On a visit to Madrid, delegates learned about smart technologies in the construction industry and the city’s rich cultural heritage.
Civil engineering graduates and students from Hong Kong learned about sustainable transport infrastructure and smart technologies during a visit to Madrid, Spain.
The visit allowed professionals, engineers and students from Hong Kong and Spain to exchange knowledge and insights.
The delegation, made up of members of the ICE Hong Kong Association Graduates and Students Division (HKA G&S), visited in July.
Exploring the diversity of civil engineering firms and projects in Spain
Delegates met with representatives from various civil engineering firms, including AECOM and Mott Mac Donald, which have established branches in Hong Kong.
These visits provided insights about the different ways that projects are delivered in the two regions.
In Spain, project delivery often follows traditional methods like design-bid-build, emphasising stakeholder engagement and longer timelines.
In contrast, Hong Kong favours integrated approaches such as design-build, allowing for quicker completion due to a streamlined regulatory framework.
Integrating sustainable practices
The delegates learned about the application of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) frameworks in transportation projects from Virginia Vidal Lescuver, transportation director of AECOM Spain and her team.
They discussed specific initiatives, such as the integration of sustainable practices in urban transit systems and the use of digital technology for improving traffic management.
They also explored Mott Macdonald’s international civil engineering projects related to dams, environmental impact assessments, energy, and traffic from Alberto Horno Garcia, senior commercial manager of Mott MacDonald Spain.
He highlighted standout projects like the Ohio River Tunnel in the USA, Ellesmere Port Fulcrum NorthPoint in the UK, and the water industry national environment programme (WINEP) and Better Rivers programme in England.
This deeper insight provided valuable context for understanding how these firms address contemporary challenges in civil engineering.
Improving mobility in the city
The delegates also visited local firms such as Buchanan Consultores and Madrid Nuevo Norte, delving into traffic planning, urban redevelopment, and sustainable growth initiatives.
Buchanan Consultores is a company that specialises in strategic mobility planning and sustainable urban planning, such as:
- the Euskadi Sustainable Mobility Plan; and
- the Revision of the Guadalajara Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan.
Enrique Huertas Garcia, ICE regional representative in Spain and CEO of Buchanan Consultores, demonstrated traffic planning software that considers pedestrian behaviours, useful for crowd management in particular places.
Madrid Nuevo Norte
Madrid Nuevo Norte is a major urban redevelopment project in Madrid, focusing on sustainable urban growth and economic development, while improving infrastructure and connectivity.
Aaron Maya, head of strategy and technical corporate development of Madrid Nuevo Norte, and his team, talked about the project’s aim to transform the northern area of the city with new residential, commercial, and green spaces.
Different practices
The delegates also learned about companies in Spain that work in areas not commonly found in Hong Kong, such as Técnicas Reunidas, who specialise in oil, gas, and infrastructure projects.
Jesús Bécares, organisation and development director, introduced the career path and development for engineers in the company.
Furthermore, other team members shared their perspectives on the world’s energy consumption, from the past to the future, and discussed the importance of uncovering new energy sources for maintaining sustainable development.
Exploring digital technology
Delegates had the opportunity to explore Zacua Ventures, a venture capital form that invests in early-stage construction technologies.
The company’s co-founder, Juan Nieto, shared how AI tools, platforms, and digital infrastructure support technological advancement in the industry.
The beauty of the built environment
The delegates immersed themselves in Spain’s vibrant cultural tapestry.
They explored iconic landmarks such as the Royal Palace of Madrid, which was once the official residence of the Spanish royal family and its now reserved solely for state ceremonies.
They also visited the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, renowned for its vast seating capacity of 80,000.
It’s the second-largest football stadium in Spain and the longstanding home ground of Real Madrid football club since its establishment in 1947.
They ventured to the Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas, the third-largest bullring globally in terms of seating capacity, following those in Mexico and Valencia.
They also visited landmarks such as Matadero Madrid, Puerta del Sol, and the Temple of Debod.
Transforming the city for sustainable, multimodal, connected, and integrated mobility
To meet the growing demands for transportation services in Madrid, numerous large-scale infrastructure projects have been undertaken in recent years.
Delegates had the chance to visit the Madrid Metro expansion project at Begoña Metro Station, guided by Juan Tébar Molinero, director of railway operations for the project.
This project aims to facilitate trips within the city and enhance accessibility and inclusion by increasing the amount of stations accommodating disabled people.
They also visited Madrid Calle 30, a major road designed to improve traffic flow, enhance the city’s greenery, and connect various districts through tunnels and traffic improvements.
Sonia Suárez Moreno, director of production, gave a tour of the tunnels, explaining how they operate and how they are ventilated.
Then, the delegates visited the Chamartín-Clara Campoamor Station, managed by Administrador de Infraestructuras Ferroviarias (Adif).
The station is currently undergoing expansion to increase rail capacity, improve passenger facilities, and integrate high-speed train services in order to support urban growth.
Álvaro Andrés Alguacil, international projects area manager, and María Luisa Domínguez González, former president & CEO of Adif, presented the station's future development plan.
They then led a site visit to observe the ongoing renovation and expansion of the train station.
Visiting the largest body of civil engineering professionals in Spain
Delegates visited the headquarters of the Colegio de Ingenieros de Caminos, Canales y Puertos (CICCP), Spain's largest body of civil engineering professionals and academics.
They gained insights into smart construction practices and civil engineering career opportunities in Spain.
Esther Ahijado Fernández, international director of CICCP and Juan José Martínez López, secretary general of Asociación Caminos, also introduced the history of CICCP to the delegates.
Adrian Lo and Tommy Shum, the former and current vice chairs of ICE HKA G&S (respectively), introduced the background of ICE HKA G&S and the continuing professional development (CPD) system in Hong Kong.
They also explained the career paths of Hong Kong engineers and the projects they are currently working on, fostering a valuable networking session.
Two student prize winners, Rain Lung and Bryan Mak from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), received financial sponsorship to attend the trip.
For more highlights from the visit, read the delegates' study report from the link below:
