Meet the women leading the charge in the BE sector

By BCA

When one of the engineers in her team makes a careless mistake, Er Sharron Ng does not seek to penalise, but to empathise.

Such empathy is especially critical during the pandemic, when some foreigners in her team have been away from their loved ones for a long time.

“It’s important as a superior to pick up the tell-tale signs (of stress),” said Er Ng, a Director at engineering company ECAS Consultants. “Because this period is very trying, we have to be empathetic and understand what their condition is like.”

She also set up a WhatsApp group chat for her team as a form of support, and gets on calls with them to encourage them as they share their difficulties with her.

As the only female director at her company, Er Ng believes she brings a different perspective to the engineering world, including a more detail-oriented approach.

“Generally, men make decisions quickly. And I find that female engineers are more meticulous. So, we need both to balance out,” she noted, acknowledging there was some truth to gender bias with a smile.

Er Ng is one of many women who have thrived in the Built Environment (BE) sector, which is shedding its male-dominated image with greater opportunities for all across the board.

Along with Ar Konnie Kao, Senior Architect at architecture firm RSP, both women have made significant contributions to their respective professions, and were nominated as part of the BE Young Leaders Programme (YLP) by the Building and Construction Authority (BCA).

BREAKING NEW GROUND

Driven by such leadership programmes, their journeys in the BE sector have been ground-breaking.

Er Ng is spearheading the use of new materials in construction, such as Mass Engineered Timber (MET) that comprises engineered wood to improve structural integrity. The first mass engineered timber project that she undertook was The Wave, Nanyang Technological University which was completed in 2017. It features a 72m roof made of seven timber arches – the first large-scale building in Southeast Asia built with the timber construction method back then.

She was involved in creating a guidebook in collaboration with BCA and other industry stakeholders such as architects and builders, to educate  the industry on MET for the future adoption in Singapore.

Recalling a BCA-organised trip to Europe to learn about the technology a few years ago, she said: “I seized every opportunity to talk to the experts there. Even at dinner time, when we were supposed to network, I’d start asking them questions.”

She wrote down all the replies with her pen and paper that she always carried around on the trip. Such dedication to her craft ensured the technology was applied well.

The use of MET aligns with NTU’s goal of becoming the greenest campus in the world, as it is a highly renewable material which reduces up concrete use in buildings.

Er Sharron Ng, Director, ECAS Consultants

Er Sharron Ng, Director, ECAS Consultants

For Ar Kao, she has been involved in the green redevelopment of retail mall Funan – which won the prestigious BCA Green Mark GoldPLUSand BCA Universal Design Mark GoldPLUSawards in 2018 – as well as the implementation of the Virtual Design and Construction plan for Funan with real estate group CapitaLand.

However, her most poignant project is her first – an Additions and Alterations work for an existing building, where her design was chosen by the client.

Fresh out of architecture school in 2013, she was ecstatic that her design was selected as it was cutting edge and in line with the client’s vision. The learning curve, however, was steep.

“I’m not shy to say some sweat and tears were involved. It was also a project where I learnt many lessons, she said, citing the importance of perseverance and staying the course.

“There are bound to be challenges during a project – our job is to see that they are resolved well.”

Ar Konnie Kao, Senior Architect, RSP

Ar Konnie Kao,Senior Architect, RSP

PASSION, THE SUPPORTING BEAM

For both women, it was the passion for creation that inspired them to take up a BE career.

Since she was young, Ar Kao has always enjoyed art and design, with her childhood days filled with drawing activities.

“I enjoy the process of creating and making things beautiful,” shared the National University of Singapore graduate. What she loves even more is the ability to positively influence people’s environments and lives with great building design.

Er Ng recounted the huge influences of her family members. She interacted with them frequently and observed how they solve everyday problems, ranging from fixing a lightbulb to deciphering the inner workings of a TV remote.

With her natural flair for mathematics and science subjects, her interest in engineering bloomed. She took NTU’s Common Engineering course and gravitated to Civil Engineering.

BE WHO YOU ARE

For those who wish to join the BE sector, both women shared this advice: Be enthusiastic in grasping opportunities and be open-minded.

Er Ng had a special message for women: “You cannot have this thinking that ‘I’m a female, I may face problems (working in a male-dominated space)’.” Instead, she urged them to pursue their dreams of being an engineer, just like she once did.

Echoing her sentiments, Ar Kao added: “We should encourage women to bravely pursue their passion and not be perturbed by fear or traditional perceptions.”