Even though assessing environmental impacts is now an integral part of project management, the desire to protect the environment can also result in other beneficial opportunities!
When Mélanie Germain, DCC Coordinator, Environmental Services in Valcartier, conducted an environmental effects determination (EED) for four separate projects by different Department of National Defence entities, she noted that all four would share a number of potential environmental impacts and risks. In fact, some of the work that was originally planned to be carried out separately as part of the projects, particularly with regard to the repair, addition and removal of underground pipes, would be taking place in the same areas of the Valcartier Research Centre.
“I realized that there was an opportunity to combine various aspects of the projects in the environmental effects determination and, thereby, mitigate the risks associated with having several work sites in the same areas and reduce the overall negative environmental impacts from work on the projects.”
Mélanie then organized a meeting with her colleagues, Carl Michaud and Geneviève Mayrand, technical specialists in project management, and project managers from the Directorate of Construction Project Delivery, the Real Property Operations Unit – Detachment Valcartier and the Defence Research Infrastructure Support Section Valcartier to set out the structure of their collaboration. The team is currently working on a unified EED for a joint project, planned to start in the fall of 2024. The new EED will demonstrate the benefits of adopting a collaborative approach.
Mélanie concluded with these words: “Merging the analysis of the projects’ environmental effects will make it possible to harmonize the mitigation measures and simplify their application to all four projects. The team is currently doing everything in its power to minimize the environmental impacts, and I am very proud to be part of this great collaboration!”