Environmental Impact Assessment - Effective Cost Management

Posted on | June 24, 2009 | No Comments

The cost of carrying out an environmental impact assessment can be a significant part of the planning and design cost of a development project. Notoriously, the EIA costs are difficult to predict at the outset of the project. This uncertainty is mainly due to an initial lack of knowledge of the environmental baseline conditions on the development site. As the project progresses, site knowledge increases gradually and new costs may emerge while some risks may reduce. Particularly in the current economic climate, there is a need to have a clear understanding of the costs and the risks of the environmental impact assessment at an early stage in the project.

The first step to effective cost management of an environmental impact assessment is to carry out a thorough EIA scoping study. The outcome of the EIA scoping study should be a clear understanding of the basic site characteristics and the likely environmental risks and sensitivities. It should also provide a clear programme on how to address the issues that have been identified in the further environmental impact assessment.

Following a carefully undertaken EIA scoping study, uncertainties remain. These uncertainties are however much more manageable. For instance, during the EIA scoping study it was identified that no important archaeological features have been recorded in the wider area around a site. The following step that is proposed is to carry out a geophysical site survey. Depending on the outcome of the survey there may be a requirement to carry out an intrusive investigation in the form of an excavation.

There are three uncertainties that will determine the final cost for archaeological work as part of the environmental impact assessment. Firstly there is the uncertainty about the exact cost to carry out the geophysical survey. The error margin on this should be relatively small as it is a fairly defined activity. The second uncertainty relates to whether or not the results of the survey indicate the need of further work. This is a yes or no issue, where the uncertainty relates to the chance that further work is required. Finally, the third piece of uncertainty relates to the cost of the intrusive investigation should this be required.

A system that is based on the Monte Carlo cost forecasting system is ideally suited to deal with these kind of uncertainties. The outcome of the Monte Carlo cost forecasting system is typically a series of potential project costs together with the probability that each of these costs will not be exceeded. Thus, employing a combination of a rigorous EIA scoping study and the use of the Monte Carlo cost forecasting methodology are essential tools in the effective cost management of environmental impact assessments.

Paul Giesberg is an environmental consultant with a specific interest in environmental impact assessment.

Category: Environmental

ProSPER.Net Symposium on Sustainability in Business Education

Posted on | May 18, 2009 | No Comments

The First ProSPER.Net Symposium on Sustainability in Business Education to be held at Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), Thailand from 4-5 June 2009.

ProSPER.Net (The Network for Promoting Sustainability in Postgraduate Education and Research) is sponsored by United Nations University-Institute of Advanced Studies (UNU-IAS) and the Japanese Ministry of the Environment.

Given the current economic and environmental crises, the issue of sustainability in business is crucial. New thinking is required on the role of business, its relationships with communities and environmental systems, and the ways that business will be done in the future. This symposium provides a forum for business leaders, professionals and educators to discuss the ways in which business education can shape the businesses of tomorrow.

If you would like to get involved in this event, by making a presentation, showcasing best practice, or presenting a paper, then please get in touch. Deadline for submissions/ abstracts/or full papers: 21 May 2009.

The conference fee for the two day event: 3,000 baht

All academic submissions will be refereed, and if, accepted, will be published in the official proceedings, which will carry an ISBN number.

Website: http://prospernet.ait.asia
Contacts: Dr. Mark W. Neal, AIT. &
Dr. Malik Naeem, AIT: naeem@ait.ac.th

Asian Institute of Technology has been involved in education and capacity building in the region for 50 years. It is committed to sustainability in all its operations, and is playing a leading role in mainstreaming sustainability in business education.

Asian Institute of Technology
School of Management
58 Moo 9, Km. 42, Paholyothin Highway
Klong Luang, Pathumthani 12120
Thailand

Category: Conference, News

FMM : 6th World Chamber of Congress (3-5 June 2009)

Posted on | May 17, 2009 | No Comments

Dear MD/ CEO & Manager,

6th World Chamber of Congress to be held at KLCC on 3-5 June 2009 (2.5 days) :-

-Hosted by the “Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM)”
-The “first time” in Southeast Asia
-Held every 2 years in different region in the “World”
-Provide an avenue for local and regional participants to meet global business leaders
-Develop networks over 1,000 delegates from more than 100 Countries
-International forum for chamber leaders to share experience and best practices
-Address and exchange views on the latest business issues affecting their community
-Exhibition, Business Meetings, Business Opportunities, Royal Gala Evening, Dinner and Workshops

Registration fee as local delegate for 2 ½ days (3-5 June 09) Congress is RM2,000. This fee will cover Opening Ceremony, Welcome Reception, Mayor’s Dinner, Gala Dinner, 2 Lunches and 5 Coffee Breaks.

Day 1 (3 June 09) RM500
Registration fee includes attendance to opening ceremony, plenary, exhibition area, refreshment and welcome reception

Day 2 (4 June 09) RM1,200
Registration fee includes attendance to plenary and workshops sessions, exhibition area, lunch, refreshment and theme night dinner.

Day 3 (5 June 09) RM1,200
Registration fee includes attendance to plenary and workshops sessions, exhibition area, lunch, refreshment and theme night dinner.

Participation in 6th World Chambers Congress is HRDF claimable. Thus, net cost per delegate for eligible company is only RM500 after deducting the HRDF claimable amount of RM1,500.

Attached is the WCC brochure and registration form for Malaysian delegate. Members may also log on to www.wcc2009malaysia.com.my for WCC online registration

If you have further queries, please contact Ms. Kwai Kaun at 03-62761211 ext 380 or fax 03-6274 5239

Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM)
Johor Branch
No 1 & 3, Jln Kencana Mas 1/1
Tebrau Business Park
Kws Perindustrian Tebrau III
81100 Johor Bahru
Tel : 07-3577 613 Fax : 07-3577 617/ 8
http : //www.fmm.org.my

Category: Conference

2nd Asia Pacific HSE Forum 2009

Posted on | May 17, 2009 | No Comments

With the theme “Embrace World Class HSE Practices & Performance”, the conference will be held from 6-7th July 2009 in Berjaya Times Square Hotel and Convention Center, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The post conference will be scheduled on the 8th of July 2009. The conference showcase the latest insights and world class experience from top HSE experts from different perspectives.

For more information on the 2nd Asia Pacific HSE Forum 2009, please download the brochure here.

Category: Conference

COMPOSITES EUROPE 2009, 27-29 October, Stuttgart, Germany

Posted on | May 17, 2009 | No Comments

COMPOSITES EUROPE is the strongest exhibition in the strongest European composites market. It captures the fast moving nature of the composites industry and is the most dynamically growing show in the industry. Attracting an international audience, it connects decision makers, engineers and developers from the key application industries with key players, SMEs and innovators.

Further show information at: www.composites-europe.com. Contact: Michael Koehler, +49(0)211 90191-225, Michael.Koehler@reedexpo.de

Category: Conference

MOSTA Seminars and Workshops 2009

Posted on | May 17, 2009 | No Comments

Greetings MOSTA Members,

We would like to inform you that we are organising a series of seminars and workshops for this year and the brochure is attached for your reference. Among the contents, I mean seminars and workshops are “Advance Technologies in Palm Oil Refinery”, “Best Practices in the Palm Oil Milling Industry”, “Down Streaming Activities in the Oil and Fats Industry”, “Advanced Analytical Techniques in the Oil and Fats Industry” and others.

To view the brochure, click here.

Category: Events, Seminar

Hopper Separators

Posted on | May 17, 2009 | No Comments

Following is a hopper separator which was just released to the industry (information adopted from Processingmagazine.com newsletter).

Hopper separators add efficiency and versatility to maintenance plans
The hopper separators are an ideal addition to a plant’s maintenance plan when used in conjunction with the company’s high-power industrial vacuum cleaners, according to the man

Category: Equipment

Environmental Air Conditioner

Posted on | May 17, 2009 | No Comments

This is an air conditioner which was just introduced to the industry (information adopted from Processingmagazine.com newsletter).

Air conditioner uses environmentally-friendly refrigerant
Unlike hydrochlorofluorcarbon-based refrigerants such as Freon, the refrigerant used in the air conditioner does not contain greenhouse gases, which contribute to the depletion of the ozone layer.

Category: Equipment

Ultrasonic flowmeter converter

Posted on | May 17, 2009 | No Comments

Introducing a new easy to use ultrasonic flowmeter which was just released to the industry (information adopted from Processingmagazine.com newsletter).

Easy-to-use ultrasonic flowmeter converter
Portable ultrasonic flowmeter converters are paired with sensors in order to utilize the transit-time difference for measuring flow rates in pipes from the outside.

ufacturer.

Category: Equipment