News

At ILF, we are constantly on the lookout for skilled team members.

If you don’t see any current openings and would like to submit your resume for general consideration, please send your resume and a cover letter to applicants.canada@ilf.com.

We appreciate all applications received. Only those selected for next steps will be contacted.

ILF is an equal opportunity employer, where personnel are recruited and employed without discrimination based on race, religious beliefs, colour, gender, physical disability, mental disability, age, ancestry, place of origin, sexual orientation, marital status, source of income, or family status. If ILF recruits and selects employees with regard to specific characteristics it does so in accord with exemptions in the law(s) governing equal opportunity in employment. Human Resources practices will respect the diversity of spiritual and religious beliefs of employees by supporting their observance of important religious celebrations.

ILF and engineering partners won a contract for cross-border design services for the Dresden (GER) – Prague (CZE) high-speed railway line.

The key element of ILF’s contract is the preliminary design of the Erzgebirge base tunnel, with a minimum length of approx. 25 km, involving two alternatives, a “partial tunnel” and a “full tunnel”, including surveying services.
The contract also involves design services for the following construction activities:
• Design for engineering structures, such as the Seidewitztal bridge or trough structures
• Transport planning for railway lines, roads and rescue areas
• Design for an overtaking station

The planning and design works, all of which shall be carried out using the BIM method, comprise the German HOAI service phases “basic evaluation” and “preliminary planning” (SPHs 1 and 2 for project planning and structural planning). The design works are well underway and will be completed by the end of 2024. ILF looks forward to delivering another successful project.

The Infrastructure Investment Facilitation Company (IIFC) of Bangladesh has contracted ILF to carry out a large-scale feasibility study and to develop the conceptual and tender design for the replacement, modernization and automation of the gas transmission and distribution network of Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka and the city of Narayanganj.

The existing gas network has organically grown over several decades, without any overall concept, and is no longer able to satisfy the demands of the millions of industrial and domestic users in the area. The objective of this interesting project is to have a modern and reliable gas network that enables remote monitoring and control at junctions and end points, with the possibility of transforming the existing network into a “smart” grid. The modernization of the network makes a key contribution to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Bangladesh.

ILF is looking forward to developing this demanding project and is pleased about being able to improve the quality of life for the population in Bangladesh.

Hydro4U is an EU project funded under the Horizon 2020 research and innovation program. In this project, ILF and 12 other partners from eight countries are working together under the coordination of the Technical University of Munich to develop solutions which boost sustainable small-scale hydropower in Central Asia. Two pioneering hydropower types shall be implemented in demonstration plants in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

To this day, small-scale hydropower remains largely unharnessed in Central Asia. Yet there is great potential to transfer European small-scale hydropower schemes to Central Asian regions. So far there are only few European reference projects in this region as they tend to be considerably more expensive than those of Asian competitors.

The Hydro4U project will now adjust two innovative technologies developed in Europe to the requirements in Central Asia. The aim of this project is keeping the costs as low as possible through concept simplification, modularization and standardization without compromising efficiency. At the same time, the project also focuses on key aspects such as sustainability, environmental compatibility and social acceptance.
In the course of the Hydro4U project two eco-friendly demo hydropower plants will be installed and assessed: one low-head plant with a capacity of up to 500 kW in Kazakhstan and one medium-head plant with a capacity of approx. 2 MW in Uzbekistan.

Project duration: 06/2021–05/2026

Countries involved: Austria, Belgium, Germany, Kyrgyzstan, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Uzbekistan

Learn more here: Hydro4U

As part of the new railway line between Köstendorf and Salzburg, an efficient connection will be built as an addition to the 150-year-old existing line. The 21.3 km long railway line is being planned by ILF within the framework of two joint ventures (open-track section and tunnel), with the 16.5 km long Flachgau tunnel comprising the key element.

The open-track section before and after the tunnel has a total length of 4.3 km and crosses the Fischach tubular bridge which has a span of approx. 42 m.
The planned Flachgau tunnel will have two single-track tunnel tubes. The design services will be carried out using the BIM method and shall, in addition to the early service phases, also include the option for the tender and construction design together with the geotechnical engineering on site as well as the maintenance planning. This tunnel, which will be constructed and advanced underneath the existing line using the New Austrian tunneling method (NATM), a tunnel boring machine (TBM), the cut-and-cover method and box jacking, is a very challenging assignment with complex planning and design works.

ILF looks forward to developing this demanding project.

As part of a joint venture with two partners, ILF was awarded a 5-year framework contract by the North Caspian Operating Company B.V. (NCOC) for the North Caspian Offshore Project – the first major offshore oil and gas development in Kazakhstan.

The project comprises five fields: Kashagan, Kalamkas Sea, Kairan, Aktoty and Kashagan South West. The giant Kashagan field is one of the largest oil discoveries of the past four decades, containing approximately 9–13 billion barrels of recoverable oil. The combined safety, engineering and logistical challenges in this harsh offshore environment make Kashagan one of the world’s largest and most complex industrial projects currently being developed.

The scope of ILF work includes conceptual studies, pre-FEED and FEED development and other services.

The Stadtentwässerung Frankfurt am Main (SEF, https://www.stadtentwaesserung-frankfurt.de/) entrusted ILF Consulting Engineers together with a German partner to plan, execute and implement the expansion of the Niederrad Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP).

The Niederrad WWTP is currently reaching its maximum design capacity of 1.35 million PE. The expansion is therefore urgently required in order to be prepared for future developments in the constantly growing Frankfurt area. For this reason, the number of secondary aeration tanks (with a volumetric capacity of 7,200 m3 each) will be increased from 8 to 10, and the number of secondary sedimentation tanks (with a volumetric capacity of 1,875 m3 each) will be increased from 32 to 40. The project comprises the smooth integration of these new tanks, as well as the associated mechanical, electrical and SCADA equipment, into the existing plant while maintaining continuous plant operation and compliance with effluent requirements.

Additionally part of the assignment are the re-routing of existing pipework and the construction of an access road.

ILF will be involved in all eight service phases of this project, which are in accordance with the German Official Scale of Fees for Services by Architects and Engineers (HOAI), including the building permission application as well as construction supervision and commissioning. The completion is scheduled for February 2027.

ILF Consulting Engineers and Global Energy Ventures (GEV) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to identify and develop green hydrogen projects in Europe and Australia that include a compressed hydrogen (C-H2) generation and transportation solution, offering a valuable addition of marine transportation to the H2 value chain.

ILF will design the upstream infrastructure from the producer to the export or loading facility and the downstream infrastructure from the import or unloading facility to the consumer, while GEV will cover the port-to-port transportation of hydrogen using compressed gaseous hydrogen ships. For projects that involve importing hydrogen from regional markets in close proximity to Europe, such as the Middle East and North Africa region, GEV has identified an opportunity to leverage offshore loading capacity and develop a compressed gaseous hydrogen solution for the offshore wind industry. Thus, a fleet of vessels could provide an offshore loading and transport solution for areas where an subsea cable or pipeline on seabed is not suitable.

Jens Kottsieper, ILF Business Development Manager, commented, “The transportation of large volumes of gas is an issue that ILF has been involved with for over 50 years. We are pleased to be able to complement our pipeline expertise with GEV’s expertise in the cost-effective transport of hydrogen by ship. Working with GEV will allow us to provide our customers with even more comprehensive advice on their transportation issues in order to develop a solution that meets their specific needs.”

The Surhan Gas Chemical Operating Company performs its activities in the oil and gas sector under the Production Sharing Agreement for the Uzbekiston Mustaqilligi investment block, with the exploration and development of the “Mustaqillikning 25 Yilligi” (25 Years of Independence) field and construction of a gas chemical complex, with an area of 3,980 km2 in the Surhandarya region of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

ILF has been awarded and will provide all PMC services, including engineering support during the detailed design, procurement and quality management, construction supervision on site, support of commissioning and start-up activities for the above mentioned facility. ILF’s scope of work also includes scheduling, risk analysis, and HSE.
All these activities will ensure full support of the Client in the delivery of this strategically important project.

Within the framework of the upgrade to four-track operation of the Northern feeder line to the Brenner Base Tunnel, ILF Consulting Engineers and a partner were commissioned by ÖBB INFRA to carry out the tender and construction design as well as the geotechnical engineering on site for the primary lining of the approx. 2.5 km long Angath tunnel. Once completed, the Angath tunnel shall serve as the rescue tunnel for the 11.5 km long Angerberg tunnel.

The Schaftenau–Radfeld section is part of the northern feeder line of the Brenner Base Tunnel and therefore constitutes an essential part of the most important North-South railway link in Europe. The Angerberg tunnel situated near Wörgl is the key element of this upgrade.

The entire design services shall be carried out using the BIM method and shall also include the option for the tender and construction design together with the geotechnical engineering on site for the 2.9 km long section of the twin-track Angerberg tunnel. A sequential excavation method (NATM) is planned for the tunnel structures.

ILF has already been involved in the previous design phases and now continues to work on this challenging project in the next design phases.

Graphic: OEBB/GC Vision

ILF Consulting Engineers is pleased to announce its participation, as a Golden Sponsor, in the 16th Pipeline Technology Conference (PTC), to be held virtually, from March 15th to March 18th 2021.

Also during this year’s PTC, our experts will demonstrate their technical expertise. Dr. York Schorling, Director for large-scale projects, will present on the topic of hydrogen, and Dr. Robert Ofner, Head of Structural Engineering, and Dr. Klaus Robl, Geologist, will present on the topic of planning & construction.

You are most welcome to visit us at our digital booth to find out more about our competences and experience in the field of pipeline engineering.

Let us know how we can help you tackle your challenges (info.ger@ilf.com)! We look forward to your visit. For further information, please visit the official PTC website at http://www.pipeline-conference.com

March 4th is a great day for all engineers worldwide. It has been declared as the World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development by UNESCO. This date not only recognizes the contribution of our profession to climate change and sustainability, but also reminds us to continue to increase this contribution.

Climate change and sustainability have a very high priority at ILF. With the provision of engineering and consulting services, ILF makes a significant contribution to improving the quality of life worldwide.

Date and time:
February 26, 2021
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM (CET) / 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM (GMT)

Green hydrogen is increasingly seen as an indispensable part of the Energy Transition. Ambitious targets for producing it have been set for the mid-2020s and 2030.

Many projects and use cases are proposed, but how is an industry that currently only operates at the level of tens of MW going to reach GW-scale quickly – and efficiently – enough? Will access to cheap energy at the boundaries of and/or outside Europe help to make green hydrogen competitive in the mid to long term, even taking the need to transport hydrogen into account?

ILF, Dentons  and Operis have produced a white paper on Scaling up Green Hydrogen in Europe. In it, we look across the hydrogen value chain and consider both the physical and contractual/regulatory infrastructure that will be needed to make the vision of a hydrogen economy a reality. We consider how to match supply and demand for hydrogen; suggest possible models for financing hydrogen projects and trading their output; and review the role of public financial support and other policy interventions. We are optimistic about the prospects, but also realistic about some of the challenges facing this new industry.

We will be launching the white paper at the online seminar.

After a brief presentation of our conclusions, a panel of industry experts who are engaged in commercial hydrogen projects will debate the issues and share insights from their own experience.

Speakers from ILF, Dentons and Operis will be joined by:

• Julia Prescot, Chief Strategy Officer and Co-Founder at Meridiam Infrastructure, Member of the UK National Infrastructure Commission
• Roland Schulze, Managerial Adviser on Low Carbon Technologies, European Investment Bank
• Marinus Tabak, Plant Manager, RWE

Please click the “Register now” button below if you would like to attend the cost-free online seminar, or to receive a copy of the white paper when it is released.

We look forward to meeting you virtually and to an interesting discussion. Please do not hesitate to contact ILF if you have any questions.

Register now

The Ministry of Construction, Housing Municipalities and Public Works of Iraq has awarded ILF Consulting Engineers a contract to provide consulting services for a project that should make desalinated seawater available for 13 municipalities in the Al Basrah governorate (Iraq). During the next 30 to 40 years, it is expected that the project will supply more than seven million people with potable water.

The project comprises a 1,000,000 m³/d capacity desalination plant, which will desalinate seawater taken from the Arabian Gulf in the area of the Al Fao Grand Port Development, and a 240 km long water transmission system, which will transport the potable water to nine offtake stations, thus connecting this new system with the existing water supply systems of 13 municipalities. A captive power plant with a capacity of 300 MW will produce the required energy to desalinate and transport the water.

ILF’s services are divided into two phases: Phase 1 includes the feasibility study, environmental scoping, conceptual design, preparation of tender documents and support of contract negotiations until award of the implementation contract. Phase 2 services comprise site supervision and PMC services, from the start of construction to the start of operation.

On December 9th, 2020, ILF Consulting Engineers signed an engineering services contract with the Myanmar Ministry of Electricity and Energy (MOEE), Department of Hydropower Implementation (DHPI) for the 110 MW Tha-Htay Hydropower Project.

The project uses the water flows of the Tha-Htay River, about 19 km northeast of Thandwe, Rakhine State. The project includes the construction of a 90 m high, zoned rockfill dam, with a crest length of 618 m. Two diversion tunnels with a diameter of 10 m each will divert the water during construction.

After an international competitive bidding process, ILF was awarded the engineering services, which cover the review of existing studies, preparation of tender documents and detailed design, as well as supervision support to the DHPI during the construction. The contract will cover a period of 57 months.

As part of the ongoing Vestfoldbanen railway upgrade scheme, state-owned Norwegian railway infrastructure company Bane NOR is building 10 km of new double-track railway between Drammen and Kobbervikdalen.
In 2018, ILF Consulting Engineers was hired by the Norwegian contractor Veidekke Entreprenør AS as the designer of the most technically challenging section of the project, a 290 m-long tunnel mined in difficult geology below the groundwater table. The excavation commences in low cohesion glaciofluvial deposits and progressively transitions into full face rock excavation. Extensive ground improvement works in the form of jet-grouting will be executed from the surface in advance of the tunnelling works.

Norway has a long tradition of rock tunnelling, however large span soil tunnels are not common in the country. ILF is able to bring expertise and success on similar tunnel designs to this project.

Initially, ILF prepared the Tender Design and supported Veidekke during the Competitive Dialogue competition. After the EPC Contract was awarded to Veidekke in October 2019, ILF developed the Concept Design to later carry on with the Detailed Design, which is currently underway and includes a BIM model which is then integrated into a combined model of all the works within the contract.

The 3.6 km long Kramer Tunnel will be the longest two-way tunnel in Germany. It is primarily meant to relieve through traffic in downtown Garmisch-Partenkirchen and towards Grainau/Eibsee and the federal border at Griesen. In 2020, the Staatliche Bauamt Weilheim contracted ILF Consulting Engineers to carry out the following design phases: 5 to 9 (among others, preparation of tender documents, contract awarding and site supervision) for the installation of the operation and safety equipment.

The Kramer tunnel will predominantly be constructed as a mined tunnel. Furthermore, the tunnel will have two operations buildings outside and a cavern inside the tunnel with a 26 m high exhaust air chimney. The tunnel is planned with cross passages accessible to pedestrians and vehicles as escape routes. More than 1,300 LED lights will ensure that necessary lighting is provided in the Kramer Tunnel. 16 jet fans (55 kW each), and 2 exhaust air fans (420 kW each) ensure that the required ventilation concept is implemented.

Since 2017 ILF has been successfully involved in the Kramer tunnel project, carrying out tunnelling and road design services, preparation of tender documents and risk analysis as well as the first three design phases for the operation and safety equipment.

Besides diverse challenges that we faced, the year 2020 that is drawing to a close also brought us many encouraging developments. All in all, a sense of great satisfaction and gratitude prevails regarding what we have achieved together.

Our sincere thanks go to our esteemed clients and business partners for their constructive cooperation.

Wishing you a peaceful holiday season, and above all else, health and happiness in the New Year 2021!

On account of the growing complexity of day-to-day project work, the demands on reporting are increasing significantly. Due to the lack of automated processes, classic reporting is prone to errors, only partially up to date and time consuming as well.

By implementing analytical software solutions such as MS Power BI, the great potential of information management can also be used for reporting. The aim is to visualize project-specific data both quantitatively and qualitatively, and in a structured and descriptive manner. These project cockpits are used for quality assurance and also for project coordination and control.
For the project, 2. S-Bahn-Stammstrecke München (2nd Munich S-Bahn Main Line), the Client, Deutsche Bahn, requested quality assurance for BIM in the design phase for various disciplines. In the course of the general BIM coordination, ILF Consulting Engineers developed the quality assurance process by means of MS Power BI. In a multi-stage procedure, the quality of the individual technical models was evaluated and presented in a report. After the client’s approval, a uniform workflow, an interdisciplinary template and a project-specific user guide were developed.

For the project, this constitutes a new standard of quality assurance, which has been implemented for the first time with such professionalism and which will be a yardstick for future projects.

The Northern Feeder Line forms part of the Trans-European Scandinavian-Mediterranean Corridor, which stretches from the South of Finland to the island of Malta. The current project is located along the Munich–Verona axis and is a component of the Northern Feeder Line to the Brenner Base Tunnel.

DB Netz AG has recently commissioned ILF Consulting Engineers, as part of a joint venture, to provide design services for the route selection process involving public participation for the planned Grafing–Großkarolinenfeld project area. The Grafing–Großkarolinenfeld section will consist of a new twin-track high-speed line running from Grafing station to an area south of Tuntenhausen. As part of this joint venture, ILF has also been involved in the Großkarolinenfeld–Schaftenau section in Austria since 2016. This section is located next to the Grafing–Großkarolinenfeld section.

The electrified twin-track high-speed line shall provide greater capacities for rail traffic and contribute to relieving traffic on the existing Munich–Innsbruck railway line. Facilitating train speeds of up to 230 km/h, the new line is furthermore advantageous for passengers traveling long distances. The Grafing–Großkarolinenfeld section has a length of approx. 23 km and a maximum longitudinal gradient of 12.5 ‰. The entire processing of the project has been done using BIM, starting from the early design stages.

Core elements of the design contract include development of feasible route alternatives, environmental investigations and interdisciplinary route selection, as well as performance of a comprehensive baseline survey and a project area analysis. The design works will be accompanied by extensive citizen participation.