From compliance to commitment: rethinking biodiversity in project planning

Change your location to view content tailored for you.

7 May 2025 | 5 min | Article

As Asia grapples with unprecedented biodiversity loss, the engineering and construction sector across the region has a vital role to play in integrating biodiversity consideration from the earliest planning stages of major projects and infrastructure development.

With infrastructure development continuing to expand across landscapes, we can transform our approach – moving from a model of minimising harm to one of generating additional ecological value. In this new framework, biodiversity becomes not just a consideration, but a driver of innovation, project success, and wider accountability.

Key takeaways

Early ecological assessments and stakeholder engagement before site selection allows for better decision-making and more innovative solutions
Managing biodiversity isn't a one-time effort but a sustained commitment throughout the project lifecycle
Technology is transforming biodiversity consideration. Advanced tools like environmental DNA sampling, AI monitoring, digital twins, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are revolutionising how we understand, protect, and enhance biodiversity.
Collaboration between environmental experts, engineers, stakeholders, and clients enables early biodiversity considerations that can contribute to project success

Reality check 

Integrating biodiversity considerations into project lifecycles remains a significant challenge in today's engineering and construction industry across countries in Asia. However, proactively addressing biodiversity considerations during the early stages presents a valuable opportunity to enhance project outcomes. Early engagement enables the efficient gathering of baseline data, expands the range of potential mitigation options, and paves the way for innovative, cost-effective solutions.

Furthermore, while corporate policies, visions, and strategies often express a strong commitment to biodiversity, enhancing alignment during planning and implementation can significantly amplify and maximise efforts. By embracing these opportunities, we can create more sustainable projects that benefit both the environment and our communities.

The project inception phase offers a key opportunity to integrate biodiversity considerations into planning.

There are significant benefits in addressing environmental considerations early. However, there are several challenges when it comes to actual implementation. While ecosystem complexity demands comprehensive assessment methods, there are some projects that miss the opportunity to leave a positive environmental legacy by adopting a disparate approach. This can be compounded by local legislation; for example, in Hong Kong, the EIA Ordinance requires any development project to be ecologically neutral, without any expectation of a net ecological gain.

The additional pressure to accelerate timelines and minimise costs, means that project teams often find it challenging to champion biodiversity considerations effectively. This is often due to the disconnect between different specialists and teams with disparate objectives. Addressing this with early biodiversity consideration allows enough time and collaboration options to create success.

Biodiversity considerations in early project stages

The project inception phase offers a key opportunity to integrate biodiversity considerations into planning. At this early stage, project proponents must commit both intellectually and financially to addressing biodiversity impacts.

During this stage, comprehensive ecological assessments should be conducted before site selection and design parameters even commence. This involves not just species surveys but understanding ecosystem services, habitat connectivity, and seasonal variations in wildlife abundance. Early stakeholder engagement, particularly with local communities and environmental experts, can provide valuable insights to help identify both constraints and opportunities, allowing biodiversity considerations to inform fundamental project decisions rather than merely mitigate predetermined impacts.

CASE STUDY

Designing for enhanced biodiversity outcomes

One of Aurecon’s recent projects addressed biodiversity early, generating positive outcomes for the client, the community, and the environment. On the MTRC Lok Ma Chau Spurline, biodiversity was a significant concern due to both direct and indirect loss of wetland habitat caused by the project's construction and operation.

Before construction began, biodiversity mitigation measures were implemented, which included the ecological enhancement of 36 hectares of existing, though degraded, wetlands. This area, 20 years later, continues to flourish, thanks to the commitment of the project proponent and the team of devoted and experienced ecologists.

A key factor in this success has been long-term adaptive management, which has involved learning from experiences on site and incorporating effective practices from other locations.

Transforming project designs 

During the planning and design phase, biodiversity considerations can shift from being viewed solely as mitigation measures to becoming integral elements of the design process. This phase benefits from collaboration among clients, ecologists, engineers, and architects, working together to create solutions that enhance biodiversity.

Identifying and quantifying ecological constraints can help in forecasting potential impacts on ecosystems and guiding optimal design choices. All of this must be hinged on identifying opportunities for achieving a biodiversity net gain through innovative design solutions, habitat creation, long-term habitat management and improving ecosystem services. Additionally, establishing clear, measurable biodiversity targets and developing appropriate yet cost-effective monitoring frameworks are valuable steps in ensuring successful outcomes.

A clear example of this is a proposed comprehensive residential development project at Nam Sang Wai in Hong Kong. This site presents various ecological challenges, including bird flight paths, firefly communities, large waterbird roosting areas, and extensive adjacent wetland habitats. These ecological factors influenced important aspects of the project, such as the size and shape of the development area, the positioning of buildings, the timeline for different phases of the project, and the necessity for single-aspect buildings in specific locations.

Safeguarding the environment by enhancing biodiversity

Discover the link between wildlife conservation, biodiversity and sustainable human development.

Digital tools to help manage biodiversity strategies

The successful implementation of biodiversity management strategies is becoming more dynamic and engaging – thanks to advanced tools and technologies. For instance, environmental DNA sampling allows for detailed and comprehensive species identification while minimising disturbances to their habitats. Meanwhile, artificial intelligence and machine learning are just starting to pave the way for real-time monitoring of wildlife movements and shifts in ecosystems, potentially making it easier to respond to changes on the ground.

Digital twins and advanced modelling techniques offer possibilities for predicting and optimising biodiversity outcomes, allowing us to envision the impact of our decisions before they are made while GIS provide invaluable tools for spatial analysis and visualisation of biodiversity data, bringing clarity to complex information.

These tools, combined with ecological expertise, create powerful capabilities for understanding, protecting, and enhancing biodiversity throughout the project lifecycle.

Long-term biodiversity 

Today, one of the emerging trends is the recognition among project proponents that managing biodiversity is a long-term commitment throughout the entire lifecycle of a project, leading to more effective planning and budgeting. This growing understanding underscores that early biodiversity considerations significantly contribute to successful project outcomes, while ongoing ecological improvements require sustained management, careful attention, and adequate funding.

Moreover, it is increasingly acknowledged that biodiversity consideration and management is an adaptive process that relies heavily on the expertise of ecologists. Embracing this integrated approach will not only enhance ecological outcomes but also ensure sustainable development for future generations.