When you are planning a building project, one of the issues that you can't afford to overlook is the environmental impact assessment. In many cases, you will need to be able to demonstrate that the project will not unduly adversely affect the local environment before your project will be approved.
What is an environmental impact assessment?
When looking at any building project, whether it is a large oil refinery, something smaller like a wind turbine or even a golf course, it may be possible to see some of the ways in which the project will impact the surrounding environment, but there may be other consequences of the build which are not so immediately obvious. An environmental impact assessment will look at the proposed building project in a systematic way and assess the way the project as a whole will affect the surrounding area. The assessment will look at the likely environmental, social and economic impact of the building project. This data will then be compiled into a report and considered before permission for the development will be granted or denied.
Why is an environmental impact assessment used?
For project managers, a significant benefit that comes from using an environmental impact assessment from an early stage is the ability to better manage the project as a whole and avoid expensive treatments and cleanup costs when contamination is discovered as the project progresses. For local government, the assessment helps them find ways to adapt new building projects to the local environment and mitigate adverse impacts from the earliest stages of the project.
What does an environment impact assessment look like?
The way an assessment is conducted on the ground will vary depending on the nature of the project, but in general an environmental impact assessment should contain the following components.
- Screening - This stage determines whether a full or partial environmental impact assessment is required.
- Scoping - Scoping looks at which potential impacts should be assessed and what alternative solutions should be considered to mitigate the impact of the development.
- Assessment - The actual assessment takes place and looks at the potential impacts.
- Report - The report is compiled and presented
- Review / Decision - The relevant authority will consider whether the project should go ahead and under which conditions it will be allowed.
- Monitoring - Throughout the lifetime of the project monitoring will be ongoing to assess whether the predicted outcomes have taken place and whether the proposed mitigation is working.
Find out today whether your project requires an environmental impact assessment.
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