What was it like to win an award from the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) and how has it inspired you?

(Jacqueline won the Merit Award at IET’s Hong Kong Young Woman Engineer of the Year Award 2022).

It was the proudest moment of my career so far and means that my efforts have been recognized. It’s also given me a good platform to achieve my goals – promoting sustainability in the built environment and helping other female engineers in the industry.

Globally, women engineers are still a minority group. My team in Hong Kong is comprised of around 40% women, which is higher than the industry average. I regularly get together with my female colleagues, both professionally and socially, and we support and encourage each other. And I’m working with organizations like ASHRAE to encourage more women to join the industry.
   

Have you always wanted to be an engineer and how did you get started?

I’ve always been fascinated with how things work and enjoyed math and science at school, so engineering gave me the perfect avenue to turn that passion into my profession. As an engineer, I’m helping to create innovative solutions to real-world challenges.

I studied math, science and engineering at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Australia, and after graduating with a masters in mechanical engineering, I returned home to Hong Kong and joined WSP as an assistant engineer.

As a chartered mechanical engineer, I work across a number of fields including mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) and mechanical, ventilating and air conditioning (MVAC) system design. I’m also a CIC-certified Building Information Modelling (BIM) Manager, a BEAM Professional and a WELL Accredited Professional. That enables me to take on multiple roles within different projects and focus on people-centric engineering design to create healthier, more sustainable buildings. For example, in my role as the government’s technical services consultant on the Kai Tak project, I supervised the contracted party’s design.

WSP has given me the opportunity to establish my interests and work as part of a multidisciplinary team. Here in Hong Kong, we run a café event every other Friday, so we can get together informally, meet colleagues, and learn from each other. I’ve also been given the time and space to explore innovations such as BIM.

You obviously enjoy taking on new challenges. What’s been the biggest challenge of your career so far?

There were quite a few challenges on the AIA urban campus redevelopment. On the technical side, the client asked us to review the design of the air conditioning system following the Covid-19 pandemic, to provide more fresh air into the building. There were several spatial and time constraints as our project had already been through the tender stage by that time so it wasn’t straightforward, but we optimized our original design in collaboration with the project’s structural engineers and architects. We increased the louvre area to let in more fresh air, checked air duct size, and made sure our equipment could cope with the extra load involved in cooling more fresh air. We also worked closely with the client to understand their concerns and prioritise the areas where fresh air was needed most.

One of the biggest challenges was coordination as the project involved external consultants from different disciplines and countries, such as audio visual (AV) designers from the Philippines. The designing and talking was being done in English, but the contractors were Cantonese speakers from Hong Kong. My role involved a lot of delivering requirements and limitations between different parties.

Practices also vary from one country to another. For example, in Hong Kong, the project design is done first and then tendered out for the contractor to follow, so later changes requested by external consultants aren’t always feasible. Coordinating a project can often mean helping people understand their differences and work together.
 

What excites you about the future of the built environment?

As an engineer, you can really see your impact on the environment – and the world. You can also contribute a lot to creating more sustainable and resilient places to mitigate the impact of climate change.

Personally, I’m inspired to increase the focus on net zero by integrating renewable energy systems and intelligent controls in building design. Winning the IET award has given me a platform to promote this thought to the next generation and support young engineers to adopt sustainability in their MEP designs.
 

What advice would you give young engineers just starting out?

Alongside continuing to learn, I’d advise young engineers to embrace mentorship. Don’t be shy when you encounter difficulties, ask for help from mentors and colleagues and expand your networks so you can collaborate with experts from different fields. Being involved in challenging projects is how we push our boundaries and is a good opportunity for professional and personal growth.