Each year since 2002, the Institute of Public Works Engineering Australia, Queensland Division Inc. (IPWEAQ) has presented Excellence Awards to encourage excellence in the innovation, development, completion and management of Local Government and public works projects.
The 2011 Awards were presented at the IPWEAQ Excellence Awards Dinner, in Sheldon on 5 October 2011. They are sponsored by the Queensland Foundation for Public Works Engineering and the Queensland Water Directorate.
Overall Awards
Projects under $5M — Somerset Regional Council — Alf Williams Interim Bridge
The Alf Williams Interim Bridge Project is a highly innovative, low-cost, fast but temporary measure to help bring the devastated Somerset community back together again. It came just four months after the original bridge was completely destroyed in the January 2011 floods
Projects more than $10M — Kellogg Brown & Root Pty Ltd — Ted Smout Memorial Bridge
For Australia’s longest bridge, KBR incorporated lessons learned from bridges destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in the United States to radically change a standard design into an aggressively lean, efficient structure. The Houghton Highway duplication project also involved extensive community facilities and ancillary works.
Asset Management Projects — Gold Coast City Council — Asset Data Management Using ADAC as the Foundation
Gold Coast City Council has developed and implemented a robust Asset Data Management Framework using IPWEAQ’s ADAC v4.0 (Asset Design As Constructed) as the foundation.
This initiative implemented ADAC as the standard for as-constructed information from property development, external contract works and day-labour works. It also produced a whole-of-Council framework for Asset Data Management, including documented processes for handover of as-constructed data, agreed asset data standards (i.e. asset register data schema and hierarchies & classifications) and defined roles & responsibilities for managing asset data.
Innovation Award — Research Alliance — Long Term Pavement Performance Study for Southeast Queensland
Research Alliance has developed an innovative approach for optimising road maintenance budgets. The research outcome enhanced the management of state and local roads by establishing the pavement deterioration factors in SEQ. Using improved deterioration factors, future programs are optimised from available budgets. Utilisation of optimised work programs facilitates the reduction of carbon emission from vehicles in SEQ.
Research Alliance participants include Logan City Council, Gold Coast City Council, Redland City Council, Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads and Griffith University.
Highly Commended
Projects $5M — $10M — Cairns Regional Council — Cairns International Tennis Centre
The Cairns International Tennis Centre is a state-of-the-art facility boasting 12 courts, including one show court, tennis club, pro shop and café. This centre allows Cairns to host international tournaments and gives residents and visitors access to world-class tennis facilities.
Water Projects
Projects under $5M — Carpentaria Shire Council — Normanton Water Treatment Plant Upgrade
Carpentaria Shire Council has upgraded the Normanton Water Treatment Plant to improve the quality, quantity and reliability of water supplied to its consumers through the full automation of the water treatment process and the installation of a single high rate clarifier
Projects $5M — $10M — Longreach Regional Council — Longreach Sustainable Water Management
Longreach had two water reticulation systems which both had aging infrastructure that needed to be addressed as a priority. Councils due diligence with reviewing the viability of Longreach’s water supply provided a clear direction for a sustainable approach to its water management.
Projects more than $10M — Mackay Regional Council — Nebo Road Water Treatment Plant Upgrade
The Nebo Rd Water Treatment Plant capacity upgrade from 50ML/d to 75ML/d is the jewel in the crown of Mackay’s estimated $50 million expenditure in securing the water supply for the ever expanding community of Mackay.
Highly Commended Water Projects
Projects less than $5M — Kellogg Brown & Root Pty Ltd — LinkWater Barrel Union Joint Replacements Phases 1-3
KBR project managed a program to replace deteriorating barrel union joints in LinkWater’s water network in Brisbane. It involved shutting down critical supply pipelines once a fortnight over 15 months. In over 29,000 work hours, there were no water quality, lost time or major supply incidents
People Awards
IPWEAQ Woman in Engineering 2011
Nicole Bichel – Lockyer Valley Regional Council
IPWEAQ Works Supervisor 2011
Rob Bourchier – Somerset Regional Council
IPWEAQ Young Engineer 2011
Mitch Bichel – Lockyer Valley Regional Council
IPWEAQ Engineer 2011
Martin Crow – Rockhampton Regional Council
Best Paper at Conference Awards
Dawson Wilkie Best Water Paper Award
John Roworth – Longreach Regional Council
“Longreach Water Mains Replacement Upgrade – an ECI Model”
Geoff Wilmoth Memorial Prize 2011
Stevan Moller – Longreach Regional Council
“The Balancing Act: The Life of the Student Engineer Working in Outback Queensland”
