ICE review

In October this year, ICE and the World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO) will hold the first ever global engineering congress in an ambitious effort to agree a worldwide response to deliver the UN’s sustainable development goals.

The flagship event of ICE’s bicentenary year will bring together the world’s best engineering minds to tackle the pressing need for action on climate change, delivering clean water, sustainable energy and a connected world. Wider discussions will consider how infrastructure and engineering can help alleviate poverty, promote responsible consumption and production, work towards gender equality and encourage worldwide health and well-being.

Taking place on 22–26 October at ICE’s London headquarters, the event also coincides with WFEO’s 50th anniversary and the UK government’s Year of Engineering. It is an unprecedented opportunity to bring the global community together and agree steps to creating a future-proof world.

To register your interest for the event and see the programme, please visit www.ice.org.uk/congress.

In March, ICE once again championed infrastructure thought leadership at Ecobuild, the UK’s largest event for the built environment, by hosting a dedicated ‘infrastructure district’ as a hub for discussions on the future of the industry.

This year’s programme acted as an introduction to the global engineering congress, with the theme of sustainability taking centre stage. ICE showcased what industry is doing to help achieve the UN’s sustainable development goals.

The Ecobuild programme included over 18 h of thought leadership, expert presentations and debate. Topics covered included smart water management and how digital technologies can mitigate water risks; the ‘get it right’ initiative, which aims to reduce errors in the UK construction industry and improve productivity; and the use of simulation models in infrastructure planning, particularly in developing countries.

Ecobuild also saw the launch of the ICE and ACO sustainable drainage systems (Suds) routemaps. These were produced in response to work carried out by the ICE Suds task group, which showed that there are several barriers to wholesale implementation of Suds.

To mark ICE’s 200th anniversary and to support the UK government’s Year of Engineering, ICE is highlighting 200 inspirational and world-changing projects from around the world throughout 2018.

Nominated by ICE members and selected by an expert panel, the chosen projects illustrate the breadth and depth of civil engineering’s impact. A select number of the 200 projects are being unveiled each month to the general public, with the full list being revealed by the end of the year.

Projects announced so far include the new safe confinement at Chernobyl, the Channel Tunnel between England and France, Kolkata sewer repairs, the Chain Bridge in Budapest and the Halley VI Antarctic research station. Helping to underline civil engineering’s importance for sustainable development, the work of engineering charities Engineers without Borders and RedR UK have also been included in the list.

All the projects are being published on the What Is Civil Engineering? pages of the ICE website, joining the growing library of case studies designed to inspire and educate those hoping to pursue a career in civil engineering.