Infrastructure project management is complex and demanding. It requires a combination of specialist and managerial skills, multidisciplinary interactions and the co-ordination of risks and liabilities that may arise through specific stages. One of the primary determinants of success is consenting for the construction and operation of the proposed development. These processes may include statutory Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) activities which will place constraints and demands on the timing of the project and its management.

This introductory course assists Project Managers and Engineers gain an understanding of the EIA process, its historic development and why it has become an international regulatory instrument and critically the mindsets, responsibilities, roles and interactions of EIA and engineering professionals during projects. The need to avoid adverse environmental and social impacts, and where possible to ensure long term benefits for communities and their environments underlines all industrial regulatory and operational land-use planning consents. This has increasingly become accepted as an essential component of responsible development and project management leadership. In order to avoid environmental impacts of any development activity extending into its operational phase and beyond, and to provide an opportunity to mitigate negative impacts and enhance positive design impacts.

This flexible 3-day course or 5 x ½ day course enables project managers and engineers involved with EIA projects, the time to receive specialist instruction in the risks, opportunities and information flows from EIA that can be harnesses through effective project leadership. The course looks at real life scenarios where different project management approaches were followed, the end results and lessons learnt. The course can also be tailored to specific development sectors (i.e. energy) and infrastructure projects (windfarms). Specific course elements include alignment between the EIA process and the project lifecycle; Scheduling EIA interactions to obtain maximum TCM benefits; Ensuring that information arising from EIA activities receive due consideration during the project phases; Budgeting and contract management for EIA; Utilizing EIA as a design tool for infrastructure projects; Maximizing Sustainability within Infrastructure Development, and the Risks and Benefits of EIA Consultation and Stakeholder Communication phases.

Leading Green’s courses are highly interactive and are based on over 25 years’ experience as an EIA leader in the Power, Water & Climate Change adaptation sectors within Industry and Government. We utilize a mix of learning methods and instruction strategies during the course including facilitator presentation and facilitation; organization self-assessment questionnaires; group discussion, exercises and activities; systems reflection and action planning. This course’s training and coaching approach has been adapted to the needs of individuals and small team groups, in specific cases additional EIA sectors specialists can be brought in to develop themes or expand sector knowledge.