Environmental management in construction

Duration

Minimum 2 days of 6 learning hours per day

Purpose/Scope

Purpose:

On completion of this standard the delegate will gain a comprehensive introduction to environmental issues on construction sites.

Scope:

• sustainable construction and the environment
• environmental management systems
• energy management
• archaeology and heritage
• ecology and biodiversity
• statutory nuisance
• water protection and management
• resource efficiency
• soil management and contamination control
• waste management.

Occupational Relevance

Training delivered against this standard would be relevant to the following occupational group(s):

• management and leadership

Candidate Pre-requisites

There are no candidate pre-requisites as part of this standard. However, a basic knowledge of environmental issues, terminology and procedures would be beneficial. A course developed from the standard Environmental supervision in construction may be beneficial.

Instruction/Supervision

As a minimum, course instructors must be able to demonstrate that, in relation to this standard, they have:

• a train the trainer or instructional techniques course certificate
• successfully completed training to this standard
• at least 2 years relevant industrial experience
• a verifiable CV.

In addition, they must hold at least one of the following:

• a degree in an Environmental or Sustainability discipline
• NVQ/SVQ Level 3/4 in Environmental Management
• NEBOSH Environmental Diploma
• Associate Membership of IEMA.

Delivery

Delivery may be in an on or off the job environment. 

All delegate materials must be of a suitable quality for candidates to achieve learning outcomes and must be delivered on a reliable delivery platform. 

The class size and candidate/instructor ratio must allow training to be delivered in a safe manner and enable candidates to achieve the learning outcomes.  

The following delivery method may be used in the delivery of this standard: 

• classroom
• remote learning
• a blend of classroom and remote learning.

This standard is considered to contain 51% or more theoretical learning. 

Assessment

For the successful completion of training, candidates must complete an end of course practical assessment or knowledge test that measures the learning outcomes and has a pass or fail criteria.

Quality Assurance

Quality assurance against this standard will require the Approved Training Organisation (ATO) to hold approval with a 3rd party awarding organisation, industry training board, or professional institute for the specific course or qualification linked to this standard.

The course or qualification must have external set test(s) or exam(s) and be externally quality assured by the 3rd party.

This standard is not intended for mapping of ATOs' own standalone courses. Third party awarding organisations should submit their qualifications or courses for approval, before their delivery centres can be approved by CITB against this standard.

Renewal

Recommended refreshment – Health & Safety Executive (HSE), other relevant codes of practice or industry card scheme criteria recommend that the candidate completes a refresher of his/her training (i.e. to ensure their knowledge and/or skills are up to date) every 5 years.

Approval Date

March 2019

Review Cycle

On request or 3 year(s) from approval date

Learning Outcomes

The candidate will be able to:

• Describe sustainable development and the environment, the UK Governments strategy and priorities and the role the construction industry plays in achieving these priorities.
• Identify stakeholders and regulators in a construction activity and give examples of their involvement or interaction during a construction project. 
• Describe the most common construction sustainability assessment tools and the categories of performance.
• Describe the benefits of the Environmental Management System (EMS) in relation to efficiency targets and protection of the environment.
• Outline the global issues associated with energy production and consumption, the effects on the environment and the initiatives being implemented to address these problems. 
• Give examples of low carbon renewable sources for heat and electricity and governments’ financial incentive.
• Identify the building regulations, site activities and certification schemes that support energy performance and outline their importance in delivering energy efficient buildings.
• Outline why archaeology and the built heritage are important assets and why the construction process must consider archaeological factors.
• Identify elements of the heritage environment that are offered protection under legislation.
• Outline how archaeology can be considered as a hazard and the adverse effects it can have on a project.
• State the importance of wildlife management in the planning stage and identify the potential impacts construction has on plants and wildlife.
• Explain actions that promote and enhance biodiversity and avoids negative impacts from development work.
• Describe the importance of protecting wildlife, locations where wildlife may be found and the requirements of legislation covering protection. 
• Outline the requirements of legislation covering tree and hedgerow protection and identify the appropriate authority.
• Identify and describe what Invasive species are and the control measures that support effective management and disposal.
• Describe what constitutes a statutory nuisance and how nuisance on site can be avoided.
• Describe the role of Local Authorities and Environment Agencies in the management of air quality.
• Describe how to manage the environmental impact of air pollution on site.
• Outline how a good transport management plan can help with the management of nuisance on site.
• Outline methods of controlling noise and vibration to minimise impact on the environment.
• Describe how to minimise the impact of light pollution on the environment.
• Describe why community liaison is good for business.
• Outline the importance of taking care of water, protecting against pollution from construction activity and the regulations that support this protection.
• Outline the rules around water abstraction from mains and watercourses and the importance of monitoring.
• Explain how to manage contaminated water and outline the regulations, licencing and permitting that cover discharge to surface water and drain systems. 
• Describe the general binding rules, how pollution can be identified and when a permit or exemption will be required when working near a watercourse. 
• Outline information included in an incident response plan and the basic actions to respond to pollution incidents. 
• State the impacts construction has on resource depletion and waste creation and the purpose of a site waste management plan and design for manufacture and assembly.
• Outline the negative issues that impact water, the benefits of monitoring water consumption and the purpose of a sustainable urban drainage system (SuDS).  
• Outline what life cycle assessment is and specific stages in the life of a building that should be considered.
• Outline the policy and regulations that ensure timber is responsibly and ethically sourced. 
• Describe the positive and negative impact construction has on soil and why it is important to protect it.
• Outline what constitutes contaminated land, how it can be identified and how contamination may have occurred. 
• Describe how to manage contaminated land and identify guidance, licensing and permitting that supports the treatment. 
• Identify sites that may contain unexpected contaminants and the actions to take when excavating in these areas.
• Explain waste, how it can be managed and how to minimise the creation of waste on site. 
• Outline the process, information requirements and benefits of implementing a Site Waste Management Plan.
• Identify the different categories and classes of waste and the legislation governing waste in the UK.
• Outline the duty of care, the specific roles that have responsibilities and the regulations that cover waste.
• Identify the regulations and control measures that cover hazardous waste.
• Outline the purpose of using quality protocol.
• Outline the regulations and guidance covering electrical equipment.

Additional information about this standard

CITB Publications:

Construction Site Safety E: Environment, GE700E