The 2011 Branch Prize winning lecture on the Convention Centre Dublin will be held in Cork on 7 February, at the Rochestown Park Hotel, Cork. The Branch is hosting the event, in association with Engineers Ireland, Cork Region.

The Convention Centre Dublin (CCD) centrally located on Spencer Dock on the north bank of the River Liffey in Dublin City Centre is Ireland’s new world-class, purposebuilt international conference and event venue. The CCD with its iconic status combined with spacious, flexible and elegant conference halls, leading-edge technology and an extensive range of support services will provide an exceptional venue for Irish and International conferences and corporate events,. The Centre caters for all types of events, from large conferences and product fairs for up to 8,000 delegates, as well as for Award Ceremonies, Gala Dinners, Board Meetings, Breakfast Meetings, Training Sessions and Seminars, Christmas Parties, Press Launches etc.

Speaker:
Ken Moriarty, BSc, CEng, MIEI, MIStructE, Director, O’Connor Sutton Cronin Multidiscipline Consulting Engineers has worked with O’Connor Sutton Cronin for over sixteen years and has a wealth of experience in Structural Engineering working on a wide variety of complex structures and deep basements which have included, for example, office developments at Mespil/Burlington Road and Herbert Street, in addition to the iconic Convention Centre Dublin development. Ken is a Chartered Structural Engineer and is a recipient of the European Concrete Societies Network (ECSN) award for his role in the National Gallery of Ireland Extension in 2004.

Date: 7 February 2012
Time: 18:30 Tea & Coffee served, Lecture at 19:00
Location: Rochestown Park Hotel, Cork

Irish Construction Industry Comes Together To Implement Change

CITA (Construction IT Alliance), in conjunction with all the main construction institutions, will host a series of industry-wide workshops in 2012, to facilitate a high level discussion amongst the key stakeholders, addressing the immediate issues and obstacles to the adoption and implementation of BIM (Building Information Modelling) in Ireland. These are issues that each organisation has to deal with anyway, and it makes far more sense that the construction industry works together, to share the research workload and develop some joined-up thinking on the subject, rather than trying to do this independently and in isolation. Most of the key construction institutions have already committed to promote and attend these workshops, and CITA will continue to pull together as many construction stakeholder organisations as possible, so that the outcome of these discussions are widely recognised by industry, to fast-track some joined-up thinking of the subject, and unlock the potential of BIM in Ireland. The adoption of BIM presents an enormous opportunity for the Irish Construction Industry, to become “world-class” in this process, and attract international business for professional and construction services. Click here for more details: http://www.cita.ie/bimworkshops/.

A flyer for the events is here.

Speakers:
Chair: Andrew Nugent (SCSI QS Professional Committee Chair)
Keynote: David Philp – Head of BIM Implementation, Cabinet Office, London

Date: 1 February 2012
Time: 07:30-10:00
Location:Graves Hall and Corrigan Hall, Royal College of Physicians, No. 6 Kildare St., D2

John Nolan brings a very special combination of career experience to his year in office, A Chartered Engineer who has worked as a labourer, contractor’s engineer, consulting engineer, business owner, property developer and client, John is extremely well placed to challenge consulting engineers on the conundrums of cost versus value.

In doing so, his inaugural address draws on observations from his own business life and offers some practical suggestions and solutions for both engineers and the Institution.

The session will be a unique opportunity for members to meet with the President in an informal setting, to ask questions and exchange views. Members are encouraged to attend what is expected to be a useful and informative meeting.

Making his Inaugural speech as President John said:

Structural engineers offer a great amount to the construction process and it is clear to me that we have a tremendously important role in the area of “cost versus value.

As an Institution we should take the opportunity to raise our profile in this arena, since it impacts on safety; quality; sustainability; project viability and not least, the standing of engineers as part of the modern project team.

John Nolan’s full presentation will be available to view on the webinars page soon.

Date: 2 February 2011
Time: Tea and coffee reception at 18:00. Evening lecture starts at 18:30.
Location: Dublin Institute of Technology, Bolton St., Room 259

Designing masonry to Eurocode 6
Using Irish National Annexes & Product Standards and Designing masonry to Eurocode 6
Half -Day Technical Seminar, 31^st of January 2012
Venue: IPA, 57-61 Lansdowne Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4
€75 ICS members’ rate; €100 non-members’ rate

This technical update is suitable for all designers, producers, users and specifiers of masonry in Ireland.
Delegates to the event are offered a substantial discount on the list price of associated standards from NSAI.

Full details are available from the Irish Concrete Society website
http://www.concrete.ie/downloads/news/Designing%20Masonry%20to%20Eurocode%206.pdf

Alternatively, contact secretary@concrete.ie for bookings or more details of the seminar.

The Irish Concrete Society is a not for profit organisation dedicated to promoting excellence in the use of concrete.
Visit www.concrete.ie to learn more about us.

Irish Concrete Society news updates are now available on twitter.  Follow @irishconcsoc

The 2012 Annual Dinner of the Republic of Ireland Branch of the Institution of Structural Engineers will be held in Conrad Hotel, Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin 2, on Friday, 3 February 2012, at 7.30 p.m. (black tie).

The Annual Dinner is the principal social event for members and we would like to welcome all members in groups, or as individuals.  The Branch extends a warm welcome also to members’ guests, colleagues, partners, and friends.

The Branch Committee is confident that the function will be well supported, and that as many members as possible can meet the President of the Institution in 2012, Mr John Nolan, as well as many other notable guests from Ireland’s construction industry.

Our guest speaker on the night will be Ms Terry Prone: business woman, media expert, popular commentator and author. Terry is in constant demand by radio and TV programmes as an authority on communications issues and we look forward to welcoming her on the night.

To confirm your place please use the following Reservation Form, which should be returned to:

Ms Carrie Poettcker, O’Connor Sutton Cronin Consulting Engineers, 9 Prussia Street, Dublin 7

Date: 3 February 2012
Time: 19:30 for dinner at 20:00 (black tie)
Location: Conrad Hotel, Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin 2

The next Chartered Member Examination Preparation Course will be held in Dublin Institute of Technology, Bolton Street (Room to be confirmed). It will be held over five Mondays in 2012, between 6.30pm and 9.30pm:

• 6 February;
• 13 February;
• 20 February;
• 27 February;
• 5 March.

The course will focus primarily on Schematic Design and participants will be required to present solutions for past papers. The course fee is €300.00 and interested candidates should register in advance by sending their details to registrations(at)istructe(dot)ie.

From 12th – 14th January 2012, the Republic of Ireland Branch will be attending the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition in the RDS Main Hall, Dublin. Now in its 48th year, the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition is an important event for promoting careers in Science and Technology to Irish Primary and Secondary School students. By attending this event we hope to excite young people about engineering and to demonstrate the fun and creative side of structural engineering.

In order to make this a success, we need enthusiastic volunteers to man the stand who will be able to participate in the activities on the stand, answer any questions about structural engineering, and most importantly to inspire a future generation of engineers. If you are interested in being a part of this exciting event please email Dr Colin Caprani, Branch Secretary stating your availability.

The agenda is available here and minutes of the 2010 AGM will be available on the night.

*** PLEASE NOTE *** The AGM will NOT be followed by an Evening Lecture, as incorrectly stated in the Agenda.

We look forward to seeing you at the AGM.

Date: 13 December 2011
Time: AGM starts at 17:30.
Venue: Dublin Institute of Technology, Bolton St., Room 259

Proposed Amendments to Branch Regulations

The committee has reviewed the current Branch Regulations (adopted in 2001) and has decided to propose amendments to have the Regulations facilitate changing practice. Members are urged to read the following documents in advance of the AGM, and to attend to provide their views on the night, in advance of the vote:

• Current Branch Regulations (adopted April 2001);
• Proposed Amendments 2011;
• Institution Bye-laws, Regulations, and Standing Orders.

The IABSE Irish National Group will host an evening lecture on Thursday 1st December 2011, in Room 259, DIT, Bolton Street (at 7:00 pm). This lecture will focus Sustainable Fire Engineering. Specifically, the speaker will discuss the application of a ‘reliability-based’ & ‘person-centred’ approach in order to achieve a safe and sustainable built environment. This presentation will examine the authentic language and meaning of sustainability and will then track how this impacts on the professional practice of fire engineering. Finally, special mention will be made of Fire-Induced Progressive Collapse.

This event is being staged in co-operation with Engineers Ireland and the Institution of Structural Engineers (Republic of Ireland Branch), and is a CPD approved event.

Click here to download a flyer to publicize the event.

Date: Thursday, 1 December 2011
Location: Room 259, DIT, Bolton Street
Time: 7.00 pm

On Wednesday, 2 November, The Institution of Structural Engineers (Republic of Ireland Branch) in association with the Department of Civil, Structural & Environmental Engineering, Cork Institute of Technology will host a Graduate Evening. Recent graduates undertaking postgraduate research and graduates working across a range of engineering firms will give brief presentations sharing their experiences since graduating.

The aim of the evening is to provide an insight for students and other members of the structural engineering fraternity into what it is like for Graduate Engineers working with Consultants today and show the opportunities that are available for research. It is intended that the evening will be relatively informal and there will be ample time for questions and discussion. The speakers will be:

• Daniel Goulding – Daniel is currently working with Bord Gáis Éireann on the 2010-2012 Graduate Programme. On graduating with a BEng. in Structural Engineering from Cork Institute of Technology in 2008, he began a Research Masters in Environmental Engineering primarily focussing on biogas utilisation in Ireland. Last year, Daniel upgraded his Masters research to a PhD and is conducting this research on a part-time basis in conjunction with Cork Institute of Technology.
• Alan Leen – Alan studied Civil & Environmental Engineering at University College Cork and graduated in 2008. He joined Arup in 2008 and is currently working as a Project Engineer their Cork Office. Alan has experience working on projects such as Mallow Flood Relief Scheme, quay wall remedial works, and a number of flood risk assessments and flood studies.
• David Hodge – David studied civil, structural and environmental engineering at Cork Institute of Technology and graduated in 2009. He is currently a PhD student in CIT studying the response of hollow core floors to applied actions. David won first prize for his paper at last year’s BCRI conference held in Cork.
• James Browne – James studied Civil & Environmental Engineering at University College Cork and graduated in 2009. He worked as a graduating engineer with J Murphy & Sons Tunnelling Division in London before starting a PhD in renewable gas production from waste in the bioenergy and biofuels research group, Environmental Research Institute, UCC.
• Michael Minehane – Michael graduated from Cork Institute of Technology with a BEng (Hons) degree in Structural Engineering in 2010 and a MEng degree in Structural Engineering in 2011. Michael won the 2010 Irish Concrete Society Sean de Courcy Award for his final year project on reinforced concrete corbelled joints. He is a Graduate Engineer with RPS in the Cork office where he is currently working on a number of bridge projects.

Click here to download a flyer to publicize the event.

Venue: Room B190, Cork Institute of Technology (Map)
Date: Wednesday, 2 November 2011
Time: 18:30