GN 1.3: Environmental aspects and impacts

Usually, the responsibility for undertaking an aspect and impact assessment will be by an asset manager, in alignment to a wider corporate risk framework.  The process of undertaking the assessment is often coordinated by a property manager, with input from a facilities manager where required. 

Undertaking an environmental aspect and impact assessment generally considers the following steps: 

It is important that a set template is used to capture the output from an aspect and impact assessment.  The template is also helpful in facilitating discussion as the process moves through its various stages. 

While templates vary, it is important that the following information in included in the template: 

• Activity. 
• Aspect. 
• Impact. 
• Condition. 
• Drivers. 
• Level of control. 
• Significance (Uncontrolled). 
• Risk control. 
• Significance (Controlled). 

There are a wider range of environmental aspect and impact assessment templates available on-line. An example is provided below: 

Embarking on an environmental aspect and impact assessment involves determining the organisation scope of the assessment.  For real estate, for example, this may be determined as: 

• Including the activities that take place within the site boundary. 
• Selecting a wider boundary, including transport to and from the building. 

A useful step in initiating the aspect and impact process is to convene a working group of individuals who can represent the different departments responsible for managing the property.  This may include, for example, facilities, human resources, procurement, security and cleaning. 

Through facilitated discussion, the working group should review the range of activities undertaken at the property and consider the way in which these activities interact with the environment, and what the resulting environmental impact is likely to be. 

It is unlikely that a definitive list of activities, aspects and impacts will be established through a single discussion.  This list will evolve over time as working group participants consider the process, and the characteristics and nature of the activities they are responsible.  This information can be captured in ‘Activities’ Environmental Aspects’ and ‘Environmental Impacts’ columns of the sample aspect and impact template. 

There are various methods that can be adopted to support the facilitated discussion.  One of these methods is the source-pathway-receptor model.  This approach assists an organisation in determining hazards relevant to its activities, services and products and how these hazards can interact with and impact on the environment. 

To support the delivery of useful information, some further information about each aspect and impact is necessary. This information falls into the following sections 

• Condition: Relating to whether the activity takes place in normal, abnormal or emergency situations. 
  • Normal:  For example, during normal operations of the property. 
  • Abnormal:  For example, during a planned refit. 
  • Emergency:  For example, in the event of a spillage. 
• Driver:  The reason why the environmental impact is important. 
  • Legal:  Noting the legal or regulatory requirement associated with the aspect and impact 
  • Cost:  Noting the scale of financial consequence associated with the aspect and impact 
  • Reputation:  Noting the stakeholder interest associated with the aspect and impact 
• Control: The level of control the property manager has over the aspect and impact 
  • Control:  The property manager has direct control 
  • Influence:  The activity is implemented or contracted out to a third party 

The significance risk associated with each aspect and impact should be evaluated by the individuals in the working group.  At this stage, the evaluation focuses on ‘uncontrolled risk’, i.e. the risk associated without any mitigation in place. 

The evaluation of risk should consider: 

• Severity of the impact 
• Likelihood of the impact occurring 

There are various methods available to rate significance.  It is useful if the method selected for the aspect and impact assessment aligns with the risk evaluation method adopted by the asset manager of the property for other areas of risk management. 

Following the evaluation of uncontrolled risk, individuals in the working group should consider the mitigation that is in place for each aspect and impact. 

Risk controls can be wide ranging, for example: 

• Operational controls and procedures for undertaking specific tasks, for example segregating hazardous materials from general waste for disposal. 
• Management controls, for example, the provision of training to procurement colleagues staff relating to the selection of low-environmental impact materials. 
• Physical controls for example a bunding around an oil tank. 

Following the identification of the controls accompanying each aspect and impact, the associated risk should be re-evaluated to consider the effectiveness of the mitigation. 

The outcome of the re-evaluation is to ascertain whether the control method has reduced the risk to an acceptable level, i.e. a level that is no longer significant.  Where the level of controlled risk remains significant, or where no control exists, the aspect and impact should be raised for attention of the property manager for action. 

On completion of the assessment, aspects and impacts with an uncontrolled risk rating of ‘significant’; should be added to a property or portfolio risk register. This should include information about the associated controls and the roles responsible for maintaining these. 

The aspect and impact assessment should be reviewed on a regular basis, for example one to two years, and also where there is a significant change to the organisation or operation.