Projects & News - WSP Group

Solutions SeptemberProjects & News2008Art andthe CityIs it a bird,is it a plane?RetailheavenProperty Transport & Infrastructure Environmental

Revit Structure was used to detailevery aspect of the Forth Valley AcuteHospital, a 100,000 sq m healthcareunit in Larbert, Scotland. Client LaingO’Rourke wanted BIM to be usedon the project and after testingdifferent 3D software packages,the team, led by Michael Boyd ofWSP Edinburgh, felt that Revit offeredthe best integration for the entiredesign team. The project won the2007 Autodesk Revit Design Awardin the Structures discipline.A shared visionIf a picture paintsa thousand words,imagine how manya ‘virtual’ 3Dprototype canconjure up.Outside of the engineering industry,many professionals struggle to visualisea 3D structure from 2D plans andsections. But with the developmentof BIM (Building Information Modelling),if they are shown a finished building thatthey can “walk” through months or evenyears before it is due for completionthen they will be able to make designchanges or revisions for tens of poundsinstead of hundreds or thousands.New YorkMets StadiumWSP Cantor Seinuk prepared a Revit3D model to co-ordinate the structuraland architectural design for the stadium.The Revit structure was then exportedinto Tekla Structures to create a modelfor use by the steel supplier.This principle also extends acrossdisciplines. Architects may notbe able to visualise the physical sizeand proportions of a particular ductshown on an MEP drawing, but if theyhave access to the 3D model file theycan then import that reference directlyinto their own model.BIM may be a young technology,but it’s no longer brand new. Revit hasbeen available for some years and is nowContact: Richard Walsh, WSP UKTel: +44(0)161 886 2554Email: richard.walsh@wspgroup.comwidely used within the industry. Since thebeginning of 2008, WSP’s Structural BIMImprovement Manager, Richard Walsh,has been working to facilitate WSP’sdirect influence on Revit’s developmentand direction. “I felt it was imperative thatthere be a link for all Revit Users acrossthe UK to instigate discussion anddevelopment for this ‘young’ software.”By linking up the UK offices, teamsare able to share both the benefitsand problems they’ve faced deliveringprojects within the Revit environment.A SharePoint site has been createdto allow access to specific constructionelements that have been developedlocally for a project, and which couldthen be used in other WSP offices.Access to this site is available to anyWSP employee and not only thosewho are Revit users. There’s a growingnumber of Fire and MEP Engineers,and non-CAD users currently usingthe site.The knowledge sharing has also beenextended beyond the UK and intodirect communication, discussionsand collaboration with 3D modellersand Revit Users from WSP officesin France, Finland, Sweden, New York,UEA, Philippines, Hong Kong and India.Walsh is convinced by the benefitsof this collaboration: “There arehuge efficiencies and financial gainsto be made from sharing on fullyco-ordinated 3D models acrossthe design team from day one.”04

LondonIn London’s Barbican district,WSP Cantor Seinuk is workingwith the Arts Team, part of leadingarchitect Renton Howard Wood Levin,to provide the structural engineering,fire and façade design services forthe new Guildhall School of Music.The mixed-use project comprisesa six-storey structure for the Schoolof Music consisting of a world classconcert hall, a Lyric type theatre,and a 30-storey residential tower builtabove the theatre. Intricate planninghas been required to accommodateauditoria, galleries, fly towers, rehearsalrooms and a studio theatre on thisconfined urban site.Although the theatre below the toweris designed in reinforced concrete,which is compatible with post-tensionedconcrete used in the tower, the concerthall is a fully acoustically isolated‘box-in-box’ construction and is mainlysteel framed. The inner boxes are freestanding, while the outer box is linkedto the concrete-framed theatreand tower.Guildhall School of Music. Image: Arts Team“This is a fascinating and excitingproject,” says WSP Buildings DirectorRon Slade. “There are many unusualdesign challenges and these demandfirst class input from a wide spectrumof specialist designers.”ParisWSP Flack + Kurtz is the M&Edesign engineer for the Louis VuittonFoundation for Creation, at the heartof the Bois de Boulogne. The uniquestructure will house an internationalcentre for the arts which incorporatesart galleries and exhibition spaceas well as a modular auditorium.Renowned architect Gehry callsit “a magnificent vessel... thatwill symbolise France’s devotionto culture.” Its glass “lungs” areintended to embody respirationbetween inside and outside space andblend into both the park and the sky.The unusual architectural formdemands exceptional technicalsolutions. The building will be connectedto the water table and use radiantfloors and close controlled humidityand temperature in its gallery space.07

www.greenflyonline.orgWSP Environment and Energy is oneof only a few environmental agenciesin the world to offer web-baseddelivery of sustainable solutions.One area of this service that isattracting huge interest is Greenfly.Going green onlineThe programme has been developedby WSP’s online solutions teamin Australia and launched there thismonth, with global rollout due laterthis year. The impact of the greenagenda is being felt in the worldof product design, and the developmentof Greenfly is a response to this impact– an online support tool created tohelp designers integrate environmentalconsiderations into their products.Greenfly allows users to instantlysee the potential environmental impactof their designs, showing the impactof their choices through graphicalrepresentation. It also incorporateslife-cycle modelling, allowing the lifecycle and performance of the designto be maximised and informingmarketing decisions. For this reason,it’s not only designers who are thetarget audience but also engineers,manufacturers, interior designersand environmental impact managers.Clients can access a demo accountbefore deciding whether to signup for a year’s subscription. Then theirpotential product is “built” online andas this happens, graphs update in realtimeto track the global warming, wateruse, energy and solid waste impact ofeach design decision. The programmeContact: Andrew Sweatman, WSP Environment & EnergyTel: +61 3 9412 5116Email: andrew.sweatman@wspgroup.com.aualso generates a customised reportcontaining quantitative and qualitativedata and allowing it to be presentedand communicated effectively to others.Users can also chose from a rangeof downloadable sustainability packs,and future versions of Greenfly will alsoallow them to evaluate designs basedon a range of regulatory and complianceprotocols. Reaction from the testingphase has been resoundingly positive,with users praising the slick interface andthe instantaneous feedback. “Companiesare now having to consider the completelife cycle impact of their products fromcradle to grave,” says Online SolutionsGeneral Manager Andrew Sweatman.“Greenfly is a tool that makes it simplefor companies to do this online, providingcritical environmental knowledgein a form that takes advantageof the latest web technologies.”08

Wind tunnel expertsat WSP Finland havejoined forces withBritish architectLaurie Chetwoodto work on developingthe world’s first “winddam” at Lake Ladoga inthe northwest of Russia.Is it a bird,is it a plane?No, it’s thefuture of wind powerWind power is currently attractingintense global interest as one of thefastest growing sources of energy.General Electric is setting up a gridin Hawaii which will allow windto supply 30% of the state’s energyand in Norway surplus wind poweris being used to pump water uphillin hydroelectric plants for whendemand spikes. The UK governmenthas recently announced a targetof 4,000 more onshore wind turbinesand 3,000 offshore by 2020.The siting and appearance of windturbines has often been controversial,however. Offshore wind farms areconsidered a blight on the landscapeby some, and since more wind passesaround the turbines than through theirrotors, they could also be viewedas inefficient when it comesto harnessing this natural resource.The revolutionary Wind Dam featuresa spinnaker sail, similar to that foundon a boat, which will be capableof trapping relatively minimal volumesof wind at low speed and usingit to power a turbine. The structure’stethered position between two landmasses is aimed at capturing theprevailing wind in the sail and actingas a funnel, concentrating the massof air and diverting it through a turbineto generate electricity. The three15-20 km turbines are placed directlybehind one another to optimise theiruse of wind energy. The predictedoutput will be sufficient to power theequivalent of 28-35 UK householdsfor a whole year.Simulation, wind tunnel testing andvibration analysis are being carriedout at a number of Russian locations.WSP Finland’s wind engineering directorRisto Kiviluoma has provided technicalsupport and advice for the project, whichhas never been attempted on this scalebefore: “There will be lots of technicalchallenges to solve: the type of turbineto use, construction method, structuraldesign and safety in major storms.”Contact: Risto Kiviluoma, WSP FinlandTel: +358 44 5957 831Email: risto.kiviluoma@wspgroup.fi09

Images courtesy of White ArchitectsGateway to UmeåFor some years now WSP has beeninvolved in the construction of thenew Bothnia Line, the biggest railwayproject of modern times in Sweden.Coinciding with the completion of therailway in 2010 will be the openingof a brand new station at Umeå,its northern destination.WSP is providing civil and structuralengineering as well as heating andventilation design for this stunningbuilding designed by White architects.The station will provide a regional huband transport interchange as wellas connecting the central city areato Umeå’s renowned university.The establishment of the Universityof Umeå in the mid 1960s is responsiblefor the rapid growth of the city fromaround 50,000 inhabitants to nearly111,000 today, making Umeå oneof Sweden’s fastest growing cities.Attracted by the educated and skilledpopulation, companies of the calibreof Siemens, Volvo, and Astra Zenecahave flocked to the region. While thisimportant northern hub of Swedenis well served by road and air transport,the rail infrastructure has left a lotto be desired.The new Bothnia line will double railcapacity in northern Sweden and halverail travelling time between Umeå andStockholm – at the moment the 600kmjourney takes ten hours. It will alsoprovide a vital link for the towns andindustries that have developed alongContact: Eric Järvholm, WSP SwedenTel: +46 90 70 31 32Email: eric.jarvholm@wspgroup.seThe new station willprovide an attractive,welcoming environmentSweden’s northern coastline. So travelbetween the north of Sweden andStockholm and the rest of the world willbe transformed by the new railway line;and the new station will providean attractive, welcoming environment forpassengers and a fitting gateway if thiscity succeeds in its bid to become theEuropean Capital of Culture in 2014.10

Retail heavenThe Dubai mega-mall has beenaround for 30 years, but howwill the challenge of the region’s“green revolution” affect newretail development?Mall of the EmiratesDubai is synonymous with worldclassshopping and has the greatestagglomeration of retail space in theMiddle East. The world’s highestconsumer spending per square footis fuelled by the spending powerof both a growing populationand increasing tourist numbersand is a key market for retailers.And it’s a growing one: the Emiratethat hosts an annual shopping festivalpromoting shopping as a facetof family entertainment will be addinganother 4.25 million sq m of retailspace over the next two to three years.Thirty-year historyWSP’s retail history in Dubai datesback 30 years to the building of theAl Ghurair Centre in 1978. More recentlywe provided MEP and Fire & Life Safetyconsultancy for the signature Mallof the Emirates, constructed between2002 and 2005 and recognised asDubai’s premier shopping destination.“It’s the benchmark mall for the wholeof the Middle East,” says Retail DivisionDirector, Rob Gregory. His team arecurrently working on constructionof the Mirdif City Centre, a 190,000 sq mmega mall which will exceed theMall of the Emirate’s size whenit’s completed at the end of 2009.As part of the project, WSP has deviseda Green Buildings Regulatory Frameworkfor Dubai, which relies on group-wideexpertise and is being delivered in fourphases over a period of six months.Using the city’s existing regulationsas a framework, a study will be carriedout to compare international systemswith Dubai’s current performance,with demand side management andrenewable energy at the forefrontof the agenda.Most of the city’s energy demandis derived from keeping cool in thedesert climate and reducing the demandfor cooling is where the green measureswill have most impact. The regulationswill help to ensure that the ongoing retailexpansion does not exclude the potentialfor sustainability, by ensuring gooddesign and responsible development.“Dubai is coming to the green agendafrom a different starting point than citiesContact: Rob Gregory, WSP Middle EastTel: +971 4283 3395Email: robert.gregory@wspgroup.aein Europe,” admits Dan Dowlingof WSP Environment & Energy,“But even so, with these measuresin place the potential for water, energysavings and an equivalent reductionin carbon emissions will be significant.”Energy efficientdesignRob Gregory agrees that the greenagenda is to a large extent addressedby selecting good engineering designpractices and applying them correctly.“We look hard at each individual projectand select the appropriate systemdesigns. Ultimately tight, efficient designand operation means energy efficientretail space, which in turn providesreduced running costs for the ownerand also addresses the green agenda.”Under the spotlightThe sheer scale and pace of itsdevelopment put the Middle East underthe spotlight and has led to criticismsof its sustainability. To ensure itsinfrastructure can sustain thesedevelopment demands, the Governmentin Dubai has initiated the Dubai UrbanDevelopment Framework. WSPEnvironment & Energy has beenappointed to the DUDF to assist in thecreation of an innovative, flexible andfully integrated development planningand management framework for Dubaito the year 2020 and beyond.Mall of the Emirates11

MILEST NES■ WSP Environment & Energy haswon a project to train the Ukrainianindustry on REACH (Registration,Evaluation, Authorisation,and Restriction of Chemicals).■ The Scottish EnvironmentalProtection Agency has appointedWSP to lead the productionof a National Guidance Documentfor use by highway engineersin the incorporation of SustainableDrainage Systems in local roads.We have also been appointedto the South East ScotlandTransport Partnership Frameworkfor Strategic Transport Planning.The West Indian Stateof Trinidad andTobago has appointedWSP to providetechnical advicefor the constructionof a $3 billion, 100kmrapid railway systemon the islandof Trinidad.■ WSP is providing design andconstruction monitoring services forthe largest road rehabilitation projectever undertaken by the Free StateProvincial roads department in SouthAfrica. The work includes extensiverepairs and upgrades to the roadand bridges along Route R59 andthe construction of a new dualcarriageway.■ WSP will provide M&E, Environmental,Structural, Civils and Rail consultancyfor the refurbishment of the mid-19thcentury Grade 2 listed roof at VictoriaStation in London.■ WSP has been appointedas the lead consultant to formulatea development framework for theharbour city of Nacala in northernMozambique.■ The Romanian National Companyof Motorways and National Roadshas appointed WSP to provideproject management and consultancyservices for a bypass to the cityof Medias in Transylvania.WSP has secureda 4 year frameworkcontract withTransport for London■ WSP has secured a 4 year frameworkcontract with Transport for London,providing WSP with a uniqueopportunity to improve the capital’son-road technology in the runup to the 2012 Olympics.■ Lincolne Scott is providingengineering and sustainable designconsultancy for the infrastructureof the $2 billion AUD precinctredevelopment of the former CarltonUnited Brewery in Chippendale,one of the biggest urban renewalprojects in Sydney.■ WSP has been awardeda contract to review the facilitiesmanagement sourcing strategyfor Abu Dhabi airport.■ WSP Cantor Seinuk andWSP Flack + Kurtz are partof a WSP team that has beenawarded the new prestigious8,100,000 sq ft, mixed use BawadiDesert Gate building in Dubaiby architect Rem Koolhaas’ firm,Office for Metropolitan Architecture.■ WSP Flack + Kurtz has beenawarded a $183 million projectby the National Oceanic &Atmospheric Association (NOAA)in Honolulu, Hawaii, to convert twoaircraft hangers and associatedbuildings into a marine animalresearch facility. The projectoriginated with Lincolne Scott,whose Advanced Environment teamis leading the sustainability agenda.■ WSP will provide civil and structuralengineering services for Dollar Bay,a 38 storey residential tower onMarsh Wall, south of Canary WharfHead Office:Buchanan House 24-30 HolbornLondon EC2N 2HS United KingdomWSP has expandedinto Russia with theopening of WSP Rus,a subsidiaryof WSP Finlandin St. Petersburg.■ Lincolne Scott is to provide full M&Eservices from concept to completionfor Ocean 1 Tower in Thailand.Located at Jomtien Beach, the91-storey, 327 metre-high tower willbe the tallest building in Thailand.WSP has beenappointed to provideengineeringconsultancy for DubaiMaritime City■ In Dubai WSP has been appointedto provide engineering consultancy forDubai Maritime City, a 35 storey towerproviding 60,000 sq m of commercialspace. We have also secured thecivils, structures and MEP leaddesign for a 122,000 sq m mixeduse development on Diera Waterfront.■ Tesco has appointed WSP to takea lead role managing the design,procurement and installations of trialCHP (Combined Heat & Power) unitsacross the UK.■ WSP is providing utilities,highways and transport adviceas well as structural engineering forMerchant Square, a 1.8 million sq ftmixed commercial, residential andretail development, including sixtowers, around the canal basinin Paddington, London.Property Transport & Infrastructure Environmental