Engineering Management - Timor Leste Engineer without Border Project - Case Study Example

Abstract This report is about energy project undertaken by EWB under the EWB challenge in Timor Leste. Plan Timor Leste and EWB collaboratively identified power supply as being one of the areas which were in need for growth within Lautem in Timor Leste. Stakeholders of the Timor Leste energy project is the management team, the engineers and the local administration of the project area, the local population who will benefit from the implemented project and who will also participate in the implementation. The assumptions made in the project are that the government of Timor will be of assistance and the cost assumption was that the rate exchange during the project implementation would not interfere with the proposed projects. The dangers that could be caused by lack of risk management have been identified including injuries during project management. Introduction Timor Leste Engineer without Border (EWB) project gives the project plan where the goals that are to be achieved are addressed. Background of the Company EWB Australia a member-based non profit organization with experience providing systematic change by humanitarian engineering. The EWB Challenge is part of EWB which is a design program for university students, where students are given an opportunity about design, sustainable development, communication and teamwork while they contribute to international development projects (Dowling et al. 2013). There is wide range of Engineers who is connected with this company. In addition to the Engineering team, there is an experience team of Project Management personnel associated with this company. EWB achieve there goals by: Addressing issues that which are very important to the local population including provision of portable water, energy and transport facilitation by addressing infrastructure development. This is achieved by partnering with relevant stakeholders. Providing education and training for Australia engineering students , professional engineers and the other community members regarding poverty eradication, sustainability of the projects and the use of appropriate technology in addressing this issues Providing leadership for a movement consisting of people pushing towards the same goal and with high regard to upholding high level of integrity. 1.1 Purpose of the Plan Plan Timor Leste and EWB collaboratively identified power supply as being one of the areas which were in need for growth within Lautem in Timor Leste. Students were invited to use their problem solving and design skills in developing innovative and appropriate project solutions in making a contribution towards sustainability in development of the town of Codo in Timor Leste. Stakeholders of the Timor Leste energy project is the management team, the engineers and the local administration of the project area, the local population who will benefit from the implemented project and who will also participate in the implementation. The weather is expected be main constraints in the project. Irregular weather pattern is likely to delay in the plan of the project resulting to further delay. 2.0 Project background and scope In the whole region of Timor Leste energy use is very dynamic. The infrastructure of this region including the power infrastructure was damaged badly in the late 90s and in the 2000 (Mercy Corps, 2009). In Code one of the Districts in Timor new power lines have been installed with a substantial number of houses getting connected to power. The residences have enjoyed power because of lack of connection of meters. With free power being offered most of the energy needs of running motors have been converted to run on the free electricity. The community need to if relying on mains power for running the motors is economical or use of petro/diesel is much more economical when they are finally charged for electricity consumption. Having other options of power which are cleaner like solar energy and addressing the energy requirement for cooking also need serious consideration. The common practice in Code Timor Leste has been use of gas powered stoves and use of firewood. The cost of gas has been found to be above the reach of the majority of Code District and also pipelines have been reported to be damaged by rodents such as rats and this has paused a great safety concern. It is important for the community to be provided with fuel that is clean, efficient and sustainable together with appropriate stove designs. High capital cost is the reason that is believed to be the reason of there being reluctance in adoption of renewable energy technologies in Timor Leste. Many don’t consider having solar energy to back up mains electricity as opposed to use diesel generators. In institutions such as hospitals there are infrastructures such as computers, photocopiers and the building themselves whose cost much that of solar power installation. However, solar power system will give a long time service in comparison to photocopiers when the solar system is given the right attention in terms of maintenance. With proper maintenance the solar system will provide electricity for about 20 years with the batteries being replaced at intervals of 5 to 10 years. The high cost of running a diesel generator makes it much more expensive in the long run in comparison to the solar system even the it may be purchased at a much lower price. The advantage of the solar system can be much be felt in the rural areas where obtaining diesel is difficult and the cost of transportation is also very high. Even though there are numerous NGOs offering services in Timor Leste, there has been bias towards provision of water and sanitation services. Scarcity of electric power supply which is very important in the daily undertakings of the people is a problem which affects people in the whole of Timor Leste (Karki, and Sundar 2009) . The energy project is seen to be highly appropriate where the there will be sharing of knowledge to the residents about sustainable energy technologies that are not harmful to the environment. Code District displays a good opportunity for capacity building in establishment of renewable energy. Cooking fuel is also of great concern in Code as earlier highlighted. In the whole of Timor Leste fuel wood is seen as the fuel that is depended on by the people where 95% of the population depend in rural setting depend biomass fuel mostly fire wood (Mercy Corps, 2009). A very small proportion of the biomass is agricultural residue such as coconut shells, coffee husks and rise husks. A very small fraction of the people use gas or/and kerosene. On average a family consumes an average of wood fuel of 7kg per day with forests being the major source. By use of the traditional open fire which consists of three stones set in a triangular pattern there is a lot of wastage and also pollution in the house is very high. The deforestation rate has been reported to stand at 1.3% in Timor Leste due to high levels of fuel consumption (Mercy Corps, 2009). Even though residence have all along had free access to fuel wood, in recent past the government has started putting some regulation that are to be followed and this is a pointer that wood fuel may not be readily available in future. A house spends an average of 3 per day on cooking activities. it is the desire of the government to have hydro and diesel power plants so that the entire country can have access to electricity, but perception of many is that many will not be reached by the government initiatives. And as a result there is a great need to have other alternatives providing domestic energy to the people. In areas where electricity has been supplied such as Code the cost and the metering system is a great concern. In places where residents are paying for electricity the cost has been found to be high and supply being unreliable. The billing system also has also been reported as not being good. This makes it important for alternative sources of energy to be provided in Code Timor Leste. In some of the households where there is cattle waste is sufficient biogas will be the best alternative that can be used in cooking. 2.1 Energy Conservation There is need to have more efficient use of fire wood as a measure of effecting energy conservation in entire Timor-Leste. In Code electricity has been supplied in some parts and its conservation and thus its conservation will need to be addressed in addition to wood fuel. in areas where there is no electricity supply and those who have no accessibility as a result of economical inability, conservation of energy can be assumed to be taking care of itself. The scenario presented in NGOs and other businesses with electricity connection is different. The agencies have employees sourced locally with some with good education which may not necessarily technical in nature. A similar situation may be associated with homes with electricity connection. A lot of power may go to waste even with good intentions of the employees and the domestic users, but them not having the needed knowledge being the major shortcoming. Use of fluorescent tubes as a replacement of incandesce light bulbs is a major step towards saving energy. 2.2 Sustainability There is need for the projects being undertaken being sustainable. The project will be sustainable depending on capacity building that will be done which will include local community members being trained on bio gas and solar energy. Solar energy installation and maintenance process is very important while designing and operation of the biogas plant need greatest attention. Maintenance support is an important aspect of the project including supply of spare parts and supply of skilled labour that is expected to be from technicians who will receive training which is part of the project. Use of pictures in training materials will be encouraged as this will make it easy for the community members with low level literacy to use the materials. there is need to keep the suppliers involved even after the installation for the case of solar energy equipment. even though the cost of this is higher but is worthy when the equipment requires major repair. The equipment should also have a warranty. With Code District having high level of illiteracy, this is expected to impact negatively the project and thus there is need for pictorials being included in all the project documents that are of relevance to the community in addition to using visual methods in communicating in the training process. There is need of having continuity of staff as another way of achieving sustainability of the project. The project members are not expected to be at the field for a long time and this makes it important to have some of the community members being in charge of the projects and this are to be the contact people at the ground. This will be a step towards ensuring that monitoring and maintenance is undertaken even when the project is completed. The learning experience from the projects can be given to various to NGOs and other relevant stakeholders. The situation at Code need solution that can give a solution to the energy challenges. The solution should be cheap to a level that Code community can afford it and there should be a good maintenance plan to match. In order to ensure that the project is successful it is important for several important issues to be addressed. Cost of purchasing, equipment maintenance cost , the payback period and the extent to which the government will give subsidies are some of the important issues. 2.3 The main project Stakeholders Stakeholders are the persons who are connected to the project. There are various persons such as the Engineering team, the Project Management team, the Project Manager, the Project Financers, Project Workers, etc. These are the people who are directly connected to this project. But there are some other persons and organizations connected with this project. Government is the main organization that is connected by this project, as major number of permissions for the construction is required. Furthermore, the local contractors would also be included in the stakeholders as there would be an assistance provided by them in this project. The companies exporting the materials are also a qualified stakeholder. Therefore, this depicts the number of stakeholders involved directly or indirectly in this project. 2. 4The assumptions in planning and design of project There are several assumptions that are made in this project including: 2.4.1 Cost Assumptions The budget for this project includes equipments costs, the allowances given to team members, cost of raw materials used, and cost for fueling and hiring vehicles. Numerous things need to be put into consideration when the costs of all this things are being put into account. When it comes to the cost of materials and equipment assumptions have to be made bearing in mind that some of the materials and equipment will be imported from outside the Timor Leste and thus the cost is likely to be affected by change in rate of exchange. Therefore the cost estimation assumes that at highest rate of exchange the cost will be met. In the process of implementing the project mechanical failure are likely to be encountered and thus adding to the total costs. The estimation of the budget is given higher figures since there are hidden costs that are anticipated which need to be catered for without going beyond the budget. 2.4.2 Government support It is assumed that the government will be of great support in ensuring the project is successful. The reasons for assuming that the government is likely to give support is that the project would boost the standard of living of the people and supporting the project will bring a strong relationship between Australia and the Timor Leste. The government is expected to be lenient and give permissions promptly and any other assistance that will be neededsuch as providing security and providing relevant data. 2.4.3 Time assumptions Time assumptions are likely to bring about a lot of delays. The time allocation is over estimated just as the case of cost assumption. The inconsistence in weather of Code is likely to be the major contributor to time delays. Delays in materials and equipment importation, accidents and absence of local manpower are also likely to be the other contributors of the entire project being delayed. . 2.5 The constraints anticipated in the project implementation The difficulties that are likely to occur during the project implementation are the constraints. The weather in Code region may be unpredictable and this is a constraint as this could result to delays in time and this could raise the cost of project. 2.6 Addressing risks involved There is need of giving weight to risk management this being an engineering project where mistakes are likely to results to high loses. Consequences of Risk Management not being adhered to would include. The expectations of the various stakeholders may not be met . team members and local participants may be injured Students may get discouraged to participate in future EWB challenges The reputation of EWB may be jeopardized The benefit of a sound Risk management are Costly and unacceptable outcomes which may be encountered due accidents or other unexpected events are avoided The team members morale will be maintained This will help in ensuring requirements of Timor Leste Government are met This is helpful in the development of a structured project management plan 2.7 Management of communication Communication Type Communication Medium Frequency Audience Owner Deliverables Project starting Meeting Introduction of the team. Go through the scope and other documents Face to Face Once Project Sponsor • Project Team • Stakehold ers Project Leader • Agenda • Meeting Minutes Project Team Meetings Review status of the project with the team. • Face to Face Weekly Project Team Project Leader • Agenda • Meeting Minutes Technical Design Meetings Discuss and develop technical design solutions for the project. • Face to Face If necessary • Project Technical Staff Project Leader • Agenda • Meeting Minutes Monthly Project Status Meetings Report on the status of the project to management. • Face to Face Monthl y Project Sponsor • Project Team • Stakehold ers Project Leader Project Status Reports Report the status of the project including activities, progress, costs and issues. • Face to Face Weekly • Project Sponsor • Project Team • Stakehold ers • PMO Project Leader Project Status Report 2.8 Project management The importance of having a good plan in project management cannot be overlooked. Systematic approach will ensure that there is a good flow in the project. When planning the project Work Breakdown Structure, Gantt and Pertt charts are tools which need to be used as these help one in getting some idea what the project is all about. The use of these tools helps in tracking progress in reference with time. 2.8.1 Work Breakdown Structure The five main tasks involved in the project are as shown in the Work Breakdown Structure Figure 1 2.8.2 PERTT chart Pertt chart comprise of the tasks involved in the WBS but in addition it gives time of the tasks. The chart gives the time duration of the tasks and how the tasks follow each other. The Partt chart is given in blue where it can be seen that the critical path is 10.5 months. Figure 2 2.8.3 GANTT charts Gantt chart consists of various tasks including timeline that further includes starting date tasks and the end date of the task as shown in figure 3. Task Jan. Feb. Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 1 2 3 4 5 In the chart the numbers represents the various tasks as follow 1-Initiation 2 Planning and designing 3 Controlling and monitoring 4 Implementation of plan 5 Closing 3.0 Lessons Learned Students who are to participate in the Code Timor Leste energy project we will expect to have many benefits towards their career development. Being part of the project gives students engineers an opportunity of exploring the theoretical knowledge impacted in class in the field and this is beneficial offering practical solution. Other learning experiences are Planning is a very important aspect of project management and the plan need to be well understood by all the stakeholders This has been an import lesson in terms of being able to draw and to understand new terms and the WDS, Pertt and Gantt charts It has been made clear that Communication Plans and Change Plans a vital component because of its direct relation with the project The is need to have maximum possible estimated times in order to avoid delays Use of the different charts makes it easy for progress of project to be tracked good co-operation between the team members is very important, as large projects cannot and are never done individually. 4.0 Recommendations If a Project is not planned successfully there would be an increase in cost and time which is and indication of in competent manager. In order to have a good project management document the following need to considered There should be effecting of necessary changes in case there are delays in the Project. The changes affection dependent tasks should be made immediately in order to ensure the Project is finished on time. Simple Pertt and Gantt charts are preferable to ensure that they are easily understood by stakeholders there is need to research widely before embarking on the project as this is likely to eliminate any occurrence of delays in the project there is need to have high level omong team members as it is very important for the team to work together Conclusion This project when implemented will be of great benefit of the beneficiaries in Code Timor LEST. The success of the project will be highly dependant on how each of the stakeholders will accomplish there responsibilities. With the project being presented by simplified WBS, Pertt and Ganth charts it is easy for the project to be understood by all the stakeholders. References Karki, J.N Shrestha and Sundar Bajgain (2009) Biogas as Renewable Source of Energy in Nepal: Theory and Development. A B . BSP-Nepal. Mercy Corps,(2009). Addressing Energy Poverty in Timor-Leste Sinclair, A. (1992). Tyranny of a team ideology. Organization studies. Sundar B. and Lemos E. (2010). Feasibility of a Domestic Biogas Programme in Timor Leste Turner J.(2012). Plan Timor Leste EWB Challenge. Project Design Brief Read More