National Engineering Day: tackling challenges with sustainable solutions

Engineering tackles seemingly impossible global and local challenges with sustainable solutions, Fola Ogunyoye tells CIWEM's engagement manager Chloe Goode.

On National Engineering Day, we are celebrating the amazing work of environmental engineers, like Fola Ogunyoye who is improving lives by delivering sustainable solutions to communities impacted by flooding and climate.

Fola Ogunyoye is a Fellow, Chartered Water and Environmental Manager and Chartered Engineer. With over 30 years experience in flood risk management, Fola works at the waters' edge, delivering plans, strategies and innovative solutions to optimise the value of water, while delivering resilience to its extremes. Fola has also been involved with CIWEM's Rivers and Coastal Group and currently sits on CIWEM's Flooding and Coastal Erosion Risk Management panel.

Meet Fola Ogunyoye FCIWEM C.WEM CEng

I #EngineerBetterLives by

working with natural processes to deliver multiple benefits and multi-functional spaces that address the challenges of today, while being resilient to a broad range of possible futures.

Tell us what you do

I am the Director of TJAY Consulting Ltd. I carry out studies and deliver solutions that help communities and infrastructure reduce their impacts from, adapt, and become more resilient to flood risk and climate impacts.

What’s the most exciting engineering project you have worked on?

My most exciting engineering project is Lamb Drove housing development in Cambourne. I was the Project Director for retrofitting SuDS (sustainable drainage systems) and PFR (property flood resilience) into the design. Its legacy was an RTPI (Royal Town Planning Institute) award for climate resilience and monitoring results that showcase SuDS’ multiple benefits, at a time when SuDS was not widely accepted or government policy.

What’s it like to be an engineer?

An engineer is an enabler, making society function and thrive. It is very rewarding as we get direct feedback from seeing our work enhancing people, places and the environment. I’m proud of the profession because, time and time again, we address seemingly impossible global and local challenges with sustainable solutions.

Explore CIWEM's engineering registrations

We offer three Engineering Council registrations that you can apply for alongside a Chartered member application. Find out more about our engineering registrations.