Curtin Sarawak engineering students go on site visits in Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya

Miri – 7 May 2013 – The Department of Civil and Construction Engineering of Curtin University, Sarawak Malaysia (Curtin Sarawak) recently organised visits to sites of engineering significance in Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya for its students.

38 Civil and Construction Engineering students in their second, third and fourth years of study at Curtin Sarawak flew to Kuala Lumpur from Miri, where the Curtin Sarawak campus is located, for the site visits from 21 to 23 April 2013.

They were accompanied by Dr. Tang Fu Ee, head of the Department of Civil and Construction Engineering; senior lecturers Dr. Charles Kwet Shin Loo Chin Moy and Dr. Muhammad Ekhlasur Rahman; and tutor Sharon Yee, who is a PhD student in the department.

On 22 April, the students visited the Hedgeford 10 Residences, a multi-storey residential and commercial development at Wangsa Maju, Kuala Lumpur, to learn about its structural design and construction, as well as structural features from columns and beams to slab joints. They also observed the use of pre-cast concrete slabs, which are a rarity in Sarawak, and learned about the fabricating of the slabs and how they are maneuvered by tower crane on the site.

The students also visited the Bunus Sewage Treatment Plant operated by Indah Water Konsortium in Setapak. In addition to witnessing the large, centralised wasterwater treatment plant which caters to a population of roughly 370,000 in action, the students learned about the importance of wastewater treatment and ensuring water quality.

At Putrajaya on 23 April 2013, the students visited the Putrajaya Lakes and Wetlands and the Putrajaya Dam, where they were given a briefing by staff of Perbadanan Putrajaya on the design and maintenance of the wetlands, lakes and dam.

They viewed the impressive dam embankment and learned about the environmental diversity of the area, how the wetlands help improve water quality, and maintenance carried out to ensure the structural integrity and smooth operation of the dam.

According to Dr. Tang, as environmental awareness is embedded in Curtin’s Civil and Construction Engineering course, it was opportune for the students to visit the Energy Commission Diamond Building in Putrajaya, which is the only building in Malaysia with the environmental Platinum label for Green Mark from Singapore, as well as the Platinum label for Green Building Index (GBI) rating from Malaysia.

At the ultra-modern building, the students were introduced to its various energy and water saving features, as well as design innovations used in the construction of the building.

Overall, the students found the visits to be real eye-openers and having enriched their experience as student engineers.

Raymond Chow Han Seng, a third-year student, remarked, “The visits were very interesting and educational. We were able to see theories we’ve learnt being practiced at the various sites.”

He added that the Bunus Sewage Treatment Plant was particularly beneficial as observing its operations gave them interesting insights into their studies in wastewater treatment and environmental engineering.

Meanwhile, Amin Ahmadi, a fourth-year international student from Iran, related that houses in his country are constructed mostly from steel and being able to see how concrete dwellings in Malaysia are built was quite an eye-opener for him.

The Department of Civil and Construction Engineering regularly organises site visits for its students so that they can witness the practical and real-life applications of the theories and principles learned in their programme.

The Bachelor of Engineering (Civil and Construction Engineering) programme at Curtin Sarawak is a four-year honours programme fully accredited by the Board of Engineers Malaysia (BEM) and Engineers Australia (EAust), the governing professional engineering bodies of Malaysia and Australia.

The course has produced over 80 graduates since its inception and its graduates are highly sought after by engineering consultancies and companies in Malaysia and abroad.

Briefing by Ir. Lee Chun Boon at Hedgeford 10 Residences.

Posing for a group photo at Bunus.

Observing plant operations at Bunus.

Students and lecturers at the Putrajaya Dam.

At the Perbadanan Putrajaya office.

Posing for a group photo at the Energy Commission Diamond Building in Putrajaya.