“[Engineering] allows you to think and be creative … We get to solve problems and [tackle] projects that seem impossible at first, but when they are completed, it's so cool.”

1. What do we learn from an
Environmental
Engineer?

2. LDK has been active in the sectors of
environment and water, energy and climate
change, buildings and infrastructure as well as
socioeconomic development, offering
engineering and technical assistance services
Mr. Constantinos Nicolopoulos works for LDK
Consultants since 2008. The last two years is
the Head of Environmental Unit

4. Describe a typical work week for a Head of
an LDK Department
Heading LDK Environmental Unit, includes responsibilities that
could be compared to that of a small enterprise, i.e. project
execution follow up, extensive meetings and discussions with
project teams in order to identify issues and agree on
execution method statements, financial performance and
contract management, continuous reporting towards LDK
management and also client management in order to ensure
satisfactory performance.
Moreover, continuous search for new opportunities either
through tender databases, discussions /negotiations with
potential partners and setting up of project teams and
consortia, as well as technical and financial agreements.

5. What is the workplace of an Environmental
Engineer like?
Referring to the consulting life of an environmental
engineer, a large part of the work is typically office-
based. However, frequent missions in various project
locations and meeting with key people and decision
makers involved, are essential. The consultant has to
make sound judgments either on assessing a project or
providing recommendations so a quite good
understanding of the specifics, the particularities and
the on-the-ground needs is considered as a vital
prerequisite.

7. How do you motivate your staff?
Self-motivation is one of the
qualities that we are always looking
into the people joining LDK
environment. However, even the
most self motivated person, could
be discouraged, if no actions are
taken by the management to ensure
keeping continuous interest in
delivering sound work in a timely
manner.
Expansion of the knowledge borders
by being introduced in projects in
different countries, cultures and
work environments are
opportunities that most of our
staff find extremely motivating as
they gain life-time experiences that
improve them not only as
professionals but also as individuals.
Experience has shown that the
opportunity to manage such projects,
lead teams or provide technical inputs
under such diverse and different
circumstances is always very challenging
for colleagues and gives high levels of
motivation.
Of course financial incentives are always
useful but for the type of work we are
delivering those are simply not enough.

8. What would you do if a senior member of your team was not
performing, or refusing to implement a department policy?
Understanding the reasons behind the low performance of a staff comes as highest
importance before trying to “force” to improve the performance.
In case those are of personal nature, it is highlighted by every mean possible that the rest of
the office team as well as LDK’s management are and will be fully supportive to the extent
possible.
If there are other reasons that may have to do with
lack of communication between the teams, feeling of
being let down, missing opportunities, or loosing
interest in the work, significant efforts to re-motivate
need to be made, based on a case by case approach.
Of course all the above require time investment to
discuss and follow-up with the colleague in order to
make sure there is a clear understanding from both
sides on the willingness to remedy this.

9. LDK Consultants is a Greek worldwide company. How is to work
from a small country for other developing countries?
LDK Consultants is indeed small for international
standards, but when working and dealing with other
firms, you don’t feel that, as most of them usually do
not consider you as a small firm coming from a small
country. LDK’s achievements are well recognized
from a great number of internationals in the
consulting market and this brings along mutual
respect.
Regarding work in developing countries, LDK coming from Greece which is one of
least developed of the developed countries, poses a significant advantage as we
are much closer in understanding the actual problems the developing countries
face. We better understand the difficulties in implementing new policies and
regulations with regards to the environment, since similar difficulties have been
experienced (and continue to do so today), in our country as well. This is also
well felt among the people from the countries we work on (colleagues, clients,
beneficiaries and stakeholders) and this something that is often communicated
back to LDK colleagues.

10. What are some of the projects you’ve worked on?
Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEAs)(Cyprus 2nd
revision of River Basin Management Plan, Cyprus Flood
Response Management Plan, Lebanon’s Solid Waste
Management Plan, Lebanon’s Renewable Energy Strategy,
Support to the SEA for Helliniko master plan development,
Southern ENPI CBC programmes, Operation programmes of a)
Crete & Aegean islands 2007-2013, b) Competiveness 2007-
2013, c) Transport infrastructure, etc)
Environmental (and Social) Impact Assessment (ESIA) studies
for large infrastructure projects (Offshore oil & gas production
facilities in Prinos, Kavala, New international airport of Bahrain,
PPC Hydropower dams such as Nestos complex, Aoos,
Mesochora and Arta, Railways in Greece and Saudi Arabia,
Touristic complexes and Marinas in Qatar and Greece,
Motorways, PATHE, Attiki Odos an Light railways – Athens
metro, Nicosia tram, etc);

11. Solid waste management policies, planning and design of
facilities (National Strategy of SW in Jordan, Waste assessment
and compliance in SEE Countries [Albania, FYRoM, Kosovo,
Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia & Herzegovina], Integrated SWM
feasibility study in Jordan, Designs of SWM facilities
[preliminary and final design, tender documents,
supervision/contract management] in Greece, Cyprus, Turkey,
Serbia, etc, Due diligence of facilities in Greece before financing
for EIB

12. What is your most satisfying experience so far?
Possibly the most satisfying project I have worked on was an EIB-funded feasibility
study for the conversion of a huge environmental disastrous site that has been the
receptor of all types of wastes (municipal solid waste, industrial and municipal
wastewater) for more than 30 years, on the border of Syria and Jordan. Work
started with the initiative to stop the pollution by leading a team of experts to put
together a bankable investment project including the rehabilitation / remediation of
the currently polluted land and build new facilities to safely manage the regions’
incoming wastes for the next 20 years. The activities proposed were assessed from
all angles including technical feasibility, legal compliance, institutional capacity,
financial capability and recoveries and, last but not least, environmental performance.
The result was a site master plan accompanied by an implementation road-map for
making this possible. Although the project was not approved due to the refusal of the
Government to take loans (due to the current financial situation), it has been
considered as a success due to its integrated and realistic, step-by-step approach,
something that has put LDK in a leading position in the sector and is frequently
consulted by Government entities and IFIs on ways forward, especially after the
Syrian crisis outbreak.

13. Do you have an advice for someone looking to go into an
environmental engineering?
Environment is a core business with huge
prospects for the future and numerous
applications for specialization but will always
require to have a good understanding of a
combination of technical, legal, institutional
and environmental aspects. The main advice is
to try not to confine yourself within a
prescribed job description but always try to
advance your fields of expertise through new
challenges and work in different environments
and cultures to the level possible.