Klohn Crippen Berger Opens Office in Ireland
January 19, 2024
We are pleased to announce that KCB has expanded our presence in Europe with the opening of an office in Ireland. Heading our Ireland operations is Senior Geotechnical Engineer, Brian Keenan. We spoke with Brian about his life and work in Ireland and the new developments KCB is making in the region.
About Brian Keenan
Brian Keenan is a Senior Geotechnical Engineer who brings 13 years of experience from the civil engineering construction sector and 12 years from the geotechnical engineering and mine waste consultancy sector. His specializations include landfill and tailings dam design, lining systems for waste facilities, site investigation design, coordination and interpretation, monitoring instrumentation installation, reading and interpretation. He has worked on projects primarily in Europe, on landfill and mine waste facilities in Ireland, Sweden, and Finland. He has also worked on mine waste and geotechnical engineering projects in the UK, France, Armenia, and Gibraltar.
What are some notable projects you have worked on?
The projects of note for me over the years include my involvement in the Navy Yard Restoration Project in Philadelphia, USA; the development of the Aughinish Alumina Bauxite Residue Deposition Area (BRDA) in Limerick, Ireland; the capping and closure of both the Vedanta Lisheen Mine and the Lundin Galmoy Mine in the Midlands, Ireland; and the development of an open-pit Gypsum Mine and the restoration works following a collapse of underground mine workings at Saint-Gobain, Knocknacran, Ireland.
What do you enjoy about living and working in Ireland?
Ireland is an easy place to work and live, and in recent years has become home to a much more diverse, multi-national workforce. In general, it's safe, has a stable government in an untroubled part of the world, has a high standard of living, is a good travel center hub, and doesn't experience extremes in weather or natural events.
What excites you about working in this industry in Ireland?
Since my introduction to the waste sector (landfill and mine waste) a relatively short time ago, the rate of change and advancement has been inspiring. A number of recent rueful events have brought this about and although many similar type events had happened previously, the desire for real change is now universal. Change is happening now and quickly, so it's an exciting sector to be involved in as there is a real sense of making a difference.
What brought you to KCB?
The independent and third party review processes for mine waste facilities allows a level of interaction and appreciation of professionals with other firms, outside of those within your own firm. I was aware of KCB's brand and the high regard of their reputation over the past few years, and they were at the top of my list when I was looking around to move firms.
What are the key challenges to address and what value can KCB bring to clients in Ireland and its surrounding jurisdictions?
Mining clients are on tight timelines to achieve compliance with the new standards. Both the number and quality of deliverables required is a big demand on mine waste consultancy resources currently available in Ireland and Europe. The introduction of KCB to these markets provides alternate high-quality resources to aid the sector transformation. KCB can leverage their long-standing experience, company values and high quality technical deliverables to attract clients in Ireland and Europe. The mining standards in Canada have become the gold standard for the rest of the world and KCB's history and base is rooted in the development and implementation of these standards.
What opportunities exist for those looking to work at KCB's Ireland office?
KCB Ireland is looking to develop into a multi-disciplinary consulting business. The focus is currently on building out the mining team disciplines and we're seeking geotechnical engineers, engineering geologists, hydrologists, hydrogeologists, and geochemists, with a mining cornerstone, from senior to junior levels. In addition, we're always open to senior applicants in our other sectors (hydropower, transportation, infrastructure, and energy) to join and help us build and lead our teams.