Tom found himself entering Hydraulic Services engineering in the Healthcare sector after a stint in IT did not work out as he wanted. He has since worked on over 100 healthcare engagements in his career.
Currently the Queensland Director of WSce, Tom has been honing his Hydraulic Services Engineering skills in the Healthcare sector since 2010. He is involved in many working groups and ABCB committees, assisting to develop Australian standards and best practice guidelines.
Described by our students as “fantastic” “clearly an expert” and “talented and knowledgeable” we chat to Tom about his experiences as an engineer, CIBSE trainer and fly fishing enthusiast.
What do you enjoy most about working as a Hydraulic Services Engineer?
Using my skills to better the community, which is why I have enjoyed the Healthcare sector for so many years.
What are some of the most memorable projects you have worked on during your career?
The Sydney Adventist Hospital would have been one of my most enjoyable projects and some 14 years later we are still working on a few little things around the site. The team on the Clark Tower development was one of the best teams I have worked with over my career and we still stay in touch 14 years later.
Can you name someone who has had a positive impact on your career?
There have been some amazing people who have adopted me and helped me through my career. Mentors and people who have vast experience and with whom you can have open and honest conversations were, and still are, invaluable to me. I was lucky enough not to have just one but a few. Thanks to Tony Towndrow, Paul Edmiston, Ron Sorich, Ioan Morgan & Mark Price, just to name a few.
What qualities do you believe are essential for a Hydraulic Services Engineer?
A person who can think about cause and effect, can understand and apply engineering principals to real world situation, someone who can understand the difference between – minimum requirements in a DTS standard, functional requirements / operational conditions, and what good looks like. Along with being a good juggler and communicator.
What do you find most rewarding about trainig and mentoring future engineers?
I enjoy sharing knowledge that has taken thousands of hours to obtain, in the hope it will assist others and inspire them to take up the learning journey and make a difference to public health, standards and engineering services.
How do you stay current with the latest developments and trends in hydraulic services engineering?
I keep up to date with my 50hrs of CPD per year, plus I sit on most of the ABCB TRGs for hydraulic services, a few international working groups and am the technical advisor to the HCAA. I like to keep up to date with my colleagues who undertake research around the world and present their scientific or research papers at the CIB WS062 - ‘Water Supply and Drainage for Buildings’.
What achievements are you most proud of in your professional life?
The millions of people the healthcare facilities that I have worked on have helped, and the people I have befriend over the years. Following that maybe the minor technical inputs I have had to the Building Code of Australia, Plumbing Code of Australia, Plumbing and Drainage Standard for Australia and New Zealand, HCAA papers, International Codes Council Standard & Multiple Healthcare Design Standards.
What are your future goals and aspirations within the field of hydraulic services engineering?
I'd live to complete leading the International Codes Council – sub working group, to produce a best practice guide/standard for water services, adaptable for every country in the world. Let’s see how I go 😊
How do you see the industry evolving in the next five to ten years, and what excites you about these changes?
Embodied carbon reduction within hydraulic services is something that I am passionate about. Having been working with James Gong and Brendan Josey of Deakin University for the last 5 or so years, observing the research they have been undertaking in water supply demand and applying this to embodied carbon there is an impressive saving, based on what practitioners are currently doing. I would like to see the GBC adopt some of the initiatives that we have discussed, and hydraulic services people better embodied carbon within buildings around the world.
How has your career in engineering shaped your personal life and values?
Maybe my personal values have shaped my engineering. I like to apply myself to something that I am passionate about which is improving public health and bettering the environment for people.
Lastly, when you aren't at the office, onsite or in a CIBSE classroom where can you be found?
I like to travel, I have visited about 80 countries around the world. In the last little while though I have taken up fly fishing for trout so you will likely find me knee deep in a body of water somewhere.
Click here for information about CIBSE's Hydraulic Services Engineering course