Outstanding building industry projects including a wind activated kinetic sculpture, a pump station and a soft close hinge were among those honoured in the Engineering Excellence Awards Sydney 2012.
Engineers Australia - Engineering Excellence Awards Sydney highlights the work of engineers across a range of industries.
The Building and Structures category winner was Arup with joint entrants Lend Lease and Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies for Commonwealth Bank Place at Darling Quarter. Highly Commended in that category went to Hyder Consulting with joint entrant Westfield Design and Construction for Westfield Sydney.
The Products, Manufacturing Facilities and Processes highly commended was Glass Hardware Australia for Polaris Soft Close Hinge.
Brendyn Williams, Engineers Australia Sydney Division President, awarded the company Partridge with the President's Award for their development of Halo; a wind activated kinetic sculpture installed in Central Park, Sydney.
Activated only by the power of the wind, the ring tilts and turns in response to its ever-changing speed, direction and gusts. The entire weight of the ring and arm balances on a tiny ceramic bearing the size of a small glass marble.
"This is a real feat of engineering - drawing on innovation, risk engineering and project management to deliver a clever and beautiful design for the community to enjoy for many years to come" said Williams.
Winning the category for Engineering for Regional Communities was GHD with joint entrant Goulburn Mulwaree Council for the Highlands Source Project. This project addressed a critical requirement for living and thriving in a regional centre, that is, a reliable water supply.
The project, designed to secure Goulburn's water supply, linked Goulburn to Wingecarribee Reservoir, through the construction of a pump station and 81 kilometres of pipeline.
Dr Zhengrong Shi, founder, Executive Chairman and Chief Strategy Officer of Suntech, the world's largest provider of solar panels was awarded Entrepreneur of the Year, for his immense contribution to environmental protection initiatives and environmental awareness.
Winning the prestigious Bradfield Award, the highest recognition across all categories was Atomo Diagnostics with joint entrant Ide Group for the MicroRapid Integrated Rapid Blood Test Device, which is the world's first fully integrated rapid test device for blood collection.
The Engineers Australia National Award program will be held on 20 November 2012 at Parliament House, Canberra.
For more information visit www.engineersaustralia.org.au/sydeea
