Environmental and Social Assessment and Management System
PUJ has an EHS management system which includes a policy establishing management commitment, continuous performance review, training, monitoring, reporting, and assessment of environmental impacts including management of residues, resources optimization, responsible consumption, and reuse and recycling, as well as its carbon footprint. The system also include occupational health and safety (OHS) risk prevention and health management and has an OHSAS 18001 certification. To manage its EHS performance, the university has developed a detailed matrix with specific indicators for each of its activities including services, human resources, physical operations, technology, and finance, among others. These indicators are monitored to assess its overall performance and enhance its practices. PUJ also has a food safety management system (built on the HACCP principles) certification including elements related to hazard control and personnel safety, usage/cleaning of uniforms, footwear disinfection and hand washing techniques, process area ingress protocols, safety floor, surface, and equipment design and materials, among others. As part of this system it has a rigorous microbiological and raw and prepared food tracking monitoring programs of the food provided by concessionaires’ as well very comprehensive assessment for the acceptance of those.
In addition, PUJ has already initiated the environmental licensing process needed for the construction phase with the local environmental authorities (Secretaria de Gestion Ambiental) and it has also presented the construction plans and related architectural and technical studies to the Ministry of Public Works (“Ministerio de Obras Publicas”. The permits from the Planning and Transport Secretaries (“Secretarias de Planeación y Movilidad”) have been already granted.
As the development of “edificio calle 125” building is in early stage, PUJ has yet to assess the potential impacts and mitigations of its construction and operation. As indicated in the ESAP, the university will complete and submit this assessment and demonstrate the outcome is in accordance to the IFC requirements as well as copies of the corresponding local environmental permits prior beginning its construction.
Policy
PUJ recently developed and issued its E&S policy which commits all its operations (academic and administrative) and populations (employees, administrative personnel, students, and professors) to operate in a sustainable manner and it is currently developing the E&S indicators to oversee the performance and effectiveness of such policy.
Identification of Risks and Impacts
Potential impacts during the construction phase are those typically associated with construction sites in urban areas including solid waste management/disposal, water consumption, induced traffic congestions, and labor OHS risks. Nuisance impacts (e.g., noise and dust) on adjacent buildings c
an be also present. These impacts have been identified by PUJ and will be managed with the implementation of the practices established in the environmental and health and safety procedures PUJ has already developed and will require the construction contractors to implement.
Management Programs
For its expansion, PUJ developed a three phase master plan to be implemented between 2007 and 2021. Phase I is being completed, Phase II will be developed as part of this project between 2015 and 2019, and Phase III is left to be developed later on. As part of this master plan, PUJ decided to ensure the campus will be further integrated within the urban area, reinforce its interrelation with the neighboring communities, and avoid any construction in the green area established as buffer area of the neighboring national park and rather look for actions to ensure the park potential services are enhanced.
In addition, PUJ developed and it is implementing the “Historia Verde” program which looks to identify and establish sustainable practices that permeate to all levels of the university through (i) the campus administration, (ii) the environmental studies program and (iii) the university department in charge of overseen PUJ’s psychological/ health, sports, cultural, community/civism, and pastoral activities. Specifically, it conducted an assessment of the biodiversity conditions of the campus and decided to enhance it replacing non-native and begin planting only native species (already 21% are native species), increasing the green areas in the campus (to reach a total of 4 ha out of the total 18 ha), and establishing a bird watching and a beekeeping programs. For this initiative, PUJ is being supported by the reputable Jose Celestino Mutis Botanic Garden. In addition, PUJ has recently hired a dedicated person to focus on the development and implementation of programs aimed to make of PUJ an environmental citizens community. It also has programs to motivate the use reduction of private vehicles (i.e., monetary incentives for use of public transportation, free bicycles use, etc.) and reduction of paper use by administrative and academic personnel.
Its EHS management systems extend to the contractors requiring them to comply with the specific EHS practices and establishing monitoring procedures to oversee their EHS performance. Prior to beginning work, the contractors need to take EHS induction, and are required to provide job risk assessments for risky activities, medical exams, and confirmation of compliance with local labor laws. The strict EHS procedures developed by the PUJ for the upgrade projects are included in the construction contract clauses. In addition, the PUJ also has a follow up and audit system to oversee contractors operations.
Even though the university has been conducting strictly willing buyer-willing seller land acquisitions to increase its area, in alignment with the IFC requirements and as indicated in the ESAP, PU
J will develop a land acquisition protocol which will allow to formalize and systematize the process the university has been conducting while purchasing land to upgrade its operations.
Organizational Capacity and Competency
PUJ has qualified personnel to oversee the EHS aspects of the operations. As part of the Physical Resources department it has a team dedicated to coordinate all construction and maintenance activities including the implementation of applicable environmental, health and safety requirements. The EHS team is configured by a coordinator and a team of three qualified people as well as a part time occupational medical physician. PUJ also hires EHS contractors, as needed. For every new construction project, through a bidding process, PUJ hires a construction contractor who is contractually required to comply with applicable labor and occupational health and safety standards and to report to PUJ on the implementation of project activities. The Physical Resources department also conducts periodic site supervision visits to all new projects and it is responsible for day-to-day property preventive and corrective maintenance.
PUJ provides basic EHS training to all workers as part of its induction program. This training includes biosafety, tools handling, work at heights, accident investigation, etc. For the construction phase, the training to the employees, sub-contractors, suppliers and visitors will be provided by the construction contractor. The construction contractor will also ensure that employee’s Job Hazards analysis is conducted and corresponding mitigations are established.
As part of the operation, the EHS responsible personnel conducts periodic audits, conducts energy and wastewater monitoring, ensures that fire prevention safety measures are in order, conducts EHS training, oversees proper handling of hazardous materials and wastes, conducts incidents/accident investigations as relevant, conducts emergency response drills, and assembles EHS performance data and reports it to PUJ senior management, among other aspects as established in PUJ EHS procedures.
Emergency Preparedness and Response
PJU has a rigorous emergency response plan that defines potential emergencies in accordance to the various academic buildings (arts, odontology, engineering, etc.), including emergency prevention equipment (alarms, extinguishers, etc.), emergency response personnel needs (i.e., fire brigades), as well as training and emergency response equipment. Even though it has conducted emergency response drills, as part of this project PUJ is committed to further enhance the performance of its emergence response drills. Thus, it will submit to IFC, as indicated in the ESAP, an emergency drills plan including schedules, potential scenarios to simulate, management structure needed, etc.
Monitoring and Review
PUJ has developed a detailed matrix of EHS indicators which periodically monitors to ascertain its EHS performance, th
e EHS in charge personnel gathers and consolidates the results and discuss them in the Senior Management meetings. Specifically, it monitors information about the labor force, generation of hazardous/non-hazardous waste, energy consumption, occupational health and safety, etc.
The construction manager will be required by PUJ to undertake on-going monitoring and auditing to ensure compliance with the EHS requirements. During the construction phase, PUJ oversees the contractors’ performance to confirm the implementation and the effectiveness of the agreed mitigations measures.
From an engineering standpoint, “Curadurias” and the local government authorities will undertake regular site inspection at critical points during the construction phase to ensure technical adherence and compliance of the General Contractor with the agreed upon architectural and engineering design/technical specifications. At completion of building construction, a final inspection certificate will be issued by the same institutions.