Why mechanical engineering?
As a kid I was interested in cars and machines and from a young age I wanted to be involved in the design and construction of anything mechanical. At university I had the opportunity to do an internship at NDY and the experience of being able to see the work I was involved in from start to finish. This was very fulfilling.
What’s the trickiest problem you’ve solved?
The great part about the building industry is that the work can be varied and no two buildings are the same. I’ve worked on many things from equine hospitals and forensic labs to offices and residential buildings. One particular challenge that springs to mind was a custom pneumatic conveyancing system to pick up coarse ore spillage from a mining tunnel. I had to calculate and size a system capable of essentially vacuuming up pieces of ore bigger than golf balls.
Which engineer has taught you the most?
At NDY, I’m very lucky to have access to some of the most experienced and talented engineers in the industry. There have, however, been two stand out engineers for me technically (and too many to mention professionally!). Jeff Dusting guided me through my first two large projects at NDY giving me the basic knowledge I needed while letting me figure some of it out for myself. When I moved to Canberra, Daniel Trevarthen taught me there’s a solution to every problem (and often stayed back late to help me find it).
What’s the biggest thing you’ve learned at NDY?
With such a strong history in the industry, there’s always someone who has done something similar to what you’re doing before. The NDY ethos seems to be to make time for anyone in the business if you have knowledge to contribute. Whenever I’ve asked for help I get it, regardless of where in the world the expert is and how busy they are.
What professional relationships do you value the most?
I find working with architects a valuable experience, understanding the goals that they’re looking to achieve and how we can help. While it’s often a back and forth over space allocation and visual impact, I find architects have a real desire to understand why we recommend doing things in certain ways and what they can do to improve how services interact with the space.
What does Making Spaces Work mean to you?
We all spend a large part of our lives indoors so, for me, Making Spaces Work is ensuring the spaces that we spend this time in are functional and comfortable. As mechanical engineers, we’re always challenged to minimise our impact on space consumption and the environmental impact. The construction industry has a large part to play in reducing carbon emissions and we need to be aware that what is the most space-efficient isn’t always energy efficient.
It’s also not enough to simply make a space functional, it also has to be a place you want to be in. Services need to blend, be hidden from view or, sometimes, exposed as a feature, depending on the space.
