Legacy. This is a word that you probably have heard mentioned a few times over the past week in the news. David Cameron and the British Olympic Association are so pumped up by the awesome efforts of Team GB, that band wagon jumping has begun. We are told that the UK must maintain the recent successful level of performance through legacy work; and it has become the new political promise ‘du jour’.
But what does it really mean, and what has this got to do with being a structural engineer, structural calculations and beam design?
Here’s what you need to know. A structural engineers construction experience and knowledge of how and why buildings stand up – or fall over; is what we sell to the general public and other construction professionals. If you need to build a home, an office or perhaps even a mega structure like a stadium and a suspension bridge – this is all made possible by legacy.
Built into our professional institutions education system which is aimed at the continuous development of our professionals, and the education of young engineering graduates; is a enviable force of mentors, mentor co-ordinators, and training objectives. With all these great tools, hundreds of years of experience and good practice guides akimbo, the engineers which you call upon and employ are pretty much at the top of their game. Or thereabouts.
Their expertise will make it possible for your builder to build safely and your architect to design economically. An engineers work never ends, even past retirement.
If it wasn’t for legacy, we engineers would be having to ‘reinvent the wheel’ on each and every design that we took on. This could end up being expensive for everybody.
So if you are employing a structural engineer for any reason, then please feel free to ask about their qualifications and how they maintain their continuous and professional development. This is what you are paying for.
About the Author : Glen Cooper is a Structural Engineer in St Albans and Harpenden. He can be found on Twitter @AvatarEngineers and blogging on the site www.buildingmadesimple.blogspot.co.uk . Avatar specialise in the domestic and residential market, and are passionate about helping civil engineering graduates find work placements.
