OIL AND GAS 04 | HIGHWAYS 06 | ENERGY 10 | AVIATION 12 | DEVELOPMENT 16

EDUCATION 18 | STADIA 20 | INDUSTRY 22 | WATER 24 | BUILDINGS 26

FEEL THE
MOMENTUM

ADELAIDE OVAL
Rebirth of a sporting icon
Magazine of the
Mott MacDonald Group

Issue 42
www.mottmac.com 1
Contents
 

GAINING BETTER VALUE

15% savings for Shell Ten to one return on investment Flywheels balance grid
Landmark regional framework contract Demonstrating Lean management efficiencies in the UK highways sector World first energy storage installation

04 06 This issue of Momentum shows how our technical,

management and commercial innovations are maximising
value for our customers. I hope you find it interesting.

10
V
alue has never been a hotter topic. Around
10% capacity increase Making aid go further the world and in every sector, budgets are
Gaining the edge
Hong Kong North Satellite Concourse Basic services in Southern Sudan tighter, putting a strain on governments and
Maximising airport capacity

12
private businesses alike. Our services represent a

16
very small proportion of the costs of major projects,
yet we are capable of delivering huge savings
through innovation and value engineering
– as this edition of Momentum aims to show
through examples including:

■■ A groundbreaking framework contract with

Shell, across the whole of the Middle East and

14
Asia, that is expected to deliver cost savings
of 15% (page 4).

How to be the best
In search of the top 25% teachers
■■ Enabling the UK Highways Agency to realise We are finding ways for our customers
to realise their strategic goals in the face
efficiencies of up to 30% (page 6). By
implementing the Lean process management
Adelaide renaissance More for less
Oval redesigned for cricket and Australian rules football Cost and time cut on India rubber plant
methodology across its supply chain, the
Agency stands to squeeze up to £600 million
of economic adversity.

22
of additional value out of its £2 billion Keith Howells
annual budget. Mott MacDonald
Group chairman
■■ Playing a key role on a first-of-its-kind flywheel
energy storage installation which will be two to
three times more effective than a conventional
power station in balancing electricity supply
and demand (page 10).

18
Faster, better design
BIM delivers two month time saving
70% energy saving
Rethinking services in a 1960s office
20
■■ Taking a rigorous approach to procurement
and management of NGO service providers
in war-torn Southern Sudan to achieve a
10% increase in aid delivered through the UK Across all our 12 core sectors, we are helping our
Department for International Development’s customers rise to the challenge of operating more
News Basic Services Fund (page 16). efficiently, improving standards of service, and
Awards, contracts, innovations, people maintaining, renewing and expanding their assets.

26
In all we do, we seek the right balance between
economic, social and environmental drivers,
meeting our customers’ immediate needs but
always with a view to the future. And we uphold
the highest standards of professional excellence
and quality. I’m pleased to report that our
worldwide record of innovation and achievement
in support of our customers was recognised with
We take pride in finding ways for our customers to
realise their goals in the face of economic adversity.
As I hope this edition of Momentum demonstrates,
Mott MacDonald understands value in all its forms
and knows how to deliver it.
Keith Howells

24 28
well over 100 awards won in 2010. Group chairman

2 Mott MacDonald www.mottmac.com 3

Middle East/Asia
15% cost savings
for Shell
Shell no longer has to tender every project, safety
and sustainability are being constantly improved
and there’s standardisation through the supply
chain. Potential time, quality and safety benefits
are 25%, contributing to cost savings of up to 15%.
Sam Mathew, Mott MacDonald director
sam.mathew@mottmac.com
4 Mott MacDonald
How we’re adding value Anticipated cost savings of up to
15% will be delivered under a groundbreaking
engineering, procurement and construction
management framework contract covering the
whole of the Middle East and Asia.
T
o extend the efficiencies gained through local engineering,
procurement and construction management (EPCM) framework
contracts with Mott MacDonald in the Middle East, in early
2010 global oil and petroleum products company Shell signed an
EPCM framework contract covering the whole of the Middle East
and Asia. Mott MacDonald is responsible for delivering services
across 50 sites operated by Shell Distribution in Dubai, Oman,
India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand,
Hong Kong and the Philippines.
We’re combining our local presence
with the edge given by our specialist oil,
gas and petrochemicals industry design
centre in India to deliver projects in a
streamlined way across the region.
Sam Mathew, Mott MacDonald director
The extendable three year contract covers concept and basic
design, scheme definition, detail engineering, procurement and
construction management. “Shell is gaining time and cost savings
by not going through the tender process for every project,” explains
Mott MacDonald director Sam Mathew. He says that the contract
encourages a standardised approach to design and construction
across all sites. Advantages include:
■■ Reduced design time and better quality
■■ Opportunities to refine and improve standard design elements
over the life of the contract
■■ Design effort focused on elements that are unique to the project
■■ Repeat business for suppliers, promoting constant improvement
in efficiency and quality
■■ Unified approach to information management
■■ Single point of responsibility, improving project administration
and accountability right through the supply chain
■■ Strong, long-term relationships
“Benefits in terms of time savings, quality improvement and safety
are expected to be in the order of 25%, contributing to overall cost
savings of up to 15%,” Sam summarises.
Under the contract, Mott MacDonald is combining local strength
with international know-how and resources. In every location, Shell
is supported in-country by Mott MacDonald staff who understand the
local market and who are on hand to listen to their customers’ needs
and work through potential solutions. These staff liaise with
Mott MacDonald’s oil, gas and petrochemicals industry centre
of expertise in Kochi, India.
Sam explains that before going down the EPCM route, Shell designed
and delivered projects using its own in-house engineering resources.
Additional services were bought in as required to cover peaks in
workload. This resulted in considerable variations in design and
specification for facilities that were required to meet broadly identical
standards of quality and performance. “Every project was treated
uniquely,” Sam comments. “In practice, a standardised solution can
be applied from project to project, with only minor changes needed
to address specific service or site requirements.”
Going forward, the contract allows for Mott MacDonald’s services to
be used by all Shell businesses, as well as Shell’s partners across the
region. Success of the contract to date has encouraged Shell to invite
bids for regional EPCM contracts for the rest of the world.
Client: Shell INTERNATIONAL
DID YOU KNOW…
Illustrating the diversity of our oil
and gas business, we’re delivering
key components of an enhanced oil
recovery project that will increase
production from Oman’s Qarn Alam
field by a factor of 25. We provided
the definitive report on security of
gas supply and strategic development
options for the European Union. And we
designed and delivered the world’s first
facility to destroy the potent greenhouse
gas HFC-23 in China.
www.mottmac.com 5
United Kingdom

£7.5 million saving on the Applied to the remainder of the project, truck and
A46 newark to widmerpool excavator optimisation offered savings of over
£7.5 million.

30% savings
■■ £220 million dualling of 28km of single
carriageway
■■ Construction start and completion:
July 2009-summer 2012
■■ Lean focus: dry weather earthworks
A 10 day study revealed that significant excavator
working time was being lost because too few
Productivity has been improved through better
co-ordination between the main contractor and
earthworks subcontractor. When the project
started a fixed number of trucks and drivers was
supplied. Trucks were subsequently matched with
fluctuations in earthmoving demand, enabling
maximum output.

for highways sector

trucks were available for loading. Lean analysis
showed that, over the study period alone,
optimising truck movements would have enabled
128 extra ‘truck days’, moving 40,890cu.m more
earth and saving nine days against programme.
The cost of additional truck hire would have been
outweighed by savings on excavator hire, delivering
£20,000 net benefit. Of far greater significance,
As earthmoving operations advanced, increasing
the length of the haul road, the number of trucks
was steadily increased to account for the greater
time taken to pick up a load, transport it to the
dump site and return for another load. Account
was also taken of delays due to plant crossings,
mechanical breakdowns, maintenance of haul

We’re enabling the UK Highways

How we’re adding value the benefit to the project of early earthworks
completion would have been almost £680,000.
roads and haul road congestion, as well as time
taken to clear stuck mud from the dump truck skip.

Agency to realise efficiencies of nearly a third using

a process improvement system known as Lean.

W
e spend £2 billion a year on construction
and maintenance of the network
and believe that we can achieve
efficiency savings of 20-30%,” says Highways
Agency divisional director for Lean improvement,
Derek Drysdale. Lean is a process and product
improvement tool which has been used in the
manufacturing sector for the best part of 40
years. The Highways Agency has made Lean a
requirement for its supply chain for all future
work. Mott MacDonald is providing the know-
how the Agency needs to deploy it nationwide.
Mott MacDonald director Martin Perks says:
don’t. “Whether a car, a plane or a new section
of highway, numerous processes are combined in
producing the desired outcome. Each process has
its own sub-processes. Lean techniques are used
to look at the way every sub-process is performed.
By identifying discontinuities and poorly co-
ordinated or unproductive activities throughout the
delivery team and supply chain we can eliminate
waste and improve value,” Steve explains.
proving lean on uk highways
Up to September 2010, Mott MacDonald-led reviews
of six projects had identified £14 million of efficiency

£10
“From top to bottom, the Agency’s supply chain
must demonstrate that it is implementing Lean
processes. This is an industry changing move.”
Mott MacDonald has worked with the Agency
benefit from every to develop its own in-house Lean capability and
produce a strategy and tools to enable the take-up
£1 invested in Lean of Lean thinking across the supply chain.
What is Lean?
“Toyota and Boeing are among the best known
gains – contributing towards £30 million of savings
across 40 Lean pilot projects. Studies included
dualling of the A46 Newark to Widmerpool (right)
and widening of the A1 Dishforth to Barton (over
page), as well as construction of highway drainage
and information gantries, winter gritting and salting,
design and construction of standard highway
structures, roadworks set-up, highway inspection,
traffic management and customer care.
Derek says that the studies clearly indicate the

£600M
exponents of Lean thinking, but it’s used by almost
all of the top 1000 blue chip companies to drive
effectiveness,” says Mott MacDonald project
manager Steve Pearson. Simplistically, Lean
potential annual savings involves studying all of the activities carried out
during delivery of a product or service, improving
to the Highways Agency those that add value and eliminating those that
cost benefits of implementing Lean management
practices: “Experience suggests that every £1
invested in implementing Lean processes will
yield, on average, at least £10 of benefits.” He is
emphatic that Lean is not aimed at paring back
suppliers’ profits – quite the reverse. “Working
more effectively is to everybody’s advantage.”

6 Mott MacDonald www.mottmac.com 7

United Kingdom
£14M
of efficiencies achieved
across six pilot projects
£3 million saving on the
A1 Dishforth to Barton
■■ £318 million widening of 22km of dual
carriageway into a three lane motorway
■■ Construction start and completion:
April 2009-April 2012
■■ Lean focus: earthworks, road paving and
communications duct installation
Earthworks: Disposal of topsoil was eliminated
and the quantity of imported fill material was
halved by looking project-wide at excavation
and fill requirements and classifying excavated
material more accurately. Efficiencies reduced the
number of tipper truck journeys by 34,000 and
saved £2.45 million on haulage and disposal.
Blacktop: The quantity of asphalt laid in each
shift was increased by 8% by improving the
8 Mott MacDonald
supply of materials to the paving machine, while
the number of workers in each paving gang was
halved – the strength of each gang was initially
matched to the paving machines’ theoretical output
rather than their actual output, which was almost
50% lower. Productivity was increased thanks to
better communications across the project delivery
chain, reducing time lost waiting for deliveries.
Improvements resulted in 17 days time saving
and cost savings in excess of £600,000.
Communications: On the 16km Dishforth to
Leeming section, 9m lengths of communications
ductwork were installed instead of the normal
6m lengths. This yielded £15,000 of savings on
connecting collars alone. With fewer connections,
a 15% time saving was achieved on pressure
testing the joints. As well as cost benefits, safety
was improved by reducing worker exposure
to traffic.
Driving effectiveness,
cutting waste
Most of the recommendations that come out of
Lean analyses are not revolutionary. “But on most
construction jobs people are immersed in the
day-to-day activities of running the project and
delivering on their contract. So it’s hard to make
the time or see the benefits of stepping back
and considering whether their operation is as
effective as it could be,” Martin says. Derek adds
that in the past the Highways Agency has been
focused on issues such as quality, value for money,
predictability of outturn and journey time reliability,
not on process and product improvement, per se.
Many in the construction sector initially struggle to
see how Lean will work for them, Martin adds. “In
manufacturing you have a controlled environment
with a consistent supply chain – it’s relatively easy
to continually refine the production process. By
contrast, each construction project involves setting
up, running and then decommissioning what is
effectively a business, all in the space of a few
years. And the majority of construction projects are
unique. It’s easier to see how you might perfect a
process if you’re producing tens of thousands of
cars. It’s less obvious in construction where every
road you work on has its own topography and
ground conditions, unpredictable weather and a
different set of construction personnel – and even
where adjacent sections of the same project can
be significantly different.” What is common from
project to project is generic activities – dry and wet
weather earthworks, construction of foundations,
retaining walls, culverts and bridges, drainage,
lighting and communications.
“We want our suppliers to think about the process
as well as the product and demonstrate steady
improvement in the way they perform the activities
involved in expanding, improving and maintaining
the highway network,” Derek says. “And we require
our suppliers to share their learning with the rest
of the highways community, so that everybody
drives better value for the public purse.”
To this end, Mott MacDonald has designed
a methodology for recording and transferring
Lean involves studying all of the
activities carried out during delivery
of a product or service, improving
those that add value and eliminating
those that don’t.
Martin Perks, Mott MacDonald director
martin.perks@mottmac.com
Lean knowledge. The firm has also assisted in
developing what Derek calls a ‘Lean maturity DID YOU KNOW…
assessment tool’. This requires suppliers to report As well as applying Lean on
the activities they have undertaken and show construction projects, we’re
evidence of benefits delivered – both in terms working with customers
of cashable savings and the growth of skills and
to achieve Lean efficiencies
knowledge in their workforce. Reporting provides
in the banking and financial
a measure of how far they have progressed in
implementing Lean and identifying scope for future
services, waste management,
improvements. “We reckon it will take about five
and central and local
years for Lean to be fully embedded and 10 to government sectors.
deliver maximum benefits. Other industries show
that Lean’s an ongoing journey,” says Derek.
“There’s continual scope for improving efficiency,
effectiveness and value.”
Cracking down on the deficit, the UK government
cut budgets across most departments in October
2010. Transport saw available capital fall by 11%.
“Lean will play a key role in achieving better
outcomes in these tougher times,” Martin says.
CLIENT: hIGHWAYS AGENCY
www.mottmac.com 9
USA

The future of Studies indicate that flywheel energy storage is two to

three times more effective than a combustion turbine in

grid management
managing grid frequency. That offers direct savings in
energy costs – and indirect benefits in terms of reduced
wear and tear and carbon emissions.
Dr Aijuan Wang, Mott MacDonald smart grids practice leader
aijuan.wang@mottmac.com

We’re connecting the world’s largest flywheel energy

How we’re adding value

storage installation with the New York power transmission grid. Its
operational efficiency means the 20MW facility will displace 40-50MW
of conventional generating capacity needed to balance power supply
and demand, yielding US$7 million a year in direct savings.
When consumer demand is low or renewable
energy generation surges, flywheels absorb
surplus energy from the grid. They then release
energy back into the grid to meet spikes
in consumer demand.
I
n New York State, USA, Mott MacDonald has
connected the world’s largest flywheel-based
energy storage installation to the power
transmission and distribution system, or grid. The
20MW facility at Stephenstown has been developed
by Beacon Power. It was completed at the end of
2010. “This is a significant project, but what really
puts it on the map is its importance for future grid
operation and power supply,” says Mott MacDonald
smart grids practice leader Dr Aijuan Wang.
“Flywheel energy storage enables effective
balancing of supply and demand – a challenge
that has dogged the electricity industry since its
birth,” Aijuan explains. In so doing, it benefits both
conventional and renewable energy generators.
balancing supply and demand
The American grid is designed to operate at a
frequency of 60Hz. Demand continually fluctuates.
If demand exceeds supply, grid frequency drops.
When supply exceeds demand, frequency rises.
Major frequency distortions can disrupt the grid, in
extreme cases causing blackouts. With the aim of
maintaining a constant frequency, system operators
require generators to regulate supply by increasing
or decreasing output from their power stations –
the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO)
requires some 200MW of capacity to respond
to demand fluctuations.
But the time it takes to ‘throttle up or down’ coal
and gas fired power stations or hydropower plants
is several minutes: supply adjustments lag well
behind peaks and troughs in demand. By contrast,
flywheels provide instant response, storing power
when demand is low and returning it to the grid
when demand surges. The Stephenstown plant
meets 10% of NYISO’s grid management needs.
What is flywheel energy storage?
Beacon Power’s Gen 4 flywheel has a 1.3t rim
supported by a hub and shaft. On the shaft is
a motor/generator. When consumer demand
is low and surplus electricity is in the grid, the
motor draws power to accelerate the flywheel.
When demand outbalances supply, the motor
switches into generator mode. The inertial energy
of the flywheel drives the generator which, in
turn, produces electricity that is injected back
into the grid. Charge/discharge capacity is
25kWh. The Stephenstown installation has 200
interconnected flywheels, giving a peak storage/
generation capacity of 20MW for 15 minutes or
5MWh. However, Beacon Power chief technical
officer Matthew Lazarewicz says that in practice
a flywheel may switch between charge and
discharge modes many times over the course of
an hour, following frequency changes in the grid.
200-300% efficiency gain
Constantly adjusting output from power stations
places a strain on equipment, with higher costs
in maintenance and fuel consumption – and
attendant CO2 emissions. Providing system
reserve to meet demand peaks also incurs
capital costs. “Using flywheel energy storage
to regulate frequency enables power stations
to operate at a constant level,” comments Aijuan.
A study for the California Energy Commission
in 2010 indicated that the instantaneous
response time provided by flywheel energy
storage/generation makes it two to three times
more effective than combustion turbines. The
Stephenstown installation will deliver a direct
cost benefit to NYISO customers of US$7 million
per annum in energy savings. Carbon emissions
do not yet incur a cost, but this is likely to
change in future.
Rising to the
renewables challenge
The growth of wind and solar generation poses
new challenges. Output varies unpredictably
with wind speed and sunshine, aggravating
supply-demand imbalances. Renewable energy
generators are penalised financially for providing
an inconsistent supply. Flywheel energy storage
allows ‘smoothing’ in power delivery, absorbing
production peaks and filling troughs.
providing Real time response
Mott MacDonald has designed the substation
connecting the Stephenstown flywheels to the New
York grid. Mott MacDonald project manager Carl
Bellitti explains: “To protect the installation from
surges it incorporates high voltage circuit breakers.
Ultra-accurate metering measures Beacon Power’s
electricity consumption and output, which is key
to the company’s revenue stream. And state-of-
the-art communications enable the flywheels
to respond in real time to frequency changes.”
CLIENT: Beacon Power
DID YOU KNOW…
We are applying our multi
sector power expertise on
projects including the world’s
largest onshore wind energy
installation in Oregon, USA,
the world’s current largest
hydropower project in Pakistan,
research into nuclear fusion
in France and renewal of the
UK national grid.

10 Mott MacDonald www.mottmac.com 11

Global

To maximise return on investment there was

a drive to complete Delhi International Airport

Gaining the
and bring it into operation as fast as possible.
From start to finish, it was delivered in only
50 months.
Greg Cook, Mott MacDonald aviation director

edge in aviation
gregory.cook@mottmac.com

“To maximise return on investment there was a
drive to complete the new facility and bring it into
operation as fast as possible,” Greg says. “From
start to finish it was delivered in only 50 months.”
Mott MacDonald is assisting airport
How we’re adding value SQUEEZING EXTRA EFFICIENCY
By contrast with Delhi, many of the world’s
operators in grappling with space, planning, time mature airports are physically constrained by
their location and historic development. “We’re
GREATER FLEXIBILITY
There is potential for increased use of MARS
stands – multiple access ramp systems. Most
aircraft stands are configured to serve specific
classes of aircraft. Planes of one class and size
are unable to dock at stands configured for a
different class. As a result, airport operators can
experience excessive demand for one class of stand,
even when stands of a different class are empty.
USING SPACE BETTER
At Hong Kong International Airport,
Mott MacDonald has designed the North
Satellite Concourse, increasing the airport’s
passenger capacity by 5 million per annum
and squeezing 10 stands onto a site previously
used for parking planes. Read more overleaf.

and financial constraints to improve efficiency working with operators whose facilities are in
urban and suburban settings – where expansion
MARS stands are designed to offer flexibility,
accommodating a wide range of aircraft sizes.

and competitiveness. simply isn’t possible due to the proximity of

infrastructure and buildings, and potential noise
and air quality impacts,” Greg says. In such cases,
their constraints have forced operators to become
highly efficient, managing assets and plane
movements with extraordinary precision.
Greg comments: “For some airport operators,
they offer the potential to squeeze vital extra
efficiency out of their terminal buildings.”
DID YOU KNOW…
Our aviation expertise has
contributed to the award-winning
success of projects including
Hong Kong International Airport
(HKIA) and Heathrow Terminal 5.
It is now being applied on some
of the world’s largest airport
expansion and upgrade
programmes – the new HKIA
Midfield Concourse, Heathrow
Terminal 2 redevelopment
and Los Angeles International
expansion.

A
fter shrinking in 2009, the aviation industry
bounced back in 2010. Worldwide, airport
operators are responding to increased
demand by growing and upgrading their facilities,
and finding ways to improve efficiency. “There’s
intense competition for market share,” observes
Mott MacDonald aviation director Greg Cook.
“Operating a successful airport is all about
providing balance. There’s no advantage in having
a wonderful terminal building if you don’t have
airfield and runway capacity, and vice-versa.
Imbalance creates delay for the passenger and the
carrier. Competition between airports means it’s
a buyers’ market. If passengers and carriers
aren’t getting good service they’ll take their
business somewhere else.” Mott MacDonald is
providing planning and engineering solutions
to meet airports’ needs in different locations.
COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
Greg was project director for development of
the award-winning Delhi International Airport
(pictured), which opened in September 2010. “The
government had protected a site that provided
the space to plan and build a major, world class
terminal building, complete with the longest
runway in Asia,” he says. The airport integrates
international and domestic services, which
previously operated from two remote terminal
buildings, into a single state-of-the-art facility. This
has enabled Delhi to compete with airports across
Asia and the Middle East as an international hub
– an airport used by passengers and carriers to
make connections. “On the airfield side, there’s the
capacity to get planes in and out of the airport
efficiently. Within the terminal building, it’s laid out
and the systems are there to achieve seamless
passenger and baggage transfer between
international and domestic flights.”
FAST TRACK DELIVERY
Mott MacDonald carried out traffic forecasting
and provided a 30 year airport master plan,
anticipating development needs at Delhi up
to 2038. Although the empty site made design
comparatively straightforward, the project was
developed under immense time pressure.

12 Mott MacDonald www.mottmac.com 13

Hong Kong

Making space
The North Satellite Concourse has enabled
the airport operator to respond swiftly and
cost-effectively to the growing number
of passengers flying on smaller aircraft.

work harder
David Mepham, Mott MacDonald project director
david.mepham@mottmac.com.hk

at Hong Kong Airport

Our role: Lead consultant on North Satellite Concourse, providing airport facilities
planning and civil, structural, mechanical and electrical engineering design.

Client: Airport Authority Hong Kong
Capital value: HK$1 billion
Timeline: Design 2006-7, construction 2007-9, opened 2010
At Hong Kong International Airport, we led design of the North Satellite
Concourse. With an initial capacity of 5 million passengers per annum, it
has increased the airport’s overall passenger capacity by more than 10%.
The North Satellite Concourse incorporates 10 aircraft stands specifically
for narrow bodied planes serving the short haul market, which has grown
rapidly in the last few years. It enables the airport to maintain its service
pledge of embarking and disembarking more than 90% of its passengers
via air bridges, providing a weathertight indoor environment. The project
was completed on time and under budget.
10%
extra passenger
The concourse building itself presented challenges: remote from
the main terminal, it required its own supplies of conditioned air, fire
services and low voltage electricity. These have been accommodated
capacity
in a rooftop ‘pod’.
Because air traffic control requires clear sightlines across the airport,
height restrictions were imposed on the building. Rooflines were sculpted
to shave it in under the sloping height limit. The North Satellite Concourse
matches the architectural, performance and sustainability standards
set by Terminal 1.

A key challenge was fitting the 10 new stands into the space available. Working in a busy airside location with heavy demand on aircraft
Taxilanes on three sides made space tight. It was impossible to follow stands called for careful control of construction risks. This was done
conventional stand design and park planes square to the building. In order
to accommodate the required 10 stands we parked planes at an angle,
through comprehensive ground investigation and by using advanced
3D design for services and structural clash analysis. The model was
DID YOU KNOW…
only 3.5m from the concourse building. A bespoke ‘zigzag’ air bridge also used for construction planning. We were lead designer for Hong Kong
design was developed to provide an acceptable ramp gradient within International Airport Terminal 1. Opened
the very limited space available. in 1998, it was the largest terminal
building in the world. We also led design
of the Lantau Link, providing rail and
road connections between the airport
and Hong Kong Island. The link includes
Tsing Ma Bridge – at the time of
construction, the second longest
suspension bridge in the world.

14 Mott MacDonald www.mottmac.com 15

Southern Sudan
Making aid go further
in southern sudan
Our rigorous approach to procurement
How we’re adding value
and management of NGO service providers in war-torn
Southern Sudan has achieved a 10% increase in aid
delivered – with no extra budget.
T
wo decades of war have all but obliterated government
infrastructure in Southern Sudan, leaving an estimated
10 million people without even the most basic services –
healthcare, education, clean water or sanitation. “Southern Sudan
has some of the lowest human development indicators in Africa,”
comments Mott MacDonald project director Ivo Gijsberts.
16 Mott MacDonald
Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) played a major role in
providing humanitarian relief during the war. Today, much of their
work is financed by the Basic Services Fund (BSF), a programme
led by the UK Department for International Development (DFID)
and supported by donations from the governments of Canada, the
Netherlands, Norway and Sweden, and from the European Union.
By bringing a performance-orientated culture to the NGO
sector we have been able to deliver better value for money
to the Government of Southern Sudan as well as the
sponsoring development partners.
Ivo Gijsberts, Mott MacDonald project director
ivo.gijsberts@mottmac.nl
Making funds go further
In 2006, Mott MacDonald was appointed by DFID to manage the programme.
The company has improved project delivery by setting up transparent selection
processes for NGO projects, introducing effective monitoring and evaluation,
18%
and implementing robust financial administration. An external review found
that access to basic services had been enhanced by up to 10%.
ahead of target on
BSF has piloted an efficient and speedy
construction/refurbishment
mechanism for commissioning and managing
service providers. It stands significantly ahead
of healthcare centres
of the other pooled funds in Southern Sudan.
External review for the Department
for International Development
BSF projects are aimed at raising Sudan’s population out of chronic poverty by
equipping them with the fundamentals of good health, safe water and education.
Schools, clinics, water pumps and latrines are being built. Classroom furniture,
textbooks, drugs and medical equipment are being provided. Training is being
38%
ahead of target
on teacher training
given to teachers, nurses, midwives and doctors, and to government staff who
will, in the longer term, be responsible for adopting and maintaining services.
Performance culture
Efficiencies have been driven by bringing in a competitive selection process
for the allocation of grant funding – typically £1-£1.5 million per project.
Mott MacDonald drew up guidelines for NGOs applying for funding: they are DID YOU KNOW…
required to set out in detail the project scope and objectives, costs, benefits and Through our projects and our own
plans for long-term sustainability. Projects are selected by Mott MacDonald and corporate responsibility initiatives
a steering committee that includes Southern Sudan’s newly created Ministries we are committed to driving towards
of Education, Health and Water Resources. Rigorous budgeting has been the Millennium Development Goals,
instituted, allowing NGOs to charge only for essential project costs. Project
aimed at eradicating extreme poverty
monitoring, carried out by eight staff members in the field, has made clear which
projects are progressing well and which are lagging behind. A monthly invoicing
and hunger. To this end, we provide
joined up thinking, tackling the
regime has ensured that rapidly advancing projects are not slowed by delays in
the release of funding. Budgets have been reallocated from NGOs that are not
fundamentals for development
– basic infrastructure, education,
hitting their project targets to those that are ahead, so demonstrating their
ability to operate efficiently and take on more. health and institutional capacity
building – in an integrated way.
Since 2006 Mott MacDonald has organised three calls for proposals and
committed more than £75 million in aid funding. In March 2010 the firm was
reappointed to manage the third phase of the BSF programme, running to the
end of 2011 and will continue building on its achievements to improve living
conditions for the people of Southern Sudan.
CLIENT: Department for International Development
www.mottmac.com 17
USA
Making the rest
as good as the best
We are pinpointing what it is that makes
How we’re adding value
the top 25% of American teachers engaging and
inspiring. Findings will be used to raise teaching
standards and academic attainment across the USA.
I
f the average classroom of tomorrow is as
productive as the top quarter of our classrooms
today, the United States could close the gap
in achievement with higher-performing countries,
such as Japan, within two years,” states the Bill
DID YOU KNOW… & Melinda Gates Foundation. To address this
Our education work encompasses: the foundation has launched a two year project,
Measures of Effective Teaching (MET). It notes:
The Education Sector Support “A teacher’s effectiveness has more impact on
Programme in Nigeria, where student learning than any other factor, including
class size, school size, the quality of after school
we are working with national
programmes – or even which school a student is
and local government, NGOs
attending.” As part of a consortium working with
and community support groups
the Gates Foundation, Mott MacDonald’s specialist
to give 9 million children education consultancy Cambridge Education is
access to primary schooling. defining what it is that makes a great teacher.
English in Action, Bangladesh, It’s about the teaching,
where we’re using mobile phones, not just the results
TV dramas and iPods to equip MET is studying the achievement gains of 200,000
25 million people with English pupils, aged 9 to 17, in the classrooms of 3000
language skills. teachers. Achievements are being cross-referenced
with information collected using Mott MacDonald’s
unique Tripod method (see right). Mott MacDonald
Running education services
project director Rob Ramsdell explains: “Existing
in the London Borough of
assessments focus on academic achievement and
Islington, where we have raised
don’t measure the quality of teaching that pupils usually have some very good teachers. In fact,
the level of educational receive. Tripod diagnoses conditions in classrooms, we find the quality of teachers varies more within
attainment from substantially highlighting the teaching skills and practices that
below the national average help kids of all abilities to advance.
to national average or above.
“Our findings will help educators by identifying
the skills, knowledge and techniques that deliver
the best results,” he adds. The insight gained will
be used to shape better targeted professional
development for teachers and is expected to
influence policy related to teacher accountability
18 Mott MacDonald
In every institution there are teachers whose
classes are high in the seven Cs, which
contribute to learning. We’re capturing best
practice for the benefit of the whole profession.
Rob Ramsdell, Mott MacDonald project director
rob.ramsdell@camb-ed-us.com
and performance related pay. As well as enabling
the MET project team to identify excellence,
establish benchmarks for best practice and develop
professional guidance, the Tripod methodology
efficiently provides teachers with feedback on
how they perform.
Tripod surveys were completed by 100,000
pupils at the end of the 2009/10 academic year.
With another year to run before the MET project
concludes, initial findings were released to a
national audience in Washington DC in December
2010. “These showed that the survey responses
were important measures of effective teaching,
validating the Tripod methodology,” Rob says.
Inclusive approach
The 3000 teachers being assessed work in schools
across six very different districts – in Charlotte-
Mecklenburg, North Carolina; Dallas, Texas; Denver,
Colorado; Tampa and St Petersburg, Florida;
Memphis, Tennessee; and New York City. “Levels
of student attainment vary significantly from school
to school, often because of social and economic
factors beyond any teacher’s control. But even
schools that serve very disadvantaged students
schools than it does between schools. MET is
showing that in every institution there are teachers
whose classes are high in the seven Cs, which
contribute to learning.”
Client: Bill & melinda gates
  foundation
unique method: Tripod’s seven cs
Tripod has been developed and refined through a
partnership between Mott MacDonald and Harvard
Professor of Education and Public Policy Dr Ron
Ferguson. Pupils are asked to select their level of
agreement with statements designed to measure
seven teaching practices – the ‘seven Cs’.
■■ Caring about students – providing
encouragement and support. Sample
Tripod statement: “The teacher in this class
encourages me to do my best.”
■■ Captivating – learning seems interesting and
relevant. Sample statement: “This class keeps
my attention – I don’t get bored.”
■■ Conferring with student – students sense
their ideas are respected. Sample statement:
“My teacher gives us time to explain our ideas.”
■■ Control – there’s a culture of co-operation and
peer support. Sample statement: “Our class
stays busy and doesn’t waste time.”
■■ Clarifying lessons – success seems feasible.
Sample statement: “When I am confused, my
teacher knows how to help me understand.”
■■ Challenging students – the teacher presses
for perseverance, effort and rigour.
Sample statement: “My teacher wants us to use
our thinking skills, not just memorise things.”
■■ Consolidating knowledge – ideas get
connected and integrated. Sample statement:
“My teacher takes the time to summarise what
we learn each day.”
Research for MET has shown that classrooms in
which pupils rate their teachers high on the seven
Cs produce greater achievement gains.
www.mottmac.com 19
Australia
Cutting-edge The Oval has a rich heritage and is in an amazing setting.
makeover for iconic
Adelaide Oval
Our role: Design management and project management
Client: Government of South Australia/Stadium Management Authority
Capital value: AU$450 million
Timeline: Concept design 2009-10, detailed design 2011, construction 2012-mid 2014
Adelaide Oval, home to many hotly contested cricket matches in the
Australia-England Ashes series, is among the most picturesque grounds
in the world. Set within open parkland it is only a stone’s throw from
the city centre.
We are leading a landmark project to redevelop the Oval. On completion it
will be home not only to international cricket but also Aussie rules football.
The project is at the heart of wider plans for development of the Riverbank
Precinct and its surrounds. Building on 25 years’ experience of working at
this unique venue, we are meeting the very different sporting and spectator
needs of the two sports while preserving the ground’s unique atmosphere
and heritage, and setting standards for sustainability.
Mott MacDonald initially provided the concept design. We are now providing
design management and overall project management as the project heads
into the construction phase. Key features include:
■■ Three iconic stands designed as individual pavilions
■■ Lightweight roof structures and highly efficient buildings, setting
standards for sustainability
■■ An international standard indoor cricket centre
50%
of fans will be able to walk to
the ground from the city centre
20 Mott MacDonald
We’re embracing the Oval’s history, preserving what
makes it so special, while bringing the best of the new.
Adelaide Oval will be a world beating sports venue.
David Johnson, Mott MacDonald project director
david.johnson@mottmac.com.au
■■ Hospitality suites, bars, food courts and, uniquely, barbeque terraces
■■ The largest replay screens in any Australian cricket ground
■■ A new pedestrian bridge across the Torrens River, enabling an
estimated 20,000 fans to walk to the Oval from Adelaide city centre
To preserve the ground’s special atmosphere, sightlines of Adelaide
Cathedral and surrounding parkland from within the stadium are being
safeguarded. The 100 year old scoreboard will be kept and the historic
North Mound is being retained as open space.
Construction will be sequenced around test matches. The pitch will
have to be reprofiled and relaid to eliminate the current cross-fall in order
to meet international standards for soccer. And as cricket is best viewed
end-on and football side-on, the stadium has been designed
to accommodate two sets of media and spectator requirements.
Taking all these existing and new elements together and carefully
integrating the highly valued surrounding parkland into the composition,
the Adelaide Oval will acquire a new iconic identity – one that further
enhances the way Adelaide is viewed without destroying the essential
imagery of the city within the park.
DID YOU KNOW…
We have more than 200 staff in Australia,
working across the public and private sectors
on projects spanning civil and structural
engineering, health and education. These include
providing the government’s international
77%
of seats will be covered
development agency AusAID with strategic
advice on global health issues, designing Melbourne’s
planned metro system and planning, designing
and project managing the renewal of 1150 homes,
parks and community facilities in Sydney’s Minto area.
by a lightweight roof
www.mottmac.com 21
India
Process industry
achieves more
for less
We’ve delivered a major rubber
How we’re adding value
chemicals facility for LANXESS India ahead of
schedule, below budget and with an outstanding
safety record through resourceful design, value
engineering and forward-thinking procurement.
DID YOU KNOW…
For more than 40 years
we’ve been a leader in India’s
industrial engineering market,
delivering award-winning
projects across chemicals and
petrochemicals, oil and gas,
general manufacturing,
pharmaceuticals and biotech,
synthetic fibres and food
sectors.
2 million
man-hours worked without accident
22 Mott MacDonald
T
hrough a combination of innovative
materials recycling, streamlined process
design, value engineering and risk
management, Mott MacDonald has contributed
substantial capital and operating expenditure
savings at a new rubber chemicals manufacturing
facility in Gujarat, India. The plant, at Jhagadia, has
been built for international chemicals producer
LANXESS as part of a strategy to relocate its
operations from Mumbai. Mott MacDonald was
designer for the new facility.
INR45 million equipment savings
“It was part of our remit as designer of the new
production centre to reuse specialist, high value
equipment from Mumbai,” says Mott MacDonald
project manager Sudheer Shirode. Some 400 items
had been listed. “But when we were surveying
the old facility it was clear there was the potential
to reclaim and recycle far more than was initially
planned.” Because the facility had been built in
a modular way, pipes, pumps and valves, light
fittings, electrical control systems and even steel
columns and beams from warehouses and office
buildings could be removed for reuse. “With
LANXESS we inspected every item and specified
the work needed to recondition it for use in the new
Jhagadia facility.” The exercise saved INR45 million.
Space saving design
In designing the new production process,
Mott MacDonald sought out opportunities
to improve process flow efficiencies. Different
processes could use shared heat and power
sources and supply pipelines, for example,
enabling duplications in equipment to be avoided
and the plant to be laid out with fewer, shorter
and straighter pipelines. Rationalising the plant
layout enabled its physical footprint to be reduced
by 15%, cutting a further INR4.5 million from the
construction bill. By using heat and power more
efficiently and reducing the energy required for
pumping, the streamlined design has also helped
LANXESS to minimise its operational costs.
Getting a better price
Further financial gains were achieved during
construction. Sudheer recalls: “Going into the
build phase in 2008 we could see that the cost
of materials was going to fall, so we set out to
get LANXESS the best price. Normally the
contractor would be responsible for procuring
cement and steel. We renegotiated their terms,
as well as our own, and took on responsibility
for buying materials.” The strategy resulted
in savings of INR11 million.
We were able to reclaim far more equipment than
initially planned – we specified the work needed to
recondition every item for use in the new facility.
The exercise saved INR45 million.
Sudheer Shirode, Mott MacDonald project manager
sudheer.shirode@mottmac-india.com
Faster, safer construction During construction, Mott MacDonald achieved
Buildings themselves were designed as reinforced further time savings, putting the project back
concrete structures. “We set out to make on schedule after the contractor fell behind.
construction as rapid as possible by reducing the Mott MacDonald worked with LANXESS to appoint The design and procurement changes enabled
number of footings, columns and tie beams,” a second contractor. Meanwhile, Sudheer’s team over two months of lost time to be clawed back,
says Sudheer. carried out a rapid redesign of the upper storeys. allowing the plant to be completed on time and
“Shortages of carpenters and steel fixers were under budget at the end of April 2010.
holding back construction in reinforced concrete,
so we came up with a composite steel-concrete And throughout construction, Mott MacDonald
solution.” relentlessly pursued safety, conducting inductions
for every worker, requiring protective equipment
15%
Simply explained, steel bars providing tensile be worn by all personnel and monitoring the site for
strength are encased within poured concrete. unsafe practices. In all, nearly 2 million man-hours
With composite construction, steel is on the were worked from project start to completion
outside – concrete is poured onto prefabricated without a single reportable accident.
steel sheets or into hollow members, reducing
space saving or altogether eliminating the need for reinforcing
bars, and avoiding any need for shuttering.
Client: LANXESS
www.mottmac.com 23
USA
Delivering
speed and certainty
Our pioneering use of building information
How we’re adding value
modelling (BIM) saved two months on design and three
weeks on cost estimation during delivery of a major US
water treatment facility.
C
rum Creek residuals treatment facility, Pennsylvania USA, was
delivered against what Hatch Mott MacDonald (HMM) associate
Cory Dippold describes as “an aggressive schedule.” Client Aqua
Pennsylvania appointed HMM to design the major upgrade in July 2009,
with the contractor breaking ground in October. The facility started operation
at the end of June 2010, less than a year after project inception.
Key to the project’s success was HMM’s use of building information modelling
(BIM) – state-of-the-art design technology that the company has customised,
creating a unique suite of tools. It reduced design time by a third and
contributed to streamlined construction, delivering significant financial benefits.
The Crum Creek treatment plant supplies 95,000cu.m water/day to towns
across Delaware County. As part of a large-scale modernisation, Aqua
Pennsylvania sought to optimise treatment of ‘residual’ waste arising from
water purification. Residual waste consists of impurities that are removed from
raw water. It is thickened and ‘dewatered’ before disposal. The facility includes
large diameter pipes, valves, pumps, thickeners and presses.
Unique capability
Crum Creek was one of the first water projects delivered using BIM, with more
now in development. Traditionally design is carried out in two dimensions.
BIM incorporates three-dimensional design, cost and scheduling functions.
Designs are built up using physical information. “What you see on screen is not
mere lines but objects that have defined dimensions, mass and performance
characteristics,” explains HMM lead BIM process designer Mike Polito. BIM
has become well established in the building design sector but has been
virtually unused for infrastructure. HMM has been working with manufacturers
supplying the water and wastewater sectors to create the required content.
“We’ve populated our software with 1000 water industry products which now
enables us to tackle pretty much any kind of project,” Cory adds.
24 Mott MacDonald
We’ve populated our software with 1000 water
industry products which enables us to tackle
pretty much any kind of project.
Cory Dippold, Hatch Mott MacDonald associate
cory.dippold@hatchmott.com
design – 30% faster
“The beauty of designing in 3D is it’s far easier to spot potential problems
such as structural, pipework and systems clashes. And complex construction
details can be identified and resolved early in project development,” says
Cory. The 3D model is updated in real time as design changes are made.
Aqua Pennsylvania and the main contractor were integrated into the design
process. “It can be hard to read 2D drawings. BIM enabled operations staff
to examine the layout from every angle,” says Cory. “They made suggestions
regarding ease of maintenance. Our interactive design meetings allowed
us to quickly evaluate and implement their suggestions.” Because BIM
includes cost data, the project team could see the financial as well as
physical consequences of their design decisions. Aqua Pennsylvania vice
president Marc Lucca confirms: “Working from a detail-rich, 3D model made
it easy for our staff to visualise and enhance the design. They spotted a
number of opportunities to suggest enhancements that would make
DID YOU KNOW…
Our use of BIM on London
maintenance easier.”
Underground’s Victoria Station
Streamlined construction Upgrade project won the
Troubleshooting in the early stages of design reduced potential for changes ‘Innovation in Rail and Transit’
during construction. “On any project the aim is to ‘get it right first time’, but it’s Improving whole-life performance category at Bentley System’s
not uncommon to have to rework details or resolve issues on site. On projects BIM is capable of delivering benefits after construction is complete. Each ‘Be Inspired’ Awards. Bentley
involving large-scale piping and specialist equipment, field rework carries a component in the design model also has what Mike describes as “metadata” CEO Greg Bentley praised our
major cost. BIM helped convey our design intent to the project team, which – for example the name and contact details for the replacement parts provider, “exceptional talent and
allowed them to better understand what was being delivered,” says Mike. service instructions and a maintenance log. Cory and Mike predict that asset achievements in innovatively
management will become a major part of BIM in future, with the model serving employing information modelling
Taking quantities from the BIM model saved three man-weeks of effort on cost not only as a design and construction tool but as a lifecycle management tool, and collaboration technology,
calculation. Construction scheduling ensured that work advanced swiftly and contributing to more sustainable infrastructure.
and implementing best practices
smoothly. “As the contractor progressed, we worked together to co-ordinate
in sustaining infrastructure.”
the different work activities,” Cory comments. “The model kept everyone on
Client: AQUA PENNSYLVANIA
track by allowing the team to visualise each stage of construction.”
www.mottmac.com 25
United Kingdom
£200k annual
energy saving
How we’re adding value Our rethink of heating, cooling and ventilation
in a 1960s office is reducing energy use by 70%, making it one
of the UK’s most sustainable commercial buildings. Energy
savings will pay back our client’s investment in eight years.
Conceived in the 1960s and built in the early 1970s, the Capital office building
in Liverpool, UK, is showing its age. “Architecturally it’s a period piece
and structurally it’s in good shape but its energy efficiency is poor,” says
Mott MacDonald technical director Eddie Murphy. “Newer, more energy
efficient office space has been built nearby. Tenants naturally choose to
rent in buildings with the lowest overheads. To offset energy costs, rents
for the Capital have been forced lower and lower.”
70% energy reduction
Mott MacDonald is turning the situation around. As part of a £10 million
refurbishment, the company is working with owner George Downing
Developments to design new heating, cooling and air handling that will use
70% less energy than the old system. Energy savings will reduce operational
costs by £200,000 a year, repaying the capital investment in building
services within eight years. Client is the UK Border Agency (UKBA), which is
consolidating six existing offices on a single site. UKBA, the building’s main
occupant, has a 15 year lease.
Industry-leading performance
Government requires its buildings to meet demanding standards of energy
and carbon efficiency, measured using Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
ratings. Air conditioned office buildings from the 1960s and 70s are typically
in the lowest 25% of the UK’s building stock, with EPC ratings of 117 or
26 Mott MacDonald
more. “The government demands a maximum EPC rating of 68 for all new
and refurbished accommodation – in the top 25% of UK buildings. We’re
outperforming that, achieving an EPC rating of 54,” Eddie says.
The Capital already has many of the requirements for energy and carbon
efficiency. Its concrete frame and cladding give the building impressive
thermal mass. “It responds very slowly to fluctuations in external air
temperature, meaning that internal conditions are stable,” explains Eddie.
Its fortress-style windows allow in plentiful daylight without major solar gain.
Eliminating waste
Air handling was chronically inefficient, however. Central chillers conditioned
huge volumes of intake air to suit the areas with the greatest cooling
requirements – south facing rooms experiencing solar gain, for example.
But the same chilled air also went to parts of the building with negligible
cooling needs. To prevent these areas becoming fridge-like, air was warmed
again before being released, using heat provided by central boilers. Providing
building users with temperature control required both heating and cooling
to run together at near 100% capacity throughout the year.
Air is a poor conductor of thermal energy. “To maintain comfortable
temperatures on the office floor, huge volumes of air had to be treated and
supplied,” Eddie says. The centralised supply system was delivering eight
This project shows that it is both
practical and cost-effective to achieve
major improvements in energy
performance and sustainability.
Eddie Murphy, Mott MacDonald technical director
edward.murphy@mottmac.com
times more air than was actually needed to sustain good air quality. Energy
was being wasted not just in heating and cooling but also in pumping this DID YOU KNOW…
excessive volume of air. “Going back to first principles, we’re installing new We’re behind many of the UK’s most environmentally
low velocity centralised air systems to supply only as much air as is actually advanced buildings, including the multiple award-
needed to maintain healthy quality,” Eddie says. This reduces energy used winning Manchester Civil Justice Centre, the Natural
by fans to blow air through ducts by 86%. History Museum’s Darwin Centre in London, the
refurbished National Maritime Museum in Greenwich,
Supply air is at ambient temperature. Heating or cooling is provided when
the University of East Anglia’s Elizabeth Fry Building
air is injected into the room using multi-zone fan coil units. Each unit contains
in Norwich and Vulcan House in Sheffield. Each project
its own hot water heating coil and a cold water chilling coil, fed by new
pipe circuits connected to the existing central boiler and chillers. Coils are
shows that great architecture, sustainability and value
thermostatically controlled, meaning simultaneous heating and cooling has for money go hand-in-hand.
been eradicated. Added efficiency has been gained through thermal modelling,
which showed that for much of the year no heating or cooling is required at all.
Fit for the future
“The Capital’s energy efficiency going forward surpasses that of many new
build offices,” Eddie comments. With rising energy prices and carbon emissions
emerging as business critical considerations, the building now looks highly
attractive from a commercial point of view.
Client: UK border agency
www.mottmac.com 27
 awards NEWS

100+ awards won in 2010 Expanding into Australia

Some of the latest...
Outstanding project
South Africa: Completed ahead of schedule,
under budget and setting standards for safety,
widening of the entrance to Durban Harbour
won the Outstanding Civil Engineering Project
Award from the South African Institution of Civil
Engineering. Durban is South Africa’s busiest
container port – the project was carried out
modernising water
management
Eastern Europe/Caucasus/Central Asia:
Pioneering work to harmonise policies on
resource use and water quality across the
region won the British Expertise Consultancy
Project of the Year Award. The project focused
on rivers shared by a number of countries,
meaning that water use and quality upstream
have impacts in downstream states. It helped
governments across the region to align
resource use and quality management with
the European Union’s Water Framework
Directive. With water becoming an
increasingly significant political issue, the
project’s success is important for future
relations in the region.
airport record-breaker
India: Size, sophistication and speed of
delivery secured Delhi International Airport the
International Project category at the British
Combating poverty
Bangladesh: Innovative use of mobile
phones, the internet and television to teach
vocational English to 25 million of
Bangladesh’s poorest people won the English
in Action programme a Microsoft Education
Award at the 2010 Tech Awards – celebrating
the application of technology to humanitarian
goals. Mott MacDonald is programme
manager, working with the BBC World Service,
the Open University and local NGOs Friends in
Village Development and the Underprivileged
Children’s Educational Programme.
Mott MacDonald has consolidated its long-term
presence in Australia by opening offices in Adelaide
and Melbourne, acquiring engineering consultant
Hughes Trueman and forming a strategic alliance
with education specialist Teacher Training Australia.
Hughes Trueman, based in Sydney and
Canberra, has a strong 50 year record in urban
development, infrastructure and building design
for clients across the commercial, industrial,
residential and government sectors.
Teacher Training Australia (TTA) provides
professional development for teachers, running
over 100 courses a year across all areas of the
primary and secondary education curriculum.
“Bringing Hughes Trueman and TTA into the
Group gives us a major foothold in Australia,
supporting our plans for growth in Australia itself
and the region more widely,” said Kevin Dixon,
managing director for Asia Pacific and Australasia.
Mott MacDonald has 200 staff in the country.
Projects include design of Melbourne Metro and
redevelopment of Adelaide Oval (see page 20). The
company is also providing health advisory services
to government development agency AusAID.

to accommodate the world’s largest ships.
Work was phased to avoid disruption to port
operations. The project included the first use in
South Africa of a slurry tunnel boring machine
to create a new utilities tunnel.
saving £160k/hour
on vital link
UK: Our unique approach to halting
deterioration in the deck of Runcorn’s Silver
Jubilee Bridge won the Local Authority Project
category of the British Construction Industry
Awards. Our solution averted the need to
repair or replace the bridge deck at a cost of
£160,000 per hour. Anodes protecting steel in
the bridge deck are housed within ‘cassettes’
bolted to the deck’s underside. Installation was
faster, safer and less costly than conventional
protection techniques. Judges praised the
“smart use of technology.”
Construction Industry Awards. Judges hailed it
as “a project of unprecedented scale in India.”
Mott MacDonald provided traffic forecasting, a
30 year master plan and concept and
preliminary designs. Boasting Asia’s longest
runway and a state-of-the-art terminal
building, the airport was delivered from
scratch in only 50 months.
Best partner
UK: For the second year running Mott
MacDonald Bentley, our joint venture with
contractor JN Bentley, was named Best
Performing Partner at the Yorkshire Water
Partner Awards – recognising us as having
most helped Yorkshire Water towards its goal
of being the UK’s best water company.
Leading project management
International: Our success on megaprojects
including the CA$600 million Sea-to-Sky
Highway upgrade, Canada (pictured) and South
Africa’s ZAR80 billion Transnet programme
secured us the Association for Project
Management’s Company of the Year Award.
Judges said we have emerged as a major force,
praising our effectiveness in delivering
demanding projects to time and budget.
Heritage revived
Iraq: A school uniquely combining modern
architectural and structural design with
endangered Marsh Arab craft techniques
won the Development category in the
British Expertise International Awards. The
concrete framed, reed clad building was
conceived, designed and project managed
by Mott MacDonald. It was built by local
contractors and artisans. Its success has
led to follow-on school and community
hall projects, now in development.
Positioned
for growth
in East Africa
Mott MacDonald has opened a new office in
Kampala, Uganda, cementing its 30 year track
record in the country and establishing a hub
serving customers across east Africa.
The move “demonstrates our commitment to
our clients and the communities we work with, not
just in Uganda but in neighbouring Kenya, Tanzania
and Rwanda,” said director for Africa Howard Bate.
“We aim to build local capacity at the same time as
bringing world class capabilities and standards.”
Mott MacDonald’s current portfolio in east Africa
includes water, transportation, environment, health
and education projects, with new projects in the
power, oil and gas sectors.
Putting down permanent roots in Uganda is
part of Mott MacDonald’s long-term strategy to
establish four regional hubs serving the whole of
the continent. The firm is strongly established in
southern Africa, as well as having offices in Nigeria,
West Africa and in Libya, north Africa.

28 Mott MacDonald www.mottmac.com 29


keith takes the helm
Keith Howells took the helm at Mott MacDonald in
January, becoming the Group’s new chairman.
Formerly Group managing director, from 2004 to
2010, Keith replaces Peter Wickens who retired at
the end of last year.
Keith and Peter worked closely to steer
Mott MacDonald on a steady course as the global
economy stalled in 2008. Moving into his new role,
Keith reaffirmed Mott MacDonald’s commitment to
driving best value for customers.
“We remain absolutely focused on helping our
customers achieve success,” he said. “The
Group has a fantastic record for technical and
professional excellence, innovation, sustainability,
project finance and project management. We’re
proud of our ability to mobilise our strengths, skills
and experience worldwide to develop better honed
solutions and deliver projects more effectively.”
Keith emphasised that solutions and strategies
for driving efficiency are being leveraged for the
benefit of customers worldwide.
Latest major contract wins
Iraq
Detailed multidisciplinary engineering, HAZOP
studies and procurement support during
development of the Akas and Al‑Mansuria gas
fields. Client: BGR Energy Systems.
Netherlands
Flood risk and mitigation studies on the Rivers
Rhine and IJssel, to find ways of relieving
pressure on areas of high economic and
social value. Client: Rijkswaterstaat.
Usa
SENSE OF HIGH ADVENTURE: With a total length
of 240m and a central span of 180m, the ‘Wingtip
Bridge’ will be one of the longest spanning
pedestrian bridges in the world. It is being designed
by Hatch Mott MacDonald (HMM) with Schlaich
Bergmann & Partners for the Boy Scouts of America
near Beckley in West Virginia, USA. Construction
will start in July 2011 and finish in December 2012.
Crossing an unspoiled valley, it will link a camp
for 30,000 scouts with a ‘high adventure centre’.
“We want the bridge to be an adventure in itself,
contributing to the excitement of the camp while
complementing its setting,” said HMM technical
director Schaun Valdovinos.
30 Mott MacDonald
Keith is supported on the Group’s Main
Board by new managing director Richard
Williams, strategic development director
Kevin Stovell and managing directors for
Europe/Africa Guy Leonard, and Asia Pacific/
Australasia Kevin Dixon.
UK
Detailed design for the £700 million Victoria
Station Upgrade, London. The project will
improve passenger capacity and safety.
Client: Vinci-BAM Nuttall/London Underground.
India
Detailed civil, structural, mechanical, electrical
and architectural design for 10 elevated
metro stations in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
Client: Consolidated Construction.
Pakistan
Design of the US$500 million fourth extension
of Tarbela Dam. The project, on the River
Indus, will add 1GW of electrical capacity.
Client: Water & Power Development Authority.
Chile
Power supply and infrastructure design for
what will be the world’s largest telescope.
Client: European Organisation for Astronomical
Research in the Southern Hemisphere.
International
Performance assessment of Stop TB
Partnership research grants aimed at
improving detection of infectious tuberculosis.
Client: Royal Tropical Institute.
France
Five year technical, programme, cost and
procurement management framework on
the international nuclear fusion research and
development programme. Client: ITER.
UK
Study of route options, journey time
modelling, engineering and architectural
design for the proposed Birmingham-
Manchester high speed rail line. Client: HS2.
NEWS
world-first cost and carbon tool
Mott MacDonald has launched the world’s first
online construction cost and carbon tool, CapIT.
“By integrating the measurement of cost and
carbon, CapIT will enable the construction industry
to reduce emissions as part and parcel of cost
calculation, aiding compliance with environmental
legislation and introducing efficiency,” said CapIT
designer and Mott MacDonald head of economic
research James Fiske.
CapIT contains all carbon and cost data from
two key reference sources, the ICE CESMM3
Carbon & Price Book and Hutchins UK Building
Blackbook. This makes it a single resource for both
Qatar
ZOOM WITH A VIEW: Mott MacDonald with
architect Aedas is designer of the stunning new
metro station at New Doha International Airport,
Qatar. “As well as creating an open, welcoming
environment, our design brings sunlight down
to platform level,” said Mott MacDonald project
director Mert Yesugey. Built using the cut and cover
method, it is one of the deepest excavations in
Qatar. We have also designed 1.3km of twin bore
tunnel linking the airport to Doha City. Station and
tunnels are being built simultaneously with the
airport itself, which will open in 2011.
NEWS
Innovative apprenticeship takes off
Pioneered by Mott MacDonald, the UK’s first
consultancy civil engineering apprenticeship has
been launched at South Thames College, London.
Mott MacDonald put together and led a
consortium of six top UK engineering firms to
develop the scheme. “This innovative programme
contributes significantly to the Mayor of London’s
skills and employment agenda,” said Mott
MacDonald Group Board director Guy Leonard.
London Mayor Boris Johnson has challenged
employers to tackle unemployment and skills
shortages in the capital by creating 1000
apprenticeships a year. Transport for London (TfL),
the mayor’s transport executive, is promoting
the civil engineering and building sectors. Users
can select data from regional libraries so that
prices used reflect local market conditions. CapIT
databases are updated four times a year, ensuring
that users stay abreast of price movements. The
tool also enables subscribers to customise data.
Mott MacDonald has developed CapIT in
collaboration with the UK Institution of Civil
Engineers, making sure that it meets current and
future industry needs. Users are able to download
and integrate data from CapIT seamlessly into their
existing working practices and systems.
www.capit-online.com
training, skills and employment opportunities The first apprentices started the course at
through many of its contracts. the beginning of the 2010/11 academic year.
Mott MacDonald and the other consortium They are working towards the Edexcel BTEC
members are all appointed under TfL’s Engineering Level 3 Diploma in Construction and the Built
and Project Management Framework (EPMF) Environment (Civil Engineering). One day a week
contract. Led by Mott MacDonald, the consortium is spent at South Thames College. Four are
has used its collective demand for skilled devoted to putting theory into practice on site
professionals to create the new qualification. or in the design office.
This gives young people the opportunity to gain The first cohort complete their studies in 2013
a profession without having to go to university. and will sit the ICE’s EngTech professional review.
The course was developed by the consortium If successful they will gain ICE membership, taking
in collaboration with the Institution of Civil a step towards chartered status.
Engineers (ICE), the National Apprenticeship It is hoped that the consortium will expand
Service, the GLA Supplier Skills Team and TfL. in 2011/12 to include other consultancies.
www.mottmac.com 31
www.mottmac.com

Mott MacDonald with consultant Yooshin has supervised construction

of South Korea’s 8.2km long, US$1.6 billion Busan-Geoje fixed link,
opened in January 2011. It includes two dramatic cable stayed bridges
of 1.87km and 1.65km, plus a 3.2km immersed tube tunnel – the world’s
second longest and, 48m under water, the world’s deepest. The link clips
60km off the journey between Busan and Geoje. It will save US$300 million
per annum in fuel and travelling time.
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This publication can be composted or recycled.

32 Mott MacDonald