IEE Power Division: Chairman´s address. The consulting engineer: a catalyst for progress

The paper describes the original raison d´etre of consulting engineers, their activities and the part played by them in the early years of the electricity supply industry in the UK. It then traces the work of consultants in the large projects, mainly overseas, during the 1960s and 1970s. More recently the prolonged worldwide recession, the desire for more involvement of the client´s engineering personnel and the need for their training have brought about widespread changes in thinking, collaboration and areas of activity of the consultant. These changes are reflected in project funding by the major world lending agencies. Increasing levels of bilateral lending and disbursement of grants by Western Governments as a vehicle for overseas aid and the simultaneous support of indigenous industry is now also apparent. With increasing competition for fewer large projects overseas, the development of `UK Limited¿¿ with shareholders in the financial and industrial sectors, and UK central Government, is a desirable objective. The recent replacement of the engineering `mega projects¿¿ by smaller ones, often involving widespread plant refurbishment, now characterise the current activities of consulting engineers. An increase in the amount of UK based work is also apparent as UK Government policy dictates the increased use of private sector consultants. Much of this is now in the electrical and mechanical building services area in which the consulting profession in the UK (and the IEE) have a considerable stake. The need to involve consulting engineers in research and development in their home country is justified and the paper ends with some comments on the present trends in selecting consultants mainly on the basis of fee competition.