Christchurch best place in the world to be a civil and natural resources engineer right now

October 17, 2012

A leading University of Canterbury (UC) engineer says there is no better time to study engineering at UC than the present following the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes.

Acting head of UC’s civil and natural resources engineering David Wareham says there is nothing like a disaster to focus people’s attention on the huge role that engineers play in making a city work and the huge responsibility they bear in the protection of human life.

He was responding to a report yesterday by Stephen Hogg, technical director for engineering firm Aurecon, who has just returned from the 15th world conference on earthquake engineering in Portugal, attended by over 3000 delegates.

Hogg said that after listening to world experts discussing earthquake engineering design, it reinforced the fact that Christchurch, backed by the University of Canterbury, leads the world.

Associate Professor Wareham said engineers were responsible for a variety of city infrastructure systems ranging from telecommunications, transport, water and waste systems and electrical and power systems through to the design of large buildings and other structures. These systems were all tested severely in the recent Christchurch earthquakes.

``Many of the academics at UC were seconded to be part of the building inspection teams that classified the structural integrity of the buildings hardest hit in the downtown core of Christchurch while several of them testified before the Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission of Inquiry,’’ he said.

``Many of the engineers lending their expert opinion to the royal commission on the behaviour of the buildings were ex-graduates of the University of Canterbury.

``Notwithstanding the fact that many of our infrastructure systems proved robust, the scale of the disaster means there is a great deal of work to be done in terms of rebuilding Christchurch. Correspondingly, now is an exciting opportunity to study in particular civil and natural resources engineering at UC.’’

Doing an undergraduate degree at UC is like having open access to a lab because construction activity is happening on a scale and at a pace never before seen in New Zealand, Associate Professor Wareham said.

The type of intense, real-time experience is available nowhere else in New Zealand nor is it commonplace throughout the world, he said.

``The demand for engineers is incredibly high and likely to remain so for many years to come; thus, engineers are snatched up as fast as the University of Canterbury can graduate them. It is literally a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be part of the largest rebuild in New Zealand’s history,’’ he said.

The role of the next generation of engineers will be crucial during the Christchurch rebuild. Holmes Consulting Group project engineer Renee Brook said most of the engineers in her Christchurch office were UC graduates like her.

``Holmes Consulting is the largest specialist structural engineering firm in New Zealand with a staff of over 100 in five offices as well as an office in San Francisco. We work on some of the biggest and most iconic projects in New Zealand and a large proportion of them are designed by UC graduates,’’ Brook said.

``I think UC has a unique opportunity to be teaching engineers that are going to help create the Christchurch of the future. I'm excited to be involved in the Christchurch rebuild and to have a hand in building some of these special new buildings.

``I'm excited that in years to come I will be able to say that I had a hand in creating some fantastic buildings that helped shape the new Christchurch. I mean, what structural engineer doesn't want to be in Christchurch at the moment?’’ Brook said.

ends

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On The 2013 Budget

Among Thursday’s main talking points:

We are apparently on track for a margin-of-error $75 million surplus, now in sight for 2014/15. But this sickly creature is hobbling out of the lab on the basis of all kinds of facilitative conjuring: such as trimming by $200 million the amount of new spending next time around.

With this strictly nominal surplus in sight, the 1984-ish justification for eternal austerity will have a news talisman: namely, getting Crown debt down to 20% of GDP by 2020. More>>

Budget Report, Lockup Audio & Images: Budget Day 2013 As always and especially after the managerial mishaps of the past few weeks and months, (e.g. Aaron Gilmore, the Mighty River Power share float, the GCSB mishaps) Budget Day 2013 was always going to be a pageant of reassurance... More>>

Budget 2013 Comment: Plain Sailing, But It's No America's Cup Pattrick Smellie: Compared to the last four budgets, this year's reflects an economy moving out of recession and into calmer waters... Yet if the fastest annual growth rate we can expect over the next two years is 3 percent - with the Christchurch rebuild in full swing - then you'd have to say New Zealand's underlying low-growth problem is far from fixed. More>>

Auckland Discord: Govt’s Power Hungry Housing Approach A Threat - Labour

Last week the Government said this, ‘The Government commits not to use any proposed or existing powers ... to override the council's planning and consenting processes’. But its housing Bill says this; ‘If an accord cannot be reached in an area of severe housing unaffordability, the Government can intervene by establishing special housing areas and issuing consents for developers’. More>>

ALSO:

• NZ Govt - Housing accords legislation passes first reading - Legislation For Housing Accords, Land Supply - Housing package improves affordability, access
• Greens - Budget numbers show National’s failure on home affordability
• Auckland Chamber of Commerce - Budget 2013: Housing intervention needed
• Out-Link - Gareth Morgan: Response to housing problem limp-wristed
• Earlier, Pre-Budget - Auckland Accord announced

Extending Protest Ban, Relaxing Permit Rules: Govt Abuses Urgency To Extend Anadarko Amendment

The Government is trying to pass legislation under urgency which would make the Anadarko Amendment – which limits protest at sea – apply to an additional 1.7 million square kilometres, the Green Party said today. More>>

ALSO:

• Parliament Today - Parliament Resumes To Pass Budget Bills
• Labour - Government to extend protest ban
• Greenpeace NZ - Oil Companies Lacking ‘Expertise’ and ‘Financial Ability’ Set to Be Handed Drilling Permits
• 2010 image via: Pacific.Scoop - Media watcher gives NZ press nil score card for China oil spill coverage