January 2012

Construction Engineering   

While many engineers focus on design within the definition of engineering, there are other elements of engineering within the Engineers and Geoscientists Act (2008) that carry the same weight within the act and require engineering expertise. The following excerpt from the Engineers and Geoscientists Act (2008) indicates that construction, operations and maintenance carry the same weight within the definition of engineering as does design. 

"practice of engineering" means reporting on, advising on, evaluating, designing, preparing plans and specifications for or directing the construction, technical inspection, maintenance or operation of a structure, work or process,” 

Many of the larger engineering projects ongoing within the province are progressing through the design, construction, technical inspection, operation and maintenance phases of the engineering cycle. As they enter the construction phase, construction engineers play an important role in ensuring the projects are built to the design’s specifications in a safe and economic way. 

PEGNL’s December 2011 submission to the Hebron Public Inquiry referenced the importance of focusing not only on the design of the project, but also the construction, operation and maintenance phases of the project. The submission noted that PEGNL would be working with the proponent to sure that qualified engineers address each phase of the project. 

Construction engineers are generally specialists within the engineering framework and within construction engineering there are also specialists. While civil engineers predominate in construction engineering, there are engineers of other disciplines (mechanical engineering for example) who play an important construction role on specific project types. Within PEGNL, construction engineers are most evident in construction of buildings, roads, bridges, large industrial facilities, and a construction engineer in one of these areas is not necessarily qualified to work in another area. Each requires significant specialized engineering skills and techniques.

© Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Newfoundland and Labrador