Assessment of Environmental Impacts

Overview

This module aims to introduce students to how the impacts of engineering projects are assessed within the framework Life Cycle Assessment, Environmental Impact Assessment and sustainability evaluations. Particular emphasis is given to environmental impacts, although societal impacts will also be considered.
Students will be introduced to the regulatory drivers for Environmental Impact Assessment/Strategic Environmental Assessment and will receive lectures on the stages of Environmental Impact Assessment for major developments. The use of sustainability assessments (CEEQUAL, BREAM etc) will also be explored. Students will be introduced to current standards and guidance for quantifying environmental impacts through Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), including defining the scope of an LCA, inventory analysis and interpretation of results. Case studies will explore how life cycle approaches are employed in industry (resource management, low carbon construction, carbon/energy/water foot printing and the circular economy). Finally students will examine multi criteria analysis for evaluating and balancing diverse criteria during decision making.

Solid waste and resource management will then be studied in detail within this context. Students will gain an understanding of the science and technology behind advanced waste management processes and an appreciation of the financial, social and institutional factors that may restrict the adoption of particular technologies.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this module, the student should have knowledge and understanding of:
• the regulatory drivers for Environmental Impact Assessment/Strategic Environmental Assessment
• the current standards and guidance for quantifying environmental impacts through Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
• relevant legislation relating to different waste management scenarios
• how to evaluate the impacts of various waste streams on the social and environmental locale
• how to define the waste hierarchy and concept of zero waste
• how to critically evaluate and communicate succinctly the relationship between wastes management and sustainable development
• regional waste strategies and demonstrate their links to land use planning
• the various stakeholders in the waste management decision making process
By the end of this module, the student should be able to:
• define the scope of an LCA and undertake inventory analysis
• understand how life cycle approaches are employed in industry through resource management, low carbon construction and carbon/energy/water foot printing
• define the need to, and difficulty of, balancing diverse criteria during decision making processes
• make cases for the adoption of a particular waste technology or combination of waste technologies (options appraisal)
• identify technical, financial and social risks associated with different waste management technologies

Skills

By the end of this module, the student should be able to:
• apply the stages of Environmental Impact Assessment to prepare and Environmental Impact Statement
• use sustainability assessments (CEEQUAL, BREAM etc) for construction projects
• interpret the results of a life cycle assessment
• undertake an options appraisal using MCA
• critically evaluate scientific and trade literature relating to advanced waste management technologies
• identify potential barriers to the implementation of particular technologies (e.g. waste) at particular locations
• make technical appraisals of proposed new waste projects/processes
• evaluate the environmental impacts of waste management.
The key skills developed by taking this module include:
• Independent learning
• Project-orientated group work
• The ability to propose, assess and evaluate solutions based on both qualitative and quantitative technical data
• Decision making based on multiple sources of information
• The ability to critically evaluate and communicate succinctly relationships between disciplines
• Applying key theoretical concepts and analysis techniques to real life case study examples, allowing students to formulate the results of conceptual assessments in the form of clear, concise and coherent technical reports and oral presentations

Assessment

The coursework requires the submission of all assignments.