ICE Tech Talks

Explainer: The five-minute wider benefits of water infrastructure overview

Water infrastructure provides a vital public service by supplying clean water to communities, managing wastewater and minimising the impact of flooding. This is the primary purpose of water infrastructure. But all infrastructure has the potential to generate benefits that go well beyond this basic functionality. This ICE audio explainer explores what these greater benefits might be, and how they can be achieved.
 

Decarbonising the water industry: the journey to net zero

In 2019, following the UK government’s commitment to reach net zero by 2050, every water company in England agreed a Public Interest Commitment, setting five demanding goals, including a pledge to reach net zero on operational emissions by 2030. In 2020, this commitment was reaffirmed, and Water UK published the Net Zero 2030 Routemap, detailing how it would be achieved.  
One of the three senior industry figures leading on this commitment is Heidi Mottram CBE, Chief Executive Officer of the Northumbrian Water Group Limited and Northumbrian Water Limited since 2010. In this ICE podcast, Heidi joins ICE director of engineering knowledge Mark Hansford and ICE knowledge manager Steph Fairbairn to discuss how engineers can play their part in decarbonising the water industry.
Episode produced by Dr Joe Jackson.

Explainer: The four-minute decarbonising the water sector overview

Water is an essential resource, and water infrastructure is a fundamental component of prosperous, healthy economies. However, like all infrastructure sectors, the water industry has a responsibility to reduce its impact on climate change. 
This ICE audio explainer explores strategies to decarbonise the water sector, and how engineers can play their part.
Episode produced by Steph Fairbairn.

Explainer: The five-minute ground source heat pump overview

The term ‘ground source heat pump’ (GSHP) refers to a buried network of fluid-filled pipes that are connected to a compressor and pump unit to provide heating for buildings. GSHPs offer less carbon emissions, lower running costs and greater efficiency than gas boilers.
This audio explainer explores how GSHPs work, the application of them in both domestic and larger-scale settings, and the potential future of the solution.
Produced by James Crumly.

The transport sector’s journey to net zero

Transport is the UK's largest emitting sector. By adopting new technologies and overhauling old systems, the transport industry can drastically cut its carbon emissions. Civil engineers working to decarbonise transport must play a careful balancing act, generating value and increasing efficiency while also reducing risk. Where are there big opportunities for decarbonising the transport sector? And what obstacles are we still trying to overcome?
In this ICE podcast, ICE knowledge content director Alex Wynne is joined by Stephen Elderkin, director of environmental sustainability for National Highways, and Conor McCone, carbon manager at Skanska UK, to explore what needs to be done to decarbonise the transport sector, tracking the 'easy wins' for sustainability in transport and examining the complications that can arise on the journey to Net Zero.
Episode produced by Steph Fairbairn and Dr Joe Jackson.

Explainer: The five-minute decarbonisation in transport overview

The transport sector accounts for the largest proportion of the UK’s carbon emissions, and infrastructure is responsible for more than half of the UK’s total carbon emissions. While engineers  have a variety of tools and options available that can support carbon reduction within the transport industry, much more still needs to be done.
This ICE audio explainer explores how a shift in principles will be required – both now and in the future – to effectively and efficiently decarbonise transport.
Speaker: James Crumly
Producer: Dr Joe Jackson

ICE in conversation with Grenfell Next of Kin

The Grenfell Tower tragedy, its causes and its consequences cut to the heart of the practice of civil engineers. In 2021, the ICE received a request for support from Grenfell Next of Kin, a grassroots support initiative representing immediate family members of the disaster’s victims. The ICE called on John Carpenter, an ICE member at the forefront of driving competence around safety in construction, to assist.
In the support he provided the group, John embodied the ICE’s Code of Professional Conduct, demonstrating how members can enact their ‘overriding responsibility to the public good’.
In this ICE podcast, ICE director of engineering knowledge, Mark Hansford, and knowledge content director, Alex Wynne, are joined by Kimi Zabihyan, an advocate of the Grenfell Next of Kin group, to discuss the support John provided.
Episode produced by Steph Fairbairn and Dr Joe Jackson.

Explainer: The seven-minute ICE Code of Professional Conduct overview

Members of the Institution of Civil Engineers should always be aware of their overriding responsibility to the public good. This includes care and respect for humanity's cultural, historical and archaeological heritage and a duty to protect the health and wellbeing of present and future generations, and show due regard for the environment and the sustainable management of natural resources. 
These obligations form the basis of ICE's Code of Professional Conduct, which is explored in this explainer, including thoughts from Gordon Masterton, chair of future infrastructure at the University of Edinburgh School of Engineering and ICE past-president and Micheala Chan, assistant engineer at Arcadis and ICE sustainability champion.
Episode produced by Steph Fairbairn.

Structural resilience and the role of the civil engineer

Whether it be from deterioration and ageing, a change of use, or the impacts of climate change, modern day structures must be more resilient than ever to hazards and stressors. But what are these hazards? How resilient are current structures? And how important is it to consider resilience in a holistic sense?In this podcast, Stergios-Aristoteles Mitoulis, senior fellow at the University of Birmingham and Sotirios Argyroudis, lecturer at Brunel University London – founders of InfrastructuReseilience and bridgeUkraine – join hosts Mark Hansford, ICE director of engineering knowledge and Alex Wynne, ICE knowledge content director, to explore these questions, and discuss the civil engineer's role in ensuring structural resilience.
Episode produced by Dr Joe Jackson.

Explainer: The four-minute structural resilience overview

Whether it be a change of use, increase in load, or hazards caused by climate change, modern buildings and infrastructure are subject to a number of hazards to which they must be resilient. This audio explainer explores what resilience really means, and the civil engineer's role in ensuring structural resilience, and resilience in a more holistic sense.
 
Produced by Steph Fairbairn and Dr Joe Jackson.