What do we learn from an Environmental

Engineer?

LDK has been active in the sectors of environment and water, energy and climate change, buildings and infrastructure as well as socioeconomic development, offering engineering and technical assistance services

Mr. Constantinos Nicolopoulos works for LDK Consultants since 2008. The last two years is the Head of Environmental Unit

What does an

Environmental

Engineer do?His work can be in a very “upstream” level of policy formulation, project preparation and planning towards the project level, assessing either different types of projects with regards to their impacts to the environment or design of specific environmental infrastructure (solid waste management, wastewater treatment facilities, remediation of polluted areas).

Other type of work may include environmental compliance checks and monitoring of specific infrastructure projects.

An environmental engineer working as a consultant can be involved in a very diverse array of services.

Describe a typical work week for a Head of an LDK Department

Heading LDK Environmental Unit, includes responsibilities that could be compared to that of a small enterprise, i.e. project execution follow up, extensive meetings and discussions with project teams in order to identify issues and agree on execution method statements, financial performance and contract management, continuous reporting towards LDK management and also client management in order to ensure satisfactory performance. Moreover, continuous search for new opportunities either through tender databases, discussions /negotiations with potential partners and setting up of project teams and consortia, as well as technical and financial agreements.

What is the workplace of an Environmental Engineer like?

Referring to the consulting life of an environmental engineer, a large part of the work is typically office-based. However, frequent missions in various project locations and meeting with key people and decision makers involved, are essential. The consultant has to make sound judgments either on assessing a project or providing recommendations so a quite good understanding of the specifics, the particularities and the on-the-ground needs is considered as a vital prerequisite.

As Head of Environmental Unit in LDK

Consultants, tell up what do you value

most when you chose a collaborator for

a project?

One of the greatest virtues appreciated is the

ability and the willingness to collaborate within

a project team, being a good listener and

appreciating the views and responses from

other members and/or the client. Scientific

knowledge and experience are of course of

great importance but those alone can by no

means sustain good terms in collaborations.

How do you motivate your staff? Self-motivation is one of the qualities that we are always looking into the people joining LDK environment. However, even the most self motivated person, could be discouraged, if no actions are taken by the management to ensure keeping continuous interest in delivering sound work in a timely manner. Expansion of the knowledge borders by being introduced in projects in different countries, cultures and work environments are opportunities that most of our staff find extremely motivating as they gain life-time experiences that improve them not only as professionals but also as individuals.

Experience has shown that the opportunity to manage such projects, lead teams or provide technical inputs under such diverse and different circumstances is always very challenging for colleagues and gives high levels of motivation. Of course financial incentives are always useful but for the type of work we are delivering those are simply not enough.

What would you do if a senior member of your team was not performing, or refusing to implement a department policy?

Understanding the reasons behind the low performance of a staff comes as highest importance before trying to “force” to improve the performance.

In case those are of personal nature, it is highlighted by every mean possible that the rest of the office team as well as LDK’s management are and will be fully supportive to the extent possible.

If there are other reasons that may have to do with lack of communication between the teams, feeling of being let down, missing opportunities, or loosing interest in the work, significant efforts to re-motivate need to be made, based on a case by case approach.

Of course all the above require time investment to discuss and follow-up with the colleague in order to make sure there is a clear understanding from both sides on the willingness to remedy this.

LDK Consultants is a Greek worldwide company. How is to work from a small country for other developing countries?

LDK Consultants is indeed small for international standards, but when working and dealing with other firms, you don’t feel that, as most of them usually do not consider you as a small firm coming from a small country. LDK’s achievements are well recognized from a great number of internationals in the consulting market and this brings along mutual respect.

Regarding work in developing countries, LDK coming from Greece which is one of least developed of the developed countries, poses a significant advantage as we are much closer in understanding the actual problems the developing countries face. We better understand the difficulties in implementing new policies and regulations with regards to the environment, since similar difficulties have been experienced (and continue to do so today), in our country as well. This is also well felt among the people from the countries we work on (colleagues, clients, beneficiaries and stakeholders) and this something that is often communicated back to LDK colleagues.

What are some of the projects you’ve worked on?

Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEAs)(Cyprus 2nd revision of River Basin Management Plan, Cyprus Flood Response Management Plan, Lebanon’s Solid Waste Management Plan, Lebanon’s Renewable Energy Strategy, Support to the SEA for Helliniko master plan development, Southern ENPI CBC programmes, Operation programmes of a) Crete & Aegean islands 2007-2013, b) Competiveness 2007-2013, c) Transport infrastructure, etc)

Environmental (and Social) Impact Assessment (ESIA) studies for large infrastructure projects (Offshore oil & gas production facilities in Prinos, Kavala, New international airport of Bahrain, PPC Hydropower dams such as Nestos complex, Aoos, Mesochora and Arta, Railways in Greece and Saudi Arabia, Touristic complexes and Marinas in Qatar and Greece, Motorways, PATHE, Attiki Odos an Light railways – Athens metro, Nicosia tram, etc);

Solid waste management policies, planning and design of facilities (National Strategy of SW in Jordan, Waste assessment and compliance in SEE Countries [Albania, FYRoM, Kosovo, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia & Herzegovina], Integrated SWM feasibility study in Jordan, Designs of SWM facilities [preliminary and final design, tender documents, supervision/contract management] in Greece, Cyprus, Turkey, Serbia, etc, Due diligence of facilities in Greece before financing for EIB

What is your most satisfying experience so far?

Possibly the most satisfying project I have worked on was an EIB-funded feasibility study for the conversion of a huge environmental disastrous site that has been the receptor of all types of wastes (municipal solid waste, industrial and municipal wastewater) for more than 30 years, on the border of Syria and Jordan. Work started with the initiative to stop the pollution by leading a team of experts to put together a bankable investment project including the rehabilitation / remediation of the currently polluted land and build new facilities to safely manage the regions’ incoming wastes for the next 20 years. The activities proposed were assessed from all angles including technical feasibility, legal compliance, institutional capacity, financial capability and recoveries and, last but not least, environmental performance.

The result was a site master plan accompanied by an implementation road-map for making this possible. Although the project was not approved due to the refusal of the Government to take loans (due to the current financial situation), it has been considered as a success due to its integrated and realistic, step-by-step approach, something that has put LDK in a leading position in the sector and is frequently consulted by Government entities and IFIs on ways forward, especially after the Syrian crisis outbreak.

Do you have an advice for someone looking to go into an environmental engineering?

Environment is a core business with huge prospects for the future and numerous applications for specialization but will always require to have a good understanding of a combination of technical, legal, institutional and environmental aspects. The main advice is to try not to confine yourself within a prescribed job description but always try to advance your fields of expertise through new challenges and work in different environments and cultures to the level possible.