The guidelines, first published in 2016 and updated in July 2020 (version 2.0), contributes to engineering professionals designing highway infrastructure in a consistent manner, including conformance with BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (BC MoTI) Technical Circular: (T-04/19) titled “Resilient Infrastructure Engineering Design – Adaptation to the Impacts of Climate Change and Weather Extremes”. These guidelines establish the standard of practice in conducting risk assessments and for incorporating climate change resilience into the design of new or retrofit Highway Infrastructure that is under the ownership of the BC MoTI.
This webinar will cover:
- An introduction to these guidelines, background about the Technical Circular and how it informs the design and contracts work done by the ministry (Harshan Radhakrishnan, P.Eng.)
- An overview of the standard of practice, and the recent revisions made to these guidelines (Glen Zachary, P.Eng.)
- Examples of climate change impact assessment methodologies and a worked-out example of a completed design criteria sheet (Des Goold, P.Eng.)
During this seminar, attendees will become familiar with the updated Professional Practice Guidelines and have the ability to ask questions at the interactive question/answer period and participate in an online polling exercise on climate considerations in professional practice.
These guidelines aim to spark a paradigm shift in engineering by supporting the development of designs based on a climate risk assessment and consideration of innovative approaches that include robust, flexible and low or no regret designs. The webinar will also cover the state of play on climate science as it relates to professional practice and provide linkages to climate data, tools and resources to aid decision-making.
- Registrants of Engineers and Geoscientists BC involved in providing design services to BC MoTI.
- Professional staff of BC MoTI, municipalities, and other public organizations seeking transportation engineering services from Engineers and Geoscientists BC registrants.
Manager, Climate Change and Sustainability Initiatives, Engineers and Geoscientists BC
Harshan is a professional engineer working as the Manager, Climate Change and Sustainability Initiatives in Professional Practice, Standards and Development Department of Engineers and Geoscientists BC. His previous experience includes providing practice advice in the capacity of a Practice Advisor, project managing the development of and revisions to Professional Practice Guidelines, and supporting Government of Alberta in the issuance of environmental approvals for municipal engineering projects.
Senior Hydrologist and Hydraulics Engineer, Urban Systems
Glen has over 33 years of municipal infrastructure planning and design support experience, particularly with respect to hydrology and hydraulics. He is one of the primary authors of the subject Practice Guidelines, has conducted PIEVC and Climate Lens assessments, developed guidance for climate resilient design on highways infrastructure, and provided expert review for the Canada’s Changing Climate Report (2019).
Principal, Northwest Hydraulic Consultants
Des Goold has 19 years of design and project management experience in river engineering and specializes in the hydraulic design of bridge, culvert, and pipeline crossings. He has a strong technical background in hydrologic analysis, numerical modelling, river behaviour and morphology, and the hydraulic design of erosion and scour countermeasures for stream crossings and stream embankments.
