Participation of Construction Professionals in the Environmental Impact Assessment of Heavy Engineering Projects

Abstract

Synergy and collaboration among various experts and stakeholders, including construction professionals, play a crucial role in reducing the negative environmental impacts of heavy engineering projects. While the heavy engineering industry significantly contributes to national economies, it also poses a threat to the environment through air, land, and water pollution. Therefore, the influence of multidisciplinary experts should be prioritized. However, there are significant challenges to be addressed in this regard, particularly concerning construction professionals. Hence, this paper extensively discusses the stakeholders involved in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of heavy engineering projects and their participation. A well-structured questionnaire was distributed to construction professionals in the study area, including architects, builders, engineers, estate surveyors, quantity surveyors, and urban and regional planners. Convenience sampling techniques were used to select these professionals. Additionally, six heavy engineering projects were purposively selected as case studies. Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed to analyze the retrieved data. The study concluded that architects, urban and regional planners, engineers, and quantity surveyors are the construction professionals most commonly involved in the EIA of heavy engineering projects. However, their level of involvement was found to be low. This study is crucial at a time when construction professionals are expanding their horizons beyond building projects alone to align with global trends. It is essential for construction professionals, government agencies, professional bodies, and private organizations to prioritize the outcomes of this study by promoting increased participation and improving awareness and knowledge among construction stakeholders regarding their roles and required skills for effective participation. This could lead to job creation, diversification, and improved environmental impacts of heavy engineering projects, particularly in developing countries. Given the global experience of climate change, multidisciplinary involvement and synergy between different experts and stakeholders in heavy engineering projects are vital for mitigating negative environmental impacts on air, land, and water. Addressing this issue will not only enhance the inclusivity of construction professionals in the journey to achieving Net-zero emissions but also ensure the effectiveness of heavy engineering projects, especially in the global south. While the findings of this research are valuable, there are limitations due to the lack of access to qualitative information from some intended interview respondents. Despite these limitations, the study identifies a knowledge gap that can be explored in developing countries, particularly in Africa, to improve the participation of construction experts in the EIA of heavy engineering projects. The study adopts an empirical approach to map out research focus on environmental sustainability for construction professionals in the heavy engineering industry - an aspect of sustainable development that has not received considerable attention in recent studies on sustainability.