< Previous10 MEP Middle East | March 2022 www.mepmiddleeast.com COVER STORY “It is the sad truth that some contractors don’t even have facilities for females built into their working environment.” as a fl edgling with no experience in the fi eld of building services engineering. A challenge that I faced was trying to feel included within the daily ongoing projects within a well- established MEP team. “Transitioning from university into a professional services company was quite a culture shock, and as I lacked the knowledge and skills to actively participate within the team, this led to the rise of negative emotions, stress, and anxiety. Fortunately, there were other young female engineers in the team who I was able to talk to and learn from.” Explaining how matters get even more diffi cult for engineers transitioning into the workplace environment, Hakim says: “The representation of our gender is also quite skewed in membership-based professional bodies, fellowships, and chartered institutes – which make people more employable. “This shows that there is a need to spur women into the application process for such bodies, too.” These prevalent inequalities also tend to force young professionals into “softer work profi les” such as green construction, health and safety (HSE), social housing in consultancies, although they have the academic profi ciency and the skill sets to take up on-site engineering design and planning, project management, construction, installation, and implementation roles on the contracting front. Having reached out to all the top fi rms within the electromechanical, HVAC, and building services industry in the UAE, the brand received a much larger proportion of responses from consultants than from contractors and sub-contractors. “It is a sorry state of affairs and the sad truth is that some contractors don’t even have facilities for females built into their working environment. While this is an obvious refl ection of the gender ratio represented within their fi rms, it is far from conducive to attracting new talent. How do you expect young professionals to even apply to work in such environments?” Hakim asks. “There are so many deserving women at the management, engineering, and at the technician levels. It is time for HR departments to ask what makes male applicants better for the role, rather than to question the fi tness of female applicants for the jobs that are available.” The survey also corroborated these sentiments with a number of young professionals within the industry, listening to their viewpoints on diversity and inclusion. The senior HSE engineer at AG Engineering, Aisha Thameema, says: “I believe, the biggest challenge in the industry is the tendency of an organisation to hire a stereotypical pool of talent repeatedly due to previously proven effi ciency. This not only Hakim explains: “While consultancies are more open-minded in working towards gender equality in the workforce, we can’t say the same about contractors. We see that consultancies welcome the passion that these young professionals bring to topics such as climate change, energy effi ciency, and building performance. “However, contractors within the industry keep pointing to the immense pressures associated with roles in an industry where the profi ts are low, the working hours are long, the days off are minimal, and the competition for winning tenders, achieving margins, and delivering to extremely tight deadlines are very high.” MEP Middle East has also witnessed a similar response to its industry survey. March 2022 | MEP Middle East 11 www.mepmiddleeast.com COVER STORY limits the possibility of turning challenges into opportunities, but also greatly reduces the impact of a lasting targeted transformation. “An ideal organisation should standardise hiring and employee recognition policies and practices to curtail unconscious bias. In addition, organisations must implement efforts to change employee behaviour. For this to materialise, corporate leadership must fully support the institution of systems and processes that remove the barriers, structures, practices, people, or attitudes that prevent women - or any other under- represented group - from succeeding.” The senior electrical engineer at Black & White Engineering, Ruthzen Soriano, adds: “One of the challenges that I feel has always been present, in any situation, is prejudice. We must recognise it, discuss it, and never lose our self-respect while doing our best. Overcoming this issue starts with oneself; it calls us to recognise our own rights and talents, and extend this outwards. The onus is on all of us to continue to act, help, and inspire diversity and inclusion.” Responding to the survey, young professionals have unanimously stated that they have witnessed marginal progress in terms of diversity and inclusion within the industry, while acknowledging that there is still a long path yet to tread for lasting benefi ts to be experienced. Zutari’s Ann Elezabeth Johny, says: “Diversity for its sake alone does not bring about positive results. It is important to recognise talent regardless of the gender and provide an equal and unbiased opportunity to showcase them. “The narrative of a ‘male-dominated industry’ is slowly changing. This changing narrative empowers and shows young engineers that they are valued for their talent and will not be side-lined based on their gender.” Black & White Engineering’s Ruthzen Soriano adds: “The number of women in engineering that I have been able to work with through the years is increasing. It is evident in the type of training, respect, and expectations that I have received. The new generation of engineers are aware of this now, and this awareness will make the message stronger and louder.” Over the past few months, leading stakeholders within the industry have stepped up their concerted efforts to ensure that diversity and inclusion is a core part of their corporate governance, business set-up, and work culture. AG Engineering’s Aisha Thameema says: “With more and more revolutionary women chipping away at gender norms and levelling the playing fi eld, the industry is taking marked steps at becoming an increasingly inclusive space for future generations.” Based out of AESG’s Riyadh offi ce, façade consultant Ghina Yamak adds: “I suppose the industry as a whole must continue to work on creating a supportive and fl exible environment with no room for discrimination. We need a work culture that enables all, with the ability to strike a work-life balance and make a positive contribution to the built environment.” Furthermore, another challenge that young professionals unfortunately have to face is the highly conventional Middle East construction industry. This industry has historically lagged in its adoption of new ideas, improved technologies, and better processes and workfl ows. Yamak explains: “There is a need to bridge trust and collaboration between the advanced digital skills of the new generation and the technical knowledge and experience of mentors in the industry. We can cultivate an environment where everyone thrives and makes a difference, if we choose to work together. Technical knowledge and mentorship skills of veterans in the industry must be honed in a way that it harnesses the strengths and capabilities that millennials bring to the table.” A number of industry-leading fi rms have raised the standards in this regard. For instance, as a part of Al-Futtaim Group’s SINYAR Emirati Talent Development Programme, Reem AlMusabbeh says that 12 MEP Middle East | March 2022 www.mepmiddleeast.com COVER STORY she was taught to be her own advocate for growth, progress, and increase her readiness to occupy professional roles in a diversifi ed workforce. The project manager - Energy Management at Al-Futtaim Engineering and Technologies, Reem AlMusabbeh, explains: “One of the challenges that recent engineering graduates face is how to blend in to the new work environment. This requires adequate training to adapt to situations with new responsibilities in a diversifi ed workforce. The tailor-made SINYAR Emirati Talent Development Programme empowers us with awareness, training, and nurtures the local talent mentality.” Additionally, it is no secret that the engineering industry is struggling in terms of a widespread skills and staff shortage. The development of cutting-edge construction technologies have begun to outpace current capabilities within the industry. Hence, increasing investments in training, upskilling, empowering, and enabling all engineers has become more important than ever before. Employed at Atkins (a member of the SNC-Lavalin Group) as an electrical design engineer, Komal Puri, says: “We need to upskill and reskill the workforce for the current and future workplace. This includes digital skills and the ability to think and work across traditional disciplinary boundaries. With the rising need to recruit fresh talent into the industry, supporting equality, diversity, and inclusion (ED&I) is key to addressing the skills gap challenges.” Organisations such as Buro Happold – which has worked on notable projects such as the Museum of the Future – have demonstrated success by improving the ratio of male to female staff. The sustainability consultant at Buro Happold, Pooja Ganatra, says: “I am fortunate to have been surrounded by professionals and team members who value each of us equally, and I hope this continues everywhere else. My cohort at university within building services had a ratio of 80:20 – 80 of the ratio being females! There is a constant push to recognise engineers in our sector without tokenising them as “female” or “male engineers”. This is refl ected within the core values at Buro Happold. “We invest time in having monthly, open, honest conversations that bring forth fair treatment, access, and opportunity. We also strive to identify and eliminate barriers that have prevented the full participation of some groups.” Unfortunately, such supportive, equitable, and nurturing environments aren’t the norm in the industry – although they ought to be. The project electrical engineer at grfn global, Hind Meskaoui, explains: “In some cultures and companies, ideas and creative approaches that are highlighted by a woman can sometimes be underestimated or overlooked, while the same idea highlighted by a male, may be more appreciated and taken into consideration.” Meskaoui adds: “To overcome these issues, societies need to be educated more on equality. They need to highlight the abilities, professionalism, and achievements of women in the industry. Companies should allocate an equal number of opportunities for women and men to provide them with the means to prove themselves.” Multidisciplinary consultancy Cundall has also spurred the industry forward in terms of diversity and inclusion. The fi rm has three employee-led networks that everyone from its global offi ces has access to. The networks aim to engage with both the employees and senior management to drive meaningful change in the offi ce environment. A senior engineer at Cundall, Nada Issa, says: “Diversity and inclusion is not only limited to tackling unconscious bias and encouraging more women into the industry. It is about creating a sense of belonging by connecting and engaging with everyone as equal partners without negating our unique social identities.” Part of engaging with peers as equal partners is to ensure equity in salaries and growth opportunities within an organisation. Meskaoui says: “One of the main widespread issues is the discrimination when it comes to promotions. Unfortunately, women are less likely to negotiate for higher salaries or ask for promotions. AESG’s Ghina Yamak adds: “However, seeing some leadership teams incorporate equal opportunity principles in relation to promotions, compensations, opportunities, and a fair hiring process is encouraging.” “We need to recognise engineers without tokenising them as ‘male’ or ‘female’.”March 2022 | MEP Middle East 13 www.mepmiddleeast.com COVER STORY Firms such as James L Williams (JLW) Middle East have turned words into action by attracting multiple senior- and mid-level female staff into the business by offering women equality in job opportunities and equity in payments. The HSE welfare coordinator at JLW Middle East, Sameera McGeever, says: “Job roles that were previously highlighted for males no longer mention gender in the job descriptions. JLW has implemented numerous policies to ensure equality, including equal pay, to prevent the well- known stigma of gender-based pay gaps.” McGeever adds: “Another challenge facing young engineers is the current perception of the MEP industry being an exclusively male- dominated workplace. These perceptions are due to outdated stereotypes and the unconscious gender bias that are still present, which may deter some from pursuing a career in the fi eld. Within JLW we have committed to changing our internal dynamics, policies, and company culture to ensure equality and equity are present within our company and this will hopefully refl ect further within the MEP industry to allow for young engineers of all backgrounds, regardless of gender, to build a career and thrive in the workplace.” Contributing to the industry’s drive towards diversity and inclusion, WME Global’s electrical team comprises engineers from across four countries, with 30% female representation on the team. The intermediate electrical engineer on this WME Global team, Wijesinghe, says: “Within these diverse teams, the team leader has been instilled with the responsibility to ensure that every individual feels empowered, recognised, and valued. Through their actions, the same values and ideas are instilled within the wider team thereby creating a positive domino effect across the workplace.” Testimonies of employees at Voltas Limited have also showcased how the MEP contractor has consistently motivated employees by offering a score of opportunities for personal growth, mentorship, and equal opportunities. An electrical engineer at Voltas Limited, Sucheta Sucharita, says: “I consider myself fortunate to have been trained by industry veterans – such as AR Suresh Kumar, the vice president and head of Voltas IOBG – who have amassed expertise over multiple decades. “This is extremely essential because the fi rst challenge I felt was the chasm between what is being taught in colleges and what is practiced in reality in this industry. Guidance at an early stage of our career could be vital to what we achieve in our later years.” With rising awareness, strong corporate policies, and with women choosing to stand up for themselves and supporting each other, a gradual – and noticeable change – has begun. The senior sustainability consultant at Ramboll, Ayesha Nabeela, says: “I like to believe, if you add value to an organisation, then you will continue to be important to them and will thrive irrespective of your gender, caste, religion, or appearance. So why should a young engineer who is joining the industry feel the burden of her gender?” Driving the message home, Buro Happold’s Ganatra says: “We have a long way to go before achieving gender balance. Women are not a minority; they are half our population. If our industry is to thrive, it can only do so with equal opportunity.” ITP Media Group and UN Women are proud to work together to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment in the Arab States. “Women are not a minority; they are half our population. Our industr y can only thrive with equal opportunity.”14 MEP Middle East | March 2022 www.mepmiddleeast.com COVER STORY Aisha Thameema works as the senior HSE Engineer at AG Engineering, which is a part of the diversifi ed group Al Ghurair Investment, operating in the UAE sector. With more than eight years of expertise in the fi eld of occupational health, safety, and environment (OHSE) across several industries, including shipping, training and consultancy, facilities management, At the age of 19, Reem AlMusabbeh was the fi rst and youngest Emirati co-founder of an IT software company in the UAE. Currently working as a project manager - Energy Management at Al-Futtaim Engineering and Technologies, AlMusabbeh has had a long sparked interest in entrepreneurship even while she was completing her higher education in Chemical Engineering with a minor in entrepreneurship. She started Retech Solutions, a leading technology company from the UAE, which provides digital transformation for companies and SMEs while following the latest trends in the technology world. AlMusabbeh is also a board member with the Dubai Youth and Global Council on SDGs, and has been selected as an ambassador for the Al Maktoum College, Scotland. She has previously been featured by the Entrepreneur Middle East magazine, MIT innovation Arabia 13, global student entrepreneurs award EOGSEA, Masdar Future Sustainability Leaders, and the and construction, Thameema has handled numerous time-bound and challenging assignments with a diversifi ed workforce and complex working environments. “The path towards HSE was paved by my father who has been working as a senior HSE Manager in the oil and gas sector for more than 30 years. Attaining a Bachelor of Science honours degree in Health, Safety, and Hazard Management, along with an International Diploma in NEBOSH, IDipNEBOSH, has given me comprehensive insight into different management styles in the fi eld of OHSE,” Thameema said. Currently, her role entails spearheading and overseeing the company’s health and safety programmes, managing OHSE operations and processes from a corporate point of view, ensuring effi cient working of the organisation’s OHSE management system, and more. Thameema added: “My journey in the fi eld of health and safety has been challenging, considering the arduous and demanding nature of work on-site and in Aisha Thameema Senior HSE Engineer, AG Engineering Reem AlMusabbeh Project Manager - Energy Management, AFET “Despite the never-ending trials that arise for women in this industr y, it has been rewarding to be able to make a difference.” AISHA THAMEEMA offi ces. However, despite the never-ending trials that arise for women in this industry, it has been rewarding to be able to make a signifi cant difference with the potential to save lives.” AG ENGINEERING REEM ALMUSABBEH AL-FUTTAIM ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGIES “One of the challenges faced as a recent engineering graduate is how to blend in to the new work environment.” Dubai Chamber. Her start-up was presented at the AIBIC Global Summit, Arab Excellence, and TechStars. AlMusabbeh is also one of the fi rst female entrepreneurs in the UAE to have been selected for the “BeChangeMaker” movement, which aims to solve global challenges through social entrepreneurship skills. Sharing her thoughts with MEP Middle East, AlMusabbeh said: “One of the challenges faced as a recent engineering graduate is how to blend in to the new work environment, with new responsibilities in a diversifi ed workforce. In this regard, the human resources team of Al-Futtaim Engineering and Technologies are great mentors and give importance to diversity management and leadership in order to create and empower an organisational culture that fosters learning and growth.”March 2022 | MEP Middle East 15 www.mepmiddleeast.com COVER STORY Sameera McGeever is employed by James L Williams (JLW) as the HSE welfare coordinator. McGeever has worked with JLW for six years, allowing the fi rm to benefi t greatly from her experience in dealing with welfare and HSE management. McGeever’s role incorporates the responsibilities for planning, implementing, and managing all aspects of worker welfare practices, accommodation standards, and administration of JLW HSE and Welfare Management Systems. She coordinates closely with the relevant offi ce, accommodation, and project teams to ensure that HSE and welfare best practices are implemented. One of her strengths is the ability to communicate effectively with JLW employees, advising them of the welfare requirements and the rights of workers to address any potential welfare concerns in order to convey this to senior management for swift resolution. She is also qualifi ed in the Chartered Institute of Personal Development (CIPD) UAE Labour Law, which has given her a thorough understanding of the UAE legislative requirements protecting the Welfare rights of Workers. Recognising the importance of mental health and well-being of employees as vital in safeguarding a healthy workplace, McGeever has completed the Lighthouse Arabia Mental Health First Aid course. Sameera McGeever HSE Welfare Coordinator, JLW Middle East Sucheta Sucharita, Electrical Engineer, Central Estimation Team, Voltas Limited “The MEP industr y needs to destigmatise mental health in the workplace and actively create cultures to prioritise it.” SAMEERA MCGEEVER She said: “In 2022, the MEP and construction industry needs to destigmatise mental health in the workplace and actively create cultures where employee mental health is recognised and given a priority.” JAMES L WILLIAMS (JLW) MIDDLE EAST Sucheta Sucharita is an electrical engineer who has been working in the Central Estimation Team at Voltas Limited for the past four and a half years. During this period, Sucharita has worked on a number of projects across residential, hospitality, commercial, and industrial projects, covering the UAE, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, KSA, and Singapore. Sucharita has attained certifi cations in Preliminary Industrial Automation and Totally Integrated Automation. She has enjoyed learning about automation as it entails operation of hydraulics, pneumatics, and control of process systems though PLC, DCS, SCADA via a human-machine interface. As an estimator, her roles and responsibilities on projects include evaluation of project scope from given tender drawings and bill of quantities, and to analyse the time required for estimating the cost of the project. She is also responsible for verifying designs by performing load calculations, voltage drop calculations, illumination calculations, reactive power SUCHETA SUCHARITA VOLTAS LIMITED “I feel that there is a chasm between what is being taught in colleges and what is practiced in reality in this industr y.” calculations, emergency generator sizing, and battery ampere-hour calculations, as well as verifying compliance according to international codes and standards. She is also adept at design and estimation of power distribution requirements for power plants and substations. She handles the estimation of electrical equipment and devices required in the project as per client briefs, and is also responsible for actualising critical thinking to provide an alternative to existing designs, and proposing value engineering. Sucharita said: “I feel is that there is a chasm between what is being taught in colleges and what is practiced in reality in this industry. I believe that companies could collaborate with educational institutions to provide students with the know-how of what is truly necessary in the sector and prepare them to be industry-ready graduates.”16 MEP Middle East | March 2022 www.mepmiddleeast.com COVER STORY Ghina Yamak is a façade consultant at AESG, based at the fi rm’s Riyadh offi ce. She has been involved in façade and façade access jobs for prestigious projects in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and London. She has handled the management and façade design process of a business complex at Masdar City in Abu Dhabi, targeting net-zero for its main headquarters building. Komal Puri is an electrical design engineer working in the Middle East at Atkins, which is a member of the SNC-Lavalin Group. She has more than seven years of experience in designing electrical systems for the built environment. As part of her role, she has supported a number of fl agship projects across the region, including residential, commercial, hospitality, rail, and defence projects. Puri believes in the importance of optimisation, sustainability, and specifying realistic design input to avoid oversizing of systems, before monitoring the performance of buildings to derive benchmark design inputs and optimally size systems. She states that the use of digital design tools play a key role in optimising and standardising systems. Being involved with projects mostly in the detailed design stages, Puri adopts a coordinated and well-processed design model that optimises the use of energy and simplifi es the execution phase, and usage by Currently, Yamak oversees the management and façade design of a mixed- use project adapting the Najdi architectural style, with history and heritage assets at its core, challenging the modern compliance requirements with respect to the traditional Najdi aspirations. The project is considered as a world-class destination project within Riyadh, aspiring for LEED Cities and Communities Gold and Mostadam Communities rating accreditations. While focusing on a multi-disciplinary design approach, she works closely with clients in generating new possibilities for service implementation and design, and expedites the advising measures. Yamak said: “The industry is going to be challenged to take a step forward in the implementation of the advanced technologies in its core values and practices, by means of orienting their assets to investigate, research and test the effi ciency of the latest inventions, primarily in terms of practicality and profi tability. We can describe this approach as a Technological “The industr y is going to be challenged to take a step for ward in the implementation of advanced tech in its core values and practices.” GHINA YAMAK Metamorphosis, a mutational process of the industry’s DNA to mature towards hi- tech trends while conserving its essence of identity and the accumulated knowledge and expertise across sectors.” AESG KOMAL PURI ATKINS, MEMBER OF THE SNC-LAVALIN GROUP Upskilling the workforce includes developing “the ability to think and work beyond traditional disciplinar y boundaries.” the end customer. Some of Komal’s career achievements include receiving client recognition for lighting simulation design for the Paddington Station, UK, which was developed using ReLUX software. She performed energy modelling calculations for the power distribution for stations, hotels, and external road lighting, using Amtech ProDesign software. Commenting on the need for the industry to address the skills gap and staff shortage, Puri said: “Ensuring that we have enough people with the right skill set and experience is about training and enabling the next generation of engineers. “We also need to upskill and reskill the workforce for the current and future workplace - this includes digital skills and the ability to think and work beyond traditional disciplinary boundaries.” Ghina Yamak Façade Consultant, AESG Komal Puri Electrical Design Engineer, AtkinsMarch 2022 | MEP Middle East 17 www.mepmiddleeast.com COVER STORY Ann Elezabeth Johny is a mechanical engineer at Zutari (formerly known as Aurecon), and has more than fi ve years of experience in the mechanical engineering design of residential, retail, cultural, and mixed-use developments in the Middle East region. She has been actively involved in Zest, a company-wide initiative supporting a culture where emerging professionals are empowered to ask questions, make recommendations, and challenge current practices for continuous improvement. The role of her scope on recent projects has included mechanical strategy design and detailing, including load estimation and equipment selection in accordance with relevant local and international codes as well as various sustainability codes such as Estidama and LEED. She is also responsible for the assessment for base build systems for refurbishment and/or redevelopment works. She is adept at architectural space planning and interior design co-ordination, as well as cross disciplinary co-ordination with electrical, public health services, structural design, and fi re and life safety systems. Her role has also involved embedding digital delivery tools at various design stages. Sharing a message to the industry, Johny said: “Young engineers, at some point in their career, would have faced the dreaded “imposter syndrome”. As a young engineer, you are not expected to know all the answers, “Young engineers are not expected to know all the answers, but are expected to be curious enough to understand the problem.” ANN ELEZABETH JOHNY but you are expected to voice questions and be curious enough to understand the problem and then the solution. Use such situations to your advantage, and consider them as teachable moments.” ZUTARI Ruthzen Soriano, who works as an electrical engineer at Black & White Engineering, has a Bachelor’s Degree in electrical engineering, with an eight-year steady career in multinational design and consultancy. She is responsible for the electrical services design of residential, commercial, and data centre projects. Her role also includes leading teams to continuously provide the most suitable engineering solutions. Commenting on diversity and inclusion within the workplace, Soriano said: “This is evident in the type of training, respect, and expectations that I have experienced. Recently, I have been given the chance to work in our Dubai branch. It was the fi rst time the company carried out this programme, and they chose a woman. Let us say that I may have been one of the lucky ones, but that just proves that this kind of environment exists.” Sharing her thoughts on employee well-being, Soriano said: “It is time to RUTHZEN SORIANO BLACK & WHITE ENGINEERING “It is essential that companies and leaders recognise the mental health of their employees and act for their overall wellness.” give attention to the mental health of the employee. “There are greater pressures and competitiveness, which are pushing projects to shorter deadlines, while projects are getting more complex. Taking all this into consideration along with an ongoing battle with pandemic could leave an impact on one’s mental health. Soriano added: “If employees get infected by the virus and have to think about work when they really can’t do anything, it can add to exhaustion. It is essential that companies and leaders recognise the mental health of their employees and act for their overall wellness. “The new generation of engineers are growing increasingly aware of this now, and this awareness will make the drive towards positive change stronger and louder.” Ann Elezabeth Johny Mechanical Engineer, Zutari Ruthzen Soriano Electrical Engineer, Black & White Engineering18 MEP Middle East | March 2022 www.mepmiddleeast.com COVER STORY Czarina Copiaco is an electrical engineer working in the MEP building services design team of Buro Happold at the fi rm’s Dubai offi ce. Some of her key responsibilities include performing electrical calculations as per local and international standards, and preparing reports and schedules while coordinating with various stakeholders. With a vision to further correlate Nada Issa, a senior engineer at Cundall, has worked on projects across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East during the last eight years. These include iconic projects such as the Battersea Power Station Phase 2 in the UK and the La Defi nition development at Nigeria. Issa has also worked on a number of data centre projects across Europe. She was part of the Future Leaders programme by the UK Green Building Council in 2019, and was selected as one of the Top 50 women in engineering in the UK under 35 in 2017 by the Women’s Engineering Society (WES). Most recently, she has been working as the lead mechanical engineer on projects throughout the design stages. She also assists on the construction stage for one of the region’s most important infrastructure projects, in addition to designing a number of commercial offi ces in the UAE. Sharing a message for other young engineers looking to enter the MEP industry, Issa said: “The industry is quite sustainable measures in engineering, she is also currently pursuing a part-time MSc Energy degree. She is an active contributors to electrical computational engineering in her fi rm and is always keen to improve conventional workfl ow effi ciencies through innovative solutions. Copiaco holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering with First Class Honours from the University of Wollongong in Dubai where she received the ‘Top Graduate’ award. Despite being at an early stage of her career, Copiaco’s efforts have already been recognised by CIBSE UAE, which named her as the ‘Graduate of the Year 2021’ Winner. She is now working towards a CEng professional registration. Commenting on the improvement of diversity and inclusion in the sector, Copiaco said: “Over the past year, I have witnessed increasing global efforts in ensuring that not only is everyone educated on the matter but is also aware of its signifi cance and their individual roles towards achieving complete “The appointment and recognition of diversity and inclusion champions refl ects on people-focused engineering design.” CZARINA COPIACO equality. The appointment and recognition of diversity and inclusion champions further strengthens discussions and social media awareness on the topic, which refl ects on more people-focused engineering design.” BURO HAPPOLD NADA ISSA CUNDALL “Climate change is the biggest threat to human existence. We’ve started driving sustainability through our practices.” fact-based, and can be quite tough and technically challenging at the beginning. I would advise all early career engineers to give themselves a chance to learn. Don’t expect that you’ll know everything from day one. Utilise the knowledge and experience of colleagues around you. Commenting on the climate crisis, she added: “Climate change is currently the biggest threat to human existence. As an industry, we’ve started to focus on sustainability and how to drive this through our practices. “I think the principals of a circular economy are central to driving the economy in a sustainable manner. Adopting a circular economy in construction will lead to better project resource planning and consumption, reduced waste, as well as retention of existing value.” Czarina Copiaco Electrical Engineer, Buro Happold Nada Issa Senior Engineer, CundallMarch 2022 | MEP Middle East 19 www.mepmiddleeast.com COVER STORY Hind Meskaoui is a project electrical engineer at grfn global. She has been active in the fi eld of engineering for the past six years. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Engineering in 2016 from the Lebanese American University. She has also achieved course completion certifi cates in BIM MEP, PMP, and agile project management. Meskaoui started her career as an electrical engineer in Doha, Qatar. Over her two-year engagement, she had an essential role in the completion of the Khalifa International Stadium, the fi rst outdoor-cooled stadium in the world for the FIFA 2022 World Cup. It was also the fi rst LED-lit sports stadium in Qatar – a project that Hind contributed to as part of the electrical and lighting installation and T&C team. The next stage of her career was in design and consultancy. For two years, she was involved in the electrical and low current design of major residential, commercial, and prisons projects in the MENA region. Meskaoui joined grfn global in 2021, and has been engaged in the Aldar Properties Energy Retrofi t Management project and the Nakheel Energy Retrofi t Management project. She has been an integral part of both projects assessing the sites, reviewing the ESCO works, and evaluating the energy conservation measures and installations. Voicing her thoughts on diversity and inclusion, Meskaoui said: “To overcome these issues, societies need to be educated “Societies need to be educated more on equality, and need to highlight the abilities, professionalism, and achievements of women.” HIND MESKAOUI more on equality, and need to highlight the abilities, professionalism, and achievements of women in the industry. Also, companies should allocate equal opportunities for women and men to prove themselves.” GRFN GLOBAL With more than three and half years of experience in the professional services consulting sphere, Pooja Ganatra has recently joined Buro Happold as a sustainability consultant. Previously, Ganatra worked as an acoustic consultant for WSP in the Middle East. She is now extending her passion for innovating spaces to promote the health and well-being of building occupants and end-users. She received her BEng (Honours) with a fi rst class in Architectural Engineering (Building Services Engineering) from Heriot-Watt University in 2020, and completed her post-graduate diploma in Noise and Vibration Control from the Institute of Acoustics in 2021. This educational background has given her a holistic understanding of MEP systems, sustainability, and acoustics. Ganatra is also a member of the WELL Advisory for the Sound Concept, where she is working alongside experts and leaders from around the world to identify POOJA GANATRA BURO HAPPOLD “I am excited about engineering that relies on the art and science of designing built environments with socially conscious systems.” strategies to help shape the future of WELL. Considering herself as an ‘engineer of the future’, Ganatra is passionate about technological advancements and providing mentorship to current students and interns. “Technology plays an infl uential role in our lives and is critical to well-being. Well- being is one of our strongest values; a value that subsumes many others. Therefore, developing approaches to design for well- being should be a fundamental goal in design,” Ganatra said. “Integrating MEP, sustainability, and acoustics, I am excited about engineering that relies on the art and science of designing built environments with socially conscious systems and materials to promote the balance between physical, emotional, and cognitive well-being, regenerating the natural environment.” Hind Meskaoui Project Electrical Engineer, grfn global Pooja Ganatra Sustainability Consultant, Buro HappoldNext >