RSE Innovations Meet the Team – Chris Hart

Over the coming weeks and months, we will be sharing Q&A profiles from the members of the RSE Innovations Team. Their profiles will reveal innovative concepts that RSE is looking to develop and discuss the ways the team is currently working to implement change and improve the world that we work in, to become more sustainable for the business, our people and the planet.

Q1. What is your role in the Innovations Team?

Within the Innovations Team my role is very diverse, and I am currently involved from early concept stages and follow this through to the initial design, 3D modelling and all required checks on the piping and instrumentation diagrams and detailed designs. I also monitor the projects as they progress through the fabrication stages in the workshop and conduct final checks before sending our product or pilot to site. Over the coming year my role will also involve attending various innovation conferences to observe the innovations being implemented within the water industry and evaluate where RSE can adopt and grow these developments and technologies to improve our own operations.

Q2. What do you enjoy about working at RSE?

I have worked for RSE for over 15 years and find it to be a great company to work for. Despite being a large company which has enjoyed business growth and expansion over recent years, I believe the fundamental values that the company started with have remained the same, ensuring the company always aims for the same level of success.

Q3. What is the most exciting part of your role?

It is exciting to be working within an innovations-based role at the very early stages of the RSE Innovations team being established. I have really enjoyed researching and investigating new and innovative ways of treating water and wastewater to lower our company’s carbon footprint and it’s exciting to be working alongside our clients to introduce new technologies and processes to our projects.

Q4. What has been your favourite project to work on to date?

I have worked on various interesting projects during my time at RSE, starting out in the Hydro Power Station side of the business.

One of the jobs which I enjoyed working on the most was Foula Water Treatment Works (WWT) for Scottish Water in the Shetland Islands. Foula was a very challenging job for the team, as we had to design, build, and install a full WTW in one single Transportable Treatment Unit (TTU) and deliver it to site without any craneage on the island.

We designed the single TTU and had to be very selective with including a full Water Treatment Works, a Chemical Waste Tank, a Chlorine Contact Pipe and Clear Water Tank. Due to the limiting factors for delivery on site, we also had to assess how the TTU could be transported to site and located on the slab. We progressed with an innovative design whereby the TTU had its own jacking legs and could lower itself down onto the slab, without a requirement for cranes on the island.

Q5. What new technology has been introduced over recent years which has impressed you the most?

I have been introduced to various technologies since I have joined the Innovations Team and there are a wide range of different ideas and concepts out there still to discover, ranging from very low-tech solutions to artificial intelligence.

I have recently been researching nature-based solutions for the treatment of wastewater which I have been impressed by, involving different methods of harvesting water from the natural environment.

The Innovations team are currently exploring 10 projects featuring new technologies and the majority of these projects have the potential to progress into a full pilot phase and ultimately contribute towards RSE achieving our net zero carbon emissions targets.