CEEQUAL for International
Projects
CEEQUAL for International Projects has been specifically
created for the assessment of civil engineering and
public realm projects outside the UK and Ireland. Complementary
to the UK Projects version, this new tool is being operated
in addition to the existing CEEQUAL UK Scheme. CEEQUAL
International is based on CEEQUAL Version 4.1, with
the same 12-section structure.
CEEQUAL International was created in response to a
desire by UK users with international interests to use
the CEEQUAL assessment methodology, and secure its beneficial
influence on performance, on their projects outside
the UK. Through the commitment of many experts working
for the benefit of the industry, the resulting Assessment
Manual for International Projects is applicable anywhere
in the world. Its use will reflect commitment to high
environmental and social standards and will yield improvements
to projects.
We anticipate that the benefits of using the UK version
will also accrue with CEEQUAL International –
rewarding project teams who have ‘gone the extra
mile’, building team spirit, and triggering improvements
to projects.
With CEEQUAL International, a blanket use of question
score weightings would be inappropriate because of differences
in physical environmental conditions and/or culture.
A project team using CEEQUAL International therefore
needs to undertake a weighting exercise specific to
the local area of the project. The Assessor also needs
to take into consideration the local regulations and
practice of each country.
 Initially,
we anticipate that CEEQUAL International will be used
by experienced Assessors or project teams supported
by an experienced Assessor. But overseas training enquiries
have already been received and proposals made. Over
time, as clusters of use develop, we anticipate being
able to create locally amended versions to suit particular
regions, if users so desire.
To address the challenges identified in development
of CEEQUAL International, local Assessors will be given
some flexibility to amend the wording of specified areas
of the Manual to ensure its relevance to local conditions.
In support of this approach, elements of the Manual
such as references and the glossary will be presented
in updateable online documents on the Assessor &
Verifier portal, so that Assessors can present to clients
and colleagues wherever they are working a Manual relevant
to their needs and ways of working, whilst maintaining
the rigour of the overall CEEQUAL Scheme and comparability
of results. We also hope that a forum for discussion
and collaboration amongst Assessors and Verifiers will
become established to ensure consistency and quality
of decisions. The aim is to provide a document library
with lists of references to laws and practices of countries
where assessments have been done, and a searchable glossary
for use by everyone involved in CEEQUAL, not just in
the International Version.
Development of CEEQUAL International
A diverse project steering group was assembled in
order to gain perspectives from different countries
and industry sectors to shape the internationalisation
project. Included were consultants, contractors and
other people with experience in construction and environmental
management, and a number of these contributors have
valuable first-hand experience both of working overseas
and as CEEQUAL Assessors in the UK.
Countries represented in the steering committee include
the UK, Canada, United Arab Emirates, and New Zealand.
This mirrors the large number of enquiries regarding
use of CEEQUAL in the countries mentioned above as well
as from Sweden, the USA, Australia, Saudi Arabia and
Spain.
Challenges the team faced included seeking to make
questions and supporting text in the Manual applicable
to the entire world’s ecosystems, development
levels and cultural values. Considering options for
scoring and weighting of questions has also proved thought-provoking
and generated enthusiastic discussion amongst the team.
Other International developments
With sustainability, social responsibility and accountability
high on the agenda worldwide, there are other schemes
in concurrent development. In particular, CEEQUAL has
a collaboration agreement with AGIC (the Australian
Green Infrastructure Council), which is developing their
own tool, due for piloting this year. And CEEQUAL, through
Chief Executive Roger Venables, has been contracted
by the American Society of Civil Engineers and its partners
to assist them in developing a rating system for US
practice, which was piloted in early 2011. CEEQUAL has
already learnt from these collaborations, and that experience
has been fed into not only our international development
but will also inform the development of CEEQUAL Methodology
Version 5.
For more information
For more information about CEEQUAL for International Projects please
contact the Scheme Management Team on 020 3137 2379
or e-mail support@ceequal.com.
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