The Provision of Services within the Urban Area - Research Paper Example

Name: Course: Tutor: Date: LOWER SOUTH BRISBANE FIVE WAYS STUDY AREA INVESTIGATION: SERVICES Lead Engineer:………………………….. Check Engineer:…………………………………… Contents Executive Summary 3 Introduction 3 Study Background 4 AIM 5 OBJECTIVE 5 SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS 6 SERVICES INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTIGATION 6 SERVICES IN THE URBAN CONTEXT 6 SERVICES INFORMATION FROM PLANS 7 REVIEW OF INVENTORY OF SERVICES 7 PRACTICAL ISSUES FOR SERVICES LOCATION 8 GOVERNANCE AND VALUES CONSIDERATION 9 ENGINEERING SYSTEMS INTERRELATIONSHIPS 9 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 10 REFERENCES 11 Executive Summary The provision of services within the urban area is quite a challenge. This is due to the number of structures that are to be put in place. The challenge is much amplified by the number of people who use these services. The challenges however act as the motivation in ensuring that these structures are well laid down in a planned manner which maximizes the use of the small available space. In this light, the City Council of Brisbane in the year 2014 came up with set guidelines on how to carry out constructions within its jurisdiction. The master plans, since its inception has streamlined construction practices in and around the lower South Brisbane area. Introduction The contribution of Service Engineers in the construction and completion of any structure cannot be overlooked. The engineering aspect is so vital that for a building or any form of civil structure to be considered complete, these structures have to be in place. The case of Lower South Brisbane is particularly important considering the location of this area within the map of Brisbane. It serves as a business centre as well as a cultural centre. The area within the study zone is occupied by streets, the vulture street and the Goodwill Bridge. The Brisbane River also lies just within this area. This would therefore mean that the Lower South Brisbane study area has a sizeable number of creatures occupying the ecological zone along the river. Care should thus be taken to ensure any construction to be carried out poses minimal interference with the surrounding eco-system. This paper seeks to investigate the available service structures, their shortcomings and tries to offer solutions on how they could be made better. Study Background Services Engineering is one of the most important disciplines of Civil Engineering. The disciplines of Civil Engineering are interdependent and complementary since none can exist autonomously. Service engineer’s work starts right from the beginning of the construction of a structure be it road, building, bridge or railway. This is because the installation of service structures is very much dependent on the nature of the foundation and development of the structure. Most of the structures mentioned above need additional installations like; heating and ventilation systems, hot and cold water systems, lighting systems, electrical cabling and telecommunication systems. The lower South Brisbane Five ways area has several structures which include buildings, some of which host offices and residential areas, road network and a bridge. This paper seeks to establish and discuss the need and installation of service amenities within and around the Lower South Brisbane Five ways (Brisbane City Council, 2014). This is because the installation of services is a delicate endeavor and requires attention and precision. Any small mistake and disaster would strike. Lower South Brisbane lies on the southern part of the jurisdiction of Brisbane County Council. The study area is located south off Brisbane river, Goodwill Bridge to the north, to Somerville House on the south, South Bank bus station to the east and Riverview to the west, Vulture Street cutting diagonally (Google Maps, 2016). Map of Lower South Brisbane [Source: Google Maps] AIM The main aim of this investigation is to discuss the already installed service amenities and also put forth their shortcomings with an aim of improving on these amenities. It is common knowledge that whenever these services are being installed, there may have been some unforeseen challenges which may come up with their increased use. OBJECTIVE This study seeks to investigate and report on the following aspects: The types and nature of services structures within the study area The planning and layout of these structures Challenges experienced with the structures Recommendations on improvement of these structures SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS This study will delve in to the nature and type of the service structures which include telecommunication cables, drainage systems, lighting systems and electrical cabling within the area of study as described above. The study will include any installations done by the County Council of Brisbane as well as those installed by the Government of Australia, both past and present. This study will not involve service structures done by individuals or corporate. Ventilation systems and heating and cooling systems will not be incorporated in this study. The study will also not go beyond the specified area as described above. SERVICES INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTIGATION SERVICES IN THE URBAN CONTEXT Brisbane is a city blessed with a river and with this comes the delicate topic of the eco-system. The services that are related with a city the caliber of Brisbane are quite overwhelming. Although not much of residential places are found within the study area, the surrounding area contains a number of residential apartments. The study area however contains buildings majorly occupied by offices, hospital and accommodation areas. These structures particularly are equipped with these service amenities in their numbers. The biggest challenge comes in the installation and maintenance of drainage systems and garbage collection systems. Most electrical cabling and telecommunication cables are dug underground for the conservation of space and to ensure minimal interference which would mean minimum maintenance cost (Fallon Solutions, n.d). These electrical and telecommunication systems involve street lighting and traffic signs along the roads and streets. Contrary to the rural setting, urban setting requires a strict master plan on the location of these service infrastructures. This is due to the limitation of land and the manner of settlement where many building are constructed per square meter. The number of people operating in these buildings also dictates on how these structures are to be installed. Buildings are for example constructed with materials which allow for maximum illumination by sunlight while at the same time they do not retain the heat from the sun longer. The lighting system is thus mostly useful at night and on the days when the sun is not bright (Brisbane City Council, 2014). SERVICES INFORMATION FROM PLANS The lower south Brisbane is referred to as the South Brisbane Reach Precinct and it is the gateway to the south Brisbane Riverside area. Most of the key Brisbane destinations like the ‘cultural precinct’, the South Bank ‘entertainment precinct’, and ‘education precinct’ are found here. A further focus of this precinct is its realm, with buildings arranged along boulevards and amongst parkland. The master plan for the development of this area focuses on public places like river boardwalk, meeting places or formal plazas. Other upgrades will also occur along Tribune, Ernest, parts of Melbourne Street and Glenelg (Brisbane City Plan, 2000). REVIEW OF INVENTORY OF SERVICES The lower southern part of Brisbane which falls under the study area contains various types of services which range from indoor and outdoor structures. The indoor strictures include the telecommunication cables, the electrical cables, heating and cooling systems and drainage systems. These structures are all attached to the walls with the drainage pipes joining together at the bottom of the buildings and into the mainstream drainage system. The electrical and telecommunication cables are well tucked against the wall and away from paths where people frequently pass in order to prevent possible damage and the risk of fire (Brisbane City Plan, 2000). The outdoor structures which include telecommunication cables, electrical cables mostly pass underground with a few installed on overhead structures. Their overhead installations ensure that they are subjected to minimal interference especially during construction processes. The drainage however all pass through underground pipes with measures put I place so that the effluents do not flow into Brisbane River (Brisbane City Council, 2014). PRACTICAL ISSUES FOR SERVICES LOCATION The outdoor telecommunication cables are strategically located away from the road reserves so as to minimize breakage and destruction during road expansion and the construction of other support structures. The electrical cables are installed on overhead structures with poles used to hold the cables into place. These services are of utmost importance to the users of the lower south Brisbane area considering majority of the buildings are offices which include banks, schools, hospitals and a museum. The drainage system is also of great interest considering the nature of wastes generated from the area. These wastes are carefully transported through feeder pipes into the mainstream which lead out of the study area. The location of these sewer lines considered the fact that lower south Brisbane lies adjacent to Brisbane River and any form of pollution in or around the river would adversely affect the creatures habiting the river (Brisbane City Council, 2014). The location is thus selected to ensure there is minimal contact with the people living within the south Brisbane and the creatures habiting the Brisbane River. GOVERNANCE AND VALUES CONSIDERATION The installation and use of these services need to conform to the regulations laid down by the County Council of Brisbane. The values obtained from the use of these services also need to be measurable and quantifiable. Lower South Brisbane lies squarely within the jurisdiction of Brisbane County Council. There are certain rules that any service structure within this jurisdiction has to follow as laid down in the Brisbane City Master plan of 2014. This Master plan gives guideline on the development of any kind of structure including the services structures. The Master plan lays down the procedure of application process, the assessment of the application and the fees payable for the processing of the request application (Brisbane City Council, 2014). ENGINEERING SYSTEMS INTERRELATIONSHIPS The various systems discussed in this paper do not actually exist independently but rather interrelate as a network of complex systems to make life within the Lower Brisbane area livable. Although these systems perfume completely different functions from the other, their interdependence can be viewed from various perspectives. For instance, the cabling of electricity would actually determine the site where the cooling and heating systems would be installed. This so comes as the need of these services has a linear relationship as that the increase in demand for one will mean the increase in demand for the other. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS Systems engineering is a discipline which deals with the supplementary bits of structural engineering to provide the support structures that the users of s building would require within the building. Systems engineering design is usually incorporated into the design of the entire structure and the location of these system structures within the building should be known well before the commencement of the actual construction. The locations of these structures need to be such that there is minimum disturbance or destruction whenever any form of rehabilitation or maintenance is to be done to the building or structure. The planning within the Lower South Brisbane has been done in such a way that the maintenance of these structures does not pose much of a challenge (Brisbane City Plan, 2000). The City Council of Brisbane has come up with a clear plan for any developer hoping to carry out construction of any kind of structures within the jurisdiction of the City Council. This plan, if properly followed, would make the installation of these structures much easier and efficient. REFERENCES Brisbane City Council. (2014). Brisbane City Centre Master Plan. Retrieved from https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/planning-building/planning-guidelines-tools/brisbane-city-centre-master-plan-2014 Fallon Solutions. (n.d). Sewer Pipes and Storm water Drainage Brisbane. Retrieved from http://www.fallonsolutions.com.au/plumbing/storm-water-drains-sewers Brisbane City Council. (2014). Building plans and Documents. Retrieved from https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/planning-building/buying-selling-searches/building-plans-documents?utm_source=corphome&utm_medium=mega_nav&utm_term=-&utm_content=text-version&utm_campaign=mega_pb_bss_building_plans Brisbane City Plan. (2000). South Brisbane Riverside Neighborhood Plan. Chapter 4, pg 231-252d Read More

Brisbane is a city blessed with a river and with this comes the delicate topic of the ecosystem. The services that are related to a city the caliber of Brisbane are quite overwhelming. Although not many residential places are found within the study area, the surrounding area contains several residential apartments. The study area however contains buildings majorly occupied by offices, hospital, and accommodation areas. These structures particularly are equipped with these service amenities in their numbers. The biggest challenge comes in the installation and maintenance of drainage systems and garbage collection systems. Most electrical cabling and telecommunication cables are dug underground for the conservation of space and to ensure minimal interference which would mean minimum maintenance cost (Fallon Solutions, n.d). These electrical and telecommunication systems involve street lighting and traffic signs along the roads and streets.

Contrary to the rural setting, urban setting requires a strict master plan on the location of these service infrastructures. This is due to the limitation of land and the manner of settlement where many buildings are constructed per square meter. The number of people operating in these buildings also dictates how these structures are to be installed. Buildings are for example constructed with materials that allow for maximum illumination by sunlight while at the same time they do not retain the heat from the sun longer. The lighting system is thus most useful at night and on days when the sun is not bright (Brisbane City Council, 2014). The installation and use of these services need to conform to the regulations laid down by the County Council of Brisbane. The values obtained from the use of these services also need to be measurable and quantifiable. Lower South Brisbane lies squarely within the jurisdiction of Brisbane County Council. There are certain rules that any service structure within this jurisdiction has to follow as laid down in the Brisbane City Master plan of 2014. 

The lower south Brisbane is referred to as the South Brisbane Reach Precinct and it is the gateway to the south Brisbane Riverside area. Most of the key Brisbane destinations like the ‘cultural precinct’, the South Bank ‘entertainment precinct’, and ‘education precinct’ are found here. A further focus of this precinct is its realm, with buildings arranged along boulevards and amongst parkland. The master plan for the development of this area focuses on public places like river boardwalks, meeting places, or formal plazas. Other upgrades will also occur along with Tribune, Ernest, parts of Melbourne Street, and Glenelg (Brisbane City Plan, 2000).  

The outdoor structures which include telecommunication cables, electrical cables mostly pass underground with a few installed on overhead structures. Their overhead installations ensure that they are subjected to minimal interference especially during construction processes. The drainage however all pass through underground pipes with measures put in place so that the effluents do not flow into the Brisbane River (Brisbane City Council, 2014).

The outdoor telecommunication cables are strategically located away from the road reserves to minimize breakage and destruction during road expansion and the construction of other support structures. The electrical cables are installed on overhead structures with poles used to hold the cables into place. These services are of utmost importance to the users of the lower south Brisbane area considering the majority of the buildings are offices which include banks, schools, hospitals, and a museum. The drainage system is also of great interest considering the nature of wastes generated from the area. These wastes are carefully transported through feeder pipes into the mainstream which leads out of the study area. 

The location of these sewer lines considered the fact that lower south Brisbane lies adjacent to Brisbane River and any form of pollution in or around the river would adversely affect the creatures habiting the river (Brisbane City Council, 2014). 

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