World-renowned explosives expert lends expertise to degree course.
University of Wolverhampton Demolition degree students were blown away by a guest speaker recently.
Blow-down explosives expert, Dick Green, was a visiting lecturer at the City Campus in Wolverhampton recently to talk to the Master’s degree Architecture and Built Environment students about the use of explosives in the demolition and deconstruction of buildings.
Accredited by the Institute of Demolition Engineers (IDE), the Demolition degree course, the first of its kind in Europe, has been designed in conjunction with industry specialists and is being delivered by both academics and demolition sector experts.
Dick Green, Managing Director and Explosives Engineer at Index Industrial Explosive Engineers Ltd, was a commissioned officer in the army for 25 years, working with explosives before joining a leading UK explosives demolition company as senior explosives engineer and project manager.
He has planned and supervised explosive demolition projects across the world including India, Asia, Scandinavia, Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and the UK. He also presents and lectures on a variety of explosive related topics to military and civilian organisations and has demolished buildings for Hollywood movies and television.
Dick said: “It’s important on a course like this that people learn about explosives because the type of people studying will, at some point in their career, will be involved in explosives demolition. By giving the students insights into explosives and how they work, this will enhance their capability and their career.”
Davinder Singh Reehal, Technical Director at national demolition company, John F Hunt Ltd, said: “The industry is moving along all the time, and whilst it’s great to get the academic perspective, it’s good to bring professionals in to explore new ideas, new skills, new methodologies and it’s good to get that live input.”
