Environmental Protection
Key initiatives in FY2022

Environmental Protection
Key initiatives in FY2022

Environmental Impact Assessment on real estate projects

During the year, the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA)  conducted an Environmental Impact Assessment on all the Fund’s construction projects in compliance with Regulation 37 of the Environmental Assessment Regulations, Statutory Instrument No. 13 of 1998.

The assessment helped the Fund to identify key environmental indicators and determine legally acceptable thresholds on environmental standards for environmental quality (e.g., air, noise, water, soil) and protection of sensitive ecosystems, standards for solid and liquid waste management, land use guidelines, ecological and socio-economic issues and hence implement controls to reduce risks.

During the year, the Fund controlled the identified potential environmental impacts of projects in the following ways:

Environmental Impact Assessment on real estate projects

During the year, the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA)  conducted an Environmental Impact Assessment on all the Fund’s construction projects in compliance with Regulation 37 of the Environmental Assessment Regulations, Statutory Instrument No. 13 of 1998.

The assessment helped the Fund to identify key environmental indicators and determine legally acceptable thresholds on environmental standards for environmental quality (e.g., air, noise, water, soil) and protection of sensitive ecosystems, standards for solid and liquid waste management, land use guidelines, ecological and socio-economic issues and hence implement controls to reduce risks.

During the year, the Fund controlled the identified potential environmental impacts of projects in the following ways:

Demolition and construction phase

Potential Impact

Loss of vegetation cover

Mitigation

  • Compact loose soils resulting from civil works to prevent erosion and sedimentation

Potential Impact

Land degradation impacts

Mitigation

  • Restricted construction vehicles to designated areas to avoid soil compaction within the project site
  • Phased site clearance to minimise the area of exposed soil at any given time
  • Cordoned off the construction site to intercept any eroded material

Potential Impact

Construction – solid waste disposal impacts

Mitigation

  • Waste soil is re-used for backfilling where necessary and during landscaping after construction
  • Contractors undertake waste segregation at the source to separate hazardous from non-hazardous waste
  • Workers are sensitised on proper waste management practices

Potential Impact

Dust emissions

Mitigation

  • The construction workers are provided with nose masks to prevent inhalation of bad air
  • On-site dust is suppressed by a sprinkling of water twice a day
  • A speed limit for all vehicles is enforced to reduce dust generated by overspeeding vehicles

Potential Impact

Construction – noise and vibration impacts

Mitigation

  • Except as otherwise permitted, all noise-generating construction activities are restricted to the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (during the least noise-sensitive time)
  • Construction workers involved in noise-generating activities are provided with ear protection equipment such as earmuffs
  • Construction activities shall conform to National Environment (Noise standards and Control) Regulations, 2003

Demolition and construction phase

Potential Impact

Loss of vegetation cover

Mitigation

  • Compact loose soils resulting from civil works to prevent erosion and sedimentation

Potential Impact

Land degradation impacts

Mitigation

  • Restricted construction vehicles to designated areas to avoid soil compaction within the project site
  • Phased site clearance to minimise the area of exposed soil at any given time
  • Cordoned off the construction site to intercept any eroded material

Potential Impact

Construction – solid waste disposal impacts

Mitigation

  • Waste soil is re-used for backfilling where necessary and during landscaping after construction
  • Contractors undertake waste segregation at the source to separate hazardous from non-hazardous waste
  • Workers are sensitised on proper waste management practices

Potential Impact

Dust emissions

Mitigation

  • The construction workers are provided with nose masks to prevent inhalation of bad air
  • On-site dust is suppressed by a sprinkling of water twice a day
  • A speed limit for all vehicles is enforced to reduce dust generated by overspeeding vehicles

Potential Impact

Construction – noise and vibration impacts

Mitigation

  • Except as otherwise permitted, all noise-generating construction activities are restricted to the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (during the least noise-sensitive time)
  • Construction workers involved in noise-generating activities are provided with ear protection equipment such as earmuffs
  • Construction activities shall conform to National Environment (Noise standards and Control) Regulations, 2003

Operation phase

Potential Impact

Domestic – solid waste disposal impacts

Mitigation

  • There is sorting of waste at the estate and re-usable containers are used

Potential Impact

Sewage disposal impacts

Mitigation

  • The project design incorporates sanitary facilities in each housing unit. These include water-borne toilets
  • The developer provides for well-constructed sewage lines, all collecting into the septic tanks

Operation phase

Potential Impact

Domestic – solid waste disposal impacts

Mitigation

  • There is sorting of waste at the estate and re-usable containers are used

Potential Impact

Sewage disposal impacts

Mitigation

  • The project design incorporates sanitary facilities in each housing unit. These include water-borne toilets
  • The developer provides for well-constructed sewage lines, all collecting into the septic tanks