to create shade and energy is a really innovative concept. It might well become a sustainable solution for energy production in urban areas, so it is great to see it being tested in a real-life scenario."

—Jan Wurm, Arup's Europe Research Leader

The system will be officially presented to the media on 25 April 2013 when the biofaçade system goes into operation for the first time.

Penguin Pool event in Dublin offices

Fri, 14 Dec 2012 13:00:00 GMT

Recently Ireland organised its first Penguin Pool event. This is part of a global series presented by Arup to inform, inspire and entertain.

Guests from a broad range of creative fields were delighted to hear Joseph Walsh, of Joseph Walsh Studios, talk about his work. Surrounded by 3-D models of some of his pieces Joseph, in conversation with one of our directors Peter Flynn, discussed his creative process and his approach to design from the concept stage to the final works.

Walsh, aided by his international team, challenges existing practices by achieving stunning pieces that reflect his love of nature and also his desire to engage the user with visual and tactile forms - a truly inspiring and engaging talk.

Peter Flynn drew on many aspects of the change points in Joe's career and explored points where he actively broke the rules that he himself had created.

Irish illustrators Nicky Hooper and Nicola Colton were on hand to help guests release their creative juices, by decorating and drawing using the scribble box from Irish design company Klickity. Quite a few penguins were drawn and painted during this playful element of the evening.

The diverse guest list inspired a truly innovative atmosphere with great discussions, crossover of practices and a very enjoyable evening. Feedback has already revealed great interest in a follow up event.

The Penguin Pool was held on 27 November in the Dublin offices.

Zero2020Energy Retrofit wins IDI Award

Tue, 13 Nov 2012 11:00:00 GMT

Last week Zero2020Energy Retrofit, Cork Institute of Technology, won the Design Sustainability Award at the Institute of Designer's in Ireland.

The IDI Awards recognise and reward the work of Ireland's most talented designers, and showcase the leading projects from different disciplines in Ireland.

As lead consultants on the project, Arup provided engineering and project management consultancy services. Energy conservation and sensitivity to environmental issues were the primary concerns for Arup.

Through the use of pioneering solutions including very good air tightness levels, air source heat pumps, high efficient lighting strategies and other initiatives such as exposed thermal mass, Arup and the project team helped deliver energy and resource usage rates anticipated in the 2020 regulations (rather than the minimal compliance with current Building Regulations).

Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) occupies 24,000m² of an existing two storey 1974 precast concrete structure in 4 main blocks. This pilot project involved only 290m² of the original building but it is a test-bed for the redevelopment of the original site with a view to achieving net zero energy by 2020.

The project is designed in a modular fashion to provide 'plug and play' capability for research in sustainable energy and in building energy systems. A net zero energy building produces as much energy as it uses in a year. The methodology is based on minimising consumption and supplementing the balance with renewable energy.

The finished space houses both the Centre for Advanced Manufacturing and Management Systems (CAMMS) and the Medical Engineering Design and Innovation Centre (MEDIC), both Centres with significant external interactions.

The project was the overall winner in the Design Sustainability category. The IDI awards were held on November 8.

Two shortlisted for Structural Awards 2012

Fri, 31 Aug 2012 16:00:00 GMT

Two Arup projects have been shortlisted for The Structural Awards 2012, hosted by The Institution of Structural Engineers: the redevelopment of London's King's Cross Station and The National University of Ireland Galway's (NUIG) Engineering Building.

The Structural Awards are the industry's most prestigious awards ceremony, celebrating international excellence in structural engineering.

King's Cross Station Redevelopment

Shortlisted in the 'Infrastructure or Transportation' category, Arup's engineers helped deliver the stunning column-free concourse adjacent to the existing listed station building. In selecting the Kings Cross Station Redevelopment for the shortlist, judges noted:

"The judges were impressed by the way the structural engineers cleverly managed to deal with the missing shell action, because the roof is only half a dome, and still achieve a slender and elegant solution. In addition to creating a well engineered and dramatic new space under the new diagrid roof, the engineers also had to deal with the redevelopment of the existing Western Range Building which was done with admirable restraint and respect for the existing structure."

NUIG's Engineering Building

Housing five different engineering disciplines, the new Engineering Building for the National University of Ireland Galway was designed to be a 'living laboratory' and 'interactive teaching tool'. Shortlisted for the 'Education or Healthcare' category, the judging panel commented:

"A building for engineering teaching simply had to be an exemplar. The University should be proud of this marvellous new facility which should enable them to attract high calibre students."

The Engineering Building has already taken accolades at the CMG Building Design Awards (Building of the Year) and was voted Public Choice in the RIAI Irish Architecture Awards 2012.

The Structural Awards 2012 ceremony will take place on 2 November at the Marriott Hotel, Grosvenor Square in London.

Arup signs contract for the 2013 ITS European Congress

Tue, 26 Jun 2012 00:00:00 GMT

David O´Keeffe, Arup´s Intelligent Transport Systems leader for the Europe Region, signed the contract for the next 2013 ITS European Congress which will be held in Convention Centre Dublin.

The ITS Congress will take place under the theme ITS: Delivering for European Competitiveness through Sustainable Mobility and will be the major ITS event in Europe in 2013, with several thousand delegates from the continent and beyond gathering in the Irish capital to discuss and showcase the latest transport solutions.

The conference is typically preceded by a one-day European Commission conference along with an informal meeting of EU Transport Government Ministers thereby ensuring that many key transport decision makers are present in Dublin during the weeklong event.

The signing of the contract was held during the launch meeting of the host organizing committee and in the presence of important industry players and Irish government representatives including Alan Kelly T.D. (Minister of State for Transport) and Hermann Meyer, ERTICO ITS Europe CEO.

Euro 2012 spotlights Arup's football skills

Mon, 11 Jun 2012 12:39:00 GMT

Arup's design skills will feature alongside the football talents of Ashley Young, Franck Ribery and the rest of the players at this year's European Football Championships.

The Arup-designed Shaktar Donetsk 50,000-seater stadium - the Donbass Arena - will play host to the opening game in Group D between France and England, as well as several other matches, including the second semi-final.

Arup played a key role in the design team that produced the €320 million Donbass Arena, which became the first new FIFA compliant football stadium built in a former Soviet country when it opened in August 2009.

According to Burkhard Miehe, the Arup lead structural engineer responsible for the design of the stadium bowl,

"Donbass set the standard for all the followers in the Ukraine and Russia. We still get enquiries from other clubs in Eastern Europe referring to Shakhtar as their prime example for excellent stadium design."

The Donbass stadium is just one of many major stadia commissions for Arup, extending from the City of Manchester Stadium to the Allianz Arena, so the fans will enjoy the atmosphere no matter what the final score.

Handover ceremony for CCTV HQ

Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The official handover ceremony for the CCTV Headquarters has taken place in Beijing, China.

As part of the original design team, Arup was commissioned by the architect, OMA, to provide structural, MEP, geotechnical and fire engineering design, as well as security consulting services.

The OMA design for the CCTV headquarters is formed of two towers - 234m tall and 194m tall - that lean towards each other and form a 14-storey 'L-shaped' overhang. This unconventional tower posed extraordinary structural challenges for Arup.

"We are delighted to see the handover of this extraordinary building. Throughout this multi-disciplinary project, we drew upon our global expertise to propose the building's design criteria, and to understand and analyse its seismic performance."

- Arup Director, Michael Kwok

"We carried out an unprecedented level of performance-based analysis which included examining all 10,060 elements in the primary structure under all credible seismic conditions. The highly detailed engineering was explained to, and approved by, a Government-appointed panel of structural experts."

- Arup Director, Rory McGowan

Led by Rem Koolhaas, former partner Ole Scheeren (until 2010), and partner David Gianotten, this is OMA's first major building in China. The Arup team who worked on the OMA design was led by Cecil Balmond (now at Balmond Studio), Rory McGowan, Chris Carroll and Michael Kwok.

Arup's diverse role in the project involved co-ordinating design and engineering teams across the firm from London, Beijing, Hong Kong and Shenzhen.