Moylan

Barbara Klaumann Lucas shortlisted for Women in Construction award

npilch — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 08:22:14 +0000

Congratulations to Barbara Klaumann Lucas from our Dublin team who has been shortlisted for a Women in Construction ‘Rising Star of the Year’ award.

Part of the Irish Construction Industry Awards, the Women in Construction Awards celebrate the most innovative individuals and companies driving excellence in Ireland’s construction sector.

A civil engineer who has been part of our Dublin team since 2023, Barabara plays a key role in delivering planning approvals and engineering design for developments across Ireland. With a passion for embedding climate resilience, she has developed drainage and surface water management designs for multiple schemes, including major residential projects on key sites in north Drogheda, and Tomard in Athy town. She is also providing full site development infrastructure designs as part of the project team responsible for several new primary and secondary schools throughout the country.

The winner will be announced at an awards night 2026 on June 11 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Santry.

Fingers crossed for Barbara!

Waterman Moylan wins ACEI design award for College Square

npilch — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 09:11:09 +0000

Waterman Moylan was announced as the winner in the ‘Innovation – Large Project’ category at the Association of Consulting Engineers of Ireland (ACEI) Awards for our ground-breaking design of Dublin’s major College Square scheme.

This award recognises the innovative engineering behind this exceptional project which has totally transformed this key site just 140 m south of the River Liffey and immediately north of Trinity College.

The mixed-use development unites two individual plots, College House and Apollo House, forming part of a regeneration programme led by Marlet Property Group. The existing 1970s-era 10-storey offices were demolished, and the Henry J Lyons-designed development now delivers high-end residential units, an entertainment venue in the double storey basement, and 540,000 sq ft of commercial floor space which achieved LEED Platinum Certification. Rising 82m above street level, College Square’s residential tower has now become Ireland’s tallest. This incorporates 58 high end apartments spread across the 11 upper storeys in the tower structure above the 11 storeys of commercial floors, which will benefit from 2,200 sq ft of internal communal amenity space, as well as external terrace areas.

Our team delivered all civil and structural engineering services from concept design to completion of construction and handover for College Square.

The site’s location posed several design challenges, with the River Liffey and LUAS light rail line and busy urban streets in close proximity or directly adjoining the site, whilst major buried services and utilities had to be diverted and decommissioned. To address these complexities, our innovative basement design was tailored to address these issues, seeing us uniquely select glass fibre anchor ties instead of conventional steel rods to restrain the top of the perimeter secant piled basement wall. This choice was made to minimise the need for temporary internal propping during basement excavation and to prevent complications during future excavations beneath surrounding roads, where the ties extend.

Integrating the residential tower above the office floorplate introduced a series of complex challenges which required the greatest innovation. To avoid vertical support columns from the residential tower extending into the commercial floorplates below, the team developed a series of steel cantilevered trusses supported from the shared core between the tower and the offices below to support the residential floors which cantilever up to nine metres without the need for vertical support, while providing essential stability. This solution ensures the integrity of the office floorplates, and the basement car park beneath remain uncompromised.

Celebrating our role in bringing the client’s vision for College Square to life, the ACEI award judges commented: “The project illustrates the ability of structural engineers to innovatively solve problems in a way that allowed their client to realise the vision and ambition of this new landmark in the city. The design team at Waterman Moylan overcame substantial structural challenges and constraints posed in supporting the tower and the floor plates and in accommodating a new diagonal pedestrian route through the site.”

Click here to learn more about this stunning development.

Learning boost for County Meath as work on two new schools gets underway

kheard — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 13:51:14 +0000

Construction of two new schools in County Meath’s Dunshaughlin is now underway.

As a popular rural commuter town to the north of Dublin, Dunshaughlin’s population is steadily increasing. Intended to support this sustained growth, the BDP-designed scheme includes both a new primary and post-primary school, marking a significant investment in the town’s future.

Located to the south of Dunshaughlin on a 4.18-ha site, the development will deliver high-quality learning facilities with capacity for over 1,300 pupils and staff.

The post-primary school will accommodate 1,000 pupils and 75 staff. Facilities on offer include 37 classrooms, specialist rooms for home economics, science, art and technology, a PE hall, a four-classroom Special Educational Needs (SEN) unit, administration spaces, six external ball courts and extensive landscaping.

Meanwhile, the primary school will provide accommodation for 248 pupils and 20 staff. The two-storey, eight-classroom building includes a two-classroom SEN base, general purpose hall, support teaching spaces, junior play areas, secure SEN play areas, a sensory garden and an outdoor classroom.

Both schools incorporate car and bicycle parking, drop-off areas, pedestrian and cycle links, service connections, ESB substations, landscaping and associated site works.

Working closely with main contractor Ganson and the wider project team, our specialists are providing comprehensive civil and structural engineering support from initial planning through to construction stage on behalf of the Department of Education and Youth.

Our scope includes detailed design development and coordination with multidisciplinary stakeholders to ensure compliance with all relevant building regulations and Department of Education & Youth Technical Guidance Documents

Commenting on the scheme’s progress, Waterman Moylan’s Associate, Brendan Gallagher said: “I’m delighted to see this campus development get underway. These new facilities will provide a major boost for this growing community and will also offer vital SEN support for local families. We look forward to seeing the scheme progress over the coming months.”

From Canada to Ireland: My experience as a structural engineering intern

lrichards — Mon, 16 Feb 2026 12:58:28 +0000

Working abroad in Ireland has transformed Jessica Cheng’s career goals, strengthened her technical skills and provided invaluable experiences that combine professional growth with personal adventure.

Born and raised in Canada, Jessica Cheng dreamt of pursuing a career in the built environment, so she jumped at the chance to explore Europe and work as an engineer in Ireland with our team.

We caught up with her to hear about her experiences and learn how she’s embraced life in Ireland.

I grew up with the dream of pursuing a career as an architect, especially during my last few years of high school. Eager to learn more, I was interviewed by an architect whilst at school. During the interview, he pointed out that my questions were less architecture related, but rather more engineering focused. As a result, my interest in engineering grew immensely then. I also enjoyed physics and maths, and my grades were strong in those areas too, so I thought, why not give it shot!

At the beginning of 2025, I began exploring internship opportunities near home when an unexpected opportunity came my way — a position in Boston. It was my first time leaving home for work, and the experience felt both exciting and overwhelming.

Fast forward to December, when I attended my company’s Christmas party feeling anxious about what the future might hold. By pure chance, I struck up a brief conversation with a former intern from Waterman Moylan. It wasn’t a long chat, but it was inspiring and left an impression. The job he was describing in Ireland sounded exactly like what I had been looking for, whilst also being in Europe – a place I had dreamt of working.

There are many reasons Ireland appealed to me. Being immersed in a new culture and its people excited me. The hiking trails, breathtaking mountains, and a bonus of a close friend of mine studying in Dublin all added to the draw, whilst also being on the doorstep of the rest of Europe.

Waterman Moylan is a cosmopolitan company, hiring people from all different parts of the world and bringing together expertise from so many different countries. Its so exciting hearing and learning from different cultures and seeing how we can all come together in one place with shared goals and interests.

Growing up as a professional athlete, I believed staying home was essential to maintain and improve as a player. Home meant comfort: family, friends, and familiarity. I rarely had to put myself out there or face discomfort and change. Yet, I had always dreamed of living and working in Europe.

Now, having this opportunity, I know my younger self would be proud. Working and living abroad has been challenging but incredible. It has shifted my goals: I’m less focused on staying close to home and more eager to continue working internationally for the next few years, or even permanently. I love the challenge, the travelling, the change, and most of all, the people I’ve met along the way. The kindness and support I’ve received in Ireland have been overwhelming, and I couldn’t feel more fortunate.

Professionally, I’ve noticed differences between engineering practices in Canada and Ireland. While the principles are similar, the building codes differ significantly. For example, Canada designs for heavier snow and seismic loads, which aren’t as critical in Ireland.

The work culture, however, feels familiar. Every workplace has its own dynamic, but overall, Ireland and Canada share similar values. What stands out most here is how supportive the Dublin team has been. From day one, my associate Damien ensured I had meaningful tasks and even arranged safety training so I could go on-site. When he was away, he made sure I had work lined up. I’d also like to mention Cian, who kindly took time every day during my first weeks to answer questions and make sure I felt supported.

One of the most rewarding projects I’ve worked on is Holybanks, where I focused on townhouse design. Starting with preliminary drawings, I completed load takedowns using Tedds, Excel, and manual calculations, then sized foundations with RC CAD and prepared mark-ups for drafting. This project was particularly challenging because of its unique precast structure, slanted walls, and varied load-bearing beams. At first, I felt overwhelmed, but by asking questions and breaking down the problem, I simplified the process and gained confidence.

I also enjoyed designing highway and road post foundations according to UK building codes, learning how wind loading is influenced by typography, land use, and location. These experiences reinforced my curiosity; always asking why, how, and what. Understanding the reasoning behind design decisions has been invaluable.

While some internships can feel more task-oriented than developmental, this placement has been a genuinely valuable learning experience. I’ve been challenged, supported, and encouraged to think critically. To students considering an international placement, I’d say if you have the chance, take it. Opportunities like this are rare. Even if it feels daunting, it’s temporary, and it might just change your life. Put yourself out there, embrace the challenge, and enjoy the journey. Life is too short to miss out on experiences like this!

Finally, thank you to Waterman Moylan for this incredible opportunity. I’m deeply grateful for the support and the chance to grow both personally and professionally.

For more information about our internship programme, click here.