Cleaner Technology Projects in Denmark 1997
Environmental Management of Railway Installations
Miljørigtig projektering af jernbaneanlæg
Arbejdsrapport nr. 24, 1997, Miljøstyrelsen
This report describes two independent projects within the frame project Environmental Management in Project Design. The first project deals with environmental management in connection with the renovation of a railway bridge. The other project describes the experience DSB (The Danish Railways) has drawn from four different construction projects, which were carried out in the period between 1991-1996.
Chapters 2 to 5 on General Inventory, Environmental Programme, Environmental Activity Plan, Environmental Assessments, Tender and Supervision cover the bridge renovation. The chapters consist of documents or descriptions of procedures with summaries of the documents produced as part of environmental management in Project design. The chapters can thus be regarded as separate documents.
Chapter 6 covers experience from the design and performance of the renovation of a bridge.
The bridge renovation activity was carried out in accordance with the method description in "Guide on Environmental Management in Project Design". As part of the General Survey, various ways of securing passage on the site were evaluated on the basis of a cradle-to-grave analysis.
Because of the location of the bridge it was concluded that the main environmental impacts would be inconvenience to neighbours in the form of noise, dust, odours, traffic load, health hazards for the workers carrying out the work and, lastly, soil contamination from the clean-up of red lead on the existing bridge rails.
The project’s environment policy was based on DSB‘s corporate environment policy. The environmental objectives were decided on for the most serious environmental impacts, and success criteria were set up for the project.
Environmental assessments for two alternative worksite locations were carried out, five different surfacing materials, and two methods for repairing the bridge rails.
The environmental assessments formed the basis for the preparation of the tender documents. The tender documents set out the environmental requirements, and it proved necessary, during the supervision phase, to hold the contractor to these requirements.
The problems relating to environmental factors were thus so limited that an experienced environmental engineer could relatively easily oversee them. The preparation of general mapping, environmental programme and environmental plan were thus very resource consuming considering the size of the project.
The preparation of environmental assessments, on the other hand, is considered relevant in that they improved the client’s decision-making basis. The client thus found that the environmental assessments, coupled with the environmental requirements in the tender documents, benefited the environment.
The renovation of the railway bridge was thus a success in relation to the environmental objectives set. No complaints have been received from either neighbours or authorities.
Chapter 7 includes feedback on Guide on Environmental Management in Project Design, based on DSB’s own experience from four major civil engineering projects. The feedback is built up around nine selected themes:
 | Comments on the structure of the guide |
| Environmental management in the design phase of civil engineering projects |
| Action in relation to the magnitude of the projects organisation of environmental work |
| The organisation of the environmental work |
| Realisation of environmental objectives |
| Check lists for civil engineering projects |
| The environmental plan |
| The client’s role |
| Health and safety at the workplace |
The feedback confirms the need for the guide and the principle that designers and environmental officers must co-operate closely on the design work from start to finish.
DSB’s experience shows that civil engineering projects often require a broader interpretation of environmental impacts than that suggested in the guide in its present form.
DSB points out that the guide is intended for building projects. Special sections on civil engineering projects or possibly a separate booklet would improve the chances of achieving environmental management in the design phase of civil engineering projects.
The feedback pinpoints that it is important for all civil engineering projects to be subjected to environmental screening, irrespective of their size, as a basis for determining the level of detailing that should be used in the environmental management in the design phase. DSB sees a risk in that the guide’s intentions will not be met on small projects unless the designer adapts the guide’s method description and decides on the right level of detailing for the project in question.
Experience has shown that the objective of environmental management in project design will only be met if a project is carried out in accordance with the environmental predetermined objectives. It is necessary to follow up on the designer’s intentions, both in the tender documents and by supervision.
Lastly, DSB points out that importance must also be attached to health and safety considerations in the design work, but that these require different treatment than environmental considerations. It may be necessary to enter into an open dialogue concerning possible areas of conflict between the two parts.
Author/ institution
COWI
This report is subsidised by the National Council for Recycling and Cleaner Production
ISSN no. 0908-9195
ISBN no. 87-7810-765-2