Assignment No.

3
Title: Project Management Challenges & Solutions- Pollution
(IMAGINARY MOTION PICTURES- S is for Save the Planet: A How to be
Green Alphabet.)
Author's Name: Abhiram Sridhara
Professor: Paul G. Ranky
Class: EM 636- Project Management
Date: 21st June, 2015.
E-Learning Pack serial number: EM 636-Summer-2015-34-28
Statement: This work is done by Abhiram Sridhara.
Contents:
1. Introduction and Objectives
2. Methodologies
3. Critical Requirements
4. Project Management Decisions
5. Social Networking
6. Summary
7. Further work needed
8. Grade your own assignment
Introduction and Objectives of the Project:
In a highly advanced world, people have started looking for products
which can meet their requirements and are SUSTAINABLY GREEN. This
is the goal of my company and the reason that we analyze the
requirements of the customers and also keep improving the GREEN
technology of our products.
Customer requirements and feedback are our first priority to adjust our
products and take the required actions for achieving GREEN
SUSTAINABILITY. We need to do the Survey from the customers to know
what kinds of products they desire before we develop them and what
functions should it fulfill. Customer satisfaction is our main agenda. To

achieve Sustainability in the product with respect to Design and

Manufacturing our product is based on TQM.
In our organization we would essentially focus on maintaining a healthy
Work environment and having several extracurricular activities for our
employees which make them feel good at work and motivate them to
achieve desired results. We also focus on Material and Waste
Recycling. Our product is based on ISO 9001:2008, production
processes and green sustainable included. We collaborate with four
other companies as stated in assignment 0 and assignment1.
A brief description of the methodologies applied.
The Main Body of the project: Based on the process model in
Assignment 1 (above) do the following:
A Project Lifecycle Matrix
In this century, project managers are assigned to more
complex projects in a variety of countries, with fewer resources. There
are studies that indicate the skill set of project
managers will be changing in the future.
Project managers may need to become increasingly better educators,
mentors and problem solvers. They will need to manage processes,
requirements, risks, the flow of integrated information systems, and
facilitate communication among national and international team
members.
They will also have to become more system thinkers. Most project
managers still think of isolated cases and systems... sustainable lean
and green forces us all to think in bigger systems, as well as be able to
decompose to low level objects, that express behavior that we must
understand.
About the importance of IT: every project has some level of IT,
therefore IT project failures typically effect the entire project. Nearly 70
percent of IT projects are dogged by cost-overruns or aren't completed
on schedule due to poor planning, poor communication or poor
resource allocation.

There is a need to develop the skill set of the future project manager
and develop a set of methods to ensure the construction industry is
prepared to meet 21st century challenges.
Components to consider include (but are not limited to) collaborative
project management, outsourcing, global teams, offsite management,
centrally located as well as distributed project teams, integrated
information systems, green sustainability issues, energy management
and savings, air quality control, water pollution control, total quality
management and lean six-sigma methods, as well as different
paradigms for prefabrication and automation during the fabrication,
as well as the implementation, test, and maintenance processes.
By analyzing many facilities, buildings, roads, bridges, and others, the
lack of maintenance planning in the construction industry is an
extremely sad fact with lots of evidence all around the world... Yes, the
infrastructure is falling apart everywhere in the world because
the maintenance component wasn't built in the project, or it has been
spent on something else... think of large bridges, or highways, or ...
who is responsible if and when they collapse?
Building Information Modeling (BIM)
Building Information Modeling (BIM) is a new way of approaching the
design and documentation of building projects. It is an important trend
and standard practice in many USA and other construction projects.
Building - not just the typical architectural drawings, but the entire
lifecycle of the building is considered (design/ build/ operations, and
even maintenance)
Information - all information about the building and its lifecycle is
included (...or at least that is the intention...)
Modeling - defining and simulating the building, its delivery, and
operation using integrated tools. (Note, that this has major implications
on building
maintenance too!)
BIM provides several major advantages over CAD (Computer Aided
Design in architectural terms), these being:

 BIM Models and manages not just graphics, but also information
information that allows the automatic generation of drawings and
reports, design analysis, schedule simulation, facilities management,
and more ultimately enabling the building team to make betterinformed decisions.
BIM supports a distributed team so that people, tools, and tasks can
effectively share this information throughout the building lifecycle, thus
eliminating
data redundancy, data re-entry, data loss, miscommunication, and
translation errors. As an example, Bentley BIM empowers the
design, construction, and operation of all types of buildings and
facilities around the world, from the conventional to some of the most
inspiring projects of our time.
Building Information Modeling and Generative Design
The challenge is to unite the project lifecycle, bringing together design
and documentation information and workflows for the design,
construction, and operation of all types of buildings and facilities
around the world, from the conventional to the most inspiring projects
of our time.
The solution is a well populated building information modeling (BIM)
system. This is a new way of approaching the design and
documentation of building projects.
BIM empowers the design, construction, and operation of all types of
buildings and facilities around the world, from the conventional to
some of the most inspiring projects of our time.
Integrated Project Delivery
Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) is an important trend and practice in
construction project management. It leverages early contributions of
knowledge and expertise
through the utilization of new technologies, allowing all team members
to better realize their highest potentials while expanding the value
they provide throughout the project lifecycle.

Integrated Project Delivery (IPD), is a collaborative alliance of people,

systems, business structures and practices into a process that
harnesses the talents and insights of all participants to optimize project
results, increase value to the owner, reduce waste, and
maximize efficiency through all phases of design, fabrication, and
construction.
The Integrated Project Delivery Guide, jointly developed by the AIAs
Documents Committee and AIA California Council, is offered as a tool
to assist owners, designers and builders to move toward integrated
models and improved design, construction and operations processes.
Based in Washington, D.C., the American Institute of Architects (AIA)
has been the leading professional membership association for licensed
architects, emerging professionals, and allied partners since
1857. Through education, legislative and regulatory
development, professional education, and research, the AIA and its
more than 83,000 members express their commitment to excellence in
design and livability in our nations buildings and communities.
The goal of the Guide is to identify the characteristics of IPD and to
provide specific information and guidance on how to utilize IPD
methods to achieve enhanced design,
construction and operations processes.
The Guide begins with introductory material about the principles of IPD
and points of consideration in a generic sense, moves through a study
of implementation of IPD and culminates with discussion of application
of general IPD principles within the specific framework of common
delivery models used in the marketplace today.
When thoughtfully considered, absorbed, and then applied, the
principles and techniques outlined in this guide should allow readers to
be able to:
Understand the principles of Integrated Project Delivery (IPD)
Understand the value propositions of IPD from the perspective of
various stakeholders

 Organize non-traditional delivery methods and alternative team

relationships for improved project performance, and
understanding the necessary qualifications and attributes of team
members
Assess interest and adequate knowledge resources within ones
team
Discern subtle difference between possible models for IPD
Advocate the benefit of an integrated delivery model
Understand the issues that must be addressed in an IPD
document
With the appropriate resources, write an agreement based on IPD
principles
Implement IPD principles to proceed with confidence during this
time of change.
CRITICAL REQUIREMENTS:
The major project timeline / phases of a typical civil engineering
project
includes the following:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Planning
Preliminary Engineering
Engineering, Environmental Clearance, Right of Entry
Advertise and Award
Construction
Close Out

Planning
First the project is in the planning stage. Studies are conducted
to determine when and if the project should be built, the results
of these studies for several projects are compared to see which
ones should be built first to be most cost-effective.

Extremely rough estimates of cost are discussed (e.g a road

tunnel being $30,000/foot for XXXX amount of feet). Projects can be
in planning for 1 to 20 years, or even longer (e.g. the Panama
Canal, the Channel Tunnel between the UK and France, and others).
Preliminary Engineering (Design level=2%)
When the time comes that the project should be implemented,
a realistic budget is allocated to complete it (or maybe just for the
projected first few years of it) and a consultant is brought on board to
complete preliminary engineering. The product of this effort is some
sort of a Project Study Report that includes
definitions of the project, its outputs (both good and poor), a slightly
more engineered estimate (e.g. a road tunnel would be separated into
excavation, grading, support structures, pavement costs) but still
pretty general.
This study is used by the agency to "define" the project. They use it as
a "resume" to apply for funding grants with various lenders (FRA,
Federal Railroad Administration, or local government bodies etc.) A
more permanent budget will have to
be set at a later stage (the earlier the better!)
Engineering
When the initial study has been completed, a DIFFERENT consultant is
brought on board to do the actual design. They start with the
preliminary report.
Basis of Design (Design level=2%)
Their first major goal is to submit a Basis of Design report which will
state design facts and physical limitations on the project, such as curve
X cannot exceed Y degrees, Z grade, and E super elevation, due to
obstructions or whatever other limitations and guidelines they have to
design within. They also state what codes and regulations they will
follow in their design.
Alternatives Analysis (Design level=10%)

Following the Basis of Design report the design consultant works

towards a 10% design level. This is commonly referred to as the
alternatives analysis submittal.
At this stage they define the main alternatives to the project and
provide the most details possible for each. Once completed, several
meetings take place between the designers, owners, and all other
stakeholders in the project area (transit authorities, interested groups,
equipment lenders/manufacturers, vendors, and others). They
determine what option is best. In some cases it is a draw between two
alternatives and they continue with the design of both.
The alternative analysis of such competing designs is not uncommon
at all in many industries. As an example, in defense the same contract
is often offered to two different competing companies under different
code-names. Then, the better is
chosen, but in many cases a third, combined solution is the best. In
such cases competing companies have to work together... tough for all
parties... NASA is a good example for this with many private
contractors and companies working together.
Note, that our ISO 9001:2008 International Quality Standard compliant
process modeling (CIMpgr), risk analysis (PFRA), and requirements
analysis methods (CORA), with the statistical methods and tools
combined, provide a very powerful method
and tool-set for any project manager to fight the above cause with
quantifiable data!
Usually starting with the 30% submittal, and following with every
subsequent one, a very formal review process involving third-party
engineering professionals takes place. The review process typically
lasts a month or two following each major submittal.
Environmental
Around this time is when the environmental requirements of the
project begin to be defined. In order to get environmental clearance,
quite a bit has to be known about the project and surrounding area.
At this time, the review of endangered species reports, project impact
footprint, carbon footprint, sustainable green challenges, biological

opinion reports, and many

other activities may take place. The main environmental document for
NEPA, the National Environmental Policy Act.
Design (Design level=30%)
By this stage, the designer has continued on with the design(s) of the
project. At this point a definite alternative is chosen. Rarely do more
than one alternative advance past this point. This is also the time,
when environmental activities are in full swing and the Draft NEPA
document should be being reviewed or possibly already approved.
Design (Design level=60%)
At this point the Final Environmental Document has hopefully been
approved. The final document will outline any extra environmental
requirements the project must include in order to be built so it is nice
to get it done at 60%.
Also at this point it is fairly well defined what properties the project
may impact both permanently and during construction. The Right of
Entry process should begin now
and the owners of the parcels need to agree to let construction go on
near and in their property (they are also paid for this).
The Right of Entry is a legal right to enter upon land in the possession
of another for a special purpose (as of an owner to show land to a
prospective purchaser or of a landlord to make repairs) without being
guilty of a trespass. Obviously this is essential for every civil /
construction engineering project, else there is no legal access
available.
Note, that Eminent Domain may be enforced if the project is valuable
enough to the community and the owners are being stubborn.
Design (Design level = 90%)
At this stage things are really shaping up on the design. Project costs
are close to final and the program managers are probably allocating

adequate funds for the construction

of the project.
Design (Design level = 100%)
Design is 'complete'. (Note, that a design, ANY design is NEVER
complete... a building, a bridge, a road, a water tower, a computer, an
automobile, etc. nevertheless engineers and management accept this
stage as being 'complete'; else it will never happen...)
Following the last review session the design is 'conformed' into the bidready state. The design is comprised of the Drawings, General
Specifications, and Technical Specifications. These are handed over to
the client/owner who has a contracts
department that will review it and get it ready to bid.

Bid Preparation
It usually takes a month or two from the time the final design is handed
in until it is ready to be advertised to the bidders. The 'package' that
the bidders are given takes this amount of time to prepare, check for
errors, and have legal and quality counsel also review (there are a lot
of opportunities for lawsuits at this stage so attorneys become involved
to review everything).
Advertisement
At this stage the project is advertised publicly and the prepared bid
package is made available to those interested in bidding for the
construction work. Questions are asked by the bidders and the
owner(s) provide answers to the public. Everyone must
be able to see all questions and answers or you could be opened up for
lawsuits... (It is better to clarify issues earlier than later...)
Bid Opening
Bids are opened for a few months (2-4) after advertising. For many
companies the winner is the 'lowest responsive, responsible' bidder,
and those terms are heavily defined legally so that they can cut the

ties to someone who may not be qualified. The low bidder wins
automatically if everything checks out, there were no mistakes in their
bid, and they are qualified. If the first bidder gets the boot it goes to
the second, and then the third, etc.
Note, that the civil / construction industry is well known for typically
bidding at a lower than realistic budget and then once they have the
contract awarded they 'realize' that there are additional costs
involved... Of course some of this cost increases can mount to
millions, even billions of dollars! This is an unethical practice by some,
destroying the honest hard working companies...in other industries this
practice is not so typical. Please refer to some of the latest solutions
dealing with Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) in the civil and
construction industry.
Award:
The construction contract is awarded to the main contractor. A
construction management consultant is brought on board, and
construction work commences!
(Great moment!)
Construction
The project is finally built! This can last from a few months to several
years! (Note, that some European metro tunnel construction projects
have been often delayed by as much as 5 to 20+ years, or never
(!), due to the fact, that they have found some historic sites and
priceless artifacts. It is quite amazing, that practically anywhere you
dig in Europe you'll find some historical treasure, layer-bylayer, covering thousands of years of history...you can say, that the
metro project is turned into a museum project...)
Close Out
After the main construction work is complete the contractor is 'relieved
from work' (legal wording) is paid and congratulated. To relieve means
to ease a burden or take over for someone. An aspirin can relieve a
headache, and a substitute can relieve the teacher who fell asleep on
her desk after lunch.

I would like to mention, that the precise legal definition of what

'completed work' means here is unfortunately often ignored in the civil
engineering / construction industry.
Pollution by the Construction Industry.
Unfortunately it is a well-known fact, that the construction industry is a
major source of pollution, stone dust pollution, air and chemical
contamination / pollution, and is responsible for around 4% of
particulate emissions. (Sadly, it is not uncommon these days to walk
through a city and get a small concrete, or sand particle in the eye
because of a construction project that only an eye doctor can safely
remove... it happened to me a few times during the past 40 years...)
Furthermore, the construction industry creates more water pollution
incidents than any other industry, and thousands of noise complaints
every year. Although construction activities also pollute the soil, the
main areas of concern are: air, water and noise pollution.
For some strange reason, the civil engineering and
construction industry often ignores any prevention methods, tools
and technologies against pollution... professionals in other industries
wonder: how is it possible, that we can build
precision hard disks, that position within 1.5 micrometers within 15 ms
(15 thousands of a sec), or build Mars rovers that can execute some
amazing precision tasks millions of miles away, but we still cannot
build a simple road, or a building, or a bridge without literally killing all
forms of life forms around
the site... well, this is a tragic fact, because we could... maybe many
don't care (until they get sick themselves, but by then is usually too
late...) Please note, that this entire section is trying to change this
attitude, because YES, WE CAN
and WE MUST reduce the level / eliminate pollution in this industry too!
This is THE ONLY green sustainable future we have...
In order to help future civil engineering / construction industry project
managers reduce and even eliminate pollution, let us discuss these
topics in some more detail.

Air Pollution, and Opportunities of Prevention

Construction activities that contribute to air pollution include the
following: land clearing, operation of large and usually poorly
maintained diesel engines, demolition, burning, and working with toxic
materials, stone dust when cutting stone, or when cutting tiles, marble,
or concrete and others using a dry process, and many others.
Most construction sites generate high levels of dust (typically from
concrete, cement, wood, stone, silica) and this can carry for large
distances over a long period of time. Construction dust is classified as
PM10 - meaning, particulate matter less than 10 microns in
diameter, invisible to the naked eye, nevertheless very harmful to the
human body, as well as animals. (It is a well-known fact, that
construction dust causes cancer, most importantly lung cancer, as well
as eye damage, and others.)
Research has shown that PM-10 (Particulate Matter) penetrate deeply
into the lungs and cause a wide range of health problems including
respiratory illness, asthma, bronchitis, and even cancer. (Since many of
these illnesses occur only after several years of the contamination
event, there is a good opportunity here to dismiss this situation as
false warning, call it something else and reject any liability... but this
does not change the fact, that the above is unfortunately true... and
because of that many people get ill and even pass away...)
Another major source of PM-10 on construction sites comes from the
large diesel engine exhausts of vehicles and heavy equipment. This is
known as diesel particulate matter (DPM) and consists of soot,
sulphates and silicates, all of which readily combine with other toxins
in the atmosphere, increasing the health risks of particle inhalation.
Nature and Sources of the Pollutants
Particulate matter is the term for solid or liquid particles found in the
air. Some particles are large or dark enough to be seen as soot or
smoke. Others are so small they can be detected only with an electron
microscope. Because particles originate from a variety of mobile and
stationary sources (diesel trucks, wood-stoves, power plants,
etc.), their chemical and physical compositions vary widely. Particulate

matter can be directly emitted or can be formed in the atmosphere

when gaseous pollutants such as SO2 and NOx react to form fine
particles.
Health and Environmental Effects
In 1987, the USA EPA replaced the earlier Total Suspended Particulate
(TSP) air quality standard with a PM-10 standard.
The new standard focuses on smaller particles that are likely
responsible for adverse health effects because of their ability to reach
the lower regions of the
respiratory tract. The PM-10 standard includes particles with a
diameter of 10 micrometers or less (0.0004 inches or one-seventh the
width of a human hair). EPA's health-based national air quality
standard for PM-10 is 50 g/m3 (measured as an annual mean) and
150 g/m3 (measured as a daily concentration).
Major concerns for human health from exposure to PM-10 include:
effects on breathing and respiratory systems, damage to lung tissue,
cancer, and premature death. The elderly, children, and people with
chronic lung disease, influenza, or asthma, are especially sensitive to
the effects of particulate matter.
Acidic PM-10 can also damage human-made materials and is a major
cause of reduced visibility in many parts of the US and elsewhere in
the world (examples include Beijing, Chongching, and even Shanghai
and Hong Kong).
New scientific studies suggest that fine particles (smaller than 2.5
micrometers in diameter) may cause serious adverse health effects. As
a result, the EPA is considering setting a new standard for PM-2.5.
In addition, the EPA is reviewing whether revisions to the current PM-10
standards are warranted.
Air pollution can cause asthma. This is what the US EPA
(Environmental Protection Agency) states:

Nearly 26 Million Americans Continue to Live with Asthma, EPA says /

SC, IN, TX programs honored as national models for asthma care.
(Release Date: 05/07/2013.)
WASHINGTON Throughout May, as part of Asthma Awareness Month,
EPA is encouraging Americans to take simple steps to prevent asthma
attacks while
also honoring three leading asthma management programs for their
efforts to improve the lives of people with asthma in underserved
communities.
The economic costs of asthma amounts to more than $56 billion per
year from direct medical costs and indirect costs, such as missed
school and work days. During President Obamas administration, EPA
has made significant progress in improving air quality. In 2012, EPA
strengthened the national standard for fine particle pollution, often
called soot, which has been linked to a wide range of serious
health effects including aggravated asthma. In 2011, former EPA
Administrator Lisa P. Jackson signed the Mercury and Air Toxics
Standards (MATS), which will help avoid 130,000 cases of aggravated
asthma by 2016.
Today one out of every 12 people suffers from asthma and the
numbers are increasing year after year, said EPA Acting Administrator
Bob Perciasepe. With President Obamas support, EPA has
taken commonsense steps towards cleaner air, which translates to
fewer asthma attacks and instances of other respiratory diseases. As
we mark Asthma Awareness Month, we call on all Americans to learn
more about the easy ways they can avoid asthma triggers and prevent
future attacks from happening to them or their loved ones.
Asthma is a national epidemic, affecting nearly 26 million people,
including seven million children and disproportionally affecting low
income and minority communities. The EPA is conducting
a coordinated approach to promoting scientific understanding of
environmental asthma triggers and ways to manage asthma through
research, education and community-focused outreach.
The U.S. Embassy has an air quality monitor to measure PM 2.5
particulates as an indication of the air quality on the Embassy

compound located in Beijing, in the Chaoyang district. Pollutants such

as particle pollution are linked to a number of significant health effects
- and those effects are likely to be more severe for sensitive
populations, including people with heart or lung disease, children, and
older adults.
This monitor is a resource for the health of the American community in
China. Citywide analysis cannot be done, however, on data from a
single machine.
Particulates less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter (PM 2.5) are
referred to as fine particulates and are believed to pose the largest
health risks. PM 2.5 is a standard recognized by the US
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and allows us to
compare against US standard measures. PM 2.5 particulates are of
concern since they are small enough to directly enter the lungs and
even the blood stream.
The term "particulate matter" (PM) includes both solid particles and
liquid droplets found in air. Many manmade and natural sources emit
PM directly or emit other pollutants that react in the atmosphere to
form PM. These solid and liquid particles come in a wide range of sizes.
Particles less than 10 micrometers in diameter (PM10) pose a health
concern because they can be inhaled into and accumulate in the
respiratory system. Particles less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter
(PM2.5) are referred to as "fine" particles and are believed to pose the
largest health risks. Because of their small
size (less than one-seventh the average width of a human hair), fine
particles can lodge deeply into the lungs.
Health studies have shown a significant association between exposure
to fine particles and premature mortality. Other important effects
include aggravation of respiratory and cardiovascular disease (as
indicated by increased hospital admissions, emergency room
visits, and absences from school or work, and restricted activity days),
lung disease, decreased lung function, asthma attacks, and certain
cardiovascular problems such as heart attacks and cardiac arrhythmia.
Individuals particularly sensitive to fine particle exposure include older
adults, people with heart and lung disease, and children.

Sources of fine particles include all types of combustion activities

(motor vehicles, power plants, wood burning, etc.) and certain
industrial processes. Particles with diameters between 2.5 and 10
micrometers are referred to as "coarse." Sources of coarse particles
include crushing or grinding operations, and dust from paved or
unpaved roads.
Air pollution in facilities and the combustion hazard
How do you know if your facility is at risk? Even if there has never been
a problem before, this is no guarantee of future safety.
The level of hazard can change from day to day and even
from moment to moment whether due to the introduction of a
new process, a temporary lapse in housekeeping, or a static
electricity discharge caused by improper grounding. It takes
ongoing vigilance and management of change to identify conditions
in your plant that might cause a potential safety problem.
In January 2003, an explosion at the West Pharmaceutical facility in
Kingston, North Carolina killed six workers and injured 38
others, including two firefighters. The culprit: inadequate control of
dust hazards at the plant.
Only a month later, in February 2003, another explosion and fire
damaged the CTA Acoustics manufacturing plant in Corbin, Kentucky,
fatally injuring seven workers. Investigators found that resin dust,
accumulated in a production area, was likely ignited by flames from a
malfunctioning oven, triggering the explosion.
The most famous combustible dust explosion in the past decade and
the one responsible for re-focusing the national spotlight on this issue
was the February 2008 accident at the Imperial Sugar Companys
Wentworth, Georgia refinery.
A dust cloud explosion triggered a fatal blast and fire that killed
13 workers and injured 42 others, generating a storm of media
attention and government scrutiny.

These are by no means the only fatal explosions to occur in

U.S. manufacturing plants, though they are the three deadliest to be
investigated.
In the U.S. alone in the 25 years between 1980 and 2005, the
Chemical Safety Board reported 281 explosions caused by ignited
combustible dust. These explosions resulted in 199 fatalities and 718
injuries. Combustible dust explosions over the past decade in U.S.
plants are blamed for well over 100 fatalities and hundreds more
injuries.
Sadly, experts believe these accidents could have been prevented if
the companies involved had followed best practices for fire
and explosion protection... (And most importantly using preventive
methods!)
Regarding explosion protection, the first step in a hazard analysis
is determining whether your dust is explosive. Many commercial test
laboratories offer a low-cost test to establish whether a dust sample is
combustible. If the test is positive, then the explosive index (Kst) and
the maximum pressure rise (Pmax) of the dust should be determined
by ASTM E 1226-10, Standard Test Method for Explosibility of Dust
Clouds.
Water Pollution, and Opportunities of Prevention
Sources of water pollution on building sites include: diesel and oil,
paint, solvents, chemicals, cleaners, heavy metals, such as mercury,
cadmium, led and other harmful materials and chemicals, construction
debris, dirt, and others.
When land is cleared it causes soil erosion that leads to silt-bearing
run-off and sediment pollution. Silt and soil that runs into natural
waterways turns them turbid, which restricts sunlight filtration and
destroys aquatic life.
Surface water run-off also carries other pollutants from the site, such
as diesel and oil, toxic chemicals, and building materials like cement.
When these substances get into waterways they poison water life and
any animal that drinks from them.

Pollutants on construction sites can also soak into the groundwater, a

source of human drinking water. Once contaminated, groundwater is
much more difficult to treat than surface water.
When people are starving to death from lack of food, do you
trust these people to prevent death from lack of water?
Even now, even as people are starting to catch on to the bleak future
that lies ahead, aquifers are being drained as fast as possible. The
Southwest is a story of particular tragedy, but lessons learned from the
Colorado River grab are totally forgotten. It was just named the
most endangered waterway in America in 2013.
Las Vegas is sucking Lake Mead dry (its dropped 100 feet since 2000),
and this city was just granted groundwater rights in Spring, Cave,
Delamar, and Dry Lake valleys.
Native American tribes lost their land. But they still hold on to a lot of
water. Many tribes maintain water rights, and some are trying to assert
their claims while they can. To date, reservations are able to hold on
to their water reserves, but this could change quickly. One need only
look at what is going on in Montana. Tensions are high.
But holding water is not enough, though. Contamination is a major
threat, and prevention is the key, as with so many other challenges.
The Keystone XL pipeline relates to the largest aquifer in America, the
Ogallala, and tribal leaders are uniting against it. Meanwhile, tribes like
the Cree are suffering terribly from mining.
There are many ways to get involved. As aptly expressed by Winona
LaDuke (Anishinaabe) on the occasion of this Earth Day, it's time to
stop being extremists. Check out her non-profit, Honor Earth.
"When all the trees have been cut down, when all the animals have
been hunted, when all the waters are polluted, when all the air is
unsafe to breathe, only then will you discover you cannot eat money."
~ Cree Prophecy ~
To summarize, the USA EPA has an excellent site with some accurate
information about water pollution, as well as water pollution
prevention, here:

http://water.epa.gov/polwaste). They clearly support clean water and

prevention, as follows:
'Water pollution prevention and control measures are critical to
improving water quality and reducing the need for costly wastewater
and drinking water treatment. Because water pollution can come from
many different sources, a variety of pollution prevention and
control measures are needed.
Sustainable Green Infrastructure / Low Impact Development
Green infrastructure and low impact development approaches and
techniques help manage water and water pollutants at the source,
preventing or reducing the impact of development on water and water
quality. Learn about these cost-effective, sustainable, and
environmentally friendly approaches to wet weather management.
Impaired Waters and Total Maximum Daily Loads
States, territories, and tribes must protect water bodies and to address
water bodies that do not meet water quality standards (i.e., impaired
waters). Find information on regulations, guidance, and technical
resources relating to impaired waters and TMDLs.'
The civil engineering and the construction industry, as all others, must
prevent water pollution for the future of life on Earth! This is really
important, even if some ignore it and think, that we have enough water
to waste... well, we don't!
Noise Pollution, and Opportunities of Prevention
Construction sites often produce a lot of noise, mainly from vehicles,
heavy equipment and machinery, hydraulic and pneumatic drilling and
digging equipment, blasts and explosions, but also from people
shouting early morning, or late night, and even radios turned up too
loud.
Excessive noise is not only annoying and distracting, losing focus, but
can lead to hearing loss, high blood pressure, sleep disturbance and
extreme stress in adults as well as increasingly so with children and the

elderly. Research has shown that high noise levels disturb the natural
cycles of humans as well as animals and reduces their usable habitat.
Let me share with you this. As a rescue diver I often see sharks in the
ocean... swimming freely as part of our marine life on Earth.
They are amazingly beautiful animals and we love them; respectfully.
Sharks are the janitors of our oceans. They are VERY IMPORTANT for all
of us human beings, as well as for other marine life, animals and
nature as a whole.
They have extremely sensitive hearing. They can identify much lower
sounds than human ears can detect, and some can hear sounds more
than 700 feet away. Some scientists think hearing is typically the first
sense sharks use in detecting their prey.
Measures to Prevent Pollution
Good construction site design, implementation, education and practice
can help to control and prevent pollution. The first step is to prepare
environmental risk assessments for all construction activities and
materials likely to cause pollution.
Specific measures can then be taken to mitigate the
following risks:
To prevent erosion and run-off, minimize land disturbance and
leave maximum vegetation cover. (Note, that there are natural
ways of preventing erosion by planting the appropriate flowers,
bushes and trees, as well as by
landscaping.)
Control dust through fine water sprays used to dampen down the
site. (Note, that this is a very simple, low cost and realistic
solution in most cases when stone, marble, or concrete must be
cut. It even extends the life of the blade of the saw! ... not to
mention the lunges of the people around the area...)
Screen the whole site to stop dust spreading, or alternatively,
place fine mesh screening close to the dust source. (Keep in mind
that the best solution is to capture dust / prevent dust at source!)
Cover skips and trucks loaded with construction materials and
continually damp down with low levels of water.

 Cover piles of building materials like cement, sand and other

powders, regularly inspect for spillages, and locate them where
they will not be washed into
waterways or drainage areas.
Use non-toxic paints, solvents and other non-hazardous materials
wherever possible.
Segregate, tightly cover and monitor toxic substances to prevent
spills and possible site contamination. (Of course, as always the
best solution is to completely prevent access to toxic chemicals.)
Cover up and protect all drains on site.
Collect any wastewater generated from site activities in
settlement tanks, screen, discharge the clean water, and dispose
of remaining sludge according to environmental regulations.
Use low Sulphur diesel oil in all vehicle and equipment engines,
and incorporate the latest specifications of particulate filters and
catalytic converters. (Even better: use electric cars and trucks,
then there is no diesel oil contamination!)
No burning should be authorized of any materials on site.
Reduce noise pollution through careful handling of materials;
modern, quiet power tools, equipment and generators; low
impact cutting and splitting technologies; and wall structures as
sound shields.
Is the above only a dream, and therefore cannot be done...? I would
dispute that... just look at many other industries, that are dozens of
years ahead the civil and construction industry, making tons of
money and following green sustainable practices...
IT CAN BE DONE, and it MUST BE DONE for our future!
HOW these apply to your company:
When we simply follow above process to any project and make sure
that there is no pollution and follow Sustainable Green as everything
mentioned in Paul G. Rankys E-pack then the project will be
successful.
Write ABOUT YOUR Engineering Management / Project
Management DECISIONS:

In order to take decisions and manage first its important to learn

about the responsibilities of a Manager who plays a crucial role in
decision making process.
Major Responsibilities of the Architectural Project Manager
Architectural project managers are project managers in the field of
architecture. They have many of the same skills as their counterparts
in the construction industry.
An architect will often work closely with the construction project
manager in the office of the General Contractor (GC), and at the same
time, coordinate the work of the design team and numerous
consultants who contribute to a construction project. They will also
manage communication with the client. The issues of budget,
scheduling, and quality-control are the responsibility of the Project
Manager in an architect's office.
Responsibilities
The project manager is accountable for ensuring that everyone on the
team knows and executes his or her role, feels empowered and
supported in the role, knows the roles of the other team members and
acts upon the belief that those roles will be performed.
The specific responsibilities of the Project Manager may vary
depending on the industry, the company size, the company maturity,
and the company culture. However, there are some responsibilities
that are common to all Project Managers, including the following:

Developing the project plan

Showing leadership and direction to the entire team
Managing the project stakeholders
Managing the project team
Managing the project risk
Managing the project schedule
Managing the project budget
Managing project conflicts
Managing communication challenges
Managing cultural differences and challenges within the project
team

Project management is the discipline of planning,

organizing, motivating, and controlling resources to achieve specific
goals.
A project is a temporary endeavor with a defined beginning and end
(usually time-constrained, and often constrained by funding or
deliverables), undertaken to meet unique goals and objectives,
typically to bring about beneficial change or added value.
As an engineering manager I will have a discussion with my team
regarding the CORA analysis. I will first discuss the drawbacks of the
company and then talk about the top three AIR numbers and the
purpose of these numbers which will help us in development of our
company.
Based on the above analysis, EM decision will focus on the top 3 AIR
value which are: Customer Feedback Unit, Eco-friendly Standards and
Testing System for Improvement
1) Customer Feedback Unit: This unit focuses on the quality of a
product, customer services and feedback. We will build our base on the
requirements of our valued customer. The customer feedback unit can
show us the drawbacks on which we can improve. So EM should build a
loop which takes into consideration the customers grievances to the
company executive board immediately and act fast.
2) Eco-friendly standards: Our Company follows the eco-friendly
standards at each and every process. In addition we also have recycle
and waste management control for recycling the waste products.
3) Testing Systems for Improvement: There will be a number of tests
conducted in our company to verify the product to ensure the quality.
Each and every process will undergo detailed testing to look for any
errors or malfunctioning. If the system is notified that there is an error
in the product during testing, these systems will try to correct the
defect products or replace them. This will help us in producing the best
product and set a good trend in the market.
4) Process Design: As I have predicted in the CIMpgr model that the
planning process is very much important and it needs to be looked
after by a series of experts, I would try to give more importance to this
aspect. I would recommend my team to integrate Computer Integrated
Manufacturing (CIM) or Concurrent Engineering Technique so that

every decision goes by planning and calculations rather than intuitions.

By using this technique we can,
reduce the wastage of materials
implementing recycling techniques
improving process flow
I would make sure that right person is assigned to the right job and
overlooked by a series of experts in that particular field so that errors
are minimized in the starting stage itself.
Social Networking:

Further work needed / proposed: Further more Requirements and

decisions to be taken which are done in an iterative process methods.
References and Bibliography:

Prof. Paul G. Rankys E-Pack and Wikipedia.

Grade your own assignment: I give myself an A or 10/10, as I have
covered all the topics.