Challenges for Implementing Environmental Impact Assessment method for construction projects in Egypt

Abstract

Abstract Assessing the environmental impact of buildings is a prime concern for many countries to abide by international agreements. Various studies have shown that the construction industry has significant implications for the consumption of energy, raw material utilization, and carbon dioxide emissions. Recent Law 9/2009 in Egypt necessitates performing an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for major construction projects. There is a rising number of projects doing the EIA every year. Nevertheless, this cannot be considered a common practice till the present time and many projects are still struggling to perform the EIA studies. Hence, this study investigates the common challenges for implementing EIA for major construction projects in Egypt through a comprehensive literature review and survey among local practitioners. The results showed that the dilemma lies in the segregation of the EIA process along with the project’s phases. It also indicates problems associated with the limited availability of data and insufficient practitioners’ competencies and skills to perform the required assessment for certain impact categories.