The winner of the Young Envi-ronmental Engineer of the Yearfor 2011 is James Regan,BSc(Hons), MSc, MSEE, CEnv,a senior geo-environmental en-gineer with Sirius Midlands.The award is made annually

to an engineer under 35 years ofage who has made a significantcontribution to environmentalengineering.JamesRegan’s submission de-

scribed turning a vacant andderelict brownfield site into asafely habitable site.He said: “The majority of

work undertaken by geo-envi-ronmental engineers involvesthe assessment, investigationand remediation/reclamation ofsites which have been damagedand contaminated by historicalindustrial activities. Within anytypical week, my work takes methrough a range of tasks includ-ing environmental survey in-spections, site audits, site inves-

tigations, risk assessments andmeetings with regulators.“My vocation for chemical sci-

ences ledme to a specialist posi-tion within Sirius Midlands asone of their main risk assess-ment and contaminated landengineers. This role combinesaspects of chemistry, microbiol-ogy, hydrogeology and statisti-cal analysis into a truly multi-disciplinary approach tounderstanding risks from con-tamination to both humanhealth and the environment.”Recently, James became a

Chartered Environmentalistwith a submission and interviewthat showed a very high level ofcompetence and commitment.The full text of James’s sub-

mission can be found on theSEE website. Nominations forthe 2012 Young EnvironmentalEngineer of the Year Award arewelcome and should be sent tothe SEE Secretariat.

Work on derelict site winstop young engineer award

News Your quarterly insight into all things that directlyaffect the Society and all those involved with it

November 2011 ◆ Environmental Engineering ◆ 1

TheBloodhound Supersonic Car(SSC) project is aimed at retain-ing and increasing the worldland speed record to 1000mph.But at the same time it is aniconic project designed to en-courage young people to con-sider careers in science and engi-neeringIn the 1960s and 1970s chil-

dren were inspired and stimu-lated by aerospace projects suchas Concorde, Vulcan, and theHarrier. In the US the mannedspace programme stimulated amassive increase in postgraduatestudies.But in recent years it has

seemed that there have been

fewer stimulating projects andinterest waned at school level.Bloodhound SSC is designed tobe themodern iconic projectandits promoter say there has neverbeen an educational activitywiththis degree of potential.To date Bloodhound has cost

£5.4 million (plus some grant

money)with some30man-yearsof work. The project employs38 people and 200 companiesare taking part. Rolls-Royce ishelpingwith the Eurofighter en-gine installation and hasmade asubstantial technical contribu-tion to the research. The car de-sign is now frozen and due for a

“roll out” in December 2012,with first runs on the SouthAfrican Hakskeen Pan desert in2013. The project is expected toconclude in 2014.There is a substantial educa-

tion grant of £615,000, and thefive-person fulltime educationteam has now signed up 4,694UK schools, colleges and univer-sities. Included in this numberare 2,400 primary schools.Over 25,000Bloodhound bal-

loon cars have been built andmany schools are developingtheir own playground rocketcars: one school set a GuinnessWorldRecord. The project is be-ing followed in 207 countries.

Bloodhound takes its message to the younger generation

Winning combination: James Regan’s winning entry reflected his workas a geo-environmental engineer on a difficult brownfield site project

Inspiringexample:Bloodhound isalready a hugesuccess in itseducational role

Council approves Hong Kong Chapter

Sustainableliving: TheBRE siteprovidesinterestingexamples ofsustainablehousing

Building Research labshost the EngineeringCouncil annual retreat

The SEE Council has ap-proved the setting up of aHong Kong Chapter to pro-vide services to our increasingnumber of Members in thatregion.

TommyHo of HCL inHongKong has kindly agreed to bechairmanof theChapter.Con-tracts are being exchangedand more information will beavailable in our next issue.

TheEngineering Council retreatand board meeting took placeon 14/15 September and washeld at the Building ResearchEstablishment (BRE) at Wat-ford. SEE Chief Executive Pro-fessor Raymond Clark took partas the representative of Group Cinstitutions.In depth discussions took

place on:■CPD and the policyEngineering Council shouldadopt for the future■Relationships with employersand encouragement for themto support registration■ International qualificationsand registration procedures■Promotion of IEng and howit is perceivedDuring the retreat therewas a

tour of theBRE facilities. Of par-ticular interest was the Innova-tion Park that comprises a num-ber of complete houses built indifferent and novel ways, de-signed to give a glimpse of howthe future delivery of sustainablebuildings and communities canbe achieved not only in the UKbut around the world.

It features eight of the world’smost sustainable houses (builtto the code for sustainablehomes), with over 400 differentconstruction innovations andemerging technologies aswell asa state of the art communitylandscape design.Collectively these buildings

demonstrate diverse and inno-vative approaches to sustainabledesign and construction. Theyeach share the common goal ofhaving a low impact on the envi-ronment but a high impact onthe quality of life of building andcommunity occupants and CO2emissions reduction.

News

The final agreed report pre-pared by Expert Group 17 (De-pendability and Safety) of CENWorkshop 10 is now available.The report was delivered by theExpert Group 17 convenorNicholas Barnett of the UKMinistry of Defence, a jointmember of SaRS and SEE,DDaavviidd RRiicchhaarrddss reports. CEN Workshop 10, and its 19

expert groups, were tasked bythe EU European DefenceAgency (EDA) to recommendrequirement standards for de-fence procurement related tothe European Defence Procure-ment Directive 2009. This section of the European

handbook encompasses stan-dards related to the more tradi-tional areas of reliability, avail-ability andmaintainability in-cluding testability(RAM), both interms of engineeringdesign assessmentand verificationtechniques. The Dependability

and Safety workinggroup identified relevant stan-dards commonly used in indi-vidual countries. This activityencompassed five nations –France, Germany, Italy, Spainand the UK – and totalled 230standards. The group reviewedeach of them, forming a con-sensus on which standardsshould be included in the hand-book as best practice. Preference was given to in-

ternational standards wherepossible but only when thegroup agreed that those stan-dards represented best practice.Where international standardswere not available or not con-sidered as best practices thenmultinational or national stan-dards were recommended.The process produced a to-

tal of 77 standards that were se-lected for inclusion in the De-pendability and Safety part ofthe European Handbook forDefence Procurement.The expert group found

many standards encompassingthe Dependability and Safetydomains and it proved difficultto recommend just one set ofstandards. They recognisedthat many standards are inter-related or complementary toeach other and that the recom-mendation of one standard im-plied the inclusion of others,particularly in management ar-eas where multi-national stan-dards, typically NATO, arebased on civil standards withadditional requirements formilitary applications. The expert group identified

that some standards encom-pass very specific domains, forexample road vehicle safety, butstill contain activities that needto be tailored for a particular

project. They notedin the conclusionsthat utilising anystandard without athorough under-standing can oftenlead to the inclusionof unnecessary tasksand cost. Evenwhere a standard is

recommended as best practiceit is vital to ensure it is appliedintelligently and adds value.The expert group observed

that the Dependability andSafety domains are changingrapidly as a result of new legis-lation, incidents occurring inservice, and research that isproviding new and bettermethods for achieving safe anddependable products. There is a vast number of

standards in the Dependabilityand Safety domains, both civiland military, and the group feltthere is an urgent need for a re-view all standards in each do-main to both remove old andobsolete standards, and mergethe best parts of some “comple-mentary” standards, both civiland military in one document.The final report of Expert

Group 17 will be made availableon the SEE website. The CENWorkshop 10 reports will be onwww.defense-handbook.org.

Comparison of reliabilitystandards report available

2 ◆ Environmental Engineering ◆ November 2011

It proveddifficult torecommendone set ofstandards

NEW REGISTRANTS & MEMBERSSEE - ENGINEERINGCOUNCIL REGISTRATIONSWe are pleased to announcethat the following havebeen nominated to theEngineering Council Registerthrough the Society:ICorr■Mr Barry Lamb, CEng■Mr John M Graham, CEng■Mr Richard Weare, CEngIExpE■Dr Caroline Lowe, CEng■Mr Nicholas Savage, CEng■Mr Robert Seddon, CEngSaRS■Mrs Ann Zakaszewska, IEng

■Dr Branka Subotic, CEng■Mr Julian Lockett, CEng■Mr Mark Brennan, CEng■Mr Simon Burwood, CEng■Mr David Hepworth, CEngSEE – SOCIETY FOR THEENVIRONMENTREGISTRATIONThe following member hasgained CEnv registrationthrough the Society:■SEE – Mr Alan Millin, CEnvSEE NEW MEMBERSWe are pleased to welcomethe following new membersto the Society.Corporate Members

■Mr Wai Lung Leung,HangHong Yip Service Ltd,Hong Kong■Mr Ahmed Elsherbiny, BP,Egypt.■Miss Victoria Leigh,Engineering ServicesConsultancy, Birmingham, UK■Mr William John Hitchcock,Green ?Energy Nayland,Colchester, UK■Mr Wai Man Leung,Government Offices, HongKong■Mr Sze Lok Man, Sing FatConstruction, Hong Kong■Dr Kiran Tota-Maharaj,

University of Salford, UK■Mr Vipin Baichoo, MS2Energy, Lytham St Annes,Lancashire, UK■Dr Christine Switzer,University of Strathclyde,Glasgow, UKMember■Mr Timothy MudiagaUmukoro, Green SolutionsGlasgow, UKStudent Members■Mr Simon Wilde, SwanseaUniversity, UK■Dr Ghulam Raza, Universityof Birmingham, UKJoint Members – with other

Engineering InstitutionsICorrMr John Michael Graham, QGC,Australia■Mr Barry Lamb, BACCorrosion Control, Telford, UKSaRS■Mr Mark Andrew Brennan,Lockheed Martin UK – InsysLtd, Ampthill, UK■Mr Julian Lockett, BMT Isis,Portsmouth, UK■Mrs Ann MargaretZakaszewska, Ebeni, Wiltshire,UK■Mr David Hepworth, RiskEngineering, Aberdeen, UK

The gap in the dam: The scale model of the breached Möhne dam used in wartime testing

November 2011 ◆ Environmental Engineering ◆ 3

The BRE site has a fascinatinghistory andEngineeringCouncildelegates were amazed to see,over a stream, a 1/50th scalemodel of the Möhne Dam. Asseen in The Dam Busters film,this is one of the originals usedfor the wartime tests, and it stillexists intact at BRE. It is now alisted building and can be vis-ited by arrangement with BRE.The replica of the Möhne

Dam in the grounds of theBuilding Research Establish-ment is a unique survival; it isthe only test dam to survive froma small number built for thedamdestruction experiments atGarston and as such is not onlyof national but also internationalimportance.It gives testimony to the ex-

haustive nature of the top secretexperimental bombing trials

prior to the Dambuster raid onthe Ruhr river dams in Ger-many. It also illustrates themul-tiplicity of tasks for which localconstruction companies as wellas national scientific staff couldbe conscripted into during thecourse of WorldWar II.TheDambuster raid is aworld

famous event. The secret trialsprior to the event are, however,not so well-known.

Memories of the Dambusters’ testsflood back to visitors at the BRE

GREETINGS OFTHE SEASON

■ The President, Council andSecretariat of SEE wish all ourMembers a Very Joyful Christmasand a Prosperous 2012.

■ BRE chief executive Dr PeterBonfield has for the past five yearsbeen on part-time secondment tothe Olympic Delivery Authority(ODA) helping create the sustainabledevelopment strategy for theOlympics and support its delivery.

Since November 2006 he has ledfor ODA on construction products,playing a key role in ensuring thatthe significant quantities ofmaterials required to construct thegames are sustainably procured anddelivered and perform as required.

Dr Bonfield will be the guest ofhonour at the Christmas receptionof the Society for the Environmenton 7 December in Londonwhen hewill describe his work with the ODA.Anybody wishing to attend shouldcontact the SEE Secretariat.

BRE’s Olympicssustainability lead toguest at SocEnvChristmas reception

4 ◆ Environmental Engineering ◆ November 2011

LATEST STANDARDS IN THE FIELD OF ENVIRONMENTAL TESTINGENVIRONMENTALCONDITIONSBS 8905: Framework forthe assessment of thesustainable use of materials.Guidance.BS ISO 13253: Ducted air-conditioners and air-to-airheat pumps. Testing andrating for performance.ISO 14006: Environmentalmanagement systems. Guidelines for incorporatingecodesign.

ENVIRONMENTAL TESTINGBS EN ISO 6272-2: Paintsand varnishes. Rapid-deformation (impactresistance) tests. Falling-weight test, small-areaindenter.BS EN 50130-5: Alarmsystems. Environmental testmethods.BS EN 60068-2-5:Environmental testing. Tests.Test Sa: Simulated solarradiation at ground level andguidance for solar radiationtesting.IEC 60068-3-1: (Edition 2)Environmental testing.Supporting documentationand guidance. Cold and dryheat tests.

ACOUSTICSBS ISO 10302-2: Acoustics.Measurement of airbornenoise emitted and structure-borne vibration induced bysmall air-moving devices.Structure-borne vibrationmeasurements.IEC 60268-16: Sound systemequipment. Objective rating ofspeech intelligibility byspeech transmission index.BS EN 60534-8-3:Industrial-process controlvalves. Noise considerations.Control valve aerodynamicnoise prediction method.

CONTAMINATIONBS EN ISO 10769: Claygeosynthetic barriers.Determination of waterabsorption of bentonite.BS EN 15820: Polymermodified bituminous thickcoatings for waterproofing.Determination ofwatertightness.EN 15967: Determination ofmaximum explosion pressureand the maximum rate ofpressure rise of gases andvapours.

CORROSIONBS EN 1965-1: Structural

adhesives. Corrosion.Determination andclassification of corrosion to acopper substrate.BS EN ISO 8565:Metalsand alloys. Atmosphericcorrosion testing. Generalrequirements.

CLIMATICBS EN 4593: Aerospaceseries. Paints and varnishes.Determination of solarabsorptance.

SHOCK AND VIBRATIONBS EN ISO 6272-1: Paints andvarnishes. Rapid-deformation(impact resistance) tests.Falling-weight test, large-areaindenter.BS ISO 7626-1:Mechanicalvibration and shock.Experimental determinationof mechanical mobility. Basicterms and definitions, andtransducer specifications.ISO 12111:Metallic materials.Fatigue testing. Straincontrolled thermo-mechanicalfatigue testing method.ISO 16063-41:Methods forthe calibration of vibrationand shock transducers.Calibration of laservibrometers.

ELECTRO-MAGNETICBS EN 50536: Protectionagainst lightning.Thunderstorm warningsystems.BS EN 55022: Informationtechnology equipment. Radiodisturbance characteristics.Limits and methods ofmeasurement.BS EN 61000-4:Electromagnetic compatibility(EMC). Testing andmeasurement techniques.-15 Flickermeter. Functionaland design specifications-21 Reverberation chambertest methodsBS EN 61000-6:Electromagnetic compatibility(EMC). Generic standards.-3 Emission standard forresidential, commercial andlight-industrial environments-4 Emission standard forindustrial environmentsPD IEC/TR 61000-2-5:Electromagnetic compatibility(EMC). Environment.Description and classificationof electromagneticenvironmentsBS EN 62305-3: Protectionagainst lightning. Physicaldamage to structures and lifehazard.

PD IEC/TR 62669: Casestudies supporting IEC62232.Determination of RFfield strength and SAR in thevicinity of radiocommunication base stationsfor the purpose of evaluatinghuman exposure.

PACKAGINGBS ISO 11156: Packaging.Accessible design. Generalrequirements.BS ISO 22742: Packaging.Linear bar code and twodimensional symbols.

MISCELLANEOUSBS EN 1127-1: Explosiveatmospheres. Explosionprevention and protection.Basic concepts andmethodology.BS EN ISO 1518-1: Paints andvarnishes. Determination ofscratch resistance. Constant-loading method.BS EN ISO 11925-2: Reactionto fire tests. Ignitability ofproducts subjected to directimpingement of flame. Single-flame source test.BS ISO 7401: Road vehicles.Lateral transient responsetest methods. Open-loop testmethods.

By David Richards Hon.FSEE, CEng, CEnvLockheed Martin UK Ampthill

News

After 11 years of flying the flagand fightingUK’s cornerDr JimBirch has retired from the postof Head of International Recog-nition at the Engineering Coun-cil. Dr Birch says it has been aninteresting decade which sawthe Engineering Council and theinstitutions working together,and in particular adopting a col-laborative approach to interna-tional activities.Some of the significant

achievements are:■Built up good trust andcooperation with theinstitutions■Built up relations withrelevant governmentdepartments and agencies■Ensured that FEANI has UKcompatible policy■Ensured that EUR-ACEstandards are outcome basedand UK-Spec compatible■Ensured that UK engineersand technicians are notdisadvantaged by therecognition of the Professional

Qualifications Directive■Built up the InternationalEngineering Alliance andensured that the globallyapplicable standards andprocedures which it applies areUK compatible.SEE is particularly grateful for

Jim Birch for help over manyyears to answer many questionsabout our overseas applicantsand we wish him a very happyretirement.

Birch retires from council

Birch: Interesting decade

2012 DIARY DATES

■Big Bang 2012, 15–17 March 2012, the NEC, BirminghamOnly a week into registration, over 12,000 attendees booked

for the Fair which is on track for its target of 35,000 people onsite.The showfloor activities, which include everything from

Welding with Chocolate to Chemistry Goes Live, are lookingreally strong this year, while the theatre shows – including theaward-winning Sky One’s Brainiac Live! – which complementcutting-edge, hands-on workshops like Alton Towers’Rollercoasters and Relativity, will make the Fair for 2012 thebest so far.Once again SEE, in collaboration with Lockheed Martin, will

be providing an activity to construct a simple solar waterheater. This will be in the form of a competition and twowinning schools will each receive project kits to repeat theexperiments at their schools.Booking for teachers and families takes place at the website

at www.thebigbangfair.co.ukIf you have any further questions, please contact Georgina

Goodman at ggoodman@engineeringuk.com.

■ The next Annual GeneralMeeting of the Society will beheld on Thursday 29 March2012 at 2.00pm at the ManorHouse in Buntingfordfollowing a Council Meeting.

■ ET – Sustainability Live,exhibition at the NEC,Birmingham, 22–24 May.■ EIS - Instrumentation,Analysis & Testing exhibitionat Silverstone, 6 March.