World Engineering Day – developing a sustainable future

Today is World Engineering Day, which celebrates the amazing feats achieved through engineering across the globe.

As the UK’s leading independent engineering and services business, we know all too well the important role our work plays in the development of the modern world. We believe in bringing buildings to life, and we know that the benefits of our work will be felt by generations to come. 

In our 103-year history, the business has grown from a small electrical contractor to the award-winning, industry-leading company we are today. Working across a variety of sectors within the building and infrastructure industry, our innovative, responsible, and forward-thinking approach allows us to work on fantastic ground-breaking projects, providing mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) solutions using the latest tools and technologies. 

Our project portfolio includes nuclear new build, fast-paced manufacturing facilities, state-of-the-art educational and healthcare establishments, cutting-edge commercial space, essential rail infrastructure, and iconic city landmarks. In recent years, our engineering teams have played a key role in delivering a range of pioneering projects, all with their part to play in the regeneration of the built environment. 

Some recent projects we have delivered include: 

Gosforth Rail Depot 
 
Our design and installation works included the sitewide low-voltage (LV) and gas distribution, mains cold water and CAT5 protected water distribution, external car park and apron lighting to all roads, together with the internal mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) services fit-out to the main facility building and outbuildings. 
 
Hinkley Point C 
 
As a business, we form part of the MEH Alliance, (consisting of Altrad, Balfour Beatty Bailey, Cavendish Nuclear, Doosan Babcock and EDF Energy) responsible for the installation of mechanical, electrical, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems. Covering an area the size of 250 football pitches, the scale of the works is unlike anything seen before in the UK. 
 
London Bridge  
 
The redevelopment saw the station nearly double its capacity, creating two-thirds more space for passengers. The £1billion redevelopment allows all the stations 15 platforms to be accessed from a single central point. The project also saw a major track upgrade and the widening of platforms. 
 
Manchester Engineering Campus (MECD) 
 
The campus is unrivalled in scale in the UK as a hub of engineering and materials expertise, it combines Manchester's heritage as the birthplace of the industrial revolution with new purpose-built facilities that deliver a step-change in our approach to solving some of the world's most pressing issues. 
 
Luton Dart  

This included the design and installation of MEP services and was made up of HV, LV, general and architectural lighting, public health, tunnel extract, general ventilation, cooling systems, communications systems, SCADA, fire detection and suppression systems and building management systems for this fully automated people mover.  

The Forge

Its inception was a landmark moment for the platform approach to manufacture and assembly, as it was the first major building completed using the P-DFMA (Platform Design for Manufacture and Assembly) from initial design to final delivery. The construction consists of two new commercial office buildings, built around a publicly accessible internal courtyard, comprising 139,000 sq. ft, and standing nine storeys high. 
 
We champion offsite manufacture and the use of modern methods of construction and recognise how an 'offsite first' approach to construction could help build a safer, better, faster, and greener future for mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) installations. 
 
We are also strong advocates of developing a workforce with future-ready skills, and we are actively training the next generation of engineers to help us continue to deliver technical excellence for years to come.