I S S U E

17
1 5
2

A p r i l
0

1

3

NEWSLETTER
1

2

3

4

5

YOUNG PROFESSIONALS FORUM

INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF CONSULTING ENGINEERS

6

7

8

9

We are fast approching the Barcelona Conference, and FIDIC’s Centennial Celebration is
not to be missed! The YPFSC is working closely with the FIDIC Secretariat to bring you avery memorable event, where Young Professionals from all around the world will cometogether for three days of educational content and valuable networking. Mark your calendars,
and check out this issue’s article to learn more about the Barcelona details. I and the Steering
Committee look forward to seeing you there! Come and join the other 200+ YPs from allaround the world – more than 10% of the total expected audience from 100 countries.

Chair’s
Message

Selena Wilson
CanadaI am also very excited to announce the launch of FIDIC’s first Young Professional Webinar
series! We are working with talented leaders and experts in the consulting industry fromaround the world to develop a Pilot Program for Young Professionals. The program content
will focus on providing training opportunities for YPMTP graduates to continue building theirskills learned from the YP management training program. The program is currently underdevelopment and we are hoping to launch the first series prior to the Barcelona conference.
We would love to hear your feedback and ideas for topics, and have developed a survey
for this reason. Check it out at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/fidicwebinarprogram
As part of FIDIC’s strategic goal to promote regional training, the YPFSC has been working
with regional groups GAMA and ASPAC to develop regionally based Young Professional
Forums (YPF) under the umbrella of the main YPF. Steering Committee members were inattendance at both annual conferences and, with the support from these regional organisations
and the FIDIC EC, we have kick-started this initiative! In the months to come, we will also
be working with the EFCA YPF to help bridge the gap between local European YPFs toregional and international platforms. This strategy lines up with FIDIC’s own regional strategy,
where additional support can be provided to the international programmes, with the inclusionof issues specific to that region. Capacity building in its various forms is, of course, a key
feature of that strategy.
I hope you enjoy this edition of our newsletter. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you
have any questions, and please follow FIDIC’s Facebook Page for upcoming YPannouncements!

Selana Wilson
FIDIC YPFSC Chair

I S S U E

17
1 5
2

A p r i l
0

1

3

NEWSLETTER
1

2

3

4

YOUNG PROFESSIONALS FORUM

INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF CONSULTING ENGINEERS

5

6

7

8

9

FIDIC Centenary Conference – Barcelona 2013 (15-18 September)
Quality of Life – Our Responsibility
Over the last century, consulting engineers have made a truly significant impact on society
worldwide. Innovative advances in transport, water supply, energy, buildings, and vital
infrastructure have all led to improved health and economic development, and hence amuch better quality of life.
However, much of humanity still struggles for food, clean water, and even survival. Theseissues need to be addressed more effectively. Technical solutions alone are insufficient in
the broader discussions on effective governance and restricted finance. Consulting engineers
will need to become more involved in the political and social debate and its impact on thesolutions offered for global challenges, to better match available resources to the needsof society.
The past one hundred years of engineering excellence have shown what can be achieved.
The foundations for a sustainable future have been provided, with the consulting engineer
now established as an essential partner for an improved society. Effective engineering isclearly fundamental for humankind, but the strategic planning skills of engineers need to
be universally recognised and used for the benefit of everyone.
FIDIC’s promise is to be recognised as a trusted adviser to decision makers involved in theplanning and construction of a sustainable infrastructure for future generations! FIDIC will
collaborate with other like-minded organisations and companies to achieve this objective.
We are planning an extensive Young Professional Program, which will include a session
looking at career development initiatives for young engineers, and how to position yourself
successfully as a potential leader in your company. The FIDIC Business Day will include
a special joint Young Professional Session, where we will hear from the YPMTP participants,
the FIDIC YPFSC, and exciting YP regional development in Europe, Africa, and Asia.
Join us in Barcelona for the FIDIC Centenary Conference and become an active part of thisglobal plan. Register now at: www.fidic2013.org and benefit from YP discounts and early bird
fees!
For more information and registration, please contact FIDIC2013 Conference at:
fidic2013@fidic.org or by Fax to +41 61 686 7788.

I S S U E

17
1 5
2

A p r i l
0

1

3

NEWSLETTER
1

2

3

4

YOUNG PROFESSIONALS FORUM

INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF CONSULTING ENGINEERS

5

6

7

8

9

Green Eco-City Practices in China
Due to limited resources and environmental capacity, China, as the most populous and oneof the fastest economic growing countries in the world, is impelled to explore a pathway ofsustainable development, which will contribute to the development and security at national
and international levels. Cities will play an important role in this challenge. Accordingly,
more and more cities are giving high attention to green eco-city practices in order to balance
economic development with environmental capacity to achieve long-term benefits. Somecities are becoming models for other cities, such as Sino-Swedish Eco-city in Wuxi,
Guangming New Town in Shenzhen, Sino-Singapore Eco-city in Tianjin, and Caofeidian
Eco-city in Tangshan. These cities all set an ecological goal during the initiating and planning
period to execute the plan step by step. This article gives a brief introduction to two pilot
projects.
- Sino-Swedish Eco-city in Wuxi
Situated at the north of Taihu Lake and next to a wide swath of wetlands, the 2.4-sq-km
eco-city in Wuxi is modeled after Stockholm’s Hammarby Sjostad, which is built on theformer industrial brownfield land located on the south side of Hammarby Lake. The projectis expected to provide a green lifestyle for the town’s estimated 20,000 residents. The
project also forms part of the 150-sq-km Taihu New City, which is a national low-carbon
eco-city demonstration zone designed with a strong emphasis on ecology and environmental
sustainability.

Huili Cheng
China

The project was launched in July, 2010 and expected to finish within three to five years.
The master plan for the eco-city has been divided into seven distinct categories covering
sustainable use of energy, sustainable waste management and water supply, green building
design, sustainable traffic and transport.
All the structures in the area are expected to be green and energy-efficient. Renewableenergy use will account for more than 15 percent of the area’s total energy usage. Local
residents will be encouraged to use public transportation to make up at least 80 percentof the total commutes in the area. More than 50 percent of public transportation will utilize
renewable energy. To help people “slow down” in this eco city, walking and bicycle lanes
will outnumber car lanes. And the number of roads will be in accordance withthe area’s geographical features such as rivers and low hills.
The project also hopes to have residents lead others in recycling garbage, especiallyhousehold waste. The plan is to build a pipeline network from collection stations to recycling
facilities in the area. Potable water directly from the tap will be available, and water reuse
and recycling will be put into practice. It’s an integrated system of sustainability that goesbeyond the construction of sustainable facilities. People’s awareness on sustainability, isalso an important part of an eco-city.
- Guangming New Town in Shenzhen
Shenzhen is a booming city with just 30-years history in South China, adjoining Hong Kong.
The GPD of Shenzhen ranks fourth in recent decade and Shenzhen is also called one of
the most dynamic cities in China. Rapid City development makes Shenzhen suffer fromlack of different kinds of resources, such as land, energy and water. Overwhelmed population
is causing serve overuse of environmental capacity. Hence, sustainable development is
becoming the first priority for the Shenzhen’s future.

I S S U E

17
1 5
2

A p r i l
0

1

3

NEWSLETTER
1

2

3

4

5

YOUNG PROFESSIONALS FORUM

INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF CONSULTING ENGINEERS

6

7

8

9

Guangming New Town in Shenzhen was established in August 2007. It is located in thewest area of Shenzhen covering an area of 156.1 square kilometers and population of 1
million. Guangming New Town set the target to build a "Green City, Pioneering City,
Harmonious City" and become an Ecotype High-tech Industrial Research and Development
Zone. The main green construction for Guangming New Town includes:- Green Roads: Guangming has built 17 city roads and 33 sub-roads, total 135 kilometers,in recent 5 years. Road density reaches 9 kilometers per square kilometers. The roads
are designed in accordance with the green road standard, including permeable brick,
LED street lights, renewable asphalt pavement and etc.
- Integrated Pipeline: The Guangming New Town has completed a 25-kilometre integrated
pipeline project. It accommodates water supply pipe, electricity pipe, telecommunication
pipe, etc.
- Green Buildings: Currently 31 on-going building construction projects have adopted
the national green building standard, with total investment of 14.5 Billion RMB(USD 2.3
Billion) and 3.18 million square meters.
- G r e e n B e l ts : G u a n g m i n g h a s b u i l t 1 6 0 k i l o m e t e r s h i k i n g t r a i l s , a n d
constructed/reconstructed 6 parks. The green plants coverage has been increased to
1.75 million square meters.
Many engineering consulting companies at home and abroad have been involved in theconstruction of eco-cities, such as Sweden Tengbom Co., Shenzhen Institute of Building
Research Co, etc. China has become one of the most active countries to conduct
comprehensive research on the technologies of low carbon eco-city construction. Despite
the fact that the construction of eco-cities is a pathway for city sustainable development,
it is not all without risks. Because of the lack of a mature system and the difficulty to put
low-carbon technologies into use, eco-cities in China are still in the preliminary stage ofdevelopment. Some experts also propose to set up a national mechanism to coordinate
and regulate the nationwide strides in creating eco-cities, while promoting the establishmentof a set of standards and regulations based on the natural characteristics of China.
References- Xun Li, Yan Lin, Low-carbon Eco-city ----The Strategic Choice of Future Cities forTransformational Development under the Influence of Global Climate Change.
- Http://www.szgm.gov.cn- Http://www.chinadailyapac.com/aricle/green-works- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sino-Singapore- Http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sustainable_city- An introduction on Eco-city projects IBR participated, Shenzhen Institute of Building Research Co.

I S S U E

17
1 5
2

A p r i l
0

1

3

NEWSLETTER
1

2

3

4

5

YOUNG PROFESSIONALS FORUM

INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF CONSULTING ENGINEERS

6

7

8

9

ACEN CONFERENCE 2012
The Association of Consulting Engineers, Nigeria held its 34th Annual conference on the
6th and 7th of November, 2012. The theme of the conference was Nigerian Content: Where
are we? The focus of the conference was on the status of the Engineering industry withregards to the various sectors of the Nigerian Economy. There has always been a recurring
need for the value of engineering and professional service to strongly cut through various
sectors of the government. The challenge has been with the inability of local consulting
firms to gain access to the oil and gas sectors. Strategies for this were developed andagreed by the MAs. Emphasis was placed on strategic positioning for MAs by most speakers.
It was also a time of reunion for the Young Professionals who were present from all overNigeria. There was representation from the north, south and west. The young professionals
were pleased to hold deliberations on all issues about moving the group forward.

Doyin Obikanye
Nigeria

Some Young Professionals at the YP plenary session

I S S U E

17
1 5
2

A p r i l
0

1

3

NEWSLETTER
1

2

3

4

5

YOUNG PROFESSIONALS FORUM

INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF CONSULTING ENGINEERS

6

7

8

9

Two Young Professionals were also able to deliver presentations. The first presentation wason “Opportunities for Young Professionals in FIDIC”. This expose was presented by
Adedoyin Obikanye who is also a member of FIDIC YPFSC. The opportunity for the Young
Professional Management Training Program for 2013 was presented amongst otheropportunities and benefits. Some of the Member Associations have responded to this. The
highlight of the discussion is that Young Professionals all over the world are faced with thesame type of challenges and the earlier we brace up to face them the better professionals
we become. The umbrella of FIDIC has provided a platform for the voice of the Young to
be heard in order for their interest to be protected. Some of the opportunities available forthe young in FIDIC highlighted include; the created avenue for Young Professionals to meetand network through various means i.e. conferences and through the encouragement oflocal participation in MAs and participation in her committees and task force, participationin FIDIC committees and task force, presentation of papers at annual conferences – YP’s
every year get the opportunity to present at the annual FIDIC Conference, be an active
member of the FIDIC YPFSC – This is a volunteer work which is done by nominations after
interviews.
The second speaker, Segun Adetunji; who is the President of the Young Professionals forumin Nigeria spoke about Change: The Desired Solution. The recognition of the professional
gap between the young and older professionals was made visible and the need to provide
a 10 year sustainability plan was suggested by him. The reality is that for various reasons
including job security there is decline of Young Engineers in the Industry. The Nigerian
Association needs to put measures in place for continuity of this profession and some ofthe suggestions included investing in the future of the young within the industry startingfrom the high school and university level. He suggested that we will need volunteers amongst
the old and young to bring about an educational awareness for Consulting Engineers within
our society from the “cradle” stage.
It was generally agreed that the need to support and involve the Young Professional by all
Association Members is keen for the sustainability of the Nigerian Consulting Engineering
Industry.

I S S U E

17
1 5
2

A p r i l
0

1

3

NEWSLETTER
1

2

3

4

5

YOUNG PROFESSIONALS FORUM

INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF CONSULTING ENGINEERS

6

7

8

9

Quality Based Selection: Best Selection Practice for a Consulting Engineering Firm
“Price has no meanings except in terms of the quality of the product.”
Dr. W. Edwards Deming (1900-1993)
Introduction
Engineering Design services typically represent only a small percentage of the construction
budget, and a far smaller percentage of life cycle cost. It makes sound economic sense toensure that consulting engineering services deliver a high-quality design. FIDIC implements
and promotes the consulting engineering industry’s strategic goals on behalf of its Member
Associations, and, for this reason, publishes documents in order to define the best practicefor selecting an appropriate firm to meet owner demands, quality, transparency, capacity
building, integrity, fair competition, project goal, social effects and sustainable development.
The selected method should create a relationship that brings the owner and engineers
together as a team, enabling them to define the project in detail and agree upon the services
that will be required to make the project a reality. This prevents competing design firms fromfee bidding and cutting the scope of work performed just to get the job.

ShahramS. Sandiani
Iran

Significant importance to Consulting Engineer selection
Because of the importance of Planning and Design and its influence on the project lifecycle cost, together with other responsibilities of consulting engineering firms, such asdelivery and maintenance of the world’s infrastructure and built-environment, selecting a
consulting engineer is one of the most important project decisions a client or owner must
make. The success of any project depends upon obtaining the most appropriate expertiseavailable in terms of skill, knowledge, past experience, managerial abilities, and reputation.
The most important standards by which to judge a Consulting Engineer's suitability to carryout a particular project are availability of resources, technical competence, managerial
ability, professional integrity, understanding of the project objectives, and knowledge of theworksite; social, cultural and environmental conditions; and regulatory regime.
The Selection Process for Consulting Engineers
The attributes to be looked for in a Consultant are the same attributes that apply to selecting
any reputable professional: expertise, experience, rapport, past performance and commitment
to the Client’s objectives. The Consultant should be selected by an open and transparent
process which focuses upon the ability of that Consultant to meet the project’s needs [1].
The recommended procedure for the selection of a consulting firm is to:• Identify potential firms with relevant experience and quality based attributes in terms ofprofessional competency, managerial ability, availability of resources and professional
integrity.
• Select the most appropriate firm by using the internationally-recognised best practice,based on seeking detailed information on all these qualities, plus project understanding,at the short-listing or selection stage.
• Agree on fees that best define the scope of services with the selected firm and execute
appropriate agreement terms [4].

I S S U E

17
1 5
2

A p r i l
0

1

3

NEWSLETTER
1

2

3

4

5

YOUNG PROFESSIONALS FORUM

INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF CONSULTING ENGINEERS

6

7

8

9

Why QBS?
Design involves problem-solving and creativity. In contrast, production involves a routine
or pre-planned process. Therefore lower quality design results when engineering services
are procured as a product. When the procurement of engineering services is heavily
influenced by cost considerations , there is an added risk for potential deterioration in quality
or other side effects like corruption, incompetent contractors, poor project management andlack of resources to manage contractors.
QBS is a selection process to determine the most appropriately qualified Consultant basedon Quality-cum-Technical Competitiveness attributes, leading to a negotiated award ofServices on a fair and reasonable basis [1]. Quality-Based Selection (QBS) is a processthat enables the project owner to obtain the services of a highly qualified engineering
professional at a fair and reasonable cost, and investment in quality that will save moneyover the life of the project. [2, 3]
Why is QBS the preferred method?
In summary, the QBS method is most appropriate for projects which encompass any of thefollowing parameters [1]:- Have disastrous impact if the related project fails- Assignment with high complexity- Has a high multiplier effect- Has a high downstream impact- Assignments that are unique and difficult to compare- Assignments requiring specialization- Consultant selection among National Firms
Independent studies have established that Selection Practices Incorporating Price (PIPs)
as an attribute do not deliver outcomes as good as those achieved using QBS. Such
practices can place stakeholders at risk and may lead to the failure of critical projects
resulting in catastrophic health, social, environmental, and financial loss. [4]References
1.Quality Based Consultant Selection Guide, FIDIC, September 2011
2.FIDIC Guidelines for the Selection of Consultants, FIDIC, First Edition 2003
3.Selecting a Consulting Engineer-American Consulting Engineers Council (ACEC)-Maryland
http://www.acecmd.org/index.php/selecting-an-engineering-firm
4.Bidding Is Not the Solution, Case Studies in Bidding – American Consulting Engineers
Council (ACEC)
http://www.acec.org/advocacy/committees/pdf/bidding_not_solution_full.pdf
5.Guidelines - Selection and Employment of Consultants under IBRD Loans and IDA Credits& Grants, by Word Bank Borrowers, The World Bank, January 2011

I S S U E

17
1 5
2

A p r i l
0

1

3

NEWSLETTER
1

2

3

4

YOUNG PROFESSIONALS FORUM

INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF CONSULTING ENGINEERS

5

6

7

8

9

HOW TO BECOME PART OF THE FIDIC YPF GROUP
Become part of this young dynamic group of people and receive updates, newsletters andinformation on upcoming events such as FIDIC conferences and training opportunities.
International YPF Groups: find out what the YPs in your country are doing and how toconnect with them! Please register on the YPF homepage listed below.
Once we have your details, we will send you our newsletter and other info as it comes up.
Please remember to keep your details updated!

Communication
Chairperson
FIDIC YPFSC

For general information or if you need help to connect, go to www.fidic.org
For more information or if you need help to connect, contact myself at: FIDIC.YPF@fidic.org

Selena Wilson
Communications Chairperson
FIDIC YPF Steering Commitee.............................................................................................
Selena Wilson
CanadaStarting your own YPF in your country
If you liked what you saw in the FIDIC YPF and YPFs across the world, why not start yourown? This is best achieved through your country’s Member Association (MA) of FIDIC.
However, if no such association exists, or your MA does not want to have their own YPF,
you can contact us to find out how to start your own YPF. Through FIDIC we may haveresources to make it easier or help partner it with you. All you need is your enthusiasm forEngineering! From there you decide what it is that you want your YPF to represent. Whatis your focus? Is it just socializing with your peers? Or is it all of the above? As the FIDIC
YPF, we will do all we can to suport your new endeavor!
Contact us at: FIDIC.YPF@fidic.org