AESTHETIC OVERHEAD LINE STRUCTURES

INTERNATIONAL DESIGN IDEAS COMPETITION

Competition Brief

SBRI is a mechanism which enables public sector bodies to connect with innovative ideas and technology businesses to provide innovative solutions to specific Public Sector challenges and needs.

The Public sector is able to find innovative solutions by reaching out to organisations from different sectors including small and emerging businesses. New technical solutions are created through accelerated technology development, whilst risk is reduced through a phased development programme. SBRI also provides applicants with a transparent competitive and a reliable source of early-stage funding.

SBRI competitions are open to all organisations that can demonstrate a route to market for their solution. The SBRI scheme is particularly suited to small and medium-sized business, as the contracts are of relatively small value and operate on short timescales. Developments are 100% funded and focus on specific identified needs, increasing the chance of exploitation. Suppliers for each project will be selected by an open competition process and retain the intellectual property generated from the project, with certain rights of use retained by the contracting Authority. This is an excellent opportunity to establish an early customer for a new technology and to fund its development.

FUNDING BODY

In association with RIBA, the Enabling Innovation Team (EIT) which forms part of the Future Railway Programme, HS2 Ltd and the Department for Transport (DfT) intend to identify Overhead Line Structure designs that will minimise their impact on the surrounding environment. The aim is to identify and demonstrate design solutions that:

• are more visibly appealing to line side neighbours• have construction and installation costs close to that of existing structures• are relatively easy to install particularly in hard to access locations

This RIBA Competition invites architects, engineers and designers worldwide to propose new ideas to improve the design of gantry and cantilever structures which form an essential component of the electrification programme across the UK rail network and assist with electrification of the network through listed or otherwise protected areas.

An Introduction to SBRI

Summary

The electrification programme, established in 2010 and significantly extended in the 2012 High Level Output Specification (HLOS), is one of the most significant railway investments in decades.  UK government will invest around £9.4bn in a rolling electrification programme across the country.

Overhead electrification is a mature and well understood technology.  However, it is believed that there is an opportunity to harness innovation as part of the electrification programme, to reduce costs in the overall investment programme, improve operating efficiencies and solve issues around the aesthetics of overhead line structures.

As part of the electrification programme, overhead line structures will need to be installed. For some parts of the network current overhead line structures may be considered ‘ugly’ and/or obtrusive in certain contexts in particular when passing through areas of outstanding natural beauty, conservation areas or residential areas. This is of particular importance for certain parts of the planned HS2 route for example the Colne Valley Viaduct.

A solution for this issue is an aesthetically pleasing overhead line structure design, which is more visibly appealing to line side neighbours. Historically, more aesthetic structures have cost significantly more to build and deploy because existing structures have been designed to specifically minimise the installation and deployment costs.

The design of current electrification structures is a complex issue but the general issues are outlined in EN 50119 2009+A1 2013 Electric traction overhead contact lines.

Recent designs used in the UK for high speed rail have the following high level elements for the mechanical performance of a single track cantilever:

Mast: Approx. 220 – 250mm universal column

Height: 7 – 9 metres

Feeder wire: Height varies between 6.30m and 8.40m and the conductor is 288mm ACSR. Can be mounted ‘inboard’ or ‘outboard’ depending on the surrounding environment (on a bridge/viaduct – inboard to stay within the bounds of the railway) and other conductors

Earth wire: Aerial Earth Conductor (AEC) 93mm2 at 5.5m outside the mast as it would conflict with the cantilever on a standard mast.

Contact wire: The contact wire is 150mm² copper at a standard height of 5.08m with an along track regulated tension of 25-30kN.

Catenary wire: Catenary Wire could be a 95mm² bronze conductor with a regulated tension of 15.0-20kN. The system height would be 1.4m to 1.6m putting the catenary wire at 6.5m to 6.7m at the support.

Temperature: -18 to +40

Wind: Location dependant often 35 m/s

Span length: Maximum span would generally be 60m on tangent track decreasing as the track radius of curvature decreases. Nominally between 45-55m

Radial load: Maximum 2.65 kN at contact wire height on a pull off cantilever in curved track.

Cross sectional diagrams of several structures can be downloaded from the competition page www.ribacompetitions.com/ols

Background and Challenge

Technical Specification

The challenge is therefore, to design Overhead Line Structures that are more aesthetically pleasing in the context of areas of the HS2 route which will impact on areas of natural beauty, conservation areas or residential areas and in particular viaducts and embankments. These designs should in principal be able to support the loads outlined in the technical specification above and if appropriate materials other than steel can be considered i.e. lighter and/or more sustainable.

The competition is open to architects, engineers, designers, single companies, organisations from private or public sector, or collaborations who will be capable of designing such structures.

The competition will run in two phases:

• Stage 1 is intended to develop 1/10 scale models of the proposed designs to be set in the context of a specific area of the HS2 route. Contracts for this work will be for duration of 5 weeks and up to £15,000 (inc VAT) per project.• Stage 2 contracts are intended to develop and evaluate successful designs from Stage 1. This stage will focus on but not be limited to the following areas of development:

- design of end structures and ‘turning’ structures - how the design structure interfaces with the catenary system - modelling of forces and loads on the structure - construction and installation of structures

Developments will be 100% funded and suppliers for each project will be selected by an open competition process and retain the intellectual property rights (IPR) generated from the project, with certain rights of use retained by the EIT.

Whilst not absolutely necessary for the initial application, applicants should consider how they will deliver Stage 2 of the competition if they are successful.

The Challenge

Rules for Participation

Invitation to Tender

Summary

Competition Conditions

This Invitation to Tender should be read in conjunction with the other documents associated with this competition. These and all associated documents can be downloaded from the competition site at www.ribacompetitions.com/ols

Applicants are invited to tender for projects under this SBRI programme to design and develop aesthetically pleasing Overhead Line Structures in the context of areas of the HS2 route which will impact on areas of natural beauty, conservation areas or residential areas as outlined in the competition brief.

HOW TO REGISTER AND ENTER

You may only submit an entry to the competition if you are officially registered through RIBA Competitions and in possession of a Unique Registration Number (URN).

Please visit www.architecture.com/competitions and follow the appropriate link under ‘Live Competitions’ to register online. Please note that this competition is free to enter.

Once your registration has been processed, you will be issued with a Unique Registration Number (URN) and the SBRI Application Form.

Details of the background, challenges and expected outcomes of the projects can be found in the Brief. You are strongly advised read all the competition documents before submitting an application.

The competition is a two stage competition. Stage 1 is intended to identify up to 10 potential design solutions and build scale models of these 10 designs. The contracts placed will be for a maximum of 5 weeks and up to £15,000 (inc VAT) per project. Stage 2 contracts are intended for up to 4 successful designs from Stage 1 to further develop and evaluate the designs. It is anticipated that funding will be up to a maximum of £150,000 per selected project. Further details about Stage 2 will be provided to the 10 proposals identified for Stage 1. Further details about the application process are provided below.

Application: Submission of concept designs along with project plan and costs for delivering stage 1, which can be contracted upon.

Stage 1 : A shortlist of up to ten designs will be selected, with anonymity lifted. The authors will be contracted to develop their design further based on their application proposal. Stage 1 will include the production of a scale model of their design. Applicants will also be required to develop a high level plan, with costs for stage 2 of the competition. Shortlisted teams will then be invited to interview to present their designs to the Judging Panel and discuss in more detail.

Stage 2: Following interview and assessment of the designs and the stage two plan, up to four applicants will be contracted to deliver the stage 2 “development stage” of the competition. Stage 2 will further develop the proposals, by undertaking detailed technical and mathematical modelling and consider the route to market.

COMPETITION PROMOTERS

The Competition is being promoted by the Enabling Innovation Team which forms part of the Future Railway Programme in conjunction with HS2. The competition is being managed and administered by RIBA Competitions to whom all queries relating to the competition should be addressed.

COMPETITION FORMAT

The competition is being run as a Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) competition (see http://www.innovateuk.org/sbri for more information on SBRI competitions), with no commitment beyond the stages of the competition to develop any of the schemes. SBRI is a two stage competition process and as such applicants should bear this in mind from the outset.

SBRI competitions are open to all organisations that can demonstrate a route to market for their solution. The SBRI scheme is particularly suited to small and medium-sized business, as the contracts are of relatively small value and operate on short timescales. Developments are 100% funded and focus on specific identified needs, increasing the chance of exploitation. Suppliers for each project will be selected by an open competition process and retain the intellectual property generated from the project, with certain rights of use retained by the contracting Authority. This is an excellent opportunity to establish an early customer for a new technology and to fund its development.

ELIGIBILITY

The competition is open internationally to architects, engineers and designers.

Team and multi-disciplinary entries are encouraged.

No member or employee of the promoting body, the judging panel, or any partner, close associate or employee of them shall be eligible to compete or assist a competitor.

DECLARATION OF AUTHORSHIP & ACCEPTANCE OF COMPETITION REGULATIONS

The declaration within the application form acknowledges authorship of the design ideas, and by signing it, competitors agree to abide by the competition conditions and the decision of the Judging Panel. The completed SBRI form should be completed and uploaded to the digital entry system along with the design submission.

By applying, companies are consenting to the terms and conditions contained in the contract. This can be downloaded from the competition page ww.ribacompetitions.com/ols

Please note the team members stated on the SBRI form will be used in all press releases and any publicity so please ensure this is reflected accurately.

JUDGING PANEL

The Judging Panel (which may be subject to change) is expected to comprise:

• Martin Knight, Knight Architects, RIBA Adviser• David Clarke, Director, EIT • Mark Howard, Head of Power, Traction and M&E Engineering, HS2 Ltd.• Mark Whitby, Structural Engineer, Davies Maguire + Whitby• Grahame Taylor, Editor, Rail Engineer Magazine • Jonathan Glancey, Architectural Critic and Writer• Paul Weston, Head of Exhibitions and Design, National Railway Museum

* Joanne Wallis, RIBA Competitions Consultant will attend the assessments to document the competition process and provide procedural support.

In the event of a Judging Panel member being unable to continue to act through illness or any other cause, the promoters, in consultation with the RIBA, reserves the right to appoint an alternative Panel member.

COMPETITION PROGRAMME

The anticipated programme, which may be subject to variation, is as follows:

Activity Date

Official Competition launch 9 December 2013

Deadline for Questions Friday 10 January 2014

Response to Questions issued Friday 17 January 2014

Registration Deadline Monday 27 January 2014

Deadline for submission of Application Tuesday 4 February 2014

Assessment of Applications w/c 10 February 2014

Short list and unsuccessful designers notified by email w/e 21 February 2014

Information Day / Briefing Session for shortlisted designers w/c 24 February 2014

Submission Deadline for shortlisted designers - models/stage 2 application

w/c 24 March 2014

Exhibition of shortlisted designs / public consultation w/c 31 March 2014

Final Interviews/Presentations to Judging Panel w/c 28 April 2014

Announcement of successful stage 2 applicants May 2014

QUESTIONS

Questions relating to the Competition Brief and Conditions must be submitted to RIBA Competitions at riba.competitions@riba.org before 5pm on Friday 10 January 2014. A statement in response to all questions raised will be emailed to registered competitors only by 17 January 2014. Oral questions will not be accepted.

EVALUATION & AWARD CRITERIA

The design proposals will be assessed against the following criteria:

Application for stage 1:

• Design quality 45%• Response to the brief 35%• Clarity of presentation 20%

Judging of stage1 and application for stage 2 (indicative):

• Response to feedback 15%• Design quality 40%• Technical viability 20%• Functionality and practicality 15%• Cost of Stage 2 10%

Stage 3 (indicative):

• Design team 25%• Route to market 15%• Prototype Design 40%• Functionality as part of an OLE system 20%

Scoring Guidance

0 Deficient The response does not provide sufficient detail for evaluation.

1 - 3Poor to Deficient The response or information provided falls below expectations in respect of the project and the criterion being scored.

4 - 5Adequate The response or information provided is acceptable and meets the expectation in respect of the project and the criterion being scored.

6 - 8 Good The response or information provided exceeds the normal expectation.

9 - 10Exemplary The response or information provided is exceptional or exemplary in respect of the project and criterion being scored.

ANONYMITY

All design submissions will be judged anonymously, via use of the Unique Registration Number (URN) issued at the time of Registration. The URN should be prominently displayed on each of the design submission pages, report and SBRI application form. Please refer to the section “How to Register” to obtain a URN.

Any design submission that has identifying marks (including logos, text, insignia, or images that could be used to identify the submission’s authors) will be automatically disqualified.

Please note that once the shortlist of ten designs has been selected by the Judging Panel, the SBRI application forms will be looked at and the authors revealed to the Panel.

DISQUALIFICATION

Submissions shall be excluded from the Competition:

• If a Competitor shall disclose his or her identity, or improperly attempt to influence the decision;• If received after the latest time stated under Application Submission Method;• If, in the opinion of the Judging Panel, it does not fulfil the requirements of the Competition Brief;• If any of the mandatory requirements of the Competition Brief and Conditions are disregarded.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

There are three elements to the design submission, each of which should bear the Unique Registration Number (URN). Competitors should refer to the Anonymity requirements and submit the following material digitally:

i. A maximum of 2x No. A1 sheets in landscape format to comprise (as a PDF):

- An image or images of your scheme in a setting of your choice - Key sketch details - A short description of no more than 300 words to describe the concept and the key principles behind the scheme. - Elevations of the design (one long and one transverse) at a scale of 1:20

The proposals should be presented in a clear and succinct manner to enable Judging Panel members to readily understand the essence and design drivers behind the scheme.

The URN should be prominently displayed on the front face of each design sheet in the top right hand corner, together with the order in which the sheets should be viewed (1 of 2 etc). No additional identifying details other than the URN should appear on this element of the application.

Architectural models will not be accepted as part of the application design submission. However images of models used to develop the design proposal may be included on the design sheets.

ii. A written design statement (maximum of 500 words) in support of the submission including a cost summary.

iii. A completed SBRI application form.

In addition to a pdf of the two design sheets, one visual image of the structures in their setting should be provided for publicity purposes. Please note this image will also be used for the online competition gallery. The images should be representative of the design ideas proposed and be readily identifiable as such. The images should be submitted in JPEG format, with low (72dpi) and high (300dpi) resolution versions of each image.

APPLICATION SUBMISSION METHOD

Each application submission should be uploaded to the RIBA Competition digital entry system before 2.00pm on Tuesday 4 February 2014. Please note that there will be a 20mb size limit therefore competitors should ensure that their total upload does not exceed this.

Designs will be judged electronically and not printed out therefore any images used on your design sheets can be at 72dpi to help reduce the overall file size.

Further details will be issued to registered competitors only.

Please note that late entries will not be accepted and the digital system will not permit uploads after the 2pm deadline, therefore please allow sufficient time for any technical issues i.e. slow internet speed.

STAGE 1

Shortlisted teams will be provided with feedback from their application and contracted to further develop their concept designs and produce a model. Competitors will be required to demonstrate, as far as practicable, the viability of their design, the make-up of their design team and will be invited to attend an interview to discuss further with the Judging Panel.

The expected outputs from phase 1 include:

• Developed model of the design (proposed 1:10 scale)• Report detailing viability of design• Interview

The models will be on exhibition at the National Railway Museum in York prior to judging.

STAGE 2

Following interviews up to 4 teams will be selected to take part in the final stage of the competition. The aim of this stage is to further explore the technical and cost viability of the designs and route to market. Further detail regarding this stage will be provided to the stage 1 designers by way of an information day.

PUBLICITY

The Competition results will be published after notification has been given to all participating Competitors. Please note that any requests for feedback should be submitted to RIBA Competitions within one calendar month of a shortlist, or a result being announced.

Competitors must not release their designs for publication to any 3rd parties until after the result has been officially announced. Competitors should note that they will be expected to honour a confidentiality agreement to prevent information of the winning team being leaked to the Press before any official announcement is made.

The RIBA reserve the right to publicise the Competition, any design submission, and the result in any way or medium they consider fit. Illustrations of any design - either separately, or together with other designs, with or without explanatory text - may be used without cost. Once anonymity has been lifted, authors will be credited and recognised in all associated media and publicity.

GALLERY

An online exhibition gallery of all entries will be produced to showcase the full range of design entries received, with each competitor acknowledged and anonymity lifted after the application stage is completed. Additional images, space and text will be given to the shortlisted teams.

DEVELOPMENT FUNDING

It is intended that up to ten designers will be selected to proceed to the first stage.

There is £150,000 in total available to shortlisted applicants to develop their proposals as per the stage 1 criteria and their application. Up to a maximum of £15,000 per applicant is available at 100% funding.

Up to £400,000 is available in total for stage 2. Successful applicants will be expected to submit a research proposal to demonstrate the technical viability of their design and the proposed route to market.

Invoices for payment should be submitted directly to the EIT and the procedure for doing this will be clarified with the shortlisted teams at Stage 1.

The EIT reserve the right not to take any schemes through to Stage 2 should none of them be deemed appropriate.

COPYRIGHT

The ownership of Copyright will be in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, that is Copyright rests with the author of the submitted design.

POST-COMPETITION

The role of RIBA Competitions is limited to the administration and management of this process.

The competition is a call for ideas only and there is no commitment beyond the prototype stage to commission any of the finalist’s design proposals.

ENQUIRIES

The competition is being managed and administered by RIBA Competitions on behalf of the EIT.

All enquiries relating to the competition should be directed to:

RIBA Competitions The Studio (5th Floor) 32 The Calls LEEDS LS2 7EW T : ++44 (0) 113 2031490 E : riba.competitions@riba.org

None of the promoters, the RIBA Adviser, or other members of the judging panel should be contacted directly for information as this may lead to disqualification from the competition.

EIT

HS2 Ltd

MORE INFORMATION

Details of the funder and sponsors:

The Enabling Innovation Team has been setup by the rail industry to accelerate the uptake of innovation.  Their mission is to offer support to practical cross-industry demonstrator projects, building on the work of the Technical Strategy Leadership Group (TSLG)* but also seeking out innovative ideas and proposals from across the industry.

The Enabling Innovation Team was established in 2012 to accelerate innovation in the GB railway. In particular they focus on moving business solutions and technologies from prototype through to demonstration and eventual implementation.

The EIT forms part of the delivery of activities under the Future Railway umbrella, on behalf of the cross-industry Technical Strategy Leadership Group (TSLG). Their mission is to offer support to practical cross-industry demonstrator projects, but also seeking out innovative ideas and proposals from across the industry. Their objectives are to:

• Understand the challenges that industry faces.• Connect potential innovators with these challenges and where necessary with potential funding.• Improve the efficiency of GB railways by addressing rail business challenges.• To grow worldwide opportunities for existing and potential GB rail supply chain.• For further information regarding EIT please visit: http://www.futurerailway.org/eit

*The Technical Strategy Leadership Group (TSLG) is a cross-industry expert body made up of senior executive staff, who develop and champion implementation of the Rail Technical Strategy, supporting communication, research, identifying opportunities, barriers and actions.

HIGH SPEED RAIL

• The Government gave the go-ahead for a UK High Speed Rail network – called High Speed Two (HS2) – on 10 January 2012.

• HS2 will be a Y-shaped rail network providing direct, high capacity, high speed links between London, Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester, with proposed intermediate stations in the East Midlands (Toton) and South Yorkshire (Sheffield Meadowhall). There will also be direct links to the Continent via the High Speed 1 (HS1) line.

• HS2 will improve capacity across the rail network, shorten journey times between Britain’s major population centres, boost the economy and create thousands of jobs.

• HS2 will be built in two phases. The line between London and the West Midlands and a connection to High Speed 1 are expected to open in 2026 (HS2 Phase One), followed in 2032-33, by the onward legs to Manchester and Leeds.

• The target price for delivering Phase One of HS2 is £17.16 billion pounds (2011 prices). This is the base price of the latest estimate of the cost of Phase One, £15.6bn, plus a contingency allowance of 10%, and also takes into account the design and environmental changes to improve the scheme, many of which were set out in the design refinement consultation that launched in May 2013

• Overall funding for Phase One has been set at £21.4 billion, including contingency of around £5.7bn. It is expected that the level of contingency will reduce over time.

• Overall funding for Phase Two has been set at £21.2 billion, including contingency of £8.7bn which, as with Phase One, it is expected to reduce over time.

• The total for the route is therefore £42.6 billion, including £14.4 billion of contingency.

• Rolling stock costs (the cost of the trains themselves) are currently estimated at £7.5bn, including £1.7bn of contingency

• Over the period of construction the cost of HS2 will be less than 0.15% of GDP.

ABOUT HS2 LTD AND ITS ROLE

• HS2 Ltd is the company responsible for developing and promoting the first phase of the high speed rail network from London to the West Midlands. It is undertaking the engineering, design and environmental work for this.

• Parliament will need to give permission to build and operate HS2 through a specific type of bill, called a hybrid bill. The bill for the first phase of HS2 is planned to start its process through Parliament by the end of 2013. HS2 Ltd is responsible for the work to enable the Department for Transport to deposit a hybrid bill with Parliament by the end of 2013.

• In 2012, HS2 Ltd submitted proposals to the Secretary of State for the second part of the network from the West Midlands to Leeds and Manchester. The Government announced its initial preferred route to Leeds and Manchester on 28 January 2013. The initial preferred route for this second phase of the network will form the basis of a public consultation later this year.

• HS2 Ltd is a company wholly owned by the Department for Transport (DfT).