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environmental Management Systems:
atically Improving
Construction Industry
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Framing a Sustainable Future in the
Construction Industry jK
Looking for a proven, efficient way to grow your
bottom line while improving your environmental
performance? An Environmental Management
System (EMS) may be right for you.
All construction professionals are facing environmental
challenges, Increasingly complex environmental laws,
escalating compliance costs, and the financial impact of a
violation can affect your company's growth and profitabil-
ity These challenges, as well as rising public demand for
environmental stewardship, are leading companies to
consider new ways to enhance their competitiveness,
Some construction companies—large and small—have
found that an EMS is one way to remain competitive,
They are systematically managing their environmental oper-
ations, which is as good economically as it is ecologically,
Construction companies worldwide are realizing the many
benefits of implementing an EMS:
• Lower costs
• Improved environmental compliance
• Increased competitiveness and market opportunities
• Enhanced internal and external communication
• A positive corporate image
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Environmental Management System (EMS)
Fundamentals
An EMS provides a roadmap for:
• Saving money by conserving resources,
reducing pollution and clean-up costs, and avoiding
enforcement action;
• Making money by improving competitiveness and
reaping new "green" opportunities; and
• Protecting your market by demonstrating your commit-
ment to the environment and communicating your envi-
ronmental programs and accomplishments,
An EMS integrates environmental decision making into a
company's day-to-day operations, Like the Quality
Management Systems used by many construction compa-
nies, an EMS's systematic approach allows companies to
be more efficient, more competitive, and better able to meet
new challenges,
While each EMS is unique, most
follow the Plan-Do-Check-Act
model, A Plan-Do-Check-Act
approach establishes a frame-
work to examine the environ-
mental aspects of your
operations, then develop,
implement, monitor, review,
and revise action plans and pro-
cedures to continually improve all
operations that impact the environment,
Some companies may already have components of an
EMS in place, such as written and unwritten procedures,
best management practices, and environmental training
programs, Your company also may consider integrating
health and safety, quality assurance, maintenance, and
other facets of your business into this one system,
Continual
Improvement
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FUNDAMENTAL ONE:
Identify Opportunities to Reduce Costs
Construction companies with an EMS have reaped
significant cost savings that can be credited to:
• More efficient use of time and materials;
• Reduced waste and associated disposal costs;
• Reduced pollution incidents and clean-up costs;
• Fewer complaints and less risk of liability for
environmental noncompliance;
• Reduced work stoppages; and
• Lower insurance rates,
These savings allow contractors to make other
investments—such as equipment upgrades or specialized
workforce training—to increase their profitability and com-
petitiveness, Upfront costs of an EMS can quickly be
recovered by identifying money-saving opportunities to
prevent pollution and improve operations,
With an EMS comes predictable environmental perform-
ance, This can help you avoid violations, fines, and work
stoppages that damage your public image and your
ability to stay profitable, Companies may even reduce
their insurance premiums as a result of safer work envi-
ronments and fewer injuries,
'As we continue to develop our EMS
we already have discovered savings
by recycling fill material. We expect to
save 10 to 15 percent annually simply
by reusing fill material when possible."
—Joe Myers, Keystone Structural Concrete, Ltd.
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FUNDAMENTAL Two:
Lay a Foundation for Improved Compliance
Complex legal requirements compel the construction
industry to consider formalized systems to reduce liabilities
and manage risks,
An EMS's systematic approach will help you identify,
analyze, and respond to your environmental responsibili-
ties, It also will help you keep track of emerging environ-
mental issues as your construction project moves from
pre-construction planning to on-site implementation,
Construction companies with an EMS agree that they
have greater assurance about achieving and maintaining
legal compliance,
"Our biggest environmental challenge
is staying in check with federal and
state regulations. Our EMS helps us
address the challenge by keeping our
superintendents and project
engineers all on the same page and
by preventing issues and problems
from falling through the cracks."
—Jim Prentice, Hawaiian Dredging Construction
Company
"Through fines, enforcement actions,
and bad press, contractors are learning
that decentralized, haphazard
approaches can create problems,
waste resources, and impact future
ensure a mo
effective env
program on;
—-Jeffrey S. Longswo:
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FUNDAMENTAL THREE:
Increase Your Market Advantage
The movement in the marketplace toward environmentally
sensitive products and services, paired with the growth of
"green" construction, provides an incentive for companies
to implement an EMS, The Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design" (LEED) Green Building Rating
System has emerged as one nationally accepted standard
for green buildings, An EMS can benefit you in your busi-
ness with the federal government and other environmentally
sensitive customers, Some industries, such as automobile
manufacturers, are beginning to demand an EMS of their
suppliers and builders, It may not be long before the same
requirements develop within other industries that have a
need for construction services, All federal agencies, for
example, will implement an EMS at all appropriate facilities
by the end of 2005,
L 'As a steward of our nation's
resources—both financial and
natural—we have a duty to the
taxpayers to ensure our projects make
the best use of those resources, with a
particular focus on both quality and
environmental consciousness. An
Environmental Management System
will lead us, and our partners, down
this path."
—Glenn S. (Sam) Hunter, Jr.,
Assistant Commissioner, Applied Science,
GSA Public Buildings Service
'An EMS can help you improve
compliance and environmental
performance on a project.
Transportation projects completed in
an environmentally responsible
manner will increase the level of trust
and confidence of regulatory agencies.
It is in a contractor's best interest to
ensure compliance is met as it affects
future opportunities. At PENNDOT, for
example, we include environmental
performance in the contractor's
evaluation of work which, in turn,
affects his ability to bid on projects."
—Amar Bhajandas, District Executive,
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
(PENNDOT)
"We are seeing a growing percentage
of our work in the Southeast going
for LEED certification. Many of the
elements of EMS marry nicely with
LEED credits, which results in our
workforce being familiar with the
approaches of green construction."
—Susie Spivey-Tillson, Skanska USA Building Inc.
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FUNDAMENTAL FOUR:
Build Environmental Teamwork
Effective communication of your environmental program is
crucial to improving your performance, Workers' participa-
tion in EMS implementation teams gives them an empow-
ering role in decision making, Construction companies that
take pride in their EMS accomplishments often boast that
they have more informed, involved, and supportive
employees who implement their assigned parts of the
EMS and suggest improvements,
Frequent and forthright communications with your work-
force demonstrates commitment to environmentally sensi-
tive products, equipment, and construction processes that
employees will take pride in, It also can boost employee
morale and elevate employee retention rates,
"Our EMS implementation has assisted
our team of management personnel
and employees in the identification of
significant environmental issues and
risks. This process allows for the
timely development of appropriate
management systems involving work
activities, materials, and products
handling that effectively minimize
personnel and environmental risks
and impacts while maintaining a high
compliance record."
—LeonardBoteilho, Ames Construction, Inc.
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FUNDAMENTAL FIVE:
Raise the Environmental Profile
of Your Business
In addition to improved performance, profitability, and
competitiveness, companies with an EMS enjoy better
relations with communities and regulators, Overall
company image is bolstered, By sharing information about
your environmental track record with your community,
customers, and government representatives, you can
build credibility and trust, Your company can build a posi-
tive relationship with regulators by taking advantage of
state and national programs, such as the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency's National Environmental Performance
Track, which offers incentives to its participants such as
low-priority inspection status, regulatory flexibility, and
national recognition,
"Performance Track offers regulatory
flexibility as a benefit to its members.
We continue to expand the
membership incentives for all
interested sectors, including the
construction sector, which faces
environmental challenges that often
differ from manufacturing and other
industrial facilities."
—Dan Fiorina, Director.
EPA National Environmental
Performance Track Program
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Get Started with Your Environmental
Management System
Now that you've learned how an EMS can reduce
costs, enhance your construction operations, and
sharpen your company's image, here are steps you can
take to get started,
Start Small and Build Momentum
An EMS is based on common sense and intuitive business
decisions, Learn from the tools listed below, then start by
taking small, doable steps and build momentum from there,
To be effective, you'll need upfront involvement from senior
management, front- ine workers, and supervisors through-
out your company, Keep the big picture in mind, but define
reasonable expectations, Set goals and time frames in line
with your expectations, then monitor progress, making
corrections where necessary, Capitalize on any elements
of an EMS your company may already have in place to
advance to the next level in environmental management,
"We believe an EMS is the best way to
manage the myriad environmental
regulations we face. The systems
approach also allows us to manage
all of our waste streams, and that's
good for the bottom line and the
environment. It's difficult for a
company not to benefit from an EMS."
—BobLanham, Williams Brothers Construction
Company
Take Advantage of Assistance and Tools
Tailored to the Construction Industry
The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) is
working with EPA's Sector Strategies Program and
National Environmental Performance Track to help the con-
struction industry embrace EMSs, Contact AGC's
Environmental Services Department to take advantage of
the training resources, expertise, and support available
through this partnership, You also can work with AGC to
ensure that your voice is heard in discussions about envi-
ronmental programs, To begin developing your own cus-
tomized EMS, visit AGC's Web site at
www.agc.org/e-store (Item No, 3212) for an EMS imple-
mentation guide created specifically for the construction
industry, You also can find many resources related to EMS
development and implementation, as well as a list of
Technical Assistance Providers near you, on EPA's EMS
Web site at www.epa.gov/ems, Other organizations,
such as state environmental agencies and universities,
also offer EMS expertise,
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AGC Companies that Can Attest to the Value
of an EMS
Alberici Constructors
AN ALBERICI ENTERPRISE
Alberici Group
St, Louis, MO
www.alberici.com
KEYITONS
.JiRLUUUl
Keystone Structural Concrete, Ltd.
Houston, TX
www. keystoneconcrete, com
K
Ames
Construction, IncI
Ames Construction, Inc.
West Valley City, UT
www, amesco, com
SKANSKA
Skanska USA Building Inc.
Parsippany NJ
www.skanskausa.com
Hawaiian Dredging Construction Company
Honolulu, HI
www.hdcc.com
Williams Brothers Construction Company
Houston, TX
In preparing its EMS implementation guide (Constructing an EMS: Guidelines and Templates for Contractors), AGC had the invaluable assistance of its Environmental
Management System Task Force
Chair
Robert Lanham, Williams Brothers Construction Co., Houston, Texas
Members (listed alphabetically)
Joseph Barbeau, Lockton Companies, Farrnington, Connecticut • Charles Bird, Centex Construction Co., Fairfax, Virginia • Leonard Boteilho, Ames
Const Ion, Inc., West Valley City, Utah • Patrick Clark, Staker & Parson Companies, Ogden, Utah • Diana Eichfeld,XL Environmental, Inc., Exton,
Pe, „ ,o_yira,i/a • David Hanson, Walbridge Aldinger, Detroit, Michigan • David Korman, Skanska USA Building Inc., Parsippany, New Jersey • Jeffery Lange,
Kitchell Contractors, Inc., Phoenix, Arizona • Joseph Myers, Keystone Structural Concrete, Ltd., Houston, Texas • Kimberly Ann Pexton, Assoc, AIA, James G
Davis C Auction Corp., McLean, Virginia • James Prentice, Ha.waiian Dredging Construction Company He ilu Hawaii • Ron Rogge, Alberici Group, St,
Louis, ivnssuu/i • Mystere Sapia, Granite Construction, Inc., Watsonvilb, od///u/i/a • James Snyder, oKd/KKd UO/A o/i///, Tidewater Skanska, Virginia Beach, Virginia
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Discover what other leading construction
companies across the country are finding—
•nree mmgs can put a construction company out
of business: poor quality environmental
violations, and a disregard for worker safety
These three factors are easily addressed by
adopting an Environmental Management
System's approach to work, which I think makes
it a necessary business practice.
—Ron Rogge, Alberici Group
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SectorStrategies
Insight • Innovation • Results
EPA's Sector Strategies Program is a cooperative working relationship
among government, trade groups, and other stakeholders to
reduce pollution and ease the burden of regulation. For more information,
visit www.epa.gov/sectors or www.agc.org/sectorstrategies
September 2004
To begin developing your own customized EMS, visit AGC's Web site at
www.agc.org/e-store (Item No. 3212) for an EMS implementation guide
created specifically for the construction industry
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