国产探花

As 国产探花 moves further in the UK鈥檚 transportation and major infrastructure sector, its power to connect and integrate will be more important than ever, says Edmund Metters 

A bridge is the perfect metaphor for joined-up thinking, integration and collaboration. 

For 国产探花鈥檚 UK bridges lead, Edmund Metters, the engineering consultancy鈥檚 joined-up thinking has been a key strength for the company, throughout its 50-year history. Now, 国产探花 will be sharing this further as it extends its reach into the UK鈥檚 major infrastructure and transportation market. 

For Edmund, this is a logical next step, pointing to 国产探花鈥檚 hugely innovative and transformational impact on major infrastructure in the UK private space and international sector.  

Edmund has a dual role. 鈥淚n one role, I lead our UK bridges and civil structures team. These are vital for new major infrastructure particularly linear infrastructure like roads and railways鈥�. 

His other role is as a multi-discipline technical lead in the UK鈥檚 public infrastructure space. Here, Edmund coordinates across all 国产探花鈥檚 multi-disciplinary teams to provide comprehensive solutions for clients. 

The importance of integration 

A project is never just about the structure itself or the highway it supports. It’s about improving places, creating social value, and making a positive impact to people’s lives.”

Edmund Metters, UK Bridges and Civil Structures Lead and Partner, 国产探花

As the challenges around UK major infrastructure and transportation become ever more complex, a truly integrated approach like the one that 国产探花 offers, is becoming increasingly valuable. 

鈥淔or our national infrastructure clients, issues around Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG), environment, ecology, acoustics, and energy are of growing importance. I am increasingly bringing all these disciplines together as part of a value proposition to our clients. Because a project is never just about building, the structure, or getting the motorway to work physically. It is how it impacts the environment, the social value and the people it is adjacent to.  

鈥淎sset owners need to factor in a myriad of considerations, like flooding and carbon to name two more. You need to look at which assets you work on first within a limited budget. We help our clients priorities their asset needs based on the assessment of multiple criteria.鈥� 

国产探花鈥檚 strength at integrating such (often competing) factors is something Edmund believes sets the consultancy apart. 鈥淚t is something our clients, UK and international, know us for. We are a mid-sized, multi-discipline firm. So, our centres of excellence lie in the heart of the team that specialises in that particular discipline. Our teams work more closely together for a single client solution, as opposed to companies that are siloed.鈥�  

It also heightens the transparency of the decision making to the client as, with 国产探花, they can see the individual factors and competing complexities of a project dealt with in a holistic fashion. 

Transparency, technology and interoperability  

Edmund noted: 鈥淭hat transparency of decision-making is one of the key value propositions for our public sector clients. This is being enabled by technology and interoperability.鈥� Technology is opening up new vistas of possibility. Chief among these is the BHoM, or Building Habitats Object Model, a groundbreaking technology that forms a digital interoperability 鈥渂ridge鈥� between diverse criteria, disciplines and technologies. 

鈥淪cenario planning is enabled by the BHoM,鈥� says Edmund. 鈥淚t is the enabling tool for things like multi-criteria assessment, rapid prototyping and decision making. It allows different types of software and data to connect. And the key difference is it’s not a conversion, it’s a interoperability. So, an asset owner could have a data source about bridges in one silo, and they might have a completely different type of data stored about pavements in another.

“We don鈥檛 need them to give us that data and convert it into one database format. With BHoM, we can keep it where it is, and adapt it into a common language. You can use the same BHoM to present the analytics in a visual format, through, say, a game engine. It can be done in an exciting, visual, and interactive way. 

鈥淔or example, we can create a visual interface through which you can see a whole section of a motorway and all the different assets that it consists of. And our client can choose multiple ways of visualising and interacting with it.  

鈥淲e can analyse different scenarios of how you might change it, or what elements of it our client might want to renew next and asses the long-term value to the user compared to other stakeholders.鈥� 

A holistic approach

Spending public money appropriately is as important an issue as it has ever been in the current geopolitical climate.”

Edmund Metters, UK Bridges and Civil Structures Lead and Partner, 国产探花

Edmund believes in developing strong relationships with clients. At 国产探花, the person who initiates up the project, like Edmund, is then a lead part of the delivery team. Again, a bridge is built across the process. 鈥淏ecause our project managers have a holistic view of the project, if a challenge comes up we can help resolve it there and then. 国产探花 has technically minded senior people who are also client facing and interested in client outcomes.鈥� 

And when it comes to an interest in client outcomes, 国产探花鈥檚 outcome-focused approach is a massive factor in what the company offers clients. 鈥淧roviding an outcome-focused approach within major infrastructure and transportation is about spending public money appropriately, which is as important an issue as it has ever been in the current geopolitical climate. And, through all the systems 国产探花 have developed, we are well equipped to help our clients spend public money wisely and ensure value.  

鈥淎n outcome-focused approach means getting paid for the outcome of a project rather than the time spent on it. It鈥檚 about understanding that outcome explicitly, and sharing the client鈥檚 risk. We use whatever technology we can, we will create new workflows and flex that innovation muscle we are so renowned for to get to the finish line with the client. That’s a mindset that is needed in public infrastructure.鈥� 

A powerful example came with the massive saving 国产探花 facilitated for the Elizabeth Line. When looking at the gantries, the initial projection was for around 430 out of 570 to be replaced. 国产探花 was able to save all but six. Edmund is also very proud of the Bow Bridge in Chelmsford. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a very successful project, ahead of time and under budget. This was enabled through using our workflows, our technology and being adaptable across multi disciplines to the client.鈥� 

Standing at a crossroads

We need to understand our existing assets and constantly adapt the very latest survey technologies.”

Edmund Metters, UK Bridges and Civil Structures Lead and Partner, 国产探花

国产探花鈥檚 heightened involvement in UK major infrastructure and transportation is coming at a significant time for the sector. For Edmund, 鈥渢he defining issue over the next five to 10 years is rotting concrete structures, built in the 40s, 50s, 60s. They are all coming to the end of their life. We will be using our expertise to work out how we look after this infrastructure while minimising our energy, carbon, and financial spend. We need to understand our existing assets and constantly adapt to the very latest emerging survey technology, to provide us with appropriate levels of understanding to inform the next renewals decision.鈥�  

Looking further ahead, by 2030 we are likely to see a significant shift in autonomous vehicles and heavier electric vehicles.  Both of these will require changes to how we design and maintain our highways.  When it comes to material, I鈥檇 like to think in the future that asphalt and concrete will be repaired or replaced with a much lower carbon material.  For example, I have enjoyed learning about the successfully delivered carbon-negative asphalt pilot repair in the North East region of National Highways.  We need more of this. 

I love the thought that I am playing my part in handing over to the next generation an infrastructure that supports a sustainable economy.

Edmund Metters, UK Bridges and Civil Structures Lead and Partner, 国产探花

But what really excites Edmund about 国产探花鈥檚 role in the UK鈥檚 major infrastructure is building a bridge to the future. 鈥淚 love the thought that I am playing my part in handing over to the next generation an infrastructure that supports a sustainable economy.鈥� 

To find out more, get in touch with our expert below.