The 2010 South Australian Engineering Excellence Awards, hosted on Friday night 10 September by SA Engineers Australia President, Doug Gillott, brought together over 350 guests with the Governor of South Australia, His Excellency Rear Admiral Kevin Scarce, to celebrate a year of achievements of South Australia’s professional engineering innovators.

In welcoming guests, Doug Gillott, said, “The engineering profession strengthens the economic
and social foundation of South Australia through the innovative and sustainable application of
engineering principles to solve problems for society.”

The overall highest recognition for an engineering project, the Malcolm Kinnaird Engineering
Excellence Award, was won by the Techport Australia Common User Facility that will play a key role in building the new Air Warfare Destroyers for the Royal Australian Navy, as well as being ideally suited for the delivery of future significant naval projects. The 24-month, technically challenging and complex project, undertaken by Built Environs Pty Ltd, McConnell Dowell, Defence SA, Rolls-Royce and Aurecon, was performed on land and over and under water and required extensive civil, electrical, hydraulic and marine engineering construction expertise.

The Engineering Excellence Award for Small Business was won by CalTest for the Induction Motor Efficiency Measurement System that measures the energy efficiency of large electric motors at a laboratory facility in Port Elliot. The efficiency of the motors strongly influences the amount and cost of energy consumed in industrial processes, and therefore the quantity of carbon dioxide which is released into the atmosphere as a result of the generation of the electricity which they consume.

The Air Warfare Destroyer – ASC Shipyard Development, by Kellogg Brown & Root Pty Ltd and Hansen Yuncken, won the Engineering Excellence Award for Building Projects. The $120 million ASC shipyard development has involved world-class, large-scale naval infrastructure to deliver Australia’s largest and most complex defence project - the $8 billion for the Air Warfare Destroyer program. The design of the 14-hectare shipyard at Osborne provides expansion
opportunities for building ships beyond the AWD program.

The South Australian Water Corporation, Leed Engineering and Construction, Leighton Contractors, Guidera O’Connor and United Water International Pty Ltd were awarded the Engineering Excellence Award for Infrastructure Projects for the Glenelg to Adelaide Park Lands Recycled Project. The project provides a sustainable long-term solution for watering the park lands by reducing dependence on other water sources including the River Murray and decreasing the amount of treated wastewater discharged into Gulf St Vincent.

The Engineering Excellence Awards for Project Management was won by Parsons Brinckerhoff
and Iluka Resources Ltd for the Alliance pays dividends for Iluka Jacinth – Ambrosia mineral sands project. The $420 million Jacinth-Ambrosia mineral sands mine, north-west of Ceduna, is potentially the richest zircon deposit to date globally, and has the potential to supply around 25% of the world’s demand. Through the strict application of project management principles, the project was delivered ahead of schedule, under budget and with no safety or environmental incidents.

Awards for other projects included:

Commendation for Infrastructure Projects

• South Road Upgrade – Glenelg Tram Overpass – Dept Transport, Energy & Infrastructure, McConnell Dowell, Swanbury Penglase and AECOM.
• Coast to Coast Light Rail – City West to Adelaide Entertainment Centre – Dept for Transport, Energy & Infrastructure, Thiess, Downer EDI Works, Aurecon, Parsons Brinckerhoff and HASSELL.

Commendation for Building Projects

• Adelaide Entertainment Centre – Facilities Enhancement - Aurecon
• Dept for Families and Communities, Offices at Mount Gambier – GHD Pty Ltd.

Commendation for Project Management

• Lower Lakes Integrated Pipeline Project (Potable Water Component) – South Australian Water Corporation and Leed Engineering & Construction Pty Ltd.

Commendation for Research, Development and Information

• Delivering a Secure Water Supply to the Community: Combined Optimisation and Multi- Criteria Analysis Approach – South Australian Water Corporation, Optimatics, United Water International Pty Ltd and University of Adelaide.

Commendation for Environment and Sustainability

• Christies Beach Biosolids Dewatering and Reuse Project – South Australian Water corporation, United Water International Pty Ltd, Kellogg Brown and Root Pty Ltd and Jeffries Group.

The evening also featured recognition of the outstanding contribution to the engineering
profession of individual South Australians.

SA Professional Engineer of the Year – Professor Karen Reynolds, Flinders University, Faculty of Science and Engineering. The efforts of Professor Reynolds in biomedical engineering education, research, innovation and commercialisation have contributed significantly to the establishment of a highly supportive innovation environment for fledging biomedical industries in South Australia. Professor Reynolds regularly presents at public and community-based events and her work has been featured in a wide variety of international and national media outlets.

SA Young Professional Engineer of the Year – Anthony Elder, Project Manager, Leed Engineering and Construction. Anthony’s broad range of technical knowledge and managerial
skills has involved him in many innovative projects. Currently, Anthony is managing the Christie
Creek Upgrade project for the City of Onkaparinga that will deliver 850ML per year of treated
stormwater. He continues to contribute back to the engineering community by also providing
networking and education events for other young professionals.

SA Engineering Technologist of the Year – Patrick Campbell, founder and Director of BCA
Engineers. Patrick is recognised as an industry leader in the building industry’s health care, retail and commercial areas. Through his work and leadership, Patrick has demonstrated a strong desire to give back to the industry through education and community contribution. Patrick and the BCA Engineers team also were recently recognised for the work in the establishment of a Respite Care House for children with disabilities and their families.

Winners of the Engineers Australia’s South Australia Division awards are eligible for nomination
to the 2010 Australian Engineering Excellence Awards to be announced at Parliament House in
Canberra on Wednesday 24 November 2010.

Media Contact: John Bright – 0407 234 490 / jbright@engineersaustralia.org.au
Engineers Australia is the common name of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, with 93,000 members