Africa Surveyors Sept-Oct digital issue 2020

Volume 3 issue no. 11

September - October issue 2020

Africa Surveyors Soil Testing

Construction Foundation

Why you should hire MEP engineers Britam Tower wins prestigious engineering award When do you need a land surveyor

In this issue......

A Masterplan to transform Kigali into a Centre of Urban Excellence....pg 28 www.africasurveyorsonline.com

How to manage corruption risk in African infrastructure projects ....pg 14

Charlette N’Guessan wins Royal Academy of Engineering’s Africa Prize for innovation....pg 30 September-October issue l 2020

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September-October issue l 2020

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CONTENTS

Contents 26

22

Current Issue In this issue, we look at the importance of Soil Testing in a construction site

REGULARS News Briefs

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Events

8

Innovation

10

Opinion

14

Project review

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Managing Editor

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Francis David

COVER STORY

Editor-in-Chief

Soil Testing: Importance of soil testing before any construction project commences

Augustine Rang’ondi

Editor Dorcas Kang’ereha

Writer

Violet Ambale Harriet Mkhaye Irene Joseph Innocent Momanyi

Sales Executives East Africa

Jimmy Mudasia Lydia Kamonya Caiser Momanyi Vincent Murono Sheila Ing’ayitsa

South Africa

Paul Nyakeri Sean Masangwanyi Lisa Brown Thembisa Ndlovu

Nigeria

Emelda Njomboro Uche Maxwel

Published by:

Nailex Africa Publishing P.O. Box 10109, 00100 Nairobi, Kenya.

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Features

When do you need a Land Surveyor: surveying is a very technical process with no room for error Surveying and Mapping: Losamills Consult Brings Innovation to Land mapping and Surveying in West Africa MEP Consulting Engineers: MEP consulting engineers are definitely an investment Engineering: Britam Tower wins prestigious engineering award

BIM: Asite Ecosystem enables open data exchange in built environment

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Architecture: Senegal launches a $6 billion Akon City ADVERTISER'S INDEX Building Smart........................................................................IFC Graco........................................................................................IBC Ranhill.......................................................................................OBC Geoconnect Asia...................................................................pg 9 MacArtney...............................................................................pg 13 Pertamina................................................................................pg 24 Evologics..................................................................................pg 25 DMG Events............................................................................pg 31 Diversified Communications..............................................pg 32 Schindler Ltd...........................................................................pg 35 Chapmanbdsp........................................................................pg 37

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The Editor accepts letter and manuscripts for publication from readers all over the world. Include your name and address as a sign of good faith although you may request your name to be withheld from publication. We can reserve the right to edit any material submitted. Send your letters to: info@africasurveyorsonline.com

Disclaimer:

Nailex Africa Publishing makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of the contents of its publications, but no warranty is made to such accuracy and no responsibility will be borne by the publisher for the consequences of actions based on information so published. Further, opinions expressed on interviews are not necessarily shared

by Nailex Africa Publisher.

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September-October issue l 2020

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News BRIEFS

Kinetiko survey unlocks more gas potential in South Africa

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inetiko Energy has completed an aeromagnetic survey that has identified 10 new areas of potentially gas-charged geological compartments, some of which are the largest identified so far at the Amersfoort project in South Africa. The compartments identified on the ER38 licence of the project are up to 22sqkm in size and cover a total area of 124sqkm.

The geological detail from the 2014 survey led to the company developing a pilot gas production field proposal for the 10 gas compartments defined at ER56. Kinetiko intends to drill test the newly identified compartments to see if they can be ranked as potential development fields as in the initial 2014 survey.

Aeromagnetic surveying has proven to be a useful tool for exploring at Amersfoort with the company noting the 2014 survey over ER56 had provided unprecedented detail on the structural and lithologic compartmentalisation of the gas charged Karoo sandstone and coal sequences.

South Africa has been in the throes of an energy supply crisis since 2007 with widespread rolling blackouts a constant in the country. This is due to country’s ageing coal-fired power stations that are coming to the end of their lives along with a lack of investment in new generation capacity.

Kenya’s land complaints desk bill, withdrawn

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enyans with land registration and survey complaints will have to wait longer after the State withdrew a Bill that sought to create an avenue for filing the cases. The withdrawal comes after the National Assembly’s Leader of Majority Amos Kimunya successfully lobbied Speaker Justin Muturi to withdraw the Land Registration (Amendment) Bill, 2020, then sponsored by his predecessor Aden Duale.

Muturi said.

Under Mr Duale’s proposal, office of the reviewer would have been staffed by officers employed by the Public Service Commission and not those from the Ministry of Land.

The Bill had proposed establishment of the Office of a Complaints Reviewer in the Lands Registry giving it statutory powers to receive, process and resolve all complaints relating to land registration and surveying.

“This is geared towards ensuring the effective delivery of land registration and survey services by giving the public an avenue for lodging complaints and having their complaints resolved effectively,” the withdrawn Bill states in its memorandum of objects and reasons.

"It was envisioned that it would help ease business in the country. Its withdrawal is meant to allow for wider and comprehensive engagements with key stakeholders considering that its (office) establishment may be done administratively," Mr

The Bill restricted the reviewer to only consider complaints that have been fully considered within the internal complaints procedures at the Land Registry and Survey of Kenya.

Trois Consulting, DDMS Launch Onshore Geological Study in Angola techniques. The map was created using original work from French operator Total in the 1980s, along with work conducted by national oil company Sonangol in 2015.

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rois Consulting, an International advisory firm and DDMS, alongside Angola’s National Agency of Oil, Gas and Biofuels (ANPG), have announced the launch of an integrated geological and geophysical study pertaining to onshore oil and gas exploration.

The study will comprise 2D seismic coverage in the Lower Congo Basin; an updated geological map and database of the onshore Kwanza Basin; and a collection of aeromagnetic data on the transition zone and shallow waters of both basins.

In the Kwanza Basin, DDMS and Trois Consulting have already completed KMAP-2020, a geological map and geographic information system database that was produced as a result of geological fieldwork.

The work consisted of more than 3,000 samples and remote sensing interpretation, among other

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Through the study, Trois Consulting and DDMS aim to provide a better understanding of the geology across the Kwanza Basin, resulting in enhanced opportunities for oil and gas explorers.

“We are excited about the release of K-MAP 2020.

This enhanced interpretation, based on modern remote sensing interpretation techniques, will provide to new entrants a new framework and insights into the geology of the Kwanza Basin for their prospectivity assessment of this basin, where oil was first discovered in 1955,” said Alessandro Colla, Director of Trois Consulting.

The data acquisition campaign is a decisive step ahead of the ANPG onshore bid round scheduled to open in January 2021. Interested companies are requested to submit proposals before closing date on March 10, 2021.

Uganda to construct the first Lake Victoria power submarine cable

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he government of Uganda has obtained a 32 billion Ugandan shillings loan to construct a seven-kilometre power submarine cable connecting Kalangala district (Ssese islands) to the mainland at Masaka. The sh32 billion loan has been secured from African Development Bank under the Uganda Rural Electricity Access Project to construct the first power submarine cable and connect it to the national grid. The marine life will not be affected neither the aquatic life since the cable has a thick insulation layer.

According to state Minister for Energy and Minerals development Mary Gorret Kitutu, the project is intended to lower tarrifs charged for power in Kalangala.

Kalangala Infrastructure Services Limited, the company responsible for supplying power on Buggala Island is charging over 825 sh per unit of used power. The minister says this is over twice the charge paid elsewhere in the country so the cable will help lower the cost of doing business on the islands, economically empower the residents of Kalangala and boost it’s tourism sector.

The Lake Victoria power submarine cable project will be executed by the CCC Engineering LTD, a subsidiary of the Engineering Department of China National Electric Wire & Cable Imp./Exp. Corporation under the supervision of the Rural Electrification Agency of Uganda (REA). The scope of the work covers surveying, structural spotting, line route profiling, and pegging, procurement, delivery to site, and laying on the floor of Lake Victoria a 33-kilovolt seven-kilometer submarine cable and two 33 kilovolt switching sub-stations in Bukakata and Bugoma, and 27 distribution transformers.

The submarine cable will complement the 1.6 megawatts (per hour) solar power plant operated by the Kalangala Infrastructure Services, a PublicPrivate Partnership between government and private infrastructure development venture, namely InfraCo Africa.

Patricia Litho, the cooperate communication and community affairs officer in Rural Electrification Agency says, the project is not to compete with Kalangala Infrastructure Services but rather to extend reliable services towards the Kalangala community.

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News BRIEFS

OCEA delivers a new hydrographic research vessel for Nigeria

T Intelsat Partners XinaBox to bring Space STEM to Students in Africa

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ntelsat is now partnering with XinaBox to deliver space-focused STEM learning tools to teenagers across the African continent. Intelsat is sponsoring scholarships, each worth hundreds of dollars, for 20 students in Africa to access XinaBox’s dedicated space STEM kits and educational programs, which culminate in students designing, building and launching satellites into space.

“Building the pipeline of the next generation of satellite engineers begins with our partnership with XinaBox,” said Christell Meyers, Intelsat’s Sales Director in Africa. “Sparking that tech interest at such a young age inspires future leaders who will soon lead the way with advancements we never dreamed possible.”

XinaBox (pronounced “X in a box”) removes barriers to participation in the growing STEM academic field and economy. Its XinaBox Kits provide a rapid hardware development platform, specifically designed and manufactured for STEM applications in schools and universities. Using commercial standard electronics components, students are able to design and build circuits, code using multiple formats and conduct experiments, without specialist equipment or lab.

Through building, experimenting, and creating working electronic devices, crafters, students and tinkerers learn critical STEM skills, including coding, electronics, data gathering and analysis, control, and all the principles of Internet of Things (IoT), while engaging with the sensory environment around them. This approach uniquely bridges the virtual worlds of software, the cloud, and big data, with students’ real-world surroundings.

“When the Intelsat team suggested supporting African students on our flagship program, we were excited and inspired. Our primary goal is to give access to space for all,” noted Judi Sandrock, one of the co-founders of XinaBox. “Intelsat’s values and ours are totally aligned, with the students and their futures at the core. Intelsat’s support will allow the XinaBox Space STEM program to accelerate as we move into 2021.”

Students with an interest in the scholarship who meet these criteria are encouraged to apply before the deadline: November 30, 2020, at 5 p.m. SA. The application process requires completing an online form, a space quiz and submitting a short explanation building the case for why you should be selected for this unique program.

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he Nigerian Navy has launched its first ever hydropgrapic survey vessel to enhance effective protection of the nation’s territorial waters. Following an international call for tenders for the acquisition of a hydrographic research vessel and associated logistical support services, the Nigerian Navy selected OCEA in 2018 to carry out this contract.

The launching ceremony of the new OCEA OSV 190 SC-WB hydrographic research vessel which is now called “LANA” took place on the OCEA site in Les Sables d’Olonne. Madam the Nigerian Ambassador to France, a delegation from the Nigerian Navy Headquarters from Abuja and representatives the French administration were present at the ceremony.

The award of this order to OCEA shipyard once again demonstrates the competitiveness of OCEA’s offer in the face of intense international competition (India, Spain, South Korea, South Africa, etc.). This new achievement also strengthens the presence of the OCEA Group in Nigeria, whose Navy already operates numerous patrol vessels from 24 to 35 meters built

by OCEA. By the end of 2020, the Vendée shipyard will deliver two 35-meter FPB 110 MKII type patrol boats and four interceptors to the Nigerian Navy.

Vessel’s missions The OCEA OSV 190 SC-WB is a hydrographic and oceanographic research vessel from OCEA’s line of auxiliary vessels.

The vessel designed by OCEA offers excellent operational capabilities thanks to optimized sea keeping, controlled integration of scientific systems and reduced impact on the observed environment: noise, radiation, as has been confirmed by SHOM and Kongsberg on the OSV 190 SC-WB “KRI RIGEL 933” and “KRI SPICA 934” operated by the Indonesian Navy.

BGS to explore sustainable sand supply in Kenya

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he British Geological Survey (BGS) is participating in a joint UK-Kenyan international project that aims to blend data and information with local stakeholder input to explore the sustainable supply of sand and aggregates in Kenya.

The project, called Earth Observation for Sustainable Aggregate Supply (EO4SAS), is one of 10 recently announced projects being grant-funded through the UK Space Agency’s International Partnership Programme (IPP), part of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy’s (BEIS) Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF).

Sand used as aggregate forms an essential and finite resource. Growing demand for construction – buildings and infrastructure, creating land through reclamation, and coastal protection from climate change – has resulted in supply pressures on traditional sources, with unmanaged extraction emerging as a locally significant problem around the world.

The issue has been highlighted by the United Nations and has the potential to cause wideranging social, economic and environmental impacts, including pollution, land erosion, changing water flows, reduction of biodiversity, damage to infrastructure, degradation of habits and impacts on vulnerable communities.

Pixalytics Ltd, a UK-based Earth observation company, are leading the project and will be working with the Government of Kenya alongside Kenyan partners Nairobi Design Institute and NIRAS Africa, and UK partners Satellite Applications Catapult, Chatham House and the University of Plymouth, to

deliver the work. In addition, the project is being supported by the minerals team from the British Geological Survey.

The short-term discovery project, running until March 2021, will look at how such a system could be implemented. It is hoped the proposed solution will go on to receive further funding and so improve the monitoring and regulation of aggregate mining, supporting sustainability in the aggregate supply chain and progress towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Dr Samantha Lavender, managing director of Pixalytics, said: ‘With an increasing global demand for sand, we are excited to be working with Government of Kenya, local stakeholders and communities to see how we can all work together to develop a more sustainable system for the management of this vital resource.’

Liz Cox, IPP’s head of international relations at the UK Space Agency, added: ‘The compelling results of previous IPP projects cement the case for investment in space for sustainable development.

IPP is not only demonstrating the value of satellite solutions and improving the lives of people on the ground in developing countries, but also facilitating effective alliances between the UK and international organizations. It’s a ‘win-win’ and an exciting moment in the programme.’

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international

Esri Acquires nFrames to Enhance Its 3D Capabilities

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he global leader in location intelligence, Esri has announced the acquisition of nFrames, a technology company that develops SURETM, an industry-leading imagery and lidar 3D surface reconstruction software. This will enable the fusion of imagery with 3D GIS, allowing nFrames and Esri users to seamlessly capture and analyze 3D data from aerial, drone, and ground-based sensors in an automated end-to-end process.

SURE scales 3D data creation to large city and countrywide airborne image datasets and projects while giving professional photogrammetry workflows improved precision, speed, and simplicity on premises or in the cloud. Through this acquisition, Esri gains a robust production engine that transforms imagery and lidar data into point clouds, phototextured 3D meshes, and true orthos. Users in government; urban planning; or architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) can use SURE to generate 3D maps at scales from individual construction sites to entire cities and countries—fully automated at higher resolution and repetition rates than ever before.

Giyani Metals kicks-off its 2020 Field Drill Program and Studies

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iyani Metals Corp. (TSXV:EMM, GR:A2DUU8) (“Giyani” or the “Company“) is pleased to announce the commencement of its Feasibility Study (“FS“) field program (“2020 Field Program“) for its K.Hill manganese project in Botswana, with the appointment of a drilling contractor, project management and geological services contractor and their imminent mobilisation. The 2020 Field Program follows Giyani’s recent successful capital raising, which closed on September 18, 2020.

2020 Field Program Highlights:

core (“DC“) drilling.

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Geotechnical & Geophysical Studies

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Infill drilling program intended to upgrade existing resources to the Indicated category.

Geotechnical study to determine geotechnical parameters for the open-pit mine design.

Geophysical study to assist with greater definition of the resource estimation

Infill Drilling The objective of the infill drilling program is to upgrade the current inferred mineral resources at K.Hill, into the indicated mineral resource category, from which a CIM Code compliant reserve could then be estimated. The program will consist of 90 holes and 2,700m of reverse circulation (“RC“) drilling, as well as 9 holes and 250m of diamond

The geotechnical study will be led by SRK in Cardiff, UK. Geotechnical sample data will be collected from the drill core as well as outcrops of mineralisation.

This data will assist the geotechnical modelling of the deposit, slope stability and the open pit mine design.

Shares for Drilling Services Stewardship has entered into a drilling contract with Giyani under which Giyani will partly pay the drilling costs through the issue of common shares of the Company for 27% of the contract total value.

Fugro awarded a three-year survey deal with ONGC

“nFrames is a leading provider of 3D image reconstruction software and services, and I am excited to welcome the company to the Esri family,” said Jack Dangermond, Esri founder and president.

“As Esri continues down its path of innovation to create a multidimensional experience, this acquisition enhances our ability to create extremely high-quality 3D data from imagery, which is critical for our customers in the municipal, planning, and AEC industries.”

SURE software will become part of the company’s ArcGIS platform. In the future, Esri will make SURE capabilities available in ArcGIS Drone2Map and Site Scan for ArcGIS so users can create better meshes, point clouds, and true orthos from their drone imagery. This will also further improve ArcGIS orthomapping and drone processing capabilities across the platform.

“We are excited to take the next step in our mission of empowering organizations with leading technology for multisensor reality capture—from air and ground,” said Konrad Wenzel, CEO and cofounder of nFrames. “Together with Esri, we will be able to unlock the full value of 3D surface data through GIS by connecting geometry with metainformation to provide spatial context. This fully automatic chain from data capture to analytics will enable smarter decision-making.”

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depths of up to 100 m. Geo-data results from the engineering surveys will provide ONGC with the seabed and sub-seabed insights they need to develop key offshore infrastructure.

The survey services include pipeline route engineering and rig site surveys using multibeam bathymetric, shallow seismic profiling, magnetometry and 2D UHR, along with rig positioning, current profile measurements and wellhead searches. Fugro’s dedicated geophysical survey vessel, the Fugro Mapper, is mobilised to perform the surveys in water

Remmelt de Jong, Fugro’s director for marine site characterisation in the Middle East and India, said: “Being awarded this multi-year contract for the fourth consecutive time demonstrates the value Fugro has brought to Indian offshore development and our clients. We are especially proud of the strong relationship we have forged with ONGC and we intend to maintain the exemplary health and safety record we achieved in the three previous contracts, with no major downtime or zero lost time incidents over the last 9 years.”

il and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) in India has awarded Fugro a 3-year contract to provide integrated survey services for the fourth consecutive time. Fugro a Dutch seismic and subsea specialist will provide integrated survey services. Work is currently under way on the latest contract, which covers infield developments on the east and west coasts of India.

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international

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Vallourec, FORSSEA Robotics and iXblue join forces to facilitate the inspection of subsea pipelines

world leader in premium tubular solutions, Vallourec, is working with FORSSEA Robotics, a startup specializing in smart robotics and visual positioning, and iXblue, a company recognized for its expertise in inertial navigation, subsea positioning and autonomous technologies – to develop a pipeline inspection solution combining subsea drones and the use of visual markers, removing the need for surface vessels.

Traditionally, the inspection of subsea pipelines and structures requires the use of a surface vessel (manned or unmanned) with acoustic positioning used to monitor the deployment of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) or Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs). These subsea vehicles then collect the required information – such as a pipeline’s general aspect and route, anode consumption, free span, burial and crossing areas – using observation sensors.

In order to reduce pipeline inspection operational costs, Vallourec, iXblue and FORSSEA decided to develop a solution using visual markers directly integrated on subsea pipelines that enables vesselfree subsea navigation.

The project relies on barcodes placed on installed pipes, resulting in many passive positioning references logged with their own coordinates during the laying operation which will remain accessible

throughout the life of the field. These markers would be used as navigation aids for subsea drones equipped with FORSEEA cameras and iXblue’s inertial navigation systems that easily relay the pipelines’ locations to the operators thus removing the need for acoustic positioning systems and costly mother vessels. To remain visible to divers and subsea drones throughout the project’s lifespan, these markers are long-term resistant to marine growth and erosion.

“This technology had already proven itself on large structures in the field”, said Jean-Guillaume Besse, Vallourec R&D project leader. “Back in January of this year, we did a first sea trial on much smaller surfaces – down to pipes of 6” in diameter – in the South of France. The tests were a success, proving that these markers, combined with iXblue’s and FORSSEA’s expertise, can be used to provide accurate subsea positioning without the need of acoustic systems“.

AVEVA Enhances Unified Supply Chain solution with Real-Time Crude

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VEVA, a global leader in engineering and industrial software, today announced the launch of the latest enhancement to its AVEVA™ Unified Supply Chain platform, Real-time Crude, designed to help customers gain visibility into their business and operations in order to quickly understand how crude quality impacts their value chain.

With the Oil and Gas industry facing massive disruption, a lack of visibility into the supply chain has led to difficulties with reacting to market changes in real time. AVEVA Real-Time Crude, a solution developed with Schneider Electric, combines cuttingedge analytical equipment with powerful machinelearning techniques to provide rapid and reliable crude oil assays across the enterprise in a matter of minutes. Timely information leads to advantages, including more intelligent purchasing decisions, improved operational planning, better allocation of refining resources, and more certain product volume and quality predictions.

“Given the fluctuating oil prices, volatile markets and the severe global economic downturn projected, the launch of Real-Time Crude is opportune as it addresses many of the known issues that have been plaguing the energy industry. In an industry that survives by being nimble to fluctuations in prices of crudes and products, AVEVA’s offering provides fast

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information on crude quality to improve efficiency, reliability and agile decision making,” said Harpreet Gulati, Senior Vice President for Planning & Operations Business Unit, AVEVA. “Real-Time Crude is at the cutting edge of much needed developments within the volatile energy industry, and Schneider Electric and AVEVA are committed to helping customers quickly navigate these uncertain times to function safely, efficiently and reliably. This key feature of the AVEVA Unified Supply Chain demonstrates the true potential of bringing advanced analytical equipment and machine learning technologies to the forefront without being complicated. Our combined goal is to deliver innovative solutions that will not only create efficiencies but also help customers to stay ahead of the curve,” commented Matthew Carrara, Vice President – Process Analyzers and Instrumentation, Schneider Electric, Industry Business – Process Automation.

The AVEVA Unified Supply Chain platform is unique because legacy solutions use a set of point solutions that require manual data transfer between different solutions, while AVEVA’s solution is a single, unified solution that leverages common data, models, and user management to promote enterprise collaboration and visibility across the supply chain.

This eliminates the need for data transfers as well as potential errors resulting from data transfers.

Teledyne CARIS Mira AI software contributes to successful UTAS UAV Mission

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eledyne CARIS, a Teledyne Technologies [NYSE:TDY] company, was an integral part of the illustrious team involved in the groundbreaking uncrewed offshore survey mission in the Atlantic Ocean. Teledyne CARIS’ Mira AI and CARIS Onboard software were present on the vessel to enable autonomous survey and real-time processing operations. The mission’s Uncrewed Surface Vehicle (USV) built by SEA-KIT mapped over 1000 sq kms of the ocean floor in 22 days, while being continuously monitored via satellite communications at its Remote Operations Center in Essex, United Kingdom. A specialized team comprised of the GEBCO-Nippon Foundation Alumni Team operated the survey equipment and provided quality control of the data from various ‘work-from-home locations’ around the world.

The SEA-KIT USV surveyed a predominately unsurveyed area at the southwestern edge of the UK Continental shelf. The image displays the initial results following a fully automated processing workflow. Final processing is currently being completed using CARIS HIPS software to produce the final deliverable for the survey.

The success of the Teledyne CARIS tools in the UTAS project demonstrates its software capabilities to support uncrewed surveys in the future and the crucial role it will play in The Nippon FoundationGEBCO Seabed 2030 project. Seabed 2030 is an ambitious effort between GEBCO and The Nippon Foundation to complete the global mapping of the ocean floors in the next 10 years.

“Teledyne CARIS is uniquely positioned to underpin Seabed 2030 goals through its AI capabilities, web services and automated data processing workflows,” said Andy Hoggarth, VP, Sales and Marketing at Teledyne CARIS. “The success of this first leg is a tribute to the strong leadership of SEA-KIT and the unique capabilities and insights of all of the member organizations—we are delighted to play a part in this mission.”

Teledyne CARIS is part of the Teledyne Imaging group. For 40 years, Teledyne CARIS has been the leading developer of marine mapping software.

Teledyne Imaging is a group of leading-edge companies aligned under the Teledyne umbrella.

Teledyne Imaging forms an unrivalled collective of expertise across the spectrum with decades of experience. Individually, each company offers bestin-class solutions.

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events

Developing SMART Geospatial Infrastructure

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ith the rise of Industry 4.0, Geo Connect Asia 2021 (GCA21) looks to host their ASEAN neighbours and build on a vibrant geospatial community. The emergence of AI, geospatial, blockchain, IoT, robotics and UAVs create a new dynamic and platforms for a region well equipped to take on the challenges ahead.

The event aims to be the focal point for the burgeoning ASEAN geospatial industry, combining an exhibition and a range of conferences over 2 days to provide a platform for an industry crucial to regional development. GCA21 will bring together over 80 international exhibitors and 2,200 professional visitors from the region and beyond.

Featuring Profiles Two complementary industry profiles will be featured under the umbrella of the main GCA21 event. They will each provide visitors with a forum devoted to industry verticals that are witnessing accelerating demands for geospatial technologies and location intelligence.

Digital Construction Asia (DCA) 2021 Delivering Digital Solutions to the Built Environment • •

The use of geospatial technologies to build smart and green integrated solutions.

Introducing the best practices and solutions to address the growing demand for digitalisation in the building and construction

industry.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Asia 2021 Delivering Commercial Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Solutions •

The commercial applications of drones and unmanned aerial vehicles for specific markets where improvements in geospatial data collection, location intelligence, and imagery will enable enhancements in resource management and local, regional, and national decision-making

The event and conferences are set to take place on Wednesday 24th and Thursday 25th March 2020.

Connect with us now to find out how you can be part of this programme.

Ideate Software becomes Gold Sponsor of Autodesk University 2020

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classes, events and activities. Ideate Software provides Revit productivity applications to BIM managers and Revit users around the world and is a veteran AU sponsor.

The event starts on 17 November and continues through to 20 November with live and on-demand

“For years, AU has been an ideal place for us to interact with BIM professionals,” said Glynnis Patterson, Director of Software Development, Ideate Software.

deate Software has been announced as a Gold Sponsor of the first Autodesk University that is entirely digital and free to attend. Autodesk University will bring together designers, engineers, and builders to learn about emerging technologies and trends that will help them achieve their goals.

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“Since this year’s conference is free and 100% online, we expect it to attract many more people. For us as a sponsor, this means a greater opportunity to connect with AECO professionals around the world about BIM workflow challenges and solutions.

“We are excited about the discussions and possibilities offered by this event.”

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OGC

®

Making location count.

DIGITAL CONSTRUCTION

UAV

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September-October issue l 2020

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INNOVATION

Vectorworks unveils 2021 version of BIM and design software

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lobal design and BIM software provider Vectorworks, Inc. has launched Vectorworks 2021 with a continued emphasis on improving product quality, performance and the user experience.

This latest release includes Vectorworks Architect, Landmark, Spotlight, Designer and Fundamentals, as well as 2021 versions of Vision, Braceworks and ConnectCAD. “Vectorworks 2021 is the continuation of our commitment to quality and performance and is something that will further drive our mission to provide best-in-class design and BIM tools to AEC, landscape and entertainment professionals,” said Vectorworks CEO Dr. Biplab Sarkar. “When you drill down to this year’s launch theme of ‘simplicity to design the complex,’ you can see how we’ve reengineered our most frequently used tools to keep the feature set reliable and cutting edge.”

In addition to quality-and performance-focused features like the new Project Sharing server and multithreaded Vectorworks Graphics Module (VGM) Cache that offers up to five times faster file loading, Vectorworks 2021 boasts interoperability capabilities with Excel Import/Export and PDF Drawing Marker Links. The Smart Options Display also allows users

to stay in the modeling space without needing to constantly move their mouse between drawing area and tool palettes, plus it’s customizable to easily access the most-used tool sets, last-used tools and more.

Specifically, architecture and landscape professionals

will enjoy the new Materials feature that can define the graphical attributes and data of building materials all in one location for a better BIM workflow. Entertainment professionals will streamline their rigging layout process with the help of improvements to the hoist tools.

Applied Acoustics Launches Pyxis Integrated Inertial USBL System for subsea positioning

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pplied Acoustic Engineering (AAE) has announced the launch of their next generation USBL system, Pyxis USBL. Taking its name from the constellation Pyxis Nautica – the mariner’s compass – Pyxis USBL takes the best of AAE’s subsea acoustic tracking technology with a highly advanced inertial navigation system (INS) from one of the most respected names in the industry, to create a state of the art, inertially aided Ultra Short Baseline system capable of accurate subsea tracking with survey grade performance.

The combination of AAE’s Sigma 2 acoustic protocols and SBG Systems high precision Navsight Apogee Marine INS brings together two leading names in the field of marine technology, resulting in AAE’s most accurate and long range positioning system to date, and in the process providing many time, cost and performance benefits to global survey operators.

As a tightly coupled, factory fitted package, Pyxis USBL is a portable, calibration free system able to immediately operate from any vessel as soon as the work site has been reached. The MEMS based INS does not fall under ITAR regulations, and the range restricted option means the whole system can be shipped unhindered and without export control to almost anywhere in the world. A feature of the Pyxis system is the ability for the operator to deactivate the range restriction in the field under an export-controlled regime.

A spokesperson for SBG Systems commented “AAE and SBG Systems have collaborated for several years on different projects and have established

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an excellent relationship. We are thrilled that Applied Acoustics has selected our Navsight Apogee OEM high performance system to be integrated into the first-ever USBL to embed a MEMS INS”.

Available with short range omni-directional or long range directional transceiver options, the versatility of Pyxis USBL makes it ideal for very shallow operations such as diver monitoring, for deeper applications where ROV’s and AUV’s might be deployed, and for tracking short or long range towed sensors such as magnetometers and side scan sonars.

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INNOVATION from drone management and data capture, through to data analysis and better sharing of outputs across a business, including integration with BIM and CAD workflows.

Craig Evenden, head of AEC & BIM at Esri UK, said: “Esri has invested heavily in creating its drone technology and this new relationship completes the picture in the UK. “By providing a single source of hardware and software, the partnership will help customers maximise their investment in drones and GIS. “As drone usage grows, accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic, the AEC community is demanding more integrated programmes that can easily grow across their business.

Esri UK and Heliguy introduce a new end-to-end drone workflow for AEC businesses

E

sri UK has announced a new partnership with Heliguy to complete its end-to-end drone solution designed for the AEC industry. Esri UK and Heliguy will work on joint projects, aiming to introduce new and more efficient workflows by bringing together customers’ GIS and Survey teams

who have traditionally worked separately on dronerelated projects.

Offering a solution to AEC organisations looking for integrated and scalable programmes, the new partnership aims to streamline current processes,

“Heliguy’s vast experience and training capabilities, coupled with Esri’s cloud-based drone and GIS software are a perfect match for the AEC industry’s new enterprise requirements.”

Ruairi Hardman, Heliguy’s business development manager, said: “The AEC drone industry is still in its infancy which sees many piecemeal projects with no proper joined-up internal approach, which leads to failure.

“Robust, standardised drone workflows, designed for the long-term, can lead to 1-2% efficiency gains which translates into millions of pounds on largescale construction projects.”

Teledyne DALSA introduces a thermal camera

T

eledyne DALSA, a Teledyne Technologies [NYSE:TDY] company and global leader in digital imaging technology, is introducing a new member of the Calibir camera series, the GXF model, which is dedicated to elevated skin temperature screening.

The camera is based on the Calibir GXM, and is optimized for measurement accuracy and thermal stability in the human temperature detection range. The camera can be delivered with a VGA or QVGA resolution and different lenses to cover a horizontal field of view range from 24 to 70 degrees.

An IEC 80601-2-59-2017 certification of a system, including the new GXF camera is pending. Like the Calibir GXM models, the new GXF camera is NDAA, Section 889 compliant. Samples are available now.

Teledyne DALSA is part of the Teledyne Imaging group and a world leader in the design, manufacture and deployment of digital imaging components for the machine vision market. Teledyne DALSA image sensors, cameras, smart cameras, frame grabbers, software, and vision solutions are used in thousands of automated

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inspection systems around the world and across multiple industries including semiconductor, solar cell, flat panel display, electronics, automotive, medical, packaging and general manufacturing.

Teledyne Imaging is a group of leading-edge companies aligned under the Teledyne umbrella.

Teledyne Imaging forms an unrivalled collective of expertise across the spectrum with decades of experience. Individually, each company offers best-in-class solutions. Together, they combine and leverage each other’s strengths to provide the deepest, widest imaging and related technology portfolio in the world. From aerospace through industrial inspection, scientific research, spectroscopy, radiography and radiotherapy, geospatial surveying, and advanced MEMS and semiconductor solutions, Teledyne Imaging offers worldwide customer support and the technical expertise to handle the toughest tasks. Their tools, technologies, and vision solutions are built to deliver to their customers a unique and competitive advantage.

September-October issue l 2020

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bim

Asite Ecosystem enables open data exchange in built environment

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site has announced the launch of the Asite Ecosystem, which enables Asite users to benefit from improved interoperability and global reach. The Asite Ecosystem is made up of partners, consultants and resellers who are building in partnership to help capital projects across the globe to build better.

Asite and its partner organisations enable seamless connections and facilitate the open flow of data between IT systems, empowering customers to create more innovative solutions for their own unique needs.

Open and transparent working Nathan Doughty, Asite CEO, said: “The construction industry has been embroiled in a massive transformation for quite a few years now; and I feel blessed to have been involved first-hand in it all. “The Asite team has thought deeply about how we as an industry work together and we’ve consulted widely.

“The built environment serves a fundamental human need: Shelter, which then supports Safety, Community, and Prosperity… and so much else.

“The digital twin of our built environment: – enabling sustainability, community, our macro-economies – this

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September-October issue l 2020

is something we should all be able to sign up to.

“The clear next step is to work together in an open and transparent way. Asite’s 100% Open Ecosystem is our contribution to this cause and to a truly open platform for everyone.”

Members and partners The Asite Ecosystem already has over 25 members, ranging from brand names in collaboration software – such as Google Meet, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams – to world-leaders in construction technology, including Bluebeam, 3D Repo, and Autodesk Revit.

These technology partners are already embedded alongside Asite across major capital project portfolios globally.

Industry partners – such as the BIM Alliance, Constructing Excellence, and BuildingSMART – have been introduced into the Ecosystem to build knowledge hubs and create connections between different organisations and regions.

The Asite team operates on the belief that these industry partners are actively participating in the advancement of digital engineering for our built environment.

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Multiplexers and telemetry solutions for interfacing underwater technology systems and applications

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OPINION

How to manage corruption risk in African infrastructure projects

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he rapid growth of many of Sub-Saharan Africa’s (SSA) markets is driving demand for transport and energy infrastructure.

The deficit between current and future demand and access to infrastructure is, however, striking.

New estimates from the African Development Bank suggest that to keep pace with demand, African infrastructure requires between $130$170bn a year. The same data set suggests that there is a current financing short fall of up to $108bn. For access to infrastructure to meet demand there will need to be sustained investment from the private sector over the next decade.

The scope for expansion of access is vast

Author: Oliver Stern, Associate Managing Director, Business Intelligence and Investigations at Kroll, a division of Duff and Phelps

Rail and road density in Africa are the lowest anywhere in the developing world and 80% of goods and 90% of passengers are transported by road.

Investors are increasingly interested in transport and energy infrastructure projects, in part due to their potential for long-term returns even in SSA markets known for being “challenging” and “risky” from a business transparency perspective.

Partnering with development finance institutions (DFIs) provides important concessional lending and governance structures around issues such as social and environmental standards, but careful thought and planning needs to be taken to mitigate the key risks.

Corruption is clearly a complex challenge and each country, industry and project is different. The work and experience of Kroll’s Africa Practice has highlighted some key risks.

Project Origination The project origination phase continues to be a challenge from a transparency perspective.

The way in which projects are tendered and awarded creates an obvious vulnerability to non-

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transparent practices.

The discovery of a corrupt step in the process can become a reputational concern for investors, affecting their ability to raise capital, particularly with DFIs. Donor-led public policy support has sought to address the underlying issues associated with public financial management including reform of public procurement systems and the introduction of outsourcing to private companies, but this does not completely solve the issue.

The roots of corruption, including issues that can later emerge as reputational and commercial concerns as the project reaches development and commissioning, can also be found in the earlier phases of projects.

The way in which infrastructure project specifically in SSA are originated—and the central role played by governments—creates a corruption risk. The effects can take the form of inflated prices, poor quality execution, excessive time and cost overruns, inadequate maintenance and low returns.

Each of these impedes the overall contribution of new infrastructure to economic growth, and translates into reputational and commercial losses for the private investors.

Data from Kroll’s Global Fraud and Risk Report shows that construction, engineering and infrastructure are among the most corruptionprone industries, with 30% of firms experiencing a corruption related incident in the last 12 months, 7% higher than the global average.

According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, half of bribes paid are in industries with the largest spending on infrastructure, primarily in extractives (19%), construction (15%) and transportation (15%).

Public-private partnerships (PPPs) and blended finance models are much more complex than traditional engineering, procurement and

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OPINION

construction contracting practices.

As the scale of investment complexity increases, so does the opportunity to conceal misbehaviour.

For instance, PPPs can easily contain over 1,000 contractual links, each of them dependent on other contracts in the chain, with all of these providing a separate opportunity to pay a bribe.

At the same time, not only are financing models becoming more complex, but so is the regulatory environment of these projects, further increasing risks for investors.

Anti-corruption and bribery enforcement is on the rise, with new legislation emerging in many countries. We now have a situation where private investors face three different levels of scrutiny.

Rigorous regulation More advanced economies have their own anticorruption legislation which applies to business being conducted abroad, while others have at least ratified the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention (1997). Of these, the most rigorous legislation in place is the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and the UK Bribery Act 2010, which are both extraterritorial in their application.

Investors are subject to scrutiny in African jurisdictions, with many African governments now tightening domestic regulations and increasing prosecutions.

By and large, this is happening for two reasons: either under the pressure of foreign donors tying their aid to reforms, or voluntarily to attract foreign capital. Foreign private investors need to be especially cognisant of these local prosecutions, because they are often backed by stricter legislation than that in the investor’s home country.

Lastly, investors have to account for examination

by DFIs. Whenever involved in the financing of an infrastructure project, DFIs stringently monitor the project’s transparency, and wrongdoing by one project participant can lead to debarment for all involved.

The 2010 Agreement of Mutual Recognition of Debarments bans wrongdoers from co-financing in all signatory DFIs, not just the project in which they are currently participating.

A stakeholder analysis can reveal the winners and losers from the project and, in turn, provide guidance on any forward-looking risks.

Taking into account how misleading corruption perceptions can be, the biggest error can be judging an investment opportunity based on country-level indicators alone.

It is too simplistic to ask if projects will deliver for the host country—investors need to know for whom in the country they deliver, when and how that could be put at risk.

Instead, investors need to go deeper than this and consider the particular public entity in charge of the infrastructure project.

However, this level of detailed analysis is difficult to achieve without a local presence.

Eyes and ears on the ground are essential if investors are to truly understand and factor in the unique risks, as well as the opportunities, that each country in the region presents.

It can be the case that despite corruption in many other sectors, and potentially the public administration in general, the given institution has undergone internal reform or is headed by a public official with integrity and a commitment to transparency. In this case, investment in the project can prove fruitful, despite initial appearances.

Due diligence In short, due diligence for these types of investments should mean going far beyond the cursory checks of regulatory-driven compliance.

Investment managers must investigate projects thoroughly and in detail, including what people are saying about the projects.

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September-October issue l 2020

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Surveying and mapping

Losamills Consult Brings Innovation to Land mapping and Surveying in West Africa

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bout 90% of rural land in Africa is not formally documented, making it vulnerable to land grabbing and expropriation. Weak property rights result in communal clashes and targeted killings; Only 4% of African countries have mapped private land in capital cities. This means most of the land is susceptible to vested interests from leaders and the urban elite; Land mapping and surveying is often overlooked, but much needed, in promoting development and stability in West Africa where a significant proportion of land remains informally documented; Losamills Consult is leveraging technology to reduce barriers to surveying and contribute to industrialisation and regional stability.

CEO Samuel Larbi Darko calls for greater government support in land demarcation and allocation systems to attract foreign investment.

Emerging technological breakthroughs in fields including artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, nanotechnology and materials science are accelerating innovation and disrupting industries across the world. Indeed, the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) is creating new ways of catering to societal needs and improving the speed, quality and cost of delivering value. From self-driving cars and automated flight systems to navigation equipment and drones, societies and industries are going through a time of unprecedented technological change.

The land mapping and surveying sector, which serves engineering, infrastructure development and environmental conservation projects, is one such industry that has been transformed in the early days of the 4IR. Modern instruments such as drones and GPS devices are simplifying the land-mapping process while improving accuracy, scope, and speed. Accurately determining land size and measurements, as well as topographic heights, is key to ensuring proper bounding, calculations, titles, easements and wildlife crossings when planning and designing new infrastructure, in construction, and in environmental monitoring. Undertaking this process at the outset saves money and time that is in many cases later spent correcting non-adherence to land zoning, overlays, building guidelines, town plans, and other local provisions. Defined property rights also foster growth and stability, stimulate access to credit and investment and drive productivity and income.

However, in Africa, about 90% of rural land is not formally documented, making it vulnerable to land grabbing and expropriation. Weak property rights also result in communal clashes and targeted killings.

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September-October issue l 2020

Similarly, only 4% of African countries have mapped private land in capital cities. This means most of the land is susceptible to vested interests from leaders and the urban elite.

to our work.”

Samuel Larbi Darko, the CEO of Losamills Consult, a privately-owned land surveying and engineering company based in Accra, Ghana, recognised the potential for the integration of high-level technology in infrastructure development in West Africa many years ago. “I had the vision of starting this company back in my school-going days. There were only a handful of entities of its kind in Ghana at the time, so I knew there would be demand,” explains Mr Darko.

Land mapping is critical at all levels of national development, particularly in parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, where more rapid infrastructure development and industralisation are needed to unlock greater economic growth prospects.

“Losamills carries out location analytics to help the country in all its land-related projects. We do this by helping the government locate where exactly projects can or should be implemented. Before any project starts, our land surveyors (geomatic engineers) are the first professionals on-site to determine the exact land boundaries of the project,” Mr Darko adds. He is a Fellow of the Ghana Institution of Surveyors, a Member of the Ghana Institution of Engineers, holds degrees in Geoinformation Studies and Law, and has over four decades of experience as a surveyor.

Global Partnerships to Transform Ghana’s Geospatial Sector With over 200 surveyors stationed across Ghana, Losamills Consult serves the geospatial industry and specialises in land information systems, surveying (mining, hydrogeomatic, engineering, topographic, photogrammetry, and cadastral), cartography and digital mapping. Although innovations in land surveying have been relatively slow to trickle into the region, Mr Darko established global partnerships to leverage on technology available farther afield. “The importance of working with foreign players cannot be taken for granted. Ghana’s geospatial sector stands to benefit greatly from some of the aerial land survey systems I have seen abroad,” he says.

“I’ve worked with some companies along the way and leveraged their technology to make Losamills one the leading land survey companies in Ghana.

We have a partner based in Switzerland that is helping to bring some useful technology to Africa, to help us mark and record land details using a satellite. It is a very powerful and versatile tool that Losamills can now distribute and sell to the region, as the sole representative. We also have a potential partner in the United States that specialises in drone technology. Although drones are not typically used for land mapping and surveying, we are trying to pivot into that area because the technology can be useful

Land Mapping Vital to Regional Development and Stability

Mr Darko explains, “Electricity companies need to model their assets and map their locations. If an electricity pole or service line is damaged in heavy rain, such information would enable the utility provider to determine the precise area and number of customers affected. With water, there have been situations where pipelines have been accidentally broken by contractors doing other work because they were not aware there were underground pipelines.

Mapping is also important for utility companies to identify the exact location of their customers, otherwise they may not be able to serve them with bills, which could result in a loss of revenue. In the case of telecommunications, we suggest mapping masts and the buffer they cover to determine the density of the masts. Without this, the service provider would not have details of any gaps in service areas. With mining, our mapping services enable companies to know the extent of their concession and return to specific locations for excavation and volume calculation.”

In countries including Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia and Cote d’Ivoire, the continued prevalence of landrelated conflicts in rural and peri-urban areas amid undocumented land ownership, unclear land boundaries, uncontrolled spatial expansion, and declining availability of public land reserves intermittently result in deadly clashes amongst competing groups. “Opportunities exist because we have some of the best arable lands in the world, but we must have a system in place that maps ownership accurately to deter conflict,” says Mr Darko.

He adds, “Our biggest challenge at the moment in Ghana is the determination of boundaries between land-owning groups. Frequent conflicts have led to increased land guarding, where people are positioned to guard land. It’s evident even in the courts where about 78 percent of cases involve land. Land conflicts deter investment because projects cannot be carried out on disputed land. The stalling of projects due to land boundary uncertainties is, therefore, a major threat. If we can have a cadastral survey of the whole country, then this can guide people when buying land,

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Surveying and mapping

Losamills Consult Brings Innovation to Landmapping and Surveying in West Africa

Losamills Consult Brings Innovation to Landmapping and Surveying in West Africa | image courtesy

and our sector will see a huge improvement. We need a system that takes into consideration all clan, tribe and industrial lands so that buyers can search who the real owners are to make land transfer processes easy, prevent conflicts and promote peace,” says Mr Darko.

and Ghana, had caused damage to shorelines and morphologies. Losamills’ survey monitored the rate of accretion and erosion in the vicinity of the gas pipeline at Tema and Takoradi.

make land transactions easier and locations easily traceable. All stakeholders must be made aware of the need to invest in such a system so that we are to attract gainful foreign investment.”

World Bank: Land Title Survey

Case Studies: Delivering for Governments, Multilateral Organisations, Land Owning Groups and Utility Companies

The World Bank sought to establish clear and enforceable land ownership rights as a means of revolutionising agricultural production, ending land grabbing and alleviating poverty. Losamills surveyed thousands of parcels of land and their features including roads, rivers and utility poles. They submitted cadastral plans that were used to issue land ownership certificates, useful in securing loans.

Losamills’ Set for Growth in West Africa

Speaking about Losamills’ previous work, Mr Darko says, “Ghana is an exciting market. We have been involved in projects such as land mapping for Ghana’s forestry service, the military, the World Bank, the West Africa Gas Pipeline Company (WAPCo), and so many others. Clients get the best from us. We are able to deliver in real time with state-of-the-art technology and instrumentation. Our tools are fast, efficient and more cost effective than traditional methods. We also have the personnel and transportation to undertake work all over West Africa.”

Ghana Forestry Commission: Demarcation, Pillaring and Surveying of Provenances The phased projects for the Forestry Commission’s Forest Services Division in five regions across Ghana entailed demarcating, pillaring, and surveying over 38 provenance protected areas to install large boundary pillars. Clearly establishing and marking forest boundaries has been effective in preventing encroachment and preserving globally significant biodiversity areas.

West African Gas Pipeline Company (WAPCo): Beach Monitoring Survey Stakeholders were concerned that WAPCo’s construction of burns for the laying of pipelines, which supply natural gas from Nigeria to Benin, Togo

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Call for Private Sector Strengthening and Increased Government Support Ghana faces a long-term challenge from the twin pressures of a growing youth population and increased workplace automation brought about by 4IR. The country is faced with the challenge of creating 10 million new jobs in the coming years to avert mass youth unemployment and the risk of social unrest. Mr Darko believes both the private sector and government have significant roles to play.

“The government has to have the initiative and foresight that’s required to help build a strong local industrial base,” says Mr Darko.

“The government can only do this by giving local businesses a chance to try and fail until they get it right. We have to create room for local entrepreneurs to gain experience; otherwise, we won’t build a robust local economy. It’s not only about awarding tenders but also building expertise and confidence through training and funding.”

“Furthermore, the government must invest in a land demarcation system that allocates land accurately to every landowning group. A proper system will

The Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement has been ratified by 28 countries and is scheduled for full implementation from January 2021—with its secretariat in Ghana. The agreement will reduce tariffs for member states, aid the movement of capital and people, liberalise markets and harmonise trade facilitation policy and regulatory measures. It is expected that the AfCFTA will help African countries diversify exports, accelerate growth and attract foreign direct investment.

Mr Darko believes the agreement brings tremendous opportunity for international trade, saying, “The agreement is exciting for Ghanaian business owners because opportunities will open up for us to traverse different African markets. It will facilitate the sale of our technology to neighbouring countries who experience the same land issues we do. Countries like Nigeria, Liberia and Cote d’Ivoire have huge landmasses and could benefit from our advanced and cost-effective land survey technology.”

This is particularly important because, as Mr Darko adds, “The cost and availability of survey equipment currently constitute a barrier to surveying. Until more entities in the region can access them, there will continue to be inaccurate land surveys.”

Going forward, Mr Darko hopes to work more with governments and land-related agencies, land-owning groups, utility companies and businesses establishing new factories in the region, like Dangote Industries: “Losamills should be the company of choice for surveying services and technology in West Africa.”

September-October issue l 2020

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feature

When do you need a land surveyor?

Hiring a land surveyor will help you to meet certain requirements for buying or improving real estate or simply locate your property boundaries for your own reference

W

hether you intend to purchase new land, selling land or you have plans to build on property you already own, there are several reasons why you may need a professional land surveyor. A land surveyor tells you a lot about the property. Without a land surveyor, you can’t make informed decisions that will help you understand what the property offers and its full value. Land surveys are a necessary tool for determining property lines and the location of a property’s features. Without land surveys, there would be no way to know where one piece of land ends and the other begins. While today’s property disputes may not result in the same level of conflict as they did centuries ago, it’s important for everyone to know who owns what.

What is a land survey?

A land survey is a drawing that shows exactly where the boundaries of a property are. A survey will also lay out the dimensions and location of any buildings or other site improvements on the property.

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September-Octoberissue issuel l2020 2020 September-October

There are various methods of surveying land based on the size and shape of the property and the type of legal description that’s available.

When do you need a land surveyor?

Hiring a land surveyor may not only be beneficial, but may actually be a requirement for moving forward with your plans. Some of the reasons why you may need one include when you are trying to decide if a new project will encroach on someone else’s property, when you need to determine whether or not a building is in a flood hazard area, and when you are preparing a subdivision layout. Referencing a legal description may not be enough to determine your property’s boundary lines. Getting a land surveyor will help you to meet certain requirements for buying or improving real estate or simply locate your property boundaries for your own reference.

Reasons for a land survey include: 1.

2.

3.

Finding property lines.

Meeting mortgage requirements.

Getting title insurance.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

Settling boundary line disputes.

Know what you’re buying.

The location of easements and utilities.

Building a house or other structure.

Updating an outdated property survey.

A property’s precise boundaries.

The specific locations of structures, additions, and improvements.

11. Any slopes or other geographic features that could affect the land’s use.

12. Whether any of the land is in a floodplain.

Old real estate legal descriptions may reference landmarks or monuments that are no longer on the property, so a land surveyor will have to take new measurements to provide accurate boundary lines. The surveyor may also place new land survey monuments as a reference point for corners and boundaries.

How Does Land Surveying works Surveying land means taking extremely accurate measurements over long distances. Today’s surveyors use technology to improve accuracy and save time.

Surveyors often choose their tools according to the project’s needs. Popular tools include:

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land survey corners.

How to get a copy of a recorded land survey A certified copy of a land survey can often be found at the building department’s office or in the official records at the land recorder’s office. In some jurisdictions, you may also be able to find the survey recorded with the local tax assessor’s office.

A title company can also be a resource for tracking down a survey. Title insurance companies typically require an ALTA survey before they issue title insurance, so they will likely have a copy on file.

Hiring a Qualified Land Surveyor

• 3D scanners that capture changes in elevation.

• Total stations, electronic distance measurement devices that also help when leveling surfaces.

• Global Positioning Systems (GPS) that can use satellites to take extremely accurate measurements.

• Altimeters that measure slopes.

• Theodolites, optical instruments used to measure angles.

Modern land surveyors also use surveying software to combine information from several devices. The software makes it possible to create detailed land survey reports that are easier for ordinary people to read.

Types of land surveys The type of survey you get will depend on the reason you need a land survey. Whether you simply need to locate your property lines or are trying to split parcels of land, professional surveyors provide property surveys to cover your particular real estate needs.

The types of land surveys include: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Boundary survey Location survey Subdivision survey Site-planning survey Construction survey Topographic survey

Boundary survey A boundary survey is used to determine the exact location of property boundaries and corners of a piece of land. A boundary survey may be used to settle legal disputes or locate easements or for personal records.

Location survey A location is similar to a boundary survey, but it also

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includes site improvements. The location survey shows the location and size of improvements as well as the distance measurements between them and the property lines. Property owners often use a location survey for zoning permits.

Subdivision survey A subdivision survey is used to divide a parcel of land into multiple lots for a subdivision. A subdivision survey is used to create subdivision plats and must be filed in the land records with the recorder’s office.

Site-planning survey A site-plan survey is used to plan the development of site improvements. The proposed building, or other improvement, is drawn inside of a boundary survey. A site-planning survey is normally used when applying for building permits.

Construction survey A construction survey involves the surveyor staking out the location of planned structures and improvements. The surveyor does this to show construction workers where to build and the distances between planned improvements.

Land surveying is a very technical process with no room for error. A surveyor that doesn’t correctly identify the location of underground electrical wires could have serious consequences when you start adding structures to your property. Inaccurate measurements could also lead to lawsuits with neighbors who want to protect their property lines and leave you short-changed on your acreage.

Don’t take any chances when hiring a local land surveyor. Instead, talk to a qualified land expert who can recommend credible land surveyors in your area.

Qualified land consultants work with qualified land surveyors frequently to ensure the land transactions they handle go through smoothly. They know who you can and cannot trust to do a good job. Also, they know enough about land surveying that they can spot the difference between decent and excellent surveyors as well as work with a surveyor to make sure all of your needs are best met.

Find a land consultant in your area to help you hire a professional land surveyor who knows how to provide the detailed, accurate services you deserve for your money.

Each country has its own licensing requirements for land surveyors, which typically involves: • • •

Required education.

Exam.

Minimum experience.

Topographical surveys lay out the location of natural and man-made features on a property. These features may include buildings, fences, utilities, ponds, rivers, trees, and elevations. A topographic survey is often used by engineers and architects for planning site improvements.

Most coutries also have a requirement for continued education for a surveyor to maintain their license.

To receive the necessary education to become a surveyor, most people will earn a bachelor’s degree in surveying, mapping, or geomatics. Even beyond licensing requirements, most companies will require surveyors to have a minimum amount of experience before they are allowed to conduct a survey themselves and certify it.

How much does a land survey cost?

The bottom line

The cost for a land survey varies depending on the type of survey and the size and shape of the property.

The cost of a property survey will also vary based on the professional surveyor’s travel time.

A land surveyor will document exactly what your property is and where it’s located. Without defining property lines, a bank doesn’t know what it’s lending on, and a construction crew won’t know where to start building. Make sure your land surveyor is up to date and shows any new improvements or property features. For a land survey to be beneficial, it must be accurate.

Topographic survey

Most land surveys cost between US $200 and US $800, with the average being US $500. The costs will be higher for properties with more acreage or more

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cover story

All set for your project to kick off? But wait, have you done soil testing?

Why soil testing is important before any construction project commences

Measurement Systems Ltd perfoming geotechnical survey on site

Sand soil

Clay soil

Peat soil

Chalky soil

Gravel soil

Loam soil

Rock soil

Silt soil

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SOIL TESTING IN CONSTRUCTION

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e are all familiar with soil and how important it is to any kind of construction project. The houses we live in, the offices we work from, the roads we use to move from one point to another etc, just to name a few. All this depend highly on the soil we see and walk on every day. Often, by just using our eyes one can quickly tell whether the soil is sand, clay, gravel, silt, peat, rock or loam. However, we can never tell whether the type of soil we just identified with our eyes can sustain and bring to life a proposed structure from building architects and infrastructure design engineers. And this is where soil testing comes in, the most important procedure to conduct before any construction project commences at a particular site with a particular type of soil identified.

“It is important to check the quality of soil before you build your project (road/pavement/construction etc.).

The ground where you are planning to make your project it is important to check the soil quality of it before your construction work begins,” remarks Chris Muya MD at Measurement Systems Ltd. In David Adede’s view, Director at Rock Link Geological Consultants Ltd, “Soil testing gives the engineering properties of the formation upon which the construction will be based. The construction will therefore be designed based on the properties of the soil or rock as studied through geotechnical investigation. The test result will be very important in deciding the type and depth of foundation, the type of materials to be used during the construction, the height, size and weight of the construction.”

Failure to test site soils adequately and correctly can cause critical levels of financial and safety risks. It is therefore very important to understand the soil properties and make use of the acquired information in the planning and designing of the project phases.

A good example of soil failure is the leaning tower of Pisa located in Italy in the city of Pisa. Originally designed to stand at 60 meters, the current height measurements of the tower stands at 56.67m =highest side; 55,86m =lowest side. The tower has recorded a nearly four-degree lean, as a result of an unstable foundation that could have been caused by poor soil testing analysis or no tests were conducted at all. It was until the 1920s the foundations of the tower were injected with cement grouting that has stabilized the tower to some extent.

determined during the foundation depending upon the quality of soil. The water level of the soil only can be determined from soil testing. Based on the soil testing reports quality of material can be decided. For example, if due to moisture the area is prone to corrosion then it is important to choose only corrosion resistant re-bars for the construction or alternatively use necessary additives to inhibit corrosion,” he elaborated.

Some of the different types of Soil Testing for Construction √ Gravity Test √ Moisture Test √ Atterberg’s Limits Test • Liquid Limit • Plastic Limit • Shrinkage Limit √ Dry Density Test • Core Cutter Method • Sand Replacement Method √ Proctor’s Compaction Test

Factors to consider when conducting soil testing According to Muya, due to the many geotechnical studies that can be undertaken on soil, there are several guiding factors that inform what test to be undertaken. These include: • The type & importance of the project one intends to undertake.For example, undertaking soil analysis for purposes of mining is will be different from the analysis of soil where one is to carry out an agricultural project or a construction etc.

• The costs for undertaking the analysis.This is basically due to the financial envelope allocated to the project.

• General classification of soil based on sieve analysis preliminary tests or sample observation (type of soil/rock,), variation of soil properties/ geological formation in the land on which structure is to be constructed.

• Selection of type of foundation (shallow / deep, raft etc.) for a construction project

• • • •

Depth of compressible layer and its thickness.

Effect of ground water table variation.

Modifications/ improvements in existing soil properties are proposed or not.

Variations in factors which will affect bearing /strength properties and settlement/ deformation of the soil.

Though above mentioned factors makes difficulty in decision in selecting number of lab and field tests to be performed since cost of geotechnical investigation, facilities available, data and experience available on geotechnical investigation on similar type of soil are also important factors need to consider. The prevailing construction codes/standards will give guidelines for number of tests to be performed.

However, revisions in codes or standards under development will be of greast help since they will consider research experiences in geotechnical investigations, effect of change in soil conditions and the performance of existing structures.

Adede add’s that other soil testing factors to consider include:Location of the project Nature of the proposed development Design of the proposed development i. e, depth, size, length, weight, volume etc All construction projects are made on the soil. The soil has to take the weight of the structures. Soil testing provides important clues about the soil’s bearing capacity, density, compaction, presence of organic matter, sand, and contaminants. Sometimes the existing soil needs to be removed because it is contaminated, which could be harmful to habitat.

For instance, old gas stations often have deteriorating underground gasoline tanks. The gasoline leaks out and contaminates the soil and groundwater over time. In these cases, careful removal and disposal of contaminated soils is necessary. This process is regulated by the EPA and local authorities.

Sometimes we just need to remove organic matter and replace it with an inorganic substitute that is more stable, like gravel. Once the unsuitable soil is replaced with load bearing soil, the foundation can be built.

“Soil test is very important step before construction begins. If the soil testing is not done, then the project will be exposed to failures/unknown dangers and the end result could be fatal,” emphasized Muya.

He continues that “Soil testing is primarily done to test the bearing capacity on the soil on that ground.

The chemical and physical composition of the soil is checked during this process. The soil must have the ability to withstand the weight of the project. Quality of soil not only determines the bearing capacity but it enables to determine the structure stabilization.

Quality of Soil depends on various factors such as weather, climate change and for the past years the land was deployed for what purpose and what was there previously.”

“For example, the length and depth of the pillar

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Rock Link carrying out geotechnical survey in one of the sites prior to construction

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feature

Why you hire MEP C Engin MEP consulting engineers are definitely an investment, such that, you pay for a professional service to make sure your building systems operate optimally during their service life

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ny project is successful when the right team works on it. For any construction or renovation project an MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing) consulting firm is just as important as an architect or a builder. MEP engineers work closely with architects and owners throughout design, construction, and operations processes, analyzing and evaluating system options in the context of the entire project. This approach allows MEP engineers to implement systems that integrate with building architecture and perform as designed as well as creating a safe environment for human use.

MEP engineers can assure that your construction or renovation project will optimize your building’s performance and minimize its operating costs. With the current demand of technologies and systems operating in modern buildings, combined with efforts to strive for sustainable design and LEED accreditation, an MEP engineer can provide successful coordination of building systems and operations while optimizing the building owner’s investment.

Unlike individual advisors MEP consulting advisors offer efficient services. Moreover, MEP needs are the fundamental requirements of modern construction projects.

With no doubt, MEP consulting engineers are definitely an investment, such that, you pay for a professional service to make sure your building systems operate optimally during their service life.

This yields tangible financial benefits such as lower operating costs and improved productivity, along with qualitative benefits such as improved comfort and safety for occupants. If you are developing commercial space for rent, MEP engineering services can also give you a competitive edge: a building that offers high-performance systems is likely to attract more tenants. For example, energy efficient heating and cooling systems are selling points in office spaces for rent. Partnering with a solid MEP

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September-October issue l 2020

engineering team is essential when designing a building with high-performance systems or unique requirements.

When it comes to constructing a fully optimized and efficient building, an MEP engineer can bring the expertise you need. MEP engineering services extend beyond the traditional boundaries of mechanical, electric, and plumbing engineering. Their services may include; HVAC installation and maintenance, plumbing design including storm water management, lighting design, emergency power systems, industrial exhaust systems, etc. according to the project requirement. It is recommended to schedule a meeting with the MEP Consulting Firm to discuss about the project needs before moving ahead.

There are various reasons why MEP consultants are highly important for any building or renovation project. The experts certainly know the best. These consultants aim at providing services that utilize environment friendly products in order to reduce excessive consumption of resources. Here are the 12 reasons why you should considerably hire a MEP Consulting Engineers:

2.

Electricity and lighting: Electrical services are indispensable. Your project will be incomplete without electricity and lighting. MEP engineers can design systems and suggest equipment and automation techniques that can help a building to reduce its lighting consumption by 20-60%. By incorporating natural daylight and adding sensors and energy-efficient light fixtures, MEP engineers can not only reduce electricity usage and costs, but can provide a more comfortable indoor environment for occupants. MEP consultants are not only responsible for lighting but also other electrical services such as fire alarms, security systems, smoke alarms etc.

3.

Plumbing: Plumbing design incorporates fire suppression, storm water, sewer, natural gas, drinking water, irrigation water and other special water and waste systems. MEP engineers can ensure plumbing design and equipment are operating at a level most efficient for your building, and can

1.

Mechanical: For any building project, residential or commercial, heating and ventilation services are essential. This is where the MEP engineers step in. They are responsible for the installation and maintenance of air conditioners, heaters, exhaust and smoke control. An MEP consultant will ensure their designs provide comfort and run efficiently. Whether it’s determining if an under-floor air distribution (UFAD) system is the best way to heat and cool your building, or which automation techniques can best help your HVAC system conserve energy, an MEP consulting engineer can ensure your system is designed and installed to run efficiently, deliver maximum occupant comfort, and maintain environmentally-friendly standards.

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engineering level. Retro-commissioning can identify changes in your building’s operations and make sure that new systems are continuing to function as designed.

u should Consulting neers

also integrate water conservation techniques and other design strategies that will make your building more eco-friendly and more cost-effective.

4.

Energy conservation: Efficient energy management solutions are the basic requirements of most of the engineering firms. While HVAC, electrical, and plumbing design can all contribute to reductions in energy usage, an MEP engineering consultant can implement a number of other energy management solutions that can make your building more sustainable. Using environmentally-preferable product in building and renovation phases and incorporating renewable energy sources are just a couple of ways that MEP engineers can enhance design and operations in order to reduce energy consumption.

5.

Fire alarms and protection: For improved safety, Fire alarm is an important addition.

Sprinkler and fire suppression systems can require a

8.

Indoor environmental quality: While focusing on creating an ecofriendly environment for the outdoors, it is also vital to build a safe and healthy environment indoors. Indoor environment quality refers to the use of natural daylight, moisture control, optimizing systems etc. The indoor environmental quality of a building can have a significant impact on occupant health, comfort and productivity. For schools and businesses, this can mean fewer sick days, more productive students and employees, and better moods for everyone in the building. There are a number of ways to improve a building’s environmental quality, whether it’s maximizing the use of natural daylight or optimizing HVAC systems for ventilation and moisture control to remove odors and airborne pathogens. MEP consultants can help recognize which methods will deliver the greatest improvements to your building’s indoor environment.

lot of coordination during design and implementation processes. Not only do these systems need to meet building code requirements, but they also need to meet the needs of different areas of your building.

MEP consulting engineers can sync fire and plumbing design, and even introduce dry fire hydrants or other systems that heighten environmental efficiency by utilizing non-potable water sources.

6.

Building automation: Building automation systems are centralized networks of hardware and software that control a building’s HVAC systems, indoor and outdoor lighting, security, fire alarms, and any number of other mechanical, electrical, or plumbing features in the building.

Automation systems help maintain a building’s optimal operational performance levels and ensure the comfort and safety of building occupants. It also allows you to track all data from a single central command, which allows faster error detection and simplifies the maintenance process. MEP consultants can design effective control systems that can help you monitor your building’s performance and reduce energy consumption.

7.

Effective design for long-term value: Whether you’re constructing a new building or renovating an old one, using the latest technologies, MEP engineers can help you build the most cost-effective electrical, mechanical, or plumbing systems that will provide worthwhile solutions for your construction and renovation projects, by using high-quality materials that can withstand time, normal wear and tear, and weathering. These designs should not only utilize the most current and efficient technologies, but provide flexibility and foresight to ensure your building and its equipment will maximize their lifecycles and minimizes the need for renovations for years to come. MEP consultants can also follow up with commissioning efforts every 1-3 years to determine if your building systems are operating at an optimal

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9.

Water conservation: Mechanical and plumbing system designs can lower the amount of water your building consumes, and in turn, reduce your water bill. MEP consultants can help you incorporate low-flow fixtures in bathrooms, insulate your piping, utilize alternative water sources, optimize landscape design to minimize water use, and improve efficiency of HVAC systems.

10.

Optimizing operational and maintenance practices: MEP consultants can identify materials and systems that will require less water, energy, and toxic chemicals and cleaners to maintain, streamlining maintenance procedures while making your building more eco-friendly. They can customize these systems in order to ensure the best for your building, and ensure that maintenance requirements remain simple and maintenance workers are properly trained and can easily maintain all equipment and maximize product lifecycles.

11.

Cost Efficient: Every project that you take up has a stipulated budget that needs to be followed. With the help of MEP engineers not only do you manage to stay inside budget but also end up with systems that will be cost efficient in the long run.

12.

Expertise: It is always better to leave the job in the hands of the one that knows the best.

MEP consultants are highly trained and experienced in their field. They work closely with architects and owners to provide successful coordination of building systems.

September-October issue l 2020

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architecture

Senegal launches a $6 billion Akon City

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urban planning

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kon, the Senegalese-American RnB singer has announced the laying of the foundation stone for the construction of the green and futuristic Akon City in western Senegal. This mega real estate project is being implemented by the American companies KE International and Bakri & Associates Development Consultants.

The green city project initiated by the SenegaleseAmerican RnB singer Akon was recently launched near Mbodième, a small coastal village in western Senegal. The artist recently held a press briefing in the Senegalese capital Dakar to announce the launch of this sustainable construction project inspired by Wakanda, the name of a fictional African kingdom in which the scenario of the superhero movie Black Panther by Marvel studios is set.

Named Badara Akon Thiam, the artist Akon took advantage of his press briefing to talk about the cost of the project, which amounts to 6 billion dollars, or nearly 80% of Senegal’s budget for 2020 (7.6 billion dollars). According to the RnB star, one third of the budget is already available. On the ground, work will begin in the first quarter of 2021 under the direction

of the American company KE International.

The ecological certification of a futuristic city KE International is working on the Akon City project with Bakri & Associates Development Consultants, the architect who designed the futuristic city. It will be established on an area of 2,000 hectares.

According to KE International, the first phase of the project, which will be completed in 2023, will result in the construction of roads, a Hampton’s hospital campus, a Hampton’s shopping mall, residences, hotels, a police station, a school, a landfill for the city’s waste and a photovoltaic solar power plant to supply the whole area.

The city has already been designated a “special tax zone” by the Senegalese government. This distinction allows the reduction of imports to Akon City, which

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is a good reason to attract investors. The city will be integrated into the country’s tourism vision thanks to a partnership signed in January 2020 between the Société d’aménagement et de promotion des côtes et zones touristiques du Sénégal (Sapco) and the project promoter, the singer Akon.

The second phase of the Akon City project is expected to start in 2024 and be completed in 2029. It will allow the complete construction of the city which will operate exclusively with the Akoin crypto-currency.

The city will consist of parks, universities, schools, a stadium, hotels and an industrial complex. KE International indicated a few months ago that Akon City will be certified LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), a North American system of standardization for high environmental quality buildings created by the US Green Building Council.

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architecture

Surbana Jurong and SMEC designs Masterplan to transform Kigali i Centre of Urban Excellence by

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he vision to develop Rwandan Capital City, Kigali, as the centre of urban excellence is one step closer to reality, with the City Council approving an updated Kigali Master Plan 2050. The master plan is designed by Surbana Jurong Group, a global urban, infrastructure and managed services consultancy.

The Kigali Master Plan 2050 Vision, dubbed ‘Kigali Yacu!’ meaning ‘Our Kigali!’, will guide the development of Kigali to accommodate 3.8 million residents and provide 1.8 million jobs by 2050, by introducing a more equitable, flexible and incremental approach to city development, aligned with the UN-Habitat principles and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Surbana Jurong and its member company SMEC worked together to update the city’s master plans.

The enhanced master plan supports sustainable economic growth and community wellbeing by promoting mixed-use development and efficient land use, providing an integrated infrastructure and transport network, and ensuring equal access to

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essential services, housing, public facilities, open spaces and transportation.

The master plan includes: • Promoting mixed-use, affordable development with access to social infrastructure and facilities for all • Promoting compact development for live-workplay in one place with efficient use of land and infrastructure • Providing mixed-use development through alternative zoning • Introducing inclusionary zoning to upgrade unplanned settlements • Introducing an incremental development model with phased development for flexibility in construction completion based on resource availability and requirement • Integrating climate and disaster resiliency into the planning and design of buildings, infrastructure, and urban services to adapt to the effects of climate change and minimise negative impact to the environment.

• Facilitating development of a transit-oriented city with more sustainable transport modes

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urban planning

sa into a y 2050

•

such as mass public transport and nonmotorised transport and Facilitating access to the market of small and micro-enterprises, currently the majority in Kigali, promoting the creation of more formal jobs.

Mr Wong Heang Fine, Group Chief Executive Officer, Surbana Jurong said, “‘Kigali Yacu’ is a multidisciplinary, collaborative initiative that is integral to Kigali’s future. Leveraging our understanding of the local needs and our experience with earlier master plans, we worked closely with the city and engaged the community in developing the Vision of Kigali 2.0 towards what will essentially be a centre for innovative and inclusive living in Africa.”

Surbana Jurong and SMEC co-developed a methodology to update the previous Kigali master plan adopted in 2013. Surbana Jurong led the urban planning and design work while SMEC provided its engineering expertise in infrastructure and transportation.

The updated masterplan was the outcome of intensive community engagement and secondary research. Kigali’s residents were engaged through 16 focus groups, stakeholder meetings, co-design workshops. Comments from government officials and the public were incorporated into the review.

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“We supported the participatory process, with a wide variety of communication channels including meetings, planning displays, public announcements, social media and virtual messaging platforms to engage as many Rwandans as possible in the feedback and input process,” said Gabriella Robba, Public Engagement Expert, SMEC. Surbana Jurong and SMEC also undertook additional socio-economic and demographic studies, which gathered new primary and secondary data to support the modelling for a citywide transport plan.

“The highlight of the master plan development is the integration of key elements of the city-wide informal settlements upgrading strategy that we have elaborated for the City of Kigali, and the participatory and consultative approach adopted,” said Mathias Spaliviero, Senior Human Settlements Officer, Regional Office for Africa, UN-Habitat.

Benon Rukundo, Acting Director, One Stop Centre, City of Kigali, said, “The revised Kigali master plan is a key milestone for a rapidly evolving city in a country that is experiencing significant change in social and economic dynamics. Our key objective is to develop a citizen-centred masterplan that provides the City of Kigali with a solid base for future urbanisation. We are excited for the plan to be implemented.”

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Award

Charlette N’Guessan wins Royal Academy of Engineering’s Africa Prize for innovation

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harlette Desire N’Guessan, CEO and co-founder of BACE Group has won the Royal Academy of Engineering’s Africa Prize for innovation. The 26-year-old Ivorian born currently based in Ghana is the first woman to win the award, which could revolutionize cyber security and help curb identity fraud in Africa.

BACE Group, a Ghana based company has developed BACE API, a software that uses facial recognition and artificial intelligence to verify identities remotely.

The software can be integrated into existing apps and systems and is aimed at financial institutions and other industries that rely on identity verification when providing services.

The BACE API software uses a phone or computer’s built-in camera and does not need special hardware, and in contrast to global AI systems, has been developed specifically to identify Africans. The software specifically uses live images or short videos taken on phone cameras to detect whether the image is of a real person, or a photo of an existing image.

The tech entrepreneur wins the first prize of £25,000 (192,000 GHS and equivalent to about $33,000). At the virtual awards ceremony held on 3 September 2020, four finalists delivered presentations, before Africa Prize judges and a live audience voted for the most promising engineering innovation.

N’Guessan and her co-founders developed the software in 2018 after research they did during their studies revealed that Ghana’s banks have a significant problem with identity fraud and cybercrime. The research estimated that approximately $400 million is spent annually by Ghanaian financial institutions to identify their customers.

In partnership with a data controller that deals with certified government-issued identity documents, BACE API has access to Ghanaian passports and other identity documents to use during its verification processes. Two financial institutions are already using the software to verify customers’ identities, and the software is being tested on an event platform to confirm attendee registrations.

During the global pandemic, BACE API has emerged as a viable alternative to the in-person verification processes used by most businesses, such as fingerprints or personal appearances. Companies can now authenticate and onboard new or existing customers without ever meeting them.

The Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation, founded by the Royal Academy of Engineering in

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Charlette N’Guessan, CEO and co-founder of BACE Group in Ghana (Photo: Courtesy)

the UK in 2014, is Africa’s biggest prize dedicated to engineering innovation, and has a proven track record of identifying successful engineering entrepreneurs.

Now in its sixth year, it supports talented subSaharan African entrepreneurs with engineering innovations, that address crucial problems in their communities in a new and appropriate way.

The Africa Prize mentorship and training has helped the team focus more on their business development, and since being shortlisted, the team has defined strategies to improve BACE API’s market position.

They have also signed key partnerships with local financial institutions, improved the accuracy of the model, and reduced the verification time.

James Duddridge MP, Minister for Africa, UK, said: “Congratulations to all the participants in this year’s Africa Prize. The UK is a hub of engineering innovation, and home to a wealth of entrepreneurial talent and experience. By partnering this talent with the most promising African innovators we can create local solutions to global challenges, transforming lives and improving economies.”

Fifteen shortlisted Africa Prize entrepreneurs, from six countries in sub-Saharan Africa, received eight months of training and mentoring, during which they

developed their business plans and learned to market their innovations. The group received coaching on communicating effectively, focusing on customers and approaching investors with confidence.

The Africa Prize also connects the shortlist to individuals and networks in the UK and across Africa who can accelerate their business and technology development – from fellow entrepreneurs and mentors to potential investors and suppliers. The Africa Prize supports the brightest minds across the continent, equipping them with skills to reshape and rethink their businesses.

“We are very proud to have Charlette N’Guessan and her team win this award,” said Rebecca Enonchong, Africa Prize judge and Cameroonian entrepreneur.

“It is essential to have technologies like facial recognition based on African communities, and we are confident their innovative technology will have far reaching benefits for the continent.”

N’Guessan says she hopes that her achievement will motivate more women to consider careers in tech.

“I will be happy if people are inspired by my story, being the first woman to win the Africa Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation and by my work as a woman in tech,” she said.

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September-October issue l 2020

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Award

KnowBe4 Africa’s Anna Collard Wins ISACA 2020 President’s Award

Anna Collard, KnowBe4 Africa Managing Director | image courtesy Abigail Klopper

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VP Content Strategy & Evangelist Anna Collard at KnowBe4 Africa, the provider of the world’s largest security awareness training and simulated phishing platform, has been awarded the ISACA South Africa Chapter 2020 President’s Award.

ISACA is a global association that provides IT professionals with knowledge, credentials, training and community in audit, governance, risk, privacy and security.

The ISACA South Africa Awards are the highest honours bestowed by the Chapter on individuals in appreciation of their active roles in the field of technology, information and cybersecurity, governance, risk and innovation in South Africa. The President’s Award recipient is selected solely by the president and is presented for dedication to service and leadership within the field in South Africa.

Collard will receive the prestigious award at a virtual awards and prize-giving ceremony on Oct. 30.

The award recognizes Collard’s leadership, excellence

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and professionalism in cybersecurity awareness training. Collard started Popcorn Training, a KnowBe4 company, seven years ago and made it one of the first companies to globally use story-based, engaging video and gaming content to teach people how to stay safe online. Popcorn has been recognised with multiple international awards for its content, and Collard was also recognised with an Innovations Throughout Africa award at Women in Tech Africa earlier this year.

“Anna is a well-respected cybersecurity leader and entrepreneur who built her security awareness training organization from the ground up,” said Stu Sjouwerman, CEO, KnowBe4. “She holds many globally recognised certifications and is a soughtafter speaker. Anna deserves this recognition and KnowBe4 is proud to have her as part of the team.”

“I’m delighted to be awarded this honour, which I believe recognises the efforts of the local and global KnowBe4 teams to take a new and more effective approach to security training,” said Collard.

September-October issue l 2020

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AWARD

Britam Tower wins prestigious engineering award

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he Britam Tower in Nairobi has been crowned best ‘MEP Engineering’ project at the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) Awards.

The global award is the latest recognition for the scheme, which has raised sustainable standards for office buildings across the continent and last year became the first building in Kenya to receive an ‘EDGE’ sustainability certification.

Mechanical, electrical and public health (MEP) solutions for the project were provided by chapmanbdsp, a design and engineering consultancy which has worked on landmark projects around the world and has its headquarters in London.

The tower, the tallest building in Kenya, beat four other shortlisted projects – the Amorepacific headquarters in Seoul and the Raffles City in Hangzhou, both projects nominated by Arup, as well as 181 Fremont and the Salesforce Tower, two projects in San Francisco nominated by WSP - to win the overall category prize.

Ian Duncombe, Board Director at chapmanbdsp who led the project and accepted the award at a CTBUH conference in China on April 10, 2019 said: “We were up against some really stiff competition from the five shortlisted MEP projects so this is a fantastic achievement for the project and for chapmanbdsp in front of our peers on a global stage.”

Standing at 200 metres, the Britam tower was designed in collaboration with Gapp Architects and has a distinctive prismatic 3D geometry.

The building’s façade is a “veil” of ceramic rods which function as ‘brise-soleil’ shading that allow the office floors to be entirely naturally ventilated.

Engineering solutions included intelligent lighting

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September-October issue l 2020

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Engineering controls, good solar control, natural ventilation for office floors and common areas and good daylighting.

The building a number of water conservation measures to make it less reliant on local utilities.

Fire engineering and vertical transport solutions for the project were also provided by chapmanbdsp.

Last year, the tower became the first building in Kenya to receive ‘EDGE’ (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies) certification, an internationally recognised sustainability scheme which is backed by the World Bank Group and awarded to building owners who demonstrate a high level of resource efficiency in their buildings.

“We were so proud to see our vision realised by the whole team”

On its website, the CTBUH praised the project for achieving: “A strategic balance of rainwater harvesting, ventilation strategies and passive heat mitigation strategies [which] saved 39 per cent of energy and 50 per cent on water use compared to a typical building. The ‘veil’ façade solution – consisting of a 50-millimetre-square ceramic rods in front of a full-height glass curtain wall with ‘selective’ glass, let in significantly more light than heat.”

A spokesman for Britam, a finance company which has offices across Africa, said: ‘‘We were so proud to see our vision realised by the whole team. The work chapmanbdsp did on environmental solutions answered the brief, transformed the project and gave us a legacy we can all be proud of.”

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September-October issue l 2020

35

project review

One Airport Square The first building in Ghana to have been awarded 4-Stars (Design Stage) by the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA)

Photos Credit: Fernando Guerra | FG+SG

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esigned by the award-winning sustainability architect Mario Cucinella Architects, One Airport Square (OAS) is a multi-functional building located in the growing commercial area in Airport City, just minutes away from the Kotoka International Airport in Accra, along the Airport by-Pass road.

The project was developed by Laurus Development Partners which is a joint venture between Actis and Myma Belo Osagie a Ghanaian national and owner of the land. Sitting on a 17,000 sqm, the building hosts

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commercial spaces on the ground floor and a tenfloor office block on the southwest of the lot, due to the specific form and orographic features of the site.

The striking development comprises of 2,000 square metres of shops, 15,000 square metres of offices and 250 car parking spaces, it is supported behind the scenes by first-class mechanical, electrical, plumbing systems and lighting with large and efficient floor plates and raised flooring. The project

was designed based on a detailed analysis of the site, the topographical and optimal orientation to become a point of reference and example for the new generation of office buildings in West Africa.

Redefining standards and expectations According to Actis, Ghana’s emerging real estate industry continues to grow, providing a potential demand for international-standard office space and

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building services engineering sustainability and environmental design fire engineering architectural lighting design vertical transportation advisory

Delivering award winning projects* across the African continent for over 15 years *One Airport Square, Accra | First certified ‘Greenstar’ building in West Africa *Britam Tower, Nairobi | CTBUH Inaugural MEP Engineering Award 2019 *Two Rivers, Nairobi | ‘Highly Commended’ International Property Awards 2014

chapmanbdsp.com

One airport square

retail experiences. Elegant and contemporary, One Airport Square, a mixed-use development in the growing commercial district of Airport City in Accra, has been designed not just to meet this need, but to redefine standards and expectations.

“You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression, and the foyer of the nine storey One Airport Square, will leave visitors in no doubt about the quality of design and superior specifications of this landmark building,” says Actis.

The building is compact in form, contains within it a large hall the function of which is to provide lighting and to facilitate natural ventilation of the interiors. Variation of depth of the shafts determines the configuration of three office types: maxi, midi and mini. A defining element of the building is the movement generated by the projecting terraces, which gradually recede as they rise, floor by floor.

These section variations enable increased flexibility in configuring the environments in accordance with the varying requirements of prospective tenants. A further defining element consists in the reinforced concrete structure, the inclined piers of which confer greater rigidity upon the building and the overhangs, while also featuring as a decorative motif for the front.

Ghana to be constructed on seismic isolators without the grid systems, and the first to utilise the U-boot slab system for reduction of the superstructure, as well as the first building in Ghana to utilise Halfen coupler system for rebar connections.

MEP Consultant/Environmental Consultant ChapmanBDSP were appointed as MEP and Environmental Consultants. They undertook extensive environmental analysis to optimise the design of the overhangs at every floor level in combination with evaluating different glazed façade configurations.

A total reduction of over 30% in active cooling was achieved through these passive design measures.

The ultra-modern identity Apart from the unique architectural features and unlike its peers in Accra, OAS is designed to use 30% less energy with rainwater harvesting systems that use non-potable water for flushing toilets and irrigation, an upgrade to the site ecology from contaminated land to indigenous landscape, a stateof-the-art air-conditioning system with complete refrigerant leak-detection and offers unmatched

office quality space to its tenants. OAS is the most advanced development with a unique structure on the façade, a revelation of an eco-friendly building.

The internal layout provides the appropriate shade from direct sunlight. The architecture is expressed by the bare structure itself with no ornament or cladding. Even the stained glass partition outside are located inside the diagonal rod structure, such that the exoskeleton design is free to express itself in its full figurative beauty. The building, therefore, is not “broken down” into elements added to the structure and changing its configuration would affect the language of the building’s aesthetic.

Additionally, the 3D modeling of the grid’s intersections and angles with the floor slabs (always different for each node) is an example of the complex framework generated by the balance of the structural flows of the whole organism. One Airport Square is the first building in Ghana to have been awarded 4-Stars (Design Stage) by the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA). The building also won the International Property Awards Africa: Best Office Architecture Ghana in 2012-2013.

In view of the desire for a contrast between the project area and the surrounding townscape, the rendezvous space for employees and the public received special attention. Here, the space was configured as a public square, open on the northeast side of the lot while shielded by the commercial floor, arranged as a ring (shops, restaurants, selfservice catering establishments). The generously proportioned square is suitable for various events, fairs or other activities, and may be used as an exhibition space for permanently installed works of art. Such initiatives, together with the commercial activities, will bring the area to life, by day and by night.

Aesthetic elements and architectural design are inspired by the traditional local art. The diamondpatterned bark exterior represents Ghana’s palm trees, closely linked to environmental strategies to provide a viable solution to climate problems. This world-class development is the first building in

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September-October issue l 2020

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