Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a process of assessment of the effects of a proposed development on the environment, which helps to ensure that the environmental consequences of the project are understood before a decision to grant planning permission is reached. In Ireland, the formal EIA process is undertaken by a local planning authority or
A Flood Risk Assessment (FRA) varies in complexity and scale. Stages 1 and 2 FRAs are desktop based and identify whether there may be flooding, and qualitatively assess and review the flood risk. Stage 3, however, involves more detailed and uncontrollable variables. It is a detailed quantitative assessment of potential flood events and involves site
Air dispersion modelling is the mathematical representation of pollutant movement and the diffusion processes from industrial air emission sources which occur in the atmosphere under predefined conditions. Air dispersion modelling is commonly used to predict the concentration of downstream ground-level pollutants from industrial sources in the surrounding environment in terms of air quality. Air dispersion
What is Flood Modelling? Floods are a significant natural hazard that can lead to loss of life and income and have adverse economic and social impacts. Flood risk management is the process of reducing these negative impacts. In Ireland, Flood Risk Assessments (FRA) are carried out in accordance with The Planning System and Flood Risk
As part of a sustainability-conscious industry and with a strong focus on environmental compliance, pharmaceutical companies work with the ORS Environmental Team because we are discreet, we deliver 100% compliance, we work to industry best practice and in accordance with their site rules and we meet their deadlines. Senior Environmental Consultant at ORS, Luke Martin
The Office of Public Works (OPW) have several regulatory functions under the 1945 Arterial Drainage Act and S.I 122/2010 (Assessment and Management of Flood Risks) Regulations, including Section 50 approval. Section 50 requires that inter alia: “No local authority, railway company, canal company or similar body and no industrial concern may construct any new bridge
Flooding is a natural process. It occurs when a combination of events, including overflow of riverbanks, coastal storms, and deluges on inadequate drainage systems. A flood presents a risk when the potential to damage people, property or the environment arises. Due to the growing consequences of climate change, the frequency and severity of flooding have
There are encouraging signs that the Irish planning system is edging ever more closely to a digitised submissions procedure. A planning pack can consist of thousands of pages, depending on the scale and complexity of the development. A move away from the cumbersome paper submissions process would be most welcome by designers, planners and architects
In recent years there has been irrefutable global interest in environmental protection. “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle”, “Carbon Footprints”, “Sustainability” were once insignificant terms but are fast becoming some of the most finely considered elements in business today. Information is now at our fingertips with the insurgence of social media platforms in the last decade. Consumers are
After a long period of uncertainty, Ireland’s construction sector is booming again with a significant increase of on-site activity at sites nationwide. A thriving construction sector is crucial to the country’s economic recovery and paramount to easing the housing crisis however it is important that such activity is not at the expense of our environment. Increasingly local authorities are demanding that developers pay due care to the environment. As a result, construction environmental management plans (CEMPs) are becoming a standard tool utilised