- Gifford post-tensioned bridges were the first to be designed and built in the UK. One is Grade I listed in the New Forest and still carries traffic.
- Gifford invented the Gifford-Udall prestressing system which is referred to in text books around the world.
- Gifford designed the bridge deck for the Tasman bridge in Hobart, using precast segmental externally post-tensioned concrete.
- The first post-tensioned concrete church spire in the UK was a Gifford design.
- Gifford used post-tensioning to strengthen a medieval timber building.
- Gifford won the very first Ministry of Transport bridge design competition for a bridge carrying the M1 motorway in Yorkshire.
- Gifford was the main structural consultant for the strengthening of Britain’s tallest spire, at Salisbury Cathedral.
- Gifford’s first job in London was an alternative for the Elephant & Castle shopping Centre where 25% of the materials in the conforming design were saved.
- Gifford designed a bridge from Southampton to the Isle of Wight – never yet built.
- Gifford carried out all the development work for a prototype tracked hovercraft transportation system, including full scale tests.
- Gifford pioneered a modular hospital system for the NHS called Nucleus – and tested full scale buildings.
- Gifford, with Sir Christopher Cockerell (the inventor of the hovercraft) conceived and built the very first UK device to generate electricity from waves. This was tested in the Solent and televised at the time.
- For two years, Gifford operated the biggest wave energy research laboratory in Europe with a Government grant.
- “Catfish” fishing boats in kit form conceived by Dr Gifford have sold in the thousands across the third world.
- For more than 25 years, the majority of sign and signal gantries on Britain’s roads have been Gifford designs.
- Gifford had the idea of using epoxy laminated timber for windmill blades – an idea which is now taken up almost universally worldwide.
- Gifford was the independent checker for the Second Severn Crossing.
- One of the largest ports in the world at Gwadar in Pakistan was designed by Gifford
- Gifford was the structural designer for all the repairs to Windsor Caste after the disastrous fire in 1994.
- Gifford designed the 101 span Kwai Chung Viaduct in Hong Kong – their biggest ever project, at the time.
- Gifford started designing roads to complement their bridge design skills
- Gifford was responsible for writing UK design rules for prestressed concrete bridge design.
- The first UK consultant to start offering Archaeology to clients was Gifford.
- Gifford was one of two consultants responsible for overseeing assessing the strength of half the 1600 railway overbridges in the UK.
- The Gateshead Millennium Bridge won more awards for Gifford than any other in its history.
- The Gifford Archtec system for strengthening masonry arch bridges won the Queen’s Award for Innovation.
- Gifford has the largest share of the market in Dubai for post-tensioned floor design.
- Gifford designed their own studios in Southampton which were, at the time, the lowest energy office buildings in the UK.
- Gifford won the first Design and Build contracts of almost every type for the Highways Agency and have more kilometres experience of motorway widening in the UK than any other consultant.
- Gifford designed the innovative gantries for the M42 hard shoulder running trial.
