Environmental Consultancy Firm Performs Job of Safeguarding All Inhabitants

Environmental consultants have graduation diploma in environmental engineering and some can have master or doctorate diploma in identical. Environmental engineers who supply consultancy companies in accordance to their business are referred to as environmental consultants and the firm as environmental consultancy. Nonetheless, the demand of environmental scientists have raised significantly more than previous couple of years. And the reasons are rapid development of technologies, destruction of green land, urbanization, and so forth. Ecological engineering is probably the engineering discipline where the mixed crux of science and engineering is taught. During their engineering scientific studies, they understand deep knowledge of nature, land, different species and technologies to implant fence, mitigation schemes,etc.

Environmental consultancy may well generalize above a wide array of professions or even focus on particular facets of environmental science as an example land administration. They are going to may possibly suggest certain customers within the person company or possibly public Govt. establishments to help you them preserve away from achievable fines, law fit as well as misguided purchases. In the event the survey found that you will find species that will be harmed by your activity, the scientist will supply you solutions which can not halt your development work and safeguards endangered species concurrently. Essentially the most simple enterprise by which ecological consulting continues to be prominent in is the actual commercial estate market. Plenty of skilled financial loan suppliers rely on the two big and small environment friendly organizations. When your residential region owns danger of snacks, reptiles or other vicious species then this environmental consultancy might help you generate ideal fencing to safeguard both you and your house. Seems to become environmental dilemma is found home owners which contemplate by themselves any liable celebration will probably maintain expenses inside of escrow. Ecological consultancies are taking part in vital function in reputation of “go green” concept which is meant to guard earth from natural calamities brought on by human steps.

Environmental Engineering for the Noble Cause of Protecting Environment

Trend of environmental engineering started around 20 years ago. However, the demand of environmental engineering have raised drastically over last few years. And the reasons are rapid growth of technology, destruction of green land, urbanization, etc. Environmental engineering is one of the engineering discipline where the combined application of science and engineering is taught. There are professional firms who hires environment engineers and these firms are known as environmental consultancy or ecology consultancy. Environmental engineers who provide consultancy services in accordance to their organization are called environmental consultants. Environmental consultants truly work for the noble cause of protecting human habitation and our valuable ecosystem. Environmental consultancy also work to protect endangered species following the environmental laws laid by the particular nation’s government. If you are buying a land for your new manufacturing unit or for residential purpose, there are chances that your construction activity may kill or harm the inhabitants there.

There are many species who inhabitant in countryside land. Environmental consultancy firm can work from client side and also as a government representative to conduct survey for possible species and their habitats in your site. If the survey found that there are species which will be harmed by your activity, the scientist will provide you solutions which will not halt your construction work and protects endangered species at the same time. There are many environmental consultancies who work to improvise renewable energy resources and control land pollution, water pollution, air pollution. They also work to remediate contaminated sites, land management, waste water management, recycling process, disposal of organic waste, radiation protection and environmental sustainability.  If your residential area owns danger of snacks, reptiles or other vicious species then these environmental consultancies can help you create suitable fencing to protect you and your property. At the same time, they can also implant mitigation scheme for those species who are facing threat from human intervention. The firm has license to perform such actions in legislative approach.

Code for Sustainable Homes Analyzes Homes Against Nine Different Categories

The U.K. Government in collaboration with the Building Research Establishment (BRE), Construction Industry Research and Information Association and through consultation with a Senior Steering Group, established a code for sustainable homes that gauges a home as a whole package and analyzes its sustainability against nine categories. These categories are:

1. Energy/CO2
2. Water
3. Materials
4. Surface water run-off
5. Waste
6. Pollution
7. Health and well-being
8. Management
9. Ecology

When environmental consultancy wants to measure the sustainability of any home against these standards which are set above the minimum standards for code compliance, it uses 1 to 6 start rating system to establish overall sustainability performance of a new home. According to expert environmental consultant, a code for sustainable homes is established in order to guide building regulations with regards to carbon emissions and energy use. This in turn lends greater regulatory reliability and authenticity for the homebuilding industry. At each level, the code has minimum standards which provides meaningful information to home buyers and offers builders an opportunity to stand out while building new homes.

The levels of energy efficiency for the code are:

Code level 1 – 10%
Code level 2 – 18%
Code level 3 – 25%
Code level 4 – 44%
Code level 5 – 100%
Code level 6 – zero carbon

A professional environmental consultant opines that it is an age in which people have become more conscious of how their way of living has been affecting the health of environment. And, this is precisely the reason, why it is necessary for designers and builders to follow code for sustainable homes. By following this code, they are not only catering to the popular demand of the prospective inhabitants, but they are also contributing seriously to the wider efforts to save the environment from its deteriorating condition.

Environmental Consultants – Who are they and what’s their role?

Before knowing who are these environmental consultants, let’s see the definition of environmental consultancy.

What is Environmental Consultancy?
Environmental consultancy is type of service which is a legislative approach of verifying environmental compliance of any industry, property,etc. With the rapid urbanization, technological advancement and agriculture, the demand of environmental consultancies have been increased by 10% over last two years.

Environmental Consultants
Environmental consultants are the professionals working in environment consultancies or a person running his/her own commercial business of verifying environmental compliance. These professionals are student of environmental engineering or environmental science. The industrialization is making significant impact on our environment. For example, surrounding near the chemical companies suffers from air-pollution, water pollution and land pollution. The world is facing the adverse effects of global warming which is caused by the unbalance of our Ecosystem. Environmental consultants play crucial role in maintaining the Ecosystem.

Organizations and property owners higher the professionals of environmental engineering to conduct various survey. Based on the survey results, the consultants implant operations to reduce negative effects on nature. In UK government has made such survey legalized for those who own land or industry. People are now aware of the benefits of environmental consultancies. They also conduct population survey on endangered species and implant methods of protecting them. In UK, bat is considered as threatening species thus government has banned killing and injuring of bats. Selling any organ of bat is a crime in UK. Due to this legislative approach, the population of bats is increasing in the countryside of UK.

These consultants also check the compliance of homes with nature. For example, the electricity and water usage in your home should be limited, waste coming out of your home should be in compliance of standard defined by the environmental authority. Environmental consultants have authority to conduct survey and implant resolutions. They also help businesses to make sure that they are not breaching any environmental policy.

Code for Sustainable Homes Takes into Consideration Nine Categories

The code for sustainable homes is a code prepared by the Government of U.K. in close working consultation with the Building Research Establishment (BRE) and Construction Industry Research and Information Association (CIRIA), and through consultation with a Senior Steering Group consisting of Government, industry and NGO representatives.

The major purpose of the code, according to a senior environmental consultant is to measure the sustainability of a home against nine design categories and thereby ensure that carbon emissions are in control and that the environment is not harmed by the elements used either in the design or in the construction process of the home. An experienced environmental consultancy actually visits the site and prepares the report against the nine categories that rate the whole home as a complete package. Those nine design categories are:

• pollution
• water
• health and well-being
• materials
• management
• surface water run-off
• ecology
• energy/CO2
• waste

The code for sustainable homes leverages many things from Eco Homes System developed by Building Research Establishment. Eco Homes are already successful in reducing the impact of affordable housing projects, in particular within the social housing sector. Following are certain ways which are being built upon Eco Homes:

• the code for sustainable homes introduces minimum standards for energy and water efficiency at each and every level. Therefore, developers and designers require high levels of sustainability performance in these areas for achievement of a high code rating
• It also uses a simpler system of awarding points with the removal of complexities
• The code also includes new areas of sustainability design, such as lifetime homes and inclusion of composting facilities

According to the environmental consultancy, if BRE is going to remain there and operate EcoHomes scheme when the standards are in transition phase, the code is more about planning system that focuses on broader issues related to location and aesthetics when it comes to sustainability of the homes.

Code for Sustainable Homes Is Measured Against Nine Major Categories

The code for sustainable homes is voluntary rating system to measure the sustainability of the homes apart from standard housing norms in U.K. Though, these rules are not mandatory, they are of great importance as they decide whether the developers are really interested in abiding by this voluntary rating system. Before introducing, this set of conducts, there was the Government-owned scheme called the Building Research Establishment’s Eco Homes. This was a rating scheme first used in 2000. The rating system involves one to six ratings in order to judge the sustainability of the home. In order to measure this sustainability, professional environmental consultancy or environmental engineers can help the developers design and construct the homes. These six points rating system is set against nine major criteria. Depending upon the compliance with this criteria, the ratings are given to the house. Following are these criteria in detail:

• Energy and CO2 emissions: In this category, it is measured there are standard as to how much energy is  used and what can be the resulting emissions of carbon dioxide. The ratings for code for sustainable homes are decided against whether the criteria has been met or not.
• Water H2O: Whether there is adequate arrangement of water
• Surface Water Run Off: These standards include the consumption of drinking water from the public supply systems or other ground water resources
• Waste: Though there are no compulsory standards set for this category, it stands for the waste as a result of construction process. And, how the domestic waste can be recycled
• Ecology: The ratings have been given taking into consideration what is the impact of the houses on local ecosystem, bio-diversity and land use. Though there are no standards set for this.
• Health and Well-Being: These too are without any standards, but code of sustainable homes give ratings to those houses that care about the effect of the  houses’ design and construction on the dwellers.
• Materials: The ecological impact of construction materials for key construction elements. For these also, there are no minimum standards.
• Pollution: Code for sustainable homes rates the homes according to its pollution emanating from the operation of the dwelling. There are no minimum standards though.
• Management

 

Environmental Consultant Works Towards the Betterment of Environment

As the age is grappling with the worsening state of environment, the job of environmental consultant is responsible and challenging. Mostly, they are part of environmental engineering services providers or environmental consultancy which may be a multi disciplinary consultancy that aim to provide quality ecological solutions at cost effective rates. Usually, in U.K. Environment consultancy is concerned with offering Arboriculture services that includes solutions to grow and maintain trees and shrubs at both private and public sectors. Such consultancies often hire consultants who have background in ecology and and all other team members regularly attend respective IEEM training courses. Following are some services that professional environmental consultancy may offer to the client:

• Ecological Scoping Surveys
• Phase 1 Habitat Surveys
• Great Crested Newt Surveys
• Reptile Surveys
• Bat Surveys Otter Surveys
• Water Vole Surveys
• Bird Surveys
• Dormice Surveys
• Invertebrate Surveys
• Badgers Surveys
• Tree Survey Schedules
• Tree Constraints Plans
• Arboricultural Implications Assessments
• Arboricultural Method Statements
• Tree surveys. Tree surveys may include tree constraints plans, Arboricultural implications assessments, Arboricultural method statements and tree protection plans.

If we talk about the career of an environmental consultant, it is a pretty structured career in a sense that it offers good prospects of growth and development. It also offers an opportunity to specialize in the area of interest. If the consultant is not working for any environmental consultancy and is working as an independent professional, he may work on commercial or government contracts to address a variety of environmental issues for his clients. They cover a wide range of disciplines such as assessment of air, land and water contamination, environmental impact assessment, environmental audit, waste management and the development of environmental policy and environmental management systems. Hence, environmental consultant’s job is a specialized job that requires special qualifications and skills.

Implant Woodland Management Plans by Ecological Consultants

The fast urbanization has made our life easier but at the same time destroyed many habitats of valuable species. Woodland management was initiated to preserve valuable wildlife from the rapid and blind urbanization. However, today woodland management plans are also followed to get economical benefits. In earlier days, woodsman were knowing everything about the wildlife and woods surrounded to him and he used to reside somewhere in the woodland area. In this modern world, neither anybody lives there nor we have any knowledge of environment conservation. Thus, the importance of ecological consultants is increasing with the technological advancement.

The consultants or ecological scientists know about the legal aspect of woodland management. They have latest instrument to conduct survey and know about the roosts of endangered species, existence of wild animals. Wildlife migrates from one place to another based on the different season of the year and the environmental scientists use this knowledge to save their habitats. The environment scientists can make best use of their knowledge and make the habitats perfect living place for endangered species. Protecting wildlife is important to maintain the most valuable Eco-system. In 1970s, Britain was suffering environmental issues because of the rapid urbanization so the government applied woodland management plans. Today, the benefits of public forests holds large share in Britain’s economy.

The environmental consultancy has scientists or arboricultures who know the legislation of woodland management plans. You must be wondering why one should contact the environmental consultancy and what activities they conduct? Using their arboriculture’s skills, they:

• Conduct survey to know about the existence of biodiversity or all types of habitats and its population
• Based on the survey result, they  define and implement woodland management plans
• Apply the legislation and avail the grant from government to apply woodland management plans
• Generate timber income
• Monitor the human visits and manage the conflicts

 

Great Crested Newt- The Most Threatened Species in Britain

Great crested newt (Also known as northern crested newt or warty newt) is the largest newt species in united kingdom. They are significantly larger than smooth newt and palmate newt. Most of them are having length of 15cm and seems having bulky look. They are black or brown in color and have rough skin. In the initial stage of they look like fish. They breed in ponds or lakes but spend major time of their lives on land. Great crested newt are comfortable in the habitat like broad leaf and carniferous forests, ponds and lakes, farmland, tundra, tanga, etc where they can get enough invertebrate food to survive. They remain in ponds for breeding season only then they come out on land. They are found in Asia, Britain, Europe, Russia and wales but the majority of population is found in south-west Britain which is the lower side land of england.

Over several years, there is a significant declined in the population of great crested newts. Urbanization is found as one of the major reason behind destruction of great crested newt and their habitats. To protect these most endangered species and habitats, the UK government has ruled an act under schedule 5 Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. It has an additional protection in the UK under regulation 39 of the Conservation Regulation 1994. According to this Acts, it is an offense to:

• intetionally or unintentionally kill or injure them
• cause harm to them in anyway
• destroy their habitats
• Possess live newt or selling any organ of them

The UK government has released the mitigation guidelines to protect these species. It is a task of environmental consultancy to implant mitigation schemes and create newt fencing in case to save properties. The environmental consultancy have a team of ecological scientist and a legal license to conduct newt survey and release survey result to submit to the government authority. When the authority allow you to implant newt fencing , they also order you to implant mitigation schemes. This way the newts will not harm and their artificial habitats will keep them safe from the human intervention and at the same time human will also save a big property loss.

Tree Surveys Necessary to carry out for Trouble-free Site Development

Tree surveys are part of the science called Arboriculture. Arboriculture is a branch of horticulture that is more concerned with the well-being of the individual plants. The well-being of the trees then is comprised of selecting the proper trees for the landscapes, proper care for the already planted trees, being well-informed about the pros and cons of their functionality and their visual impact on landscapes. There are many benefits of having trees near the residential area and commercial area as well. Such benefits are: interception of scorching sun rays, prevention of soil erosion, natural cooling of the immediate atmosphere, reduction in noise and many more. However, they can equally be a threat to the human habitats if they are of wild nature such as some of the invasive species out there in the world. Sometimes, their pollen, leaf pubescence, toxic sap, and strong fragrances may cause allergic infections or other health hazards to humans. In such a situation, it is important to take the help of efficient environmental consultancy.

In the United Kingdom, while planning any development, the details of the nearby trees is mandatory to be submitted to the local council. Such details need to be submitted in accordance with BS5837:2005 Trees in relation to construction – Recommendations. And, it is the responsibility of the local council to check the details of such planning carefully and if they are not meeting the stipulated criteria of the planning and development, it is authorized to release tree preservation orders.

This BS5837 which exists since 1980 provides “guidance on how to decide which trees are appropriate for retention, on the means of protecting these trees during construction and on the means of incorporating trees into the developed landscape.” This standard also advocates that tree surveys should be taken with the help of an arboriculturist for the sake of recording information about the trees. Read more..