Barnabas Ilko insists that his defining characteristic is his prominent tendency to frequently ask ‘why’. The experienced structural engineer is innately curious – about the world, about people, and about how to make infrastructure safer and more sustainable.
“I grew up building structures with Lego-like bricks and constantly asking questions,” says Barnabas, “which was probably a sign that I was headed in the direction of working with structures and solving engineering and construction challenges.”
Barnabas has retained that sense of wonder, curiosity and fun throughout his career, despite the serious implications of his work.
“I enjoy working with people,” he says, “and it is very motivating when you can join with other highly skilled and approachable professionals to solve complex problems.”
During his career, he has worked with clients from a wide range of sectors and has worn multiple hats, including as a contractor and a consultant.
“This has been career-defining for me, giving me a greater appreciation of the needs of various parties and the challenges they face when they embark on driving change,” he says.
“Sometimes engineers can forget that what we model in 3D is actually going to get built for the community, whether it is a bridge, a hospital or a water pipeline. We should be involved with the construction process and learn from the experts delivering these project about how to improve our designs.
“This not only gives us the chance to work with like-minded people, but also the opportunity to drive change in the industry,” he says.
A sustainable engineering approach with people at its heart
Barnabas’s engineering philosophy combines technical excellence with a deeply collaborative approach and a commitment to minimising impacts.
He believes that approaching technical challenges should start with brainstorming with clients and contractors to fully understand the client’s needs and to identify simple and practical solutions for various construction-related problems.
“Although engineers may not always be extroverted or have great public speaking skills, it is important to find a common language with all stakeholders and be able to explain complex three-dimensional solutions in plain language,” he says.
He recognises that construction projects, whether underground or above ground, can cause disturbance to communities.
In his view, “when a more collaborative approach is taken to ensure no stone is left unturned, the project’s outcome can be greatly improved and the impact on people’s lives in urban or suburban settings can be minimised.”
One way in which Barnabas’s approaches reduce social and environmental disturbance is through low-impact trenchless construction methods to install underground tunnels for cables or pipes, rather than needing to disturb the surface along the full alignment.
“When people think about big infrastructure projects, they’ll often visualise bridges or tunnels for roads or rail,” says Barnabas, “but there are many other types of infrastructure that are smaller in scale and often invisible, like sewer, water, electrical, gas or communication pipelines – and most of the time, we do not even know they are below us.”
In the trenchless space, Barnabas believes that more collaboration between asset owners, contractors and consultants could open the door to greater use of proven materials that have been adopted in other sectors.
“Across the infrastructure sector, we can lessen the impacts on communities and the environment by using materials that extend a structure’s design life or reduce the ongoing maintenance regime,” he says.
He’d also like to see greater emphasis on rehabilitating existing assets wherever possible, to reduce waste and improve sustainability.
Improving the integration of temporary works
Another focus of Barnabas’s passion is advocating for better integration of temporary works into permanent structures.
“Unfortunately, the temporary and permanent works are usually separated commercially or contractually,” he says, “which reduces the ability of consultants and contractors to challenge ourselves and our project partners to find better solutions for the project that could provide greater long-term value.”
“Depending on the project, there may be an opportunity to incorporate some of the temporary and permanent works into a one-pass solution to optimise the time and cost of construction and reduce the resources we use to deliver projects,” he says, “which works towards reducing our carbon footprint.”
Staying open to new methods and materials
Barnabas says, “At WSP, we are constantly looking at ways to improve our technical capabilities. Often this starts with getting out from behind the computer screen, going to site, observing construction processes and installation techniques, and working together with contractors to engineer the optimal solution for a given problem.”
In Barnabas’s view, this is what gives his team the edge to refine, improve or accelerate construction processes with simpler solutions that can help reduce materials or machine requirements.
WSP’s Future Ready perspective is all about staying alert to potential improvements and embracing change, and it’s an approach that comes naturally to Barnabas.
“Many technological advancements are emerging,” he says, “and it is important to stay open to improving the ways we do our work and to adjust delivery methods where proven solutions are available.”
He’s encountered many examples across the sector where embracing change hasn’t come easily to all involved in the project.
“The fact that someone’s being doing something one way for 10 or 20 years doesn’t make it the best solution for the present,” says Barnabas, “so we need to encourage and foster openness to new approaches.”
“We address this by being open with our clients about potential solutions, especially at the feasibility or conceptual stage of the design. We also research best practices nationally and internationally and assess how we can improve various design methods, materials or construction techniques for the local setting.”
Barnabas notes that WSP has the advantage of drawing on the expertise of colleagues in Australia as well as around the globe.
“Our national and international colleagues are happy to share insights and examples so that we can use our collective strength to overcome challenges for our clients and project partners,” he concludes.
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