The problem…
In an era which the flow of information is rapid, and the demands of the modern construction environment are constantly increasing, engineers find themselves, by necessity and not by choice, in a pivotal position.
The government policy and legal framework of constructions are constantly changing, sometimes successfully, sometimes with signs of inadequacy, to meet the constantly changing needs of the market. A key factor in these changes are the demanding environmental goals set by the European Union and their implementation through the directives for reducing the energy and carbon footprint, de-reliance on fossil fuels and harmonization with sustainable design and construction practices of modern buildings and applications. Another factor contributing to the fluid construction environment are the dynamic technological changes that bring, without exaggeration, new solutions into the hands of engineers every day, which must first be studied and understood correctly in order to be implemented. If we add to all of the above the time factor, which in the reality always translates into a tight deadline or a pressing project delivery, then we have the overall picture that in one word we would call “challenge”.
The solution…
Within this environment, engineers and scientists of the built environment are called upon not only to succeed but also to stand out. The stakes are clear and refer to the transformation of these challenges into opportunities for development, innovation and creation of quality projects that will not be affected by the general pressure but will constitute points of reference both for the engineers themselves and for their organizations and companies.
Therefore, to cope and highlight their work in this challenging environment, engineers must be equipped with tools that will support their work. The most basic tool they can have in their hands is the specialized knowledge. With this, engineers can better assimilate and evaluate new technologies to choose the best one for each application they design and implement. Access to knowledge is now relatively easy, but at the same time, a tested, certified and correct source of knowledge is not a given. Trusted sources of knowledge through trainings and certifications must be unions and organizations with presence (if possible) in the local country in order to offer educational services, adapted to the local culture and needs. Also must be groups with a large number of members in order to ensure their influence to the engineering community and their strong presence locally.
The conclusion…
In conclusion, in a constantly changing and stressful environment, engineers are called upon to carefully select sources of education, specialization and professional networking, in order to use in the most efficient way their limited time and achieve the best results in their projects and applications.
Chrysostomos I. Bouras