40th ECCE Meeting

40th ECCE Meeting, Zagreb, October 2004

Introduction to our Croatian Member Association

At ECCE’s October 2004 meeting in Zagreb, Zvonimir Sever, President of the Section of Civil Engineers within the Croatian Chamber of Architects and Engineers in Civil Engineering, welcomed ECCE participants on behalf of his association. The Civil Engineering section of the Croatian Chamber has 3,300 members, making it the largest member of the Chamber. Croatia has a long and interesting building heritage – currently the most interesting project is the highway Malaka Tunnel.

Mr. Davor Mrduljas the State Secretary in the Ministry of Environmental Protection, Physical Planning and Civil Engineering welcomed members to the meeting. He then proceeded to explain the role of his Ministry in European construction matters.

The main involvement is in harmonising regulations relating to the Construction Products Directive, Construction Reports and building maintenance. This involves transposition and adoption of technical regulations.

The Ministry plays an active role, regulating courses. The Ministry is a sponsor of scientific and technical meetings and supports certain scientific projects. It hosts a conference on sustainable construction once a year.

ECCE’s 40th MEETING IN ZAGREB

Croatia’s capital was the venue of the 40th meeting of the European Council of Civil Engineers. Zagreb has been the capital of an independent state since 1991, but has provided a cultural and political focus since Medieval times.

The ECCE meeting was held in the city’s modern business quarter, affording members the opportunity to view developments in this historic city.

During the meeting members were given technical presentations on both the motorway construction underway in Croatia and on the Ombla Hydro Power Plant multi-purpose hydro facility. With regard to the power plant, Croatia faces the problem of ensuring a potable water supply not only for Zagreb city but also extending to the Mediterranean coast. The plan is to create the Ombla HPP using an underground Karst aquifer (i.e. using groundwater exclusively).

On the second day of the meeting Murt Coleman of the Institution of Ireland gave a presentation on health and safety in which he urged member organisations to highlight the need to improve standards throughout the industry and to become involved in activities to achieve this.

The tiled roof of St. Mark’s church facing the Parliament building bears the arms of the Croatian flag and those of the city of Zagreb.

Richard Coackley also gave a presentation to the general assembly on the Institution of Civil Engineer’s Civil Engineering Environmental Quality Assessment and Award (CEEQUAL) Scheme which is seeking to raise environmental standards throughout the industry.

Discussions during the meeting also included the report from the Steering Group which is proposing the formation of a World Council of Civil Engineers. As members required time for their national organisations to review the material supplied by the Steering Group, it was decided that a formal vote would await the Spring 2005 meeting in Tallinn.

ECCE President Yrjö Matikainen with the Croatian Society of Civil Engineers President Dragutin Mihelčić

A site visit to tunnelling work on Croatia’s A1 Motorway

The A1 motorway follows a route from Zagreb-Boiljevo-Split-Dubrovnik and should speed many European holiday-makers on their way to Croatia’s sunny coastline. The motorway length is 55,907 km and has 23 tunnels. The tunnelling work has revealed highly interesting geological conditions. This is a karst region and the limestone structures – in addition to providing fresh challenges for the on-site engineers – may provide additional visitor attractions.

Please note an indicative motorway map may be found on the following web site: http://www.hac.hr/modules.php?r=autoceste)

Technical briefings given at meetings on themes of interest to professional civil engineers are placed on the web-site here, which will provide you with full briefing material which has been provided to us.

Josef Mecsi of Hungary (far left), Mirko Oreskovic (left) and Peter Dučan (right) of the Croatian Chamber listen attentively to the site engineer who explains the challenges facing the tunnelling work being undertaken on the A1 motorway project.

To view those presentations which aim to improve standards across the profession (e.g. ethics or health and safety) or which are examples of ‘best practice’ within a member organisation, please look at the “Activities” menu on the web site and then at the heading “ECCE’s ‘INSTIL’ initiative” . This is so-called because ECCE aims to INspire, STImulate, and Lead its member organisations – opening up pathways to an exchange of good practice, innovative ideas and encouraging initiatives that will stimulate and encourage participation of our organisations and their members.