Frequently Asked Questions

ECOTOPIA EEC is a full-service environmental engineering consultancy with a mission to provide innovative and cost-effective environmental engineering solutions for businesses while also protecting the environment in which we live. Whether you need a full site assessment or need help to stay compliant with environmental regulations, our team is here to help.

Environmental engineering is defined as “the profession in which a knowledge of the natural sciences gained by study, research, and practice is applied with judgment to develop ways to utilize economic and environmental resources safely or to prevent or correct environmental degradation.”

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Environmental engineers are tasked with protecting people from the effects of adverse environmental factors such as pollution, water contamination, and hazardous waste, as well as improving environmental quality. They work to improve recycling rates and waste disposal practices while also ensuring public health is not compromised.

We’re a full-service environmental engineering consultancy and we approach each project with a commitment to deliver outstanding and professional services. We seek to provide innovative solutions by bringing together the best in industry, service and education.

  • Environmental Impact Assessment.
  • Environment, Risk, & Ergonomic Management.
  • Environmental Management Systems.
  • Environmental Architecture.
  • Occupational Safety and Health.
  • Environmental Compliance Plans.
  • Ergonomic Workplace Assessment.

An Environmental Impact Assessment examines the anticipated environmental impacts of a proposed project, measure these against public expectations, affected stakeholders’ needs and wishes for the future development of an area, and finally advise on any preventive or mitigative measures that may be necessary to reduce adverse impacts.

The agenda is not only to monitor effects so they are understood but also to avoid or mitigate them if possible. It seeks to provide opportunities for communities in which the project will occur with tools for dialogue about their concerns before final decisions are made. The bigger picture is identifying strategies for minimizing or avoiding significant negative environmental impacts while maximizing positive ones that will result from this new change in an environment where people live, work, learn and play.

Environmental Risk Management is the process of understanding, assessing and controlling potential risks to people and property from environmental hazards. This process consists of four steps: Identifying the site; Comprehensive inspection; Evaluation of hazards; and finally, control and prevention.
Environmental risk management (ERM) is actually a field that studies the common factor in every disaster: Human error. More specifically it deals with what causes these disasters? Why did they happen? How can we stop it from happening again? And most importantly- how can we use this information to make our lives safer?
Oftentimes mistakes get made when industries get too big – think about an oil refinery for example. Decision makers might not always be looking at the right direction.

Environmental Management Systems (EMS) is a mechanism to enact environmental management objectives on an overall organizational level. These objectives are achieved by managing the enterprise’s impact on the environment, transforming society’s environmental expectations into effective strategies and making environmentally sound decisions throughout every aspect of their business.

Available data strongly indicates that ecological sustainability is emerging as one of the key distinguishing factors in today’s competitive markets. This leaves no room for companies which do not adopt EMS or other similar processes upon its importance in achieving sustainable performance for their organization. Following this trend becomes necessary for both new entrants and long-established enterprises if they want any chance of surviving over time among fierce competition, let alone thriving economically.

Environmental Architecture is the design of a course of action that minimizes the undesirable impacts on nature and promotes positive impacts on nature.
The formulation of plans, illustrations, and consultations to address environmental issues ranging from natural resources management to conservation planning. It further encompasses a wide variety of topics such as sustainability, ecology, economics, geography, hydrology and many other disciplines
Environmental architecture is also involved in humanitarian responses to disasters or human-induced catastrophes which have problematic environmental consequences. In this work it usually includes ensuring safe evacuation routes for populations as well as coordinating rebuilding efforts following clean up operations during peacetime crisis response scenarios.

Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) deals with providing a safe workplace for all workers by analyzing jobs, monitoring hazards, preventing injuries.

The purpose of occupational safety and health is to minimize risks for workers. That can include anything from ergonomic issues, physical stressors, chemical exposures, airborne particulates – you name it!

Occupational Safety and Health is a really interesting field because their role involves both protecting the health of individuals but also managing risks. The goal is to make sure that people who work in certain types of jobs or around certain hazardous materials don’t have a higher chance of developing a disability. It’s a pretty cool balance if you think about it.

Environmental Compliance Plan provides a strategy to help you be in compliance with the environmental laws and regulations specific to your industry. A company can also have a compliance plan that addresses general issues of environment stewardship.
The six things it should include are: 1) Legal Compliance, 2) Responsibilities 3) Identification of Potential Pollution or Waste Issues 4) Hazardous Chemicals 5) Reporting 6) Corrective Actions

The Ergonomic Workplace Assessment (EWA) is a process performed as an ergonomics consultant by an Occupational Safety and Health Professional. The EWA, which was developed by the Sustainability Institute, includes two parts
An assessment of the current state of the workplace’s condition; and The development and execution of a risk-mitigating plan to improve or maintain that workplace’s safety standards.

An ergonomic workplace assessment can help you to optimize your work environment and reduce the aggravation of uncomfortable workplace conditions. These assessments may also lead you to discover the hazards that could increase your risks for injury, such as prolonged sitting or spending too much time navigating around a cluttered workspace.

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