Welcome to achieve – our quarterly magazine. In achieve we intend to share the thinking of many of our leaders in particular fields. We will focus on the issues that matter most to our clients and our people. This is just another way of fulfilling our common purpose: to make a positive and enduring difference to the world.
Oil and gas is the focus of the latest edition of SKM’s achieve magazine. Developing new oil and gas supplies is a long-term undertaking. With surging demand for oil and gas from the emerging economies of China, India and the Middle East, and the global recovery from the financial crisis, embedding risk management into project plans is critical to meet future supply needs. The pace of economic growth and the resurgent demand for energy will continue to present challenges for the oil and gas sector.
Water is the focus of the latest edition of SKM’s achieve magazine. Smart water management is a catch-cry gaining momentum around the world as we seek to reshape the way we use and manage water. This issue of achieve magazine delves into the way we manage this most precious of resources as water utilities worldwide ramp up their investments in smart water solutions.
Transport is the focus of this edition of SKM’s achieve magazine. People have imagined new and more efficient ways to get from A to B ever since the invention of the wheel and this issue of achieve examines current trends in public transport and road capacity, a new system to evaluate the sustainability of infrastructure, novel ways to extend the life of bridges, and the impact of smarter supply chains.
Issue Two - June 2012
Safety is the focus of this edition of SKM’s achieve magazine. We examine safety from a variety of viewpoints, including the human factor in safety by design; how virtual worlds are helping to make the real world safer, and the challenges of delivering projects in high-risk locations.
This issue focuses on recent developments in asset management. Up-to-date and reliable data on existing assets is critical to maintaining a robust, effective and economically efficient asset management program. We examine a variety of tools for asset managers to accurately assess their systems against a set of global criteria.
This issue focuses on the concept of a social licence to operate, defined as the basic permission that society gives to any corporate organisation to conduct its activities. The social licence is important to long-term business continuity and profitability; often difficult to obtain and once lost, almost impossible to regain.
This edition focuses on renewable energy and various global initiatives that will help reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions. We also examine how photovoltaic technology is harnessing solar energy; carbon policy mechanisms to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; new tools to monitor the health of wind turbines; developments in East Africa to fund geothermal projects; the importance of biomass as part of the renewable energy mix; the wider economic benefits of metro rail systems; a new modelling tool to manage river systems and water resources; practical steps to help explain the true meaning of sustainability, and the implications of an innovative application of carbon fibre to strengthen infrastructure.
This issue focuses on some of the latest thinking and approaches to safety. Safety at work is everybody's business and we explore the very important and related concepts of building a "just culture", safety in design and adaptive safety. We also look at some good examples of embedding safety in projects, such as our story on road infrastructure design and its crucial role in road safety.
In this issue we focus attention on water and the need to carefully manage this precious resource. A shortage of freshwater is one of the greatest challenges facing humanity in the 21st century and SKM is taking a leading role on projects across multiple geographies to address water scarcity problems.
Project delivery is the focus of this issue of achieve magazine and details some of the leading edge systems and processes now being applied on projects across the globe to help clients realise their goals.
Around the globe, infrastructure development is recognised as the key element in meeting the challenges of a growing world population, forecast by the United Nations to top seven billion by 2011.
This issue celebrates World Environment Day 2010 (WED) and the United Nations Environment Programme theme “Many Species. One Planet. One Future”.
As the world faces up to the challenges of population growth and climate change, it is clear that the demands placed on energy supply and use cannot be sustained – economically, environmentally and socially.
In the wake of the global financial crisis the need to stimulate growth is more important than ever. Infrastructure development is competing to be a major recipient of stimulus packages introduced to offset the impact of the economic downturn, with a chorus of voices in the western world and emerging economies protesting that investment in new infrastructure is long overdue.
Renewables describe energy sources that do not deplete the earth’s natural capital. These includes solar, hydro, wind, wave and tidal developments and geothermal energy. The impetus for renewable energy continues to strengthen due to Geo-Political initiatives such as emissions trading schemes aimed at reducing emissions reductions in an economically efficient manner, growing social awareness of climate change threats, security of supply issues and the financial advantages of harvesting indigenous resources.
This issue celebrates World Environment Day 2009 (WED) and focuses on global initiatives and opportunities to reduce carbon emissions in line with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) theme: “Your Planet Needs you! UNite to Combat Climate Change”.
Sustainability is the focus of our cover stories in this issue. An often-cited definition of sustainability is that of the Brundtland Commission, where sustainable development is defined as "meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”.
Water is the focus of our cover stories in this issue. Water is essential for life; crucial for sustainable development, and indispensable for human health and well-being.
Project Delivery is the focus this issue, with other articles on the Personal Rapid Transport schemes and plans for their introduction in the United Kingdom; the potential benefits of steel as a primary construction material in modern buildings for its strength, durability, versatility and cost effectiveness and the role of offshore wind farms as a viable long-term renewable energy proposition.
Feature articles in this special World Environment Day issue of achieve review the role of geothermal energy; the renaissance of hydro power; reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the transport sector; the evolution of congestion charging; wetlands rehabilitation and sustainable livelihoods in Vietnam; addressing climate change in the mining sector; sustainable buildings; Victoria’s potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and embedding climate change into business decisions and processes.
This launch issue examines the impacts of climate change; the emergence of Emissions Trading Schemes; future challenges for healthcare providers; the development of a successful safety culture; the acceptance of travel plan programs to reduce the reliance on motor vehicles; efforts to rebuild Aceh following the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami; the role of rail in our expanding major cities, and the role of voluntary behaviour change in reducing greenhouse gas emission.
© Sinclair Knight Merz
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