This section contains Web Versions of Civil Engineering Seminars & Evening Meetings.  Each includes presentation slides with associated audio, and other information relevant to the event such as papers.  This innovation is designed to help busy professionals gain CPD from the comfort of their own desk, as well as to serve as a reference tool.  The format is designed to run over relatively slow internet connections in order to make it as widely available as possible.  Many home users, mobile users, and users in developing countries do not have access to fast connections.  For this reason the audio is heavily compressed, and will sound distorted.  It is however understandable, and headphones help.

I developed this prototype facility between 2000 and 2002 in order to promote the use of virtual seminar technologies to professional institutions, such as the Institution of Civil Engineers that is based in the UK. My vision being for these learned societies to adopt such a medium for making available worldwide, the hundreds of meetings and seminars they organised every year.  If you wish to support this initiative, send a supporting E-mail to john@kinns.org.uk that I can use to lobby the relevant people.

Each event, listed below the box insert, will open in its own browser window.  Simply close the window to return to this page.

Unless stated otherwise, the audio content used in the virtual events listed below, is in Real Media format.  If your computer cannot play the audio clips, I recommend that you visit www.real.com and install the latest version of the 'RealPlayer' (there is a free version - ~12.4MB download). Most of the virtual events include documents for you to download.  These are contained as ZIP files, and are indicated by the WinZip(R) symbol - You will need software such as WinZip to view Standard ZIP files. Self Extracting Zip files are.........well, self extracting! If you are using a company computer, you must adhere to governing policy & authorisation procedures regarding the installation and use of software, and of the internet.  I take no responsibility for any consequences relating to your installing and using this software.

• June 2000 - Institution of Highways & Transportation One Day Seminar 'Maintaining the Asset - More from Less' - The economy of the Country relies on having an efficient highway network which is well maintained and safe for the user.  The conference explores the need to find and implement practical and cost effective solutions to the problems emerging in the maintenance and management of our assets.  The following presentations are available:

  Revising the Highway Code of Good Practice Mike Bordiss, Northamptonshire County Council Route Management Strategies - A Highways Agency Initiative David Avery, Highways Agency Spacially Encoded Video to Assist Highway Maintenance David Kamnitzer, Carl Bro IBI Is PFI the solution for Portsmouth's Crumbling Roard? Jim Comport, Portsmouth City Council Delivering the Maintenance Service - 1975 to 2020 Brian Goodwin, Essex County Council

• June 2001 - Institution of Highways & Transportation One Day Seminar 'Meeting the Challenges: Getting it Done - Keeping it Going' - Managing the ever-growing challenges and demands, which we face within our industry.  The seminar addresses a number of key areas, which include developments in Codes of Practice and Standards, new methods of procurement and new demands in levels of service.  The following presentations were made:

  Excellence in the Environment of Transport Alan Craig, IHT President Towards Good Practice in Highway Maintenance Mike Kendrick, Partnership Project Manager The Future of National Road Condition Monitoring Ed Lawrence, Babtie Group Opportunities from Environmental Management Sally Vivian, URS Dames & Moore Supply Chain Management Peter Forsyth, Carrillion Highway Maintenance Best Value - Outcomes not Inputs Ian Drummond, The Audit Commission Current Development in Contract Procurement Steve Rowsell, Highways Agency The Jolly Green Giant Peter Andrews, Jackson Civil Engineering

• September 2001 - Institution of Civil Engineers Evening Meeting 'The Institution of Civil Engineers's Professional Review' - A guide to preparing for the review.  Includes presentation slides & full audio (not fantastic sound quality I'm afraid, but adequate.  Turn the bass down and use headphones to improve the quality).
  Note: A trial Windows Media version (you don't need to install 'RealOne' Media Player) of this presentation is available here.  It is rather slow over a 56k modem connection though.
   
• March 2002 - Institution of Highways & Transportation Evening Meeting 'The Institution of Highways & Transportation's Professional Review' - A guide to preparing for the review.
   
• May 2002 - Institution of Civil Engineers (Chilterns) One Day Seminar 'Delivering & Maintaining a Sustainable Infrastructure' - The Construction Industry is a major user of materials and energy, and commands a great influence over the way in which the built environment operates.  It must therefore acknowledge and meet a significant societal responsibility, to ensure that projects and infrastructure networks are designed, delivered, operated and maintained in sustainable ways.  The Seminar explored several existing & developing sustainability solutions within the construction industry.  The presentations listed below were delivered on the day:

  Engineers and Sustainable Development.  How Serious are Engineers about this Challenge? - A Global Perspective Prof. Roger Duffell - Lecturer in Sustainability, University College London Transport Planning and Implementation David Humby - Head of Transport Planning & Policy at Hertfordshire CC Home Zones – The New Residential Areas Keith Hopper - Mouchel "Society, Sustainability and Civil Engineering", A Strategy and Action Plan 2002-3 (ICE, ACE, CECA, CPA, CIRIA) Andrew Crudgington - ICE’s Environment & Sustainability Board Integrated Sustainable Supply Chains Dr Kirstie McIntyre - URS Corporation Sustainable Road Construction and Maintenance Dr Tony Parry - TRL Sustainability Performance Indicators for Construction No sound available Chris Harris - CIRIA

• March 2007 - Bedford Civil Engineering Society Evening Meeting 'Road Restraint Systems TD 19/06' - Details of the new TD 19/06 being introduced by the Highways Agency.