Wednesday, February 25, 2026

Invited talk on Sustainable Building Practices

Our department conducted an invited talk on “Sustainable Building Practices in India” On 24th February 2026. The program was conducted in association with the IGBC Student Chapter of our campus. The speaker was Dr. Meril George, Professor and Dean Administration, SCMS School of Architecture and venue our Library Seminar Hall. The target audience was the final year B.Tech students.

The session started with a discussion on why sustainability is becoming increasingly important in today’s world. Dr. Meril George explained that with rapid urbanization and growing environmental concerns, the construction sector plays a major role in either harming or protecting the environment. Since buildings consume a large amount of energy, water, and materials, adopting sustainable practices is not just an option but a responsibility.

She explained the three pillars of sustainability — environmental, social, and economic. Environmental sustainability focuses on reducing pollution and conserving natural resources. Social sustainability ensures healthier living spaces and improved quality of life. Economic sustainability highlights long-term cost efficiency and resource management. She clearly conveyed that all three pillars must work together for true sustainable development.

The speaker also discussed the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and how sustainable construction practices contribute especially to goals like Sustainable Cities and Communities, Responsible Consumption and Production, and Climate Action. This helped us understand that sustainability in construction is connected to global development efforts.

A major part of the session focused on sustainable architecture and green buildings. She spoke about climate-responsive design, proper orientation of buildings, use of natural lighting and ventilation, water conservation methods like rainwater harvesting, and the integration of renewable energy sources. She explained that green buildings are designed not only to reduce environmental impact but also to improve indoor comfort and health for occupants.

Dr. Meril George also introduced various green building certification systems such as LEED, IGBC, GRIHA, and BREEAM. She explained how these certifications assess buildings based on energy efficiency, water management, material selection, waste reduction, and indoor environmental quality. It was interesting to learn how these rating systems encourage sustainable construction practices and provide recognition to environmentally responsible projects.


The session also covered the challenges in implementing sustainable building practices in India, including higher initial costs, lack of awareness, limited technical expertise, and reluctance to move away from conventional methods. However, she emphasized that the long-term benefits, such as reduced operational costs and environmental protection, outweigh the initial investment.

Overall, the session was informative and thought-provoking. It gave us a clearer understanding of how sustainability can be practically implemented in the construction sector. The talk encouraged us to think more responsibly as future engineers and to contribute towards building a more sustainable future.


---
Roshni P Nair, S8 CE

Tuesday, February 24, 2026

Site visit to Marina One


On 24/02/2026, Final year students of our department had the opportunity to visit Marina One at Marine Drive, Kochi, one of the most prestigious under construction residential development projects in Kerala. It was organised by Sobha as a one day workshop titled " From Classroom to Construction Site - Real-Time Execution of High-Rise Residential Projects" with sessions on Industry Insights, guided site visit and on site live execution of construction processes. There were 30 students accompanied by two faculty members. I had the opportunity to go with the students along with our Head of the Department, Dr. Kavitha P E.

Marina One, developed by Sobha Limited in joint venture with Puravankara Limited, is Kerala’s largest waterfront residential project. Spread across 16.7 acres, the project comprises 12 towers with 30 floors each, offering 1141 super-luxury 3BHK + Study and 4BHK apartments ranging from 2317 to 3710 sq. ft. A key highlight is the 5-acre central urban park and a 46,000 sq. ft. clubhouse equipped with premium lifestyle amenities.

The session began with an informative talk by Architect Amrita, an interior designer, who spoke about the emergence of high-rise buildings in modern urban development. After lunch arranged by the company, the students were divided into groups for the guided site visit.


The students were first briefed in the gallery, where the entire construction process was clearly explained. The project uses Mivan construction technology, a fast-track method using aluminum formwork to cast walls and slabs monolithically, ensuring speed, strength, and superior finish. 

The students also explored the pile construction site, where the foundation works were in progress and the specialists explained the piling process in detail. At every location, experts provided valuable insights about the activities happening on site.



The visit was a wonderful learning experience that enhanced the understanding of real-time civil engineering practices, high-rise construction techniques, and large-scale project execution. It was truly a day filled with practical exposure and new knowledge.


--
Ms. Preethi M, AP CE

University Results - S7

Happy to join the happiness of students who secured good scores in the S7 B.Tech university examinations. There are nine students with more than 9 CGPA and 28 students with more than 8 CGPA. This is one of the best university results of the department thus far. 

Congratulations to the toppers!

Saturday, February 21, 2026

Admissions 2026: Registrations Open

The registration process for the admission to B.Tech, M.Tech for the academic year 2026-27, are open!  Pass it on to anyone interested!


Congratulations Dr. Asha Joseph!

Dr. Asha Joseph, Professor from our department has been honoured with the NPTEL Top Performing Mentor award. 

This award is given to faculty members who who actively guide and support students in NPTEL courses and help them achieve excellent certification results. Last semester Dr. Asha mentored students for the course "Building Materials as a Cornerstone to Sustainability".

Congratulations Dr. Asha Joseph
!

Friday, February 20, 2026

Student Union Election

The student union election of our campus was held today, 20 February 2026. Though delayed, the university decided to proceed with the election process at this time. This year we had an observer appointed by the university on campus to oversee the proceedings. Strict guidelines were issued regarding the conduct of the election. For us, however, the process remained largely routine, as we have consistently followed standard election protocols over the years.

The new office bearers were elected from among the class representatives during the post-lunch session in the seminar hall. There was a closely contested election for the Chairman post, and Mr. Basil  P Joby, S6 Mechanical Engineering was elected as the new Student Union Chairman. The Vice Chairperson Ms. Amina Farhath N A, is from our department (S6 CE). This year sees increased representation of women among the office bearers.

Here is the full team:

Chairman: Basil P Joby, S6 MEA
Vice Chairman: Amina Farhath N A - S6 CEA
General Secretary: Aaliya MA, S6 MEA
Arts Club Secretary: Ayisha Mol N - S6 CSA
Magazine Editor: Avanthika Chandrasekharan, S6 EEE

UUCs
Jerin Regie, S4 MEA
Neha Sajan, S2 MEB

Women Representatives
Afiya Yasmin, S4EE
Pooja M V, S4CSC

UG Representatives
CSD: Neha BS
EC: Iza Tressa Jaison
EEE: Akshay Shaji
CE: Shan Ahmed Shamseer
ME: Avany Shaiju
IMCA: Sayin David Saju
MTech (CE-SECM): Ananda Padmanabhan D
MBA: Tiyara Jos

The newly elected team will serve until the next elections, expected in August/September, making this one of the shortest terms for office bearers. 

We look forward to an active and productive year ahead. Kudos to the winners.

Wednesday, February 18, 2026

NACTET test winners

The final year students (S8) of our department participated in the NACTET C Prize examinations conducted by the National Council for Technology and Training at our campus today, 18/02/2026. NACTET is an autonomous, non-profit organization registered under the Government of Kerala and the Government of India (NCT, New Delhi). 

NACTET focuses on skill and career development, training, and certification to enhance professional excellence and employment opportunities across India. They have conducted similar tests on our campus in previous years as well. 

From batch A, First Prize was secured by Murshid Ali P K. The Second Prize was jointly won by Lakshmi P S and Manjima. The Third Prize was shared by Mehreen Rafeeq and Sreenanda P.

From batch B, Dixon Babu and Arya J P secured First Prize. The Second Prize was won by Adhilaxmi M and Anjaly Tomy. The Third Prize was jointly secured by John Shaju and Gayathri P, along with Amna Fathima S and Ann Tressa Joseph.

Certificates were awarded to the toppers. Congratulations to all the winners!!

Champions of our Department

APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University organised the All Kerala Inter-Collegiate Athletics Championship at the Chandrashekharan Nair Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram from 16th to 18th February 2026.  Students from our campus participated actively and secured several prizes.

There are two medal winners from our department, Gagan S Krishna of S4 CE won the Bronze Medal in the 10,000 m walk. Sangeetha K S of S2 Civil Engineering also delivered an excellent performance, securing the Silver in 200m and Bronze in the 400 m race. Sangeetha was also a part of the 4x400m relay team which won the Bronze Medal - three medals in her kitty!



Congratulations Champs! You have made us proud!


FISAT Moves!

FISAT Moves, our dance team, had a successful season and won several prizes at different competitions. 

The team secured First Prize in Group Dance at the intercollegiate techno-cultural fest held at Muthoot Institute of Technology and Science, Second Prize in Group Dance at Elims College of Arts and Science, and Fourth Prize at Danza Season 5 conducted by the St. John the Baptist Youth Association Nayathode. They also won the First Prize in the event conduted at at Bharata Mata College, Ernakulam.


Students from our department who are part of the team include Anusmitha Senthil (S2 CEA), Dona Elezabeth Benny (S2 CEA), Jasmin George (S2 CEA), and Sourav P G (S4 CEB). 


Congratulations to the team on their achievements!!

Monday, February 16, 2026

Hands-on Training on EPANET

Our Department organized a hands-on training session on “EPANET” for the fourth-semester B. Tech Civil Engineering students, both A and B batches, on 09 February 2026. The training was handled by the newly joined faculty member, Dr. Nishida A, Assistant Professor. 

EPANET is a widely used public-domain software developed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, USEPA, (https://www.epa.gov/water-research/epanet) for modelling water distribution systems. It performs extended period simulation of hydraulic and water quality behaviour within pressurized pipe networks. 

During the session, students were introduced to the creation of network layouts incorporating junctions, reservoirs, tanks, pipes, pumps, and valves. They learned to input system parameters such as demand, pipe diameter, roughness coefficient, and elevations. The training also covered hydraulic analysis, including the determination of flow rates, nodal pressures, and head losses, along with water quality analysis involving chlorine decay, waterage, and source tracing.

The session commenced at 9:00 a.m. in the morning. The Head of the Department addressed the students, emphasized the importance of learning modern water-supply modelling tools. The HOD highlighted that the understanding of simulation software has become essential for civil engineers, particularly in the areas of water supply engineering, urban infrastructure planning, and sustainable resource management.

The training helped students understand how theoretical concepts from Environmental Engineering and Water Supply Engineering courses are applied in real-life engineering projects. The importance of computer-aided analysis in ensuring efficient, economical, and sustainable water distribution systems was strongly emphasized. The session concluded at 4:30 p.m. after an interactive discussion and doubt-clearing session. The programme concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Ms. Anna Rose, AP

The workshop provided valuable practical exposure and enhanced the students’ understanding of modern water distribution modelling tools used by professional engineers and consulting agencies.

---
Dr. Nishida A, AP CE

Saturday, February 14, 2026

Aesthetic Aspects of Building & Concept Drawing Competition

The Builders Association of India Student Chapter (BAI) of our department conducted a workshop titled “Aesthetic Aspects of Building & Concept Drawing Competition”  for the first year B.Tech students on 11 February 2026 during the afternoon session. The program was conducted with the support of Tangent Education, Thrissur, which offers specialized training in interior/exterior design and 3D visualization. 

Mr. Vinod KC and Mr. Arundas VM, Directors of Tangent, were the resource persons. We were introduced to the concept of aesthetic drawing during the event. We were divided into 10 groups, each representing a company, and were asked to develop the elevation for a concept restaurant. 

Everyone participated with enthusiasm, the session was very enjoyable and engaging, as everyone had work to do, no one felt bored or distracted. Each one had their own ideas to share, and everyone actively involved from start to end. The ideas and guidance given by the resource persons were very helpful. The workshop gave us an opportunity to build our own creations using our imagination, ideas, and skills, and helped in improving our creativity and thinking. Overall, it was a very nice and interesting session.

The company "Urbansea" emerged as winners with members Ananthu A E, Ashna Ali, Dona Elezabeth Benny, Devananda P P, Edwin Sojan, Fathima Sidhik from S2 CEA and Namitha A, Pavan B Pillai, and Sreebhadra M R from S2 CEB.


The pictures says it all.

---

Punya Jackson , S2 CEB

Thursday, February 12, 2026

Welcome Anoop KN, newly joined faculty member

We welcome the newly joined faculty member of our department, Dr. Anoop K N. He completed his PhD from SASTRA Deemed to be University in 2025. His research interests include sustainable construction materials and alkali-activated concrete.

We look forward to your contributions to the department!

Wednesday, February 11, 2026

Study Tour!

 The sixth semester students of our department embarked on an exciting five-day industrial visit and study tour from 5th to 9th February 2026. The itinerary covered scenic and activity-rich destinations including Coorg, Chikkamagaluru, Dandeli, Gokarna, and Malpe, offering students a refreshing break while fostering camaraderie and holistic learning. 

Visits to locations such as the Harangi Reservoir in Coorg provided insights into water resource management and dam infrastructure. Students also visited Urban Wood Industries, Mangalore which is a production company which manufacturers  plywood and binding glue used for its production. 

This industrial visit was not just a tour but a platform for strengthening peer bonding and teamwork, Developing adaptability and leadership, Experiencing diverse environments, Refreshing minds for academic pursuits and building lasting memories.

The trip was coordinated under the leadership of Mr. Adwin Antu, Ms. Meha Muneer, Mr. Kevin Abraham and Ms. Raisa Ummer. The team was accompanied by five faculty members from the department - Ms. Sharon Jacob, Ms. Ninicy Jose, Ms. Rinu J Achison, Mr. Sreerath S and Mr. Arun Pappan. 

The trip provided students with a valuable opportunity to step outside the classroom, learn through experience, and build friendships that will last beyond their academic journey. Such visits play a vital role in shaping well-rounded professionals by combining knowledge, exposure, and personal growth.

---

Rinu J Achison, AP CE

Tuesday, February 10, 2026

Hands-on Training Program on Building Information Modelling

Our Department organized a two-day hands-on training program on Building Information Modelling (BIM) on 4th and 10th February 2026. The program was conducted in association with the ACE,  ASCE Student Chapter and ISTE FISAT Chapter, with the objective of equipping students with industry-relevant digital construction skills.

The training program was specifically designed for Fourth Semester Civil Engineering students, and witnessed enthusiastic participation from students over the two days.

The program commenced with an inaugural address by Dr. Kavitha P.E, Head of the Department, who highlighted the growing importance of BIM in the current construction industry. The address also underlined how proficiency in BIM tools significantly enhances employability, opening opportunities for students not only in India but also in the global job market, where digital construction practices are rapidly becoming the norm.

The sessions were handled by our faculty members, Dr. Asha Joseph, Professor, and Ms. Sowmya V. Krishnankutty, Assistant Professor (Senior Grade). The program was coordinated by Ms. Anna Rose Varghese, Assistant Professor.
The training focused on practical exposure to Autodesk Revit, enabling students to gain first-hand experience in architectural modelling. During the sessions, students successfully completed the Revit architectural modelling of a single-storey building, covering the following key aspects: Creation of levels and project setup; Modelling of walls, lintels, floors, and roofs; Placement of building components such as doors and windows; Massing and site modelling -  including toposurface creation; Visualization of the 3D building model and Generation and interpretation of sectional views.

The hands-on nature of the program helped students clearly understand how design elements are integrated within a BIM environment and how changes in one view are automatically reflected across the model. The program received excellent feedback from the participants, who found the sessions highly engaging and beneficial. The training not only enhanced their technical skills but also improved their confidence in using BIM tools for academic projects and future professional applications.
---
Dr. Asha Joseph, Professor, CE

Bon Voyage, Ms. Neeraja - Off to the ROSE School, Pavia


We cut this cake to celebrate the admission of our faculty member, Ms. Neeraja, to the Advanced Masters Program in Earthquake Engineering at the prestigious ROSE School, Pavia, Italy. She has earned admission along with a scholarship for the program!

The ROSE School is an international centre of excellence for postgraduate education and research in earthquake engineering and seismic risk reduction. It is jointly managed by the University of Pavia and IUSS Pavia, in close collaboration with the EUCENTRE Foundation (https://www.roseschool.it/ ). The centre is one of Europe’s leading institutions in earthquake engineering education and research.

She will be leaving for Italy tomorrow, 11th Feb 2026.  Congratulations Neeraja and We wish you all the very best! 




Monday, February 9, 2026

Mock GATE

Our department organized an orientation session for final-year students on various competitive examinations in Civil Engineering, including GATE, IES, and UPSC, along with an overview of the opportunities available after qualifying GATE. 

Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) is a national-level examination conducted by the IITs to assess understanding of undergraduate engineering and science subjects for admission to postgraduate programs and recruitment in public sector organizations.

Clearing GATE opens a wide range of opportunities in higher studies, public sector undertakings (PSUs), research positions, and reputed institutions across India. 

The session was handled by Mr. Ajith Mathew, Assistant Professor at Civilianz, on 6 February 2026. Following the session, a mock GATE examination was conducted for interested students to help them assess their preparation. 

The resource person also generously donated a few copies of their GATE preparation guide to the department library.



Thursday, February 5, 2026

Kickbox Champ!

Congratulations to Adithyan R. Nambiar of S6 CE who secured the silver medal in the 60 kg Senior Men’s category at the K1 Kickboxing Open Nationals Championship (Amateur), organised by the Amateur K-1 Association of Kerala. The championship was held from January 30 to February 1 at Calicut. 

Adithyan is standing on the left in this photo with his coach, wearing a medal. Adithyan is also a part of the NCC at our campus. 

Congratulations Adithyan!!