The ICE is aiming to inspire the next generation of civil engineers with the launch of a new map and literature showcasing Glasgow’s infrastructure works ahead of the Commonwealth Games.
The ‘Engineering the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games’ map, produced by the ICE in collaboration with Ordnance Survey, was launched this morning in Glasgow by housing and welfare minister Margaret Burgess.
The map highlights pioneering projects including civil engineering firsts such as the Hampden Park surface raising. This innovation involves the competition surface being raised on 6,000 steel posts weighing more than 1,000 tonnes and then being covered by a further 16,000 tonnes of stone tar and specialist track material to create a temporary world-class athletics track. It has now become known as “the Glasgow solution” and will allow future track and field events to be hosted on stadia which are not purpose built.
The map will be hosted by Education Scotland on its Game On Scotland website, so primary and secondary school students can learn about the vital role of civil engineers in delivering major sporting events like the Commonwealth Games – not just in building or converting the venues, but ensuring the Glasgow’s water, waste, energy and transport networks can accommodate the extra one million visitors anticipated.
The map will be available on the Game on Scotland website
Launching the map during Legacy Week – a partnership between the Scottish Government, Glasgow City Council and Glasgow 2014 which highlights a range of projects connected to the Games and encourages people to get involved – reiterates the value of utilising this exciting new infrastructure to encourage young engineers into a profession which has long been synonymous with Scotland.
Margaret Burgess said: “The Commonwealth Games will be the biggest sporting and cultural event Scotland has hosted, however, it’s about more than just sport. As this project demonstrates, the Games will provide a lasting legacy for several industries, and it is great that they are also being used to inspire young people into careers such as civil engineering.
“The engineering element of delivering the infrastructure to host an event of this scale has been remarkable and I am also delighted to see the creation of 700 new homes in the impressive new low-carbon athletes’ village, which will be the hub of a new, revitalised east end area.”
Speaking about the new resource, ICE Scotland director, Sara Thiam, said: “We discovered many engineering innovations while conducting our research. The Games have provided a fantastic showcase of engineering talent in Scotland and we hope the map will be an excellent tool for schools to encourage the next generation of engineers.”
The map also features stories about the creation of new venues such as the Hydro, Emirates Arena and Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome and highlights important civil engineering works such as flooding management and waste treatment.
