# 162 vol XXXIX SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2012
ENGLISH EDITION
TIME TO THINK AND ACT
Ideas and projects that
help realize the dream of
harmonious coexistence
between people and nature
II
informa
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1
www.odebrechtonline.co
Online edition
Online archive
> Focused on springs and
riparian forests, the Forest
Factory program helps
restore areas of Atlantic
Forest on the North
Coast of Bahia and is
being replicated in Rio de
Janeiro.
> Co-sponsored by the InterAmerican Development
Bank, the Creer (Believe)
professional education
program is offering better
job prospects to residents
of the Huánuco region
in Peru.
> One highlight of the
projects in Rio de Janeiro
that are preparing the
city to host the 2014 FIFA
World Cup and the 2016
Olympics is the TransOeste
expressway, which is
already easing traffic jams.
> Residents of Luanda are
learning new ways to
improve public health
through environmental
projects.
> You can read
this entire
issue in
HTML and PDF
> Access all back
issues of Odebrecht
Informa since no. 1,
and download full
issues in PDF.
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Reports since 2002.
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Social Programs,
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> Online edition of Odebrecht Informa .
> Reports, features, videos, photos, animations and infographics.
Video reports
> On the Palomino Hydroelectric Plant
project in the Dominican Republic,
environmental projects cover several
fronts, including support for the
demarcation of Haitises National
Park, an area rich in birds and caves.
> Saving drinking water and treating
sewage. These are the goals of the
Aquapolo Project, an unprecedented
initiative in Brazil that supplies
reclaimed water to the ABC Paulista
Petrochemical Complex.
Blog
> The Pedra Preta
Archaeological Site in Mato
Grosso do Sul will be open to
visitors.
> The radio livens up the
workday of Odebrecht
members building the Teles
Pires hydroelectric plant.
> At the age of 75, a seasoned
farmer finds motivation in
new ideas and work methods.
> Alagoas municipalities benefit from
the expansion of a professional
education program and investments
in an Atlantic Forest preserve.
>Follow Odebrecht Informa
on Twitter @odbinforma
and get news in real time.
> Comment on blog posts and
participate by sending your
suggestions to the editors.
> AN ARENA FOR THREE PASSIONS
World Cup City: the Pernambuco Arena
will leave an urban legacy for Náutico,
Santa Cruz and Sport soccer club fans
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3
Cover: Odebrecht member with
bird from the region where the
Chaglla hydroelectric plant is under
construction in Huánuco, Peru.
#162
Photo by Bruna Romaro
4
8
In Mozambique, a construction site where the
protection of wildlife and productivity coexist
harmoniously
13
Sergio Leão and Alexandre Baltar, and the
importance of Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Management indicators
16
Caroline de Azevedo and a project whose core is
synergy between the company and the community
18
In Panama, a decisive foray into the preservation
of mangroves and their extraordinarily rich
biodiversity
20
Dominican Republic: projects in different sectors
pave the way towards a sustainable future
25
Folks: João Borba, Eduardo Poley and Gabriel
Saúde, and how they show their love for the
places where they live
26
Lagoa Viva Green Belt: two initiatives in Alagoas
become symbols of sustainability
30
Interview: Augusto Roque, Rogério Ibrahim and
Saulo Nunes discuss how Odebrecht’s social/
environmental projects set the Group apart
34
A project planned and executed to be sustainable
in every aspect: Santo Antônio, in Rondônia,
Brazil
38
The past, present and future come together in the
construction of the Baixo Sabor Dam in Portugal
42
Chaglla: in the strip between the Andes and the
rain forest, an exemplary preservation project
arises in Peru
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ENVIRONMENT
46
50
The map shows
the countries and Brazilian
states (in white) where
the projects and programs
described in this issue
of Odebrecht Informa
are located, and where
the people who feature in
these stories live and work
In Sauípe, on the North Coast of Bahia, measures
are taken to ensure the conservation of a complex
environmental context
Aquapolo Project: a benchmark for reclaiming
water for industrial purposes and a symbol of
entrepreneurial cross-cutting operations
55
Firefighters: meet some of the professionals
who take care of prevention and safety at ETH’s
agroindustrial units
58
Around the world, Petrobras revamps assets to
adapt them to more stringent safety and public
health requirements
62
Highway concessionaires help disseminate a culture
of respect for the environment
68
Program held at the Odebrecht Building in Salvador,
Bahia helps turn minor habits into significant moves
70
Embraport Terminal in Santos: innovative measures
ensure a more rational and productive approach to
water use
74
Savvy: a leader passionate about training people,
Antonio Carlos Daiha Blando highlights the lessons
he has learned in his career
76
Greater Porto Alegre provides confirmation of the
close relationship between decent housing and
respect for the environment
79
The rehabilitation of Sepetiba Beach gives back to
the community one of the most scenic areas in the
West Zone of Rio de Janeiro
82
Environmental awareness is changing communities’
lives in the metropolitan region of Luanda, Angola
86
The reclamation of parts of the Atlantic Forest and
conservation of springs mobilizes residents of the
Southern Bahia Lowlands
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EDITORIAL
A respectful
relationship
I
“Odebrecht has set
itself the challenge
of being recognized
as a ‘green company’
that is committed
to creating and
providing an
environmental legacy
for the people living
within the spheres
of influence of its
engineering and
construction projects
and industrial
operations”
n Tete Province, Mozambique, they are taking every precaution to ensure that all kinds of wildlife are protected, and the works in progress
in the region do not change their way of life. In the Dominican Republic,
we are seeing examples of how a country can achieve balance by investing heavily in its development while ensuring environmental sustainability.
Huánuco, Peru, is now the site of a pioneering project to rescue local plant
and animal life. In the metropolitan area of Luanda, Angola, we find further
confirmation of the close and decisive relationship between decent housing
and environmental conservation. In the Brazilian states of Pernambuco, Bahia and São Paulo, the communities living near roadways run as concessions
are the main beneficiaries of programs that make it clear that people need
(and want!) to become directly responsible for their own quality of life and the
protection of the environment.
These are just a few examples of the activities that you will see reported on
and analyzed in this issue of Odebrecht Informa, which deals with the day-today relationship between the Group’s businesses and the environment. You
will see how Odebrecht teams deal with environmental issues at construction sites, industrial units and offices in Brazil and other countries.
To build major projects like dams, roads and water and sewer systems,
and carry out complex operations like the production of thermoplastic resins and ethanol, a broad range of projects must be implemented to mitigate
impacts and ensure the rational use of natural resources. The conservation
of the environment, plant and animal life, and biodiversity must be part of
the business - and this concept is understood and applied in every project in
which Odebrecht participates. It is not just about compliance with the law,
no matter how strict it may be. It is about going further, doing more than
required, investing in consistent and advanced initiatives, and conducting
pioneering research and studies that become national and even international benchmarks.
Odebrecht has set itself the challenge of being recognized as a “green
company” that is committed to creating and providing an environmental
legacy for the people living within the spheres of influence of its engineering and construction projects and industrial operations. The main pillar of
this legacy is the concept of inclusion: it is essential for communities to get
involved in the process of environmental improvement so their members
participate directly in maintaining, improving and multiplying the changes
being made and the benefits achieved.
Good reading.
Life is
coexisten
written by Cláudio Lovato Filho
photos by Holanda Cavalcanti
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Hippos in the
Zambeze River:
this scene, which
amazes visitors,
is part of daily
life for members
working on the
Moatize Coal
Project
ce
Work on the Moatize Coal Project
in Mozambique involves the
day-to-day relationship between
workers, wildlife and riverside
communities
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9
Team members
landing next to one
of the transmission
towers installed on
the island: the area
is being planted with
native vegetation
Sérgio Silveira:
planos de remar
até os 75 anos
A
10
s it approaches the family of hippos
sion towers have been installed there to carry power
in the middle of the Zambezi River,
to the jobsite, which is served by 36 substations. André
the small boat slows down, and the
Canoas, the Odebrecht officer Responsible for Pro-
outboard motor goes off. The two en-
duction on this project, and Leonardo Hellstrom, from
gineers on board are not surprised.
the company’s Health, Safety and Environment team,
They just enjoy the scene. But for the Odebrecht In-
are the engineers who were on the boat along with the
forma team, it is very far from being a common sight.
magazine’s reporter and photographer. Right there on
“There are eight,” says the reporter. Then he corrects
the riverbank, they meet up with two other Odebrecht
himself: “No, there are nine.” “One day I counted 11,”
engineers, Joaquim Carvalho and Flávio Macaringue,
says one of the engineers. The hippos pile up on each
and construction supervisors Walter Gomes and Lino
other, dive and then emerge almost
Paulino Mucumbe. There is still some
entirely from the water, like breaching
work to be done on the island. They
whales. This is Africa, with its inex-
have to protect the foundations of one
haustible capacity for fascination. The
of the towers. It is no small challenge,
outboard motor starts up again and
because the soil is very unstable. The
the boat moves away from the family,
team is planting the island with native
which carries on enjoying the morning
vegetation. It is a contribution that the
sun in the middle of the river.
people who tend small plots of corn,
We are headed for an island in the Zambezi River.
peanuts and other products there are awaiting with
A project that has been carried out there might sym-
great anticipation. Soon, the island will be more than
bolize, with the greatest intensity and accuracy, the
just a sandbar.
strategy of environmental conservation implemented
André and Leonardo introduce the magazine’s
on the Moatize Coal Project. Underway since June
team to Abílio Sinosse. He has spent 35 years at
2008 in Tete Province, Mozambique, in February 2012
the Ministry of Agriculture of Mozambique, work-
it embarked on its second stage, which will double the
ing as a wildlife inspector. Since 2010, he has been
mine’s production capacity.
tasked with protecting the professionals working on
We’ve landed. The island is actually a large sand
the project. Abílio, 57, is always the first to arrive on
bank, 1,800 m long and 1,200 m wide. Four transmis-
the island and the last to leave. He keeps a close eye
informa
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on the movements of crocodiles, hippos and snakes,
One of the biggest mines in Africa
and drives them away if necessary. “My job is to pro-
The Moatize district of Tete, the capital of the prov-
tect people and wildlife; to look after both sides. I’m
ince of the same name, is home to one of Africa’s
the man in the middle.” No one is allowed to kill ani-
largest coal mines, for which Vale has obtained the
mals in any part of the construction site, not even a
development rights. The coal extracted from the mine
snake or a spider.
is thermal and metallurgical, the most valuable type,
The hippo family we saw in the river lives on the
which is used in the steel industry. The mine’s produc-
island. Its members head for the water at around
tion capacity was initially estimated to be 11 million
5:30 am and return to the island later in the day.
metric tons. Once the plant’s expansion is completed,
Their movements are top priority. Work stops so
production will double. Mined in a 200-square-kilome-
they can move about freely. “The entire production
ter area, the coal is currently processed at an indus-
strategy comes second to caring for the environ-
trial facility that required 130,000 cu.m of concrete to
ment,” says Flávio Macaringue, 31, who was born in
build. The coal is exported from Mozambique through
Maputo, the capital of Mozambique. “The work done
the port of Beira, where it arrives in trains. All this be-
here on the island has been a tremendous learning
came a reality through an Alliance Contract between
experience,” says André Canoas, a Brazilian from
Vale and Odebrecht.
São Paulo.
Deploying and operating a project of this magni-
The environmental conservation work being done
tude requires a commitment to sustainability. During
on the island has become an icon and a benchmark,
its visit to the construction site, the Odebrecht Informa
but it is just one chapter, albeit a prominent one, in
team observed the commitment of all members of
the context of the initiatives that were undertaken
the project, regardless of their program or where they
during the implementation of the Moatize Coal Proj-
work – at the work fronts, in offices, in the cafeteria or
ect and are now being implemented during its expan-
in the workers’ accommodations.
sion. Everything that can be done is being done to
Water trucks constantly circulate around the job-
take (and exceed where possible) the usual precau-
site to damp down dust and ensure air quality. En-
tions for a mining operation carried out by Vale, the
vironmental inspections are conducted daily and, if
client for this project.
necessary, result in corrective measures. Campaigns
Family of river dwellers
(with Rosário Roice to the
right in the foreground) who
are benefiting from social/
environmental projects: hope
of better opportunities ahead
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11
Equipment that is part of the industrial
structure for processing coal. In the smaller
photo, the Sewage Treatment Plant:
conducting environmental inspections
every day
ship with nature is transcendental. Their
religious beliefs are very strong, and it is
important to understand their customs and
traditions. Residents of the area near the
jobsite, especially the families who live on
the banks of the Zambezi, understand that
12
and lectures on water conservation, efficient electric-
the projects in the vicinity, including the Moatize Project,
ity use, and waste management, among other topics,
are bringing benefits to their historically poor region.
are carried out at all work fronts. The neighboring
When the Odebrecht Informa team visited Tete in
communities benefit from social and environmental
mid-August, a prolonged drought was threatening to
programs, and seedlings of native species are planted
ruin the harvests and causing tremendous concern.
and distributed. Part of the Ongoing Professional Edu-
Rosário Abílio Roice, 36, a resident of the riverside
cation Program – Acreditar (Believe), the module on
Chivur community, welcomes the works being carried
the Environment makes a major contribution to edu-
out in Moatize. “They mean more development for our
cating people on the subject. Anywhere you go in the
country. Now we have more roads, more power, and
jobsite, selective waste collection is encouraged (with
all this while respecting the environment, animals and
detailed instructions). It is equipped with a Wastewa-
vegetation.”
ter Treatment Plant (WTP) and a landfill. The project
Roberto Salvador Reis, the Odebrecht officer Re-
currently employs about 7,000 people directly. There
sponsible for Health, Safety and Environment, says:
are more than 1,700 professionals working for Vale,
“We have already achieved important victories, but
and 1,300 for Odebrecht, as well as both companies’
much remains to be done. For example, we want to
subcontractors. At the peak of the expansion works,
deploy a recycling cooperative in the Moatize district,
8,500 professionals will be actively involved in the proj-
with a sorting plant that will be operated and managed
ect – a jobsite with the population of a town.
by community members.” Colbert Nascimento, Vale’s
Eighty-five percent of the people in the workforce are
Health, Safety and Environment Leader for the proj-
currently Mozambican, but even those who come from
ect, adds: “We’re going leave behind a legacy of social
elsewhere know that the local communities’ relation-
and environmental sustainability.”
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Sergio Leão (left) and
Alexandre Baltar: the aim
is to set practical examples
for reducing CO2 emissions
controls
Strict
A
written by Emanuella Sombra photo by Ricardo Telles
lexandre Baltar is the officer Responsible for the Climate Change
area of the Odebrecht Sustainability
Program run by Sérgio Leão. In August, on a dry Southern-Hemisphere
winter afternoon in São Paulo, both men set aside a
few hours of their time to provide Odebrecht Informa
with Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Management indicators
for the Group’s Engineering & Construction companies, which recently concluded their second Annual
GHG Emissions Inventory, Base Year 2011. “Having
learned all about emission processes [during the
Odebrecht’s
Engineering &
Construction
companies complete
their second Annual
GHG Emissions
Inventory
first inventory], we now face a different and even bigger challenge: setting goals for achieving more ef-
adaptability. This is because, unlike businesses and
ficiency in controlling these emissions,” says Baltar.
industries that have fixed production plants, in the
However obvious this may seem to a layman on
Engineering & Construction business each project
the subject, the Baltar’s observation does even come
has a relatively short cycle, from beginning to end,
close to covering the typical challenges faced by an
which makes it hard to conduct comparative analy-
industry whose main features include mobility and
ses of the same situation over the years.
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13
However, this is not the only complex aspect of the
challenge. “Each project has its own peculiarities. A
road built in a flat region requires different production
processes from another road built in rugged terrain.
And, of course, both will generate different environmental impacts,” says Baltar. He explains that, like
the first, the second Annual GHG Emissions Inventory is serving as a parameter for Group members to
determine the goals that should be prioritized, and
how to adapt them to the different regions and countries where the organization operates.
Major emitters
One of these goals is to improve the methods
used to control fuel consumption and utilize “greener” cement and steel. According to the inventory, altogether, these raw materials directly or indirectly
accounted for 83.6% of greenhouse gases released
into the atmosphere in 2011. At the top of the list,
fuels and lubricants consumed by approximately
27,000 pieces of equipment used at the jobsites produced 34.3% of the total greenhouse gas emissions.
Cement (29.3%) and steel (20%) consumption came
right behind.
Baltar explains that even when a given activity has a small impact, its viability should be assessed, because it helps change people’s attitudes
and can produce other benefits. For example, air
travel represents just 2.7% of the emissions inventory. Although it is a comparably small figure,
the need to fly is constantly called into question.
“We usually encourage people to ask themselves:
instead of traveling, wouldn’t it be possible to re-
Sérgio’s observation reflects the Group’s Engi-
solve the matter through a teleconference, for ex-
neering & Construction companies’ constant ef-
ample?” Baltar observes.
forts to gain an understanding of the context of each
Encouraging these types of questions benefits
project. This can be seen by observing the number
the environment and the company, which ends up
of projects and regions covered in the inventory. All
reducing the cost of its operations. Consequently, it
told, it has evaluated 135 contracts in an operation
disseminates the culture of sustainability among its
that involved 14 countries where the Group is pres-
members, who working on ways of saving resources
ent, including Brazil. About 850 members directly
in a decentralized, active and ongoing fashion. Ac-
participated in the survey.
cording to Sérgio Leão: “We should recall that the
quality of our operations must be maintained in ev-
14
Santo Antônio, Palomino and Chaglla
ery situation. Therefore, it is essential to think about
This concern is already being transformed into
contextualized sustainability everywhere where we
action. One project is being carried out at the
operate. It cannot be something that is brought in
jobsite for the Santo Antônio hydroelectric plant
from the outside.”
in Rondônia, Brazil. The planning of the jobsite
informa
Baltar and other leaders attended the UN confer-
The Palomino hydroelectric
plant in the Dominican Republic:
sales of carbon credits will help
finance social outreach projects
ence last June. “The construction industry involves
a supply chain of associated companies that work
in the delivery of products. What we are doing here
impacts that entire chain.”
Some decisions, such as choosing suppliers that
produce cement with lower emissions, and optimizing waste transport at the jobsites, end up making
the difference in controlling these emissions. Others, such as the sale of carbon credits, benefit the
client and the community in which the project is located, since they generate resources and can help
finance social projects. This was the case with the
Palomino hydroelectric plant in the Dominican Republic, which is expected to generate about 120,000
metric tons of CO2 in carbon credits annually.
In addition to Palomino, another plan to sell
carbon credits has been developed at the Chaglla
hydroelectric plant in Peru, which is expected to
generate 1.8 million metric tons of CO2 per year in
carbon credits. When it receives approval from the
Peruvian government and the UN, Chaglla should
be the fourth largest among more than 1,200 hydropower projects already approved, adding value to
photo:
Geraldo Pestalozzi
Odebrecht Energia’s business.
The purpose of the carbon market is to help
achieve the goals of the Kyoto Protocol, which went
into effect in 2005, setting limits on greenhouse gas
emissions. Since then, it has gained importance in
the sustainable development agenda. In 2009, Odebrecht Engineering & Construction and 26 other
companies signed the Open Letter to Brazil on Clispared 291 hectares from deforestation, out of
mate Change, which contains a number of voluntary
a total of 1,108 ha whose clearing had been au-
commitments to reducing environmental impacts
thorized by IBAMA, the Brazilian environmental
and presents proposals to the Federal Government
agency. This initiative resulted in 26% savings in
on that issue.
the cost of deforestation for the project and a re-
“One of the challenges facing Brazil is to estab-
duction of 206,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions,
lish alliances and a governance model for sustain-
an amount that corresponds to approximately 40%
able development that involves more than sporadic
of all emissions from burning fossil fuels over the
and temporary measures,” says Sérgio Leão. Ac-
course of the construction project.
cording to Sérgio and Alexandre Baltar, the com-
“As Rio+20 demonstrated, companies have be-
pletion of the second Annual Inventory is just the
come leading players in this process. The nations
beginning of a process aimed at carrying out the
represented there have established that they will
measures being developed at the jobsites. “This is
reach an agreement on goals by 2015, and in the
our objective: to set a practical example that is in
meantime, businesses need to do their homework;
line with the specific characteristics of Engineering
to influence others,” argues Sérgio Leão, who, like
& Construction,” says Baltar.
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15
PROFILE: Caroline Todt de Azevedo
The pleasure of
collective achievements
Responsible for sustainability projects at EPP,
Caroline bases her work on the constant pursuit
of partnership with the community
written by Júlio César Soares photo by Arthur Ikishima
H
er car has got stuck in mud
different businesses that serve
integral part of any business. And
again, but Caroline Todt de
as a handy reference guide for all
the Knowledge Community is the
Azevedo is used to it. As
companies and can be replicated
main agent for disseminating our
by anyone,” she observes.
Sustainability Policy until it’s in the
the Sustainability Manager at the
Estaleiro Enseada do Paraguaçu
Nearly 300 members attend-
(EEP) company, she does essential
ed the launch of the publication,
work with residents of the town of
which took place in Panama in
Maragojipe in the Recôncavo Baia-
April. “When organizing this event,
no (the fertile bay region near Sal-
the group decided to minimize the
vador, Bahia), where Odebrecht is
format of talks by big names in the
building a shipyard in partnership
industry and opted to engage in
with UTC Engenharia, OAS and
two and a half days of work,” says
Kawasaki. Better known as Carol,
Carol. According to her, this meth-
she believes that people are the
od was successful. “Each mem-
driving force for the development
ber signed up for a topic that they
of the region and its ecosystems.
felt needed the most work in their
“Sustainability results from over-
project or company, applying what
coming barriers by working direct-
they experienced at the meeting to
ly with communities, and sharing
their line of work as systematically
common goals,” she argues.
as possible.”
In addition to her work at EEP,
16
“The
Environmental
Group’s
Carol chairs the Social/Environ-
most important task is to provide
mental Working Group that is part
the tools that members need to
of the Odebrecht Knowledge Com-
go beyond the realm of ideas and
munity on Sustainability. Created in
transform sustainability into a
April of last year, the group plans to
work tool that is always present
gather and systemize projects and
on a project,” says Carol, adding:
measures related to that subject
“Sustainability is not just about
carried out within the organization.
preservation. It’s also about ef-
“We worked for a year to produce
fecting local development with
the Good Practices Handbook. It
the community’s active participa-
contains successful cases from
tion, and should be viewed as an
informa
informa
Group’s blood, and that also goes
vocate a strong policy of sustain-
for the Action Plan and each and
ability,” she says.
After
every leader.”
graduating
Rossival Manuel da Silva, a resident of Enseada do Paraguaçu,
in
Biology
a former maroon community lo-
The daughter of a Brazilian
from the Federal University at Ba-
cated in the vicinity of the project,
mother from Pernambuco and a
hia (UFBA), Carol studied Molecu-
manages to get Carol’s car un-
German father, and herself the
lar Biology at the Oswaldo Cruz
stuck with the help of another lo-
mother of two, Caroline, 44, was
Foundation (Fiocruz), and earned
cal resident. She thanks them and
born in the city of Salvador. This
a Master’s degree in Sustainable
reflects on her difficult commute
is her first challenge at Ode-
Development from the University
to the shipyard. “I take the ferry
brecht, but she has already built
of Brasilia (UNB). She observes
from Salvador to Itaparica [Island].
up an accomplished track record
that seemingly unrelated subjects
Then I drive to Maragojipe for an
during several years of experi-
like those she focused on in her
hour and a half on muddy tracks
ence at companies like Ford and
academic career are more closely
and bad roads. However, confirm-
Petrobras. “I think that was a fac-
linked than you might think. “The
ing the potential of the work we
tor that led to my being elected
broader and more diverse your pro-
are doing to bring about integrated
group leader: the experience I’ve
fessional background is, the broad-
local development in this region
acquired at companies that, just
er your vision and the greater your
inspires me to get up willing and
like Odebrecht, maintain rigorous
understanding of the complexity of
ready to embrace this challenge,”
protocols on this subject and ad-
a project will be,” she argues.
Carol guarantees.
Caroline Azevedo:
people from the
community are
the driving force
for sustainable
development
“Sustainability
should be viewed as
an integral part of any
business”
Carlos José:
“Toda obra
tem começo,
meio e fim,
mas esta aqui
é permanente”
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17
Protecting the
mangrov
written by Zoraida Chong
photos by Pablo De Leon
18
Panama City will
be the first Latin
American capital to
have a Metropolitan
Mangrove Park
Observation deck built by
Odebrecht in the Juan Díaz
Mangrove: while enjoying
the biodiversity, people
are sensitized about the
importance of the mangrove
and its preservation
18
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E
es
very year, more than 2 million migratory birds - mainly shorebirds – arrive in Panama Bay, headed for a mangrove called Manglar de Juan Díaz. The birds put on a
show, alongside the spectacular sight of crabs scuttling along the shore in search
of food when the tide is low. The huge variety of marine animals that reproduce
in this important natural habitat attracts the birds year after year. The biodiversity
of the Juan Díaz Mangrove is so rich that, in 2003, it was recognized as an area of international
importance by the Ramsar Convention, a treaty signed by 162 countries that seeks to preserve
the planet’s wetlands.
Nevertheless, the environmental, scientific and scenic treasures of the Juan Díaz Mangrove
coexist with human activity that is often harmful. The rising tide sweeps all kinds of refuse
among the mangrove trees: we can see plastic bottles, household appliances, shoes, and many
other items that were improperly discarded at some point. Even worse, when the tide goes out,
the debris will stay and sink into the marshy soil, making the landscape a veritable sea of mud
and garbage.
In this context, Odebrecht has found an opportunity to help raise the public’s awareness of
the importance of wetlands and the need for civic participation in their conservation: Juan Díaz
Mangrove Park.
Enjoying biodiversity
The Juan Díaz Mangrove is a protected area located right next to the Wastewater Treatment
Plant (PTAR) in the Panamanian capital, an important project being implemented by Odebrecht
that will prevent the long-term pollution of rivers in the city and Panama Bay.
One of the compensation measures included in the Environmental Impact Study for the
plant was building an observation deck for migratory birds, which will allow visitors to enjoy
the area’s biodiversity.
“The plant’s location has brought about an opportunity to go beyond the established environmental obligations and use this platform to develop a more comprehensive initiative,” explains
Afranio Oliveira, the Project Director for the Panama Bay Clean-Up Project.
A Strategic Plan has been activated to bring partners together in the struggle to preserve the
Juan Díaz Mangrove. On April 22 of this year (Earth Day), Anada Tiega, Secretary General of the
Ramsar Convention, visited the mangrove and got a close look at the first Metropolitan Wetlands
Park ever established in a major Latin American city.
As a result of her visit, Anada Tiega invited Odebrecht to give a presentation on the concept
for the project at the 11th Conference of Parties in Bucharest in July. “This is an opportunity to
analyze the consolidation of wetlands conservation and urban management. Moreover, we must
underscore that this voluntary initiative comes from a company that has focused on the protection of the mangroves,” says Anada Tiega.
Ligia Castro, the Environment executive at the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF),
has also seen the results of the initiative for herself, and she is optimistic. “Today, more companies are doing the right thing. They are incorporating environmental externalities and committed to their social and environmental responsibility to improving areas in the vicinity of
their projects.”
Francisco Martins, the Odebrecht Panama officer Responsible for Sustainability, is in charge
of the presentation at the Bucharest conference. He observes: “The few minutes that it took to
present the Mangrove Park project were enough to attract the attention of professionals from
the other side of the planet, including leading technicians, managers and others who are doing
outstanding work around the world to ensure the preservation of wetlands.”
informa
19
20
Maria del Carmen
Piña: bringing
lessons about the
environment into the
classroom
The Dominican Republic
is building projects that are
essential for the nation’s
development while keeping
a close eye on environmental
conservation
written by João Marcondes
photos by Geraldo Pestalozzi
sense
the art of good
20
informa
M
aria del Carmen Piña, 48, is a
the Americas) in 1492 may not have engaged in such
highly respected member of the
a disastrous practice. But it has been commonplace
community in Boechío, a town of
in local households for centuries. However, all that is
about 4,000 in San Juan Province,
changing now thanks to new ideas – thinking “green.”
Dominican Republic. This esteem
Residents are also learning about selective trash col-
was not earned with hard words and stern looks. She
lection, biodegradable alternatives to chemical de-
is admired for her generous smile, and wise, sweet
tergents, botany and the relationship between people
words like: “When teaching, you mustn’t be harsh.
and the environment.
You must be tender.”
To ensure that environmental education reaches
Maria del Carmen’s name rarely rings a bell. But
the widest possible audience, Odebrecht has spon-
just mention her nickname, Morena, and everyone
sored a training program for 38 local teachers. The
says: “Oh yes, I know her well!” Morena is a primary
project is accredited by Madre y Maestra Pontifical
school teacher. With her students, aged between
Catholic University and the Sur Futuro Foundation.
5 and 12, she implements a modern educational
concept from the green perspective: cross-cutting.
Palomino hydroelectric plant
In other words, teaching environmental education
Boechío is located next to a project that is of the
through the regular curriculum. How about mea-
utmost importance to the Dominican Republic’s sus-
suring the area of devastated forest in math class?
tainable future: the Palomino Hydroelectric Plant (80
Or writing an essay about “Native Species of the Do-
MW), which began operations on August 11, 2012. In
minican Republic”?
addition to supplying energy to a country that badly
Outside class, students and local residents are
needs it, Palomino represents a major paradigm
encouraged to change their habits to ensure the sus-
shift: it is the first public project in the Dominican
tainability of the lush environment that surrounds
Republic to be approved as a Clean Development
them. “Did you know that people have been burn-
Mechanism (CDM).
ing trash in their backyards since Columbus’s day?”
jokes Morena.
Palomino is recognized as a “green project” because it will generate carbon credits and offset pol-
The Amerindians who lived in the Dominican Re-
luting emissions around the world. It is the first in-
public when Columbus arrived in that country (and
ternational project Odebrecht has built under this
Palomino hydroelectric
plant: recognized as a “green
project,” it is Odebrecht’s
first international project
to be classified as a Clean
Development Mechanism (CDM)
informa
21
system. To adapt the project to that market, it had
Company), which intends to invest the carbon credits
to be registered with the United Nations and comply
in planting four million trees, as well as developing
with a number of sustainability requirements set by
projects that will enable rural workers to farm their
the Kyoto Protocol (1997).
land in a more environmentally sustainable way. Pal-
Fossil fuels are a predominant part of the Dominican Republic’s energy mix. About 85% of the coun-
omino will also increase the country’s hydroelectric
potential by 15%.
try’s energy comes from coal, gas and other types of
fuel. It does not produce oil, and almost everything
Miches Highway
is imported. The result: a daily energy deficit of 23%
Working in a 15-square-meter cubicle, Norma-
(of demand).
a modest salon in El Cedro, a rural community of
DR will stop importing 440,000 barrels of oil and
4,000 inhabitants. Three years ago, she decided to
producing 120,000 metric tons of CO2 annually. It is
these figures that make the project a CDM. With the
join a Dominican Republic government project, quit
credits it will sell on the carbon market, the country
nity plant nursery.
will bring in about USD 700,000 per year over a 21year period.
22
linda Cueva once made her living cutting hair in
Thanks to the energy Palomino generates, the
her job and devoted herself to tending to a commuWith few resources, the project was on its last
legs. The seedlings were tangled up in the jungle
“What sets this project apart is that 65% of the
growth that had taken over the nursery. That is, un-
credits will be invested in environmental projects,”
til an Odebrecht team saw a sign saying “El Cedro
says Palomino Project Director Pedro Schettino, who
Association of Organic Nursery Growers.” With the
is clearly pleased with that prospect. The fact that the
support of the team building the Miches Highway,
money will be reinvested in environmental and social
the nursery has grown like a beanstalk. Completely
projects makes carbon credits an even more valuable
rebuilt, it is now equipped with a modern irrigation
(and liquid) asset. “The CDM rating has made the
system. Periodically, two agronomists visit the facil-
project more profitable for the Dominican Republic,”
ity and teach local residents to work the land. In just
says Victor Ventura, the former President of EGE-
three months, the number of seedlings has shot up
HID (the Dominican Hydroelectric Power Generation
from 3,000 to 10,000. All of them are sold to the Mi-
informa
The village of El
Cedro: growing
along with the
country
Solar panels used to
generate clean energy:
new habits at the jobsites
ches Highway project, which will use them to replant
The nursery
growing
seedlings for
reforestation:
with Odebrecht’s
support,
production has
shot up from
3,000 to 10,000
seedlings
the slopes alongside the road.
“The most important thing is that Odebrecht has
taught us the importance of sustainability. Now we
feel like entrepreneurs, and we are looking forward
to the major customers we will have once the highway is up and running, three years from now,” says
Normalinda, 33, the President of the Association.
And customers will definitely come. The 110-km
highway will run through an important tourist region
of the country, which includes the towns of Bávaro,
Uvero Alto, Miches and Sabana de la Mar, in the
northeast of the country. The region contains 65% of
all hotel rooms in the Dominican Republic.
The legacy will be a “green company” focused
on environmental conservation. The recently installed jobsite and accommodations for the Miches project are a model of sustainability that should
be followed throughout the country. In the “green
camp,” as the jobsite accommodations are called,
all outside lighting is powered by solar energy. The
cost of that lighting over the course of the threeyear project will total USD 115,000, and produce
zero carbon emissions. If conventional lighting
had been used, it would require a 20kW diesel
generator and 450W sodium vapor lamps. The total cost would be USD 118,000. What’s worse, it
informa
23
Official opening of the Coral Highway: linking the nation’s capital, Santo Domingo, and Punta Cana, a major tourist
region. From left, Monsignor Nicanor Peña Rodríguez, Bishop of Altagracia; Franscisco Javier García, Minister of
Tourism; Victor Días Rúa, then Minister of Public Works and Communications (foreground); Marcelo Odebrecht,
President and CEO of Odebrecht S.A.; former President Leonel Fernández Reyna; Marco Cruz and (behind him) Project
Director Juvenalito Gusmão
would also generate 68 metric tons of CO2 emis-
mark and guideline,” guarantees Marco Cruz, the
sions per year.
Odebrecht CEO for the Dominican Republic.
Sustainability is not just eco-friendly. It is peoplefriendly too. The “green camp” will leave another
legacy for the communities: 56 solar panels and LED
Odebrecht has been present in the DR for 10 years,
lamps will be donated to schools and public health
building aqueducts, dams, roads and roadworks. One
clinics along the highway. Local residents will be
of these projects is the Coral Highway, which the Min-
trained to use the system.
ister of Tourism, Francisco Javier Garcia, has called a
Another step forward is recycling water in two
“masterpiece of landscaping.” Leonel Fernández Rey-
stages. First, water from bathroom faucets is di-
na, then President of the Dominican Republic, attended
rected to the toilets. Rainwater is also collected and
the opening ceremony for the highway on August 8, and
stored in tanks and pumped (with solar power) to
noted: “It is an unprecedented project for this country.”
the equipment yard, where it will be used to wash
Former President Fernández called the 70-km
vehicles and for other purposes. Just two days of
highway “strategic” because it connects roughly 65%
rainfall can yield up to 40,000 liters of water. “We
of the country’s hotels in an area that is highly popu-
have observed that this is a region with plenty of
lar with tourists. This new project has established
sunshine and lots of rain, so we developed this proj-
a closer link between the nation’s historic capital,
ect, which benefits the environment and our bottom
Santo Domingo, and the Punta Cana tourist region.
line,” observes Rodrigo Médicis, the officer Respon-
Tourism accounts for 22% of GDP and 19% of jobs.
sible for Production.
24
Coral Highway
The environmentally friendly Coral Highway project
This concept can be seen in action throughout
was built in areas previously occupied by sugar plan-
the construction site. Through a technology that
tations and pasturelands. It also benefits residents of
is still under-utilized on jobsites – water hydro-
towns like Higuey, which used to suffer from the heavy
lysis (splitting molecules) – hydrogen is injected
traffic that passed through it. The large numbers of
into the fuel used in all engines, thereby reduc-
cars and trucks caused noise pollution and gave off
ing pollution. This system reduces energy costs
carbon emissions. Now that about 13,000 vehicles
by 15% and prevents emissions of 330 metric tons
per day have been diverted from the town to the Cor-
of CO2 per year. “I had seen it on paper but never
al Highway, local residents can finally enjoy a better
put into practice, like we’ve done here,” says Do-
quality of life and breathe cleaner air. “All our projects
minican engineer Leonardo Ogando, the officer
here, without exception, bear the hallmark of sustain-
Responsible for Industrial Plants. “This jobsite is
ability,” says Marco Cruz. “Both for people and the en-
so successful that from now on it will be a bench-
vironment.”
informa
FOLKS
Multiplier for TEO
Gabriel and the satisfaction of being an
educator in Angola’s Acreditar program
photo:
Carlos Júnior
G
Outside the curve
year, when he will receive his medal for 10 years
of work at Odebrecht. An Angolan from Kwanza Norte
Province, Gabriel migrated to Luanda at the age of 42.
Like many people, he was seeking safety there in a time
of armed conflict. He arrived in the Angolan capital in
1986 and began making and selling wooden furniture at
craft fairs. He joined Odebrecht as an assistant carpen-
João Borba and his increasingly
productive relationship with sports
J
abriel Saúde is looking forward to the end of the
ter, but soon acquired more job skills and progressed
in the company. He became a carpentry supervisor and
leader, poured concrete, and took charge of tasks in-
oão Borba is the officer Responsible for New Busi-
volved in project delivery (finishing and cleaning). Today
ness at Odebrecht Infraestrutura (Infrastructure). A
he is teaching the basic module of the Acreditar (Believe)
sports buff (he played on Flamengo’s indoor soccer team
Ongoing Professional Education Program. He proudly
as a boy), he recently led a study focused on implementing
relates that he represented the program’s team at the
an information consolidation system used in the London
presentation of the Odebrecht Group’s Highlight Award
Olympics. Odebrecht has won an international tender to
in Sauípe, Brazil, last year. “I’m a multiplier of the Ode-
provide this service to the Organizing Committee for the
brecht Entrepreneurial Technology,” he says.
Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games. “I look for new
business outside the curve, apart from the company’s dayHolanda Cavalcanti
tangible values to the company,” says Borba, one of the
gram, at the Almirante Adalberto Nunes Training Center
in Rio de Janeiro, which is preparing athletes to become
photo:
medalists in future Olympic Games. “This project adds in-
foto:
with young participants from the Navy-Odebrecht Pro-
Guilherme Afonso
to-day activities,” he explains. In the photo, he is shown
mentors of this initiative.
Proud to be a Carioca
Eduardo Poley sees engineering as a way to
help improve his hometown
E
ngineer Eduardo Poley Peçanha is 35 years old and has worked at
Odebrecht for eight. A Carioca, meaning that he was born in the city of
Rio de Janeiro, he has always worked in his home state. Eduardo is currently participating in the revamp of Maracanã Stadium, one of the city’s most
photo:
Américo Vermelho
iconic landmarks. Previously, he worked on the Morro do Alemão project
in one of Rio’s most underprivileged communities, where Odebrecht was a
partner in Consórcio Rio Melhor (Better Rio), the joint venture responsible
for infrastructure services there. “That project was a reality check,” he says.
“I’m proud to have helped reduce the hardships of people living in the communities in my city. And I make sure to show that to my two-year-old son
Arthur,” he says, with a catch in his voice.
informa
25
understand.
LOVE.
Defend.
written by Mayara Thomazini photos by Márcio Lima
Environmental educator Mário
César de Sousa with students at
the Green Belt: the environmental
preservation area shelters 280,000
seedlings, 200 different types of
plants and
400 wild animals
informa
26
26
T
he Green Belt is a 150-ha environmental protection area located in the restinga area of the
Pontal da Barra neighborhood, in the northeastern Brazilian city of Maceió (a restinga is a
tropical forest common to coastal areas of Bra-
zil). It is home to 280,000 seedlings, 200 types of plants and
400 wild animals. Established in 1987 alongside the Braskem
Chlor-Alkali unit to enable the environmental recovery of the
region, this nature preserve was uninhabited and barren until
it was reborn through soil recovery, the reconstruction of sand
dunes and the restoration of restinga Atlantic Forest. “Today
it is a new habitat that shelters animals and plants,” says
agronomist Mário Calheiros de Lima, clearly moved. Mário is
the director of the Green Belt, and participated actively in its
implementation.
The Green Belt Environmental Station was born with the
goal of promoting the natural development of flora and fauna,
and has become a sanctuary for birds and other animals from
the surrounding region - a suitable environment in which local
wildlife can survive and reproduce.
Open to the public, the Green Belt has been certified as an
Atlantic Forest Biosphere Reserve in the state of Alagoas (by
UNESCO) and a Conservationist Nursery for Brazilian Wildlife (by IBAMA, Brazil’s environmental protection agency). By
2012, after a decade of contributions from Braskem, more than
180,000 people had visited the Environmental Station. “The
approximately 1,300 people who visit the project every month
leave there with a different concept of preservation. The Belt
symbolizes the reconciliation of technological development and
the balance of nature,” says Mário Calheiros.
In addition to protecting plant and animal life, the Green Belt’s
mission is to disseminate important concepts like sustainable
development. It carries out several sustainable programs focused on the professional development of the communities closest to the Station, such as hydroponics and beekeeping, carried
out in partnership with the Lagoa Viva Institute.
Green Belt and
Lagoa Viva
Programs in
Alagoas bolster
environmental
awareness born
from a love for
nature
Hydroponics and Honey Fishers
Hydro (water) and ponia (work). Together, these words indicate a way of mixing nutrients to grow plants without soil. It is
a simple method aimed at reducing costs by using rice husks
as substrate and reusing PET bottles as containers. Two hundred and fifty students have already learned to use this method.
Some of the produce they grow is used to make school lunches,
and the rest is sold, with proceeds donated to the community.
The project has proven to be crucial for improving the community’s quality of life, since it generates jobs and sources of
income throughout the year.
informa
27
Mário Calheiros (left)
and Biology student
Diogo Santos at the
Green Belt apiary:
Honey Fishers
project offers a new
source of income for
local residents
The Honey Fishers project has changed the lives of
dozens of local people in the lagoon region of Alagoas.
gion,” says Lagoa Viva Institute Chair Lenice Santos de
Moraes proudly.
Crab gatherers, artisans and fishermen are discovering
Active for 11 years, Lagoa Viva benefits Alagoas
that beekeeping is a new source of year-round income.
residents in 40 counties. “Teachers are crucial to their
Today, more than 100 families receive about two mini-
students’ development. Therefore, we share knowledge
mum salaries (BRL 1,244) per month by producing and
of environmental education with them to help them de-
selling honey, beeswax, pollen and Alagoas red propo-
velop a new outlook in relation to the environment and
lis – a variety exclusive to the region.
the community. Our challenge is to plant that little seed
Beekeeping allows fishermen to add BRL 622 to
their monthly incomes. Fifty fishermen/beekeepers
in the towns and cities so they can keep the project going on their own,” argues Lenice.
now make two minimum salaries per month. “Bee-
In 2011 alone, Lagoa Viva trained about one thousand
keeping is perfectly compatible with their other activi-
teachers, benefiting over 200,000 public school students
ties, and the producers learn to reconcile it with fishing
in Alagoas. “Our work aims to sensitize people about the
and the preservation of nature,” says Mário.
need to respect the environment and value ethical, cultural and social/environmental aspects to encourage sus-
Lagoa Viva: benchmark for
environmental education
tainable living in each community,” says Lenice.
Created in 2001 in the Pontal da Barra district, the
is training. She has been in the profession for 18 years,
Lagoa Viva (Living Lagoon) Environmental Education
and works at the Dona Maria de Araújo Lobo School in
Program organizes ongoing environmental education
Marechal Deodoro. She joined Lagoa Viva in 2007 with the
seminars for elementary school teachers in Alagoas
aim of getting young people interested in environmental
Izabel Cristina Alves is one of the teachers the institute
and training courses for fishing communities from the
Mundaú and Manguaba lagoon area, helping the local
community create sources of income and fostering the
sustainability of ecosystems in the region. Braskem
sponsors this initiative in partnership with 40 municipal
boards of education in Alagoas, as well as the Maceió
Department of Education.
“Over the years, this program has made a significant contribution to improving the quality of life of local residents, and it is now hugely important to the re-
28
informa
A wild animal from the
Green Belt Environmental
Station: a refuge that
ensures survival and
enables reproduction
Robson Araujo with
students in the
hydroponics garden
schools and at facilities in their own communities. In
addition to hydroponics and beekeeping, the program
Lenice Moraes,
Chair of the Lagoa
Viva Institute:
disseminating
sustainable
methods
also offers music, English, silkscreen and arts and
crafts classes.
Lace handicrafts and plastic artworks
One of Alagoas’s strongest traditions is filé making (a technique that consists of weaving cotton with a
bamboo needle that is later placed on a loom where it
is embroidered and transformed into lovely handmade
items). The Lagoa Viva Program identified this special talent in the community, present throughout the
Mundaú-Manguaba Lagoon Estuary Complex, but on
the verge of extinction. Thanks to filé-making classes,
that tradition resurfaced in four years, and 365 people
have learned the secrets of this traditional art.
Lagoa Viva is also contributing on another front
through workshops that teach people to reuse PET
bottles and make a varied range of products that can
issues. Her students have been taking part in workshops
be sold to generate income for families from discarded
for junior managers for two months now.
materials that can now be put to a new use.
“They’ve become more responsible and aware, and
“The Art with Plastic workshop teaches artisans
have changed their behavior: they used to scribble on
to work with a material that is useful and easy to find,
the chairs and walls of the school, but they don’t do that
which adds value to local handicrafts,” says artisan
anymore,” she explains, adding: “Now they are prepar-
Cícera Cirilo, who teaches practical environmental ed-
ing lectures on environmental education to present to
ucation classes for teachers, students and community.
the community.”
The Green Belt and Lagoa Viva Institute are projects
In addition to being a tool for environmental edu-
that help improve people’s quality of life because they
cation, the program also helps create jobs and sourc-
provide training, technical assistance and help in mar-
es of income while preserving local culture through
keting products, creating jobs and income all year round,
classes and workshops held at the Green Belt, in
changing the lives of dozens of local residents.
informa
29
INTERVIEW
30
30
informa
From left,Saulo
Nunes, Augusto
Roque and Rogério
Ibrahim: social/
environmental
programs play
a leading role in
entrepreneurial
activities
no going
back
written by José Enrique Barreiro
photo by Júlio Bitencourt
O
debrecht Informa recently got together
with three Group members to discuss the
environment. Augusto Roque, the officer
Responsible for Engineering and Business Development at Odebrecht Energia;
Rogério Ibrahim, the officer Responsible
for Finance, Investment and Export Credit at Odebrecht
América Latina, and Saulo Nunes, the officer Responsible
for Acquisitions at Odebrecht Realizações Imobiliárias (Real
Estate Developments; OR), analyzed the decisive role of environmental issues in Brazil and other countries today and
highlighted the factors that set Odebrecht apart in regard to
social/environmental initiatives on major projects. The following is a summary of that conversation.
Odebrecht Informa – What sort of role does the environment play in Engineering & Construction projects today?
Augusto Roque – The environment plays a leading role today. It is a very important issue. The initial perception that
an entrepreneur who wants to invest in energy should have
is that the environment is not an expense, it is an investment. The more you know about the environment you are
informa
31
working in, the more competitive the project will be,
construction to begin. The investor who produces a
and you will also have a better relationship with the
suitable EIA-RIMA and obtains a comprehensive LI
community. Today, the concept is social/environmental
will get started on the project faster, will have a bet-
action, which must be proactive throughout the pro-
ter relationship with the community, and will establish
cess of planning and construction, with Engineering
a relationship of trust with most of the major players
teams working closely with the Environment teams to
(IBAMA, IPHAN and others). And it all culminates in
ensure that the community accepts the solution they
the Operating License (LO), which is required to start
ultimately devise.
generating power.
Rogério Ibrahim – In terms of project financing, for
Ibrahim – We have followed all kinds of financing pro-
some years now this subject has been one of the cri-
cesses for clients, especially from multilateral and
teria for loan approval from any bank. Banks from
export credit agencies. The decisive factor is that the
all countries have signed on en masse to the Equa-
project must be absolutely in line with the Equator
tor Principles [the environmental requirements used
Principles. This means rigorous environmental plan-
when granting financing for large projects]. Environ-
ning, including how the communities will be treated,
mental matters, or social/environmental issues, as
advance environmental monitoring and subsequent
Roque so aptly put it, are the touchstone for any kind
assistance. The funding bodies keep a close eye on the
of funding, any loans you want to obtain in the field of
progress of the project. This monitoring, which used to
major construction projects.
be purely environmental, focusing on fish, water qual-
Saulo Nunes – I would like to extend this conversation
ity, air pollution levels, etc., is now also done with re-
to include sustainability in general, including economic,
spect to the community, to ensure that it is well cared
social and environmental balance. It is present in the
for and its way of life is respected.
City Park project, which we are developing in São Paulo.
Nunes – The process is similar in our case. If I don’t
It is being built in an approximately 80,000-sq.m area on
have a project that will enthuse the City Government
Nações Unidas Avenue, where the old Monark factory
and other institutions, I will not get it approved. The
used to stand. We decided to build the most sustainable
City Park project is getting started in one of the most
real estate project in Brazil on that site, based on a plan
desirable areas of the South Zone of São Paulo and,
to revitalize the area and social diagnostics. We engaged
as an Odebrecht Group company, we had an obligation
in dialogue with local residents and gained an in-depth
to do something different. We came up with the basic
understanding of the project’s social impact.
concept of a compact city where everything is close at
hand: work, home, recreation and services. To make
32
OI – Can you describe the approval processes for proj-
the project feasible, we got to know the local commu-
ects?
nity, public agencies and social organizations. With our
Roque – In the hydropower area, which is the most
ability to listen, influence and be influenced, we were
significant field in this regard, the licensing process is
able to reconcile the interests of all the stakeholders
long and complex. It begins with an inventory of the river
and develop the best design. The urban planning, ar-
where the dam will be built, through an Integrated Envi-
chitectural and landscaping solutions for this project
ronmental Assessment (AAI) of drainage basins. An AAI
incorporate environmental aspects and people’s qual-
could derail a dam construction project. For example,
ity of life, while benefiting the region.
the only project that can be carried out on the Xingu
Roque – I’d like to call attention to Acreditar [Believe],
River is Belo Monte, and that’s it. Once the inventory
a professional education program that is having a ma-
has been approved by the Government with the involve-
jor impact. It was created for the Santo Antônio project,
ment of specific entities and agents, the feasibility stage
which expected to hire 15,000 workers, 30% locally and
begins with the development of an Integrated Environ-
70% from other states. Through Acreditar, we had nearly
mental Impact Assessment (EIA-RIMA). All this is done
50,000 applicants and “inverted the curve.” Today, 70% to
to obtain an advance license authorizing the hydroelec-
80% of the professionals building Santo Antônio are lo-
tric project to go to auction. Whoever wins the auction
cal hires. This means we’ve prevented migration, created
must obtain an Installation License (LI), which allows
opportunities and empowered local people. The project
informa
has been replicated throughout Brazil and in other coun-
generates. There are countless examples in all areas.
tries, and the most amazing thing is that, as a result of
It’s right there in the Odebrecht Group’s Vision for
this program, training local workers is now a social/envi-
2020: Sustainability. It is one of the pillars of that vi-
ronmental condition for project approval.
sion. Odebrecht wants to grow, yes, but in a sustainable way. It’s our top priority. That’s how it has to be
OI – At what stage is Brazil on the environmental issue?
from now on.
Roque – We have some of the toughest legislation in
Ibrahim – What sets us apart is the expertise of our
the world. All communities are heard. The FUNAI [Na-
teams and our approach to the subject. Getting in-
tional Amerindian Foundation], IPHAN [National Heri-
volved with communities, improving their quality of
tage Institute], National Water Agency (ANA) and IBAMA
life, respecting citizens, all this is part of our cul-
[Environmental Protection Agency] all participate, and
ture. We were doing all this a long time before there
municipalities and state governments must weigh in as
was an external demand for it. We did it on our own
well. Everyone has to be OK with it; if not, the venture
initiative as entrepreneurs, not just as a contractual
will not go ahead. Brazil is very strict in this regard.
obligation.
Ibrahim – This issue was once seen as a form of com-
Nunes – The Odebrecht Entrepreneurial Technology
pensation for the community. When a project was built,
[TEO] is fundamental to our conception and approval
the people who suffered the impacts received compen-
processes. City Park will not have walls. Sixty-two
sation, either financial or otherwise. But not today. Now
thousand square meters of its 80,000-sq.m area will be
we must plan and know what will happen to that com-
open to the public. Furthermore, it will contain 22,000
munity and that environmental space after the project
sq.m of green areas, which will form a linear park. To
is built. Of course, some impacts are inevitable. That
make this project possible, we learned some important
can and will be remedied. As for avoidable impacts,
lessons from the works of Mr. Norberto Odebrecht, in-
we have to look for solutions for consolidation and im-
cluding the acumen an entrepreneur requires to trans-
provement, whether it involves the environment or the
form uncertainty into opportunities. This happened
communities. The outlook today, in Brazil and around
when we acquired the land. We turned uncertainty into
the world, is more along these lines.
an opportunity. The OR factor is the Odebrecht factor.
Nunes – Sustainability is the only way forward. There is
What do we do differently from other real estate com-
no going back. And all projects must incorporate sus-
panies? Listening to our clients, getting to know them,
tainable features. City Park will have 10 towers, includ-
influencing and being influenced, and everything else
ing five corporate buildings, an office building and two
that TEO has to offer.
residential towers, a mall and a hotel, and all of them
will be certified. This is the first project in South Amer-
OI – Do the other agents recognize the Odebrecht dif-
ica to be pre-certified for the LEED-ND (Neighborhood
ference?
Development) seal from the US Green Building Coun-
Roque – The way Odebrecht handles the environ-
cil. This certification covers the entire complex. We’ve
mental issue has created a special bond of trust with
received an invitation from the Clinton Foundation and
stakeholders in the sector. We realize this clearly. Ev-
the C40 summit to participate, and we are taking part
eryone recognizes us as trusted partners. We have
in a program called Climate Positive to neutralize car-
credibility. For example, when we tell IBAMA, “We’ll
bon emissions. The Clinton Foundation only sponsors
do that,” IBAMA can be sure that it will get done. It
18 projects around the world, and ours is one of them.
is a relationship of trust that can only be built up in
Programs and accolades like these show that we are
practice.
truly committed to the issue.
Ibrahim – We have the best possible reputation in the
Brazilian and international financial community. Our
OI – What sets Odebrecht apart when it comes to the
approach and expertise are outstanding. We are lead-
environment?
ers in this market.
Roque – It is the flexibility of our engineering to adapt
Nunes – There’s no doubt about it. We get credit for ev-
a project to the social/environmental requirements it
erything we have done and are doing today.
informa
33
Plant nursery at the Santo
Antônio jobsite: 124 native
plant species
34
Demonstrating
that environmental
conservation
and development
can go hand in hand
when building the
Santo Antônio
hydroelectric plant
34
informa
vital
adapting is
T
written by João Paulo Carvalho photos by Sérgio Amaral
he construction of the Santo Antônio hy-
According to the Odebrecht Energia officer Respon-
droelectric plant on the Madeira River in
sible for Sustainability, Luiz Gabriel Azevedo, “Instead
Porto Velho, Brazil, is proof positive that
of leaving it until the last minute, as in most cases, we
socioeconomic development and envi-
officially requested the LO from IBAMA in December
ronmental conservation can walk in the
2010, and asked them to point out the required adjust-
same direction. So far, BRL 1.6 billion of the total BRL
ments associated with the steps we were completing.”
16 billion expected to be invested in the project have
This streamlined the process so the license for
been allocated to sustainability programs. Between
Santo Antônio was issued in September 2011, and
the time fieldwork for the project began in 2001 and
the first four bulb turbines started generating power
the approval of the Environmental Impact Assessment
almost a year ahead of schedule. “It was a partner-
(EIA/RIMA) in 2006, every aspect of the project was de-
ship that brought together professionals from both
signed to be socially and environmentally sustainable.
sides, and which is now praised by IBAMA and rep-
For example, this process led to a 26% reduction of
licated in other licensing processes in Brazil,” says
the area authorized for clearing and deforestation at
Luiz Gabriel. Furthermore, it has helped reduce the
the jobsite.
need for thermal energy, the type most commonly
In response to the worrying initial diagnosis that
used in the region.
there was a shortage of skilled labor in the region,
Acreditar graduates are helping operate the treat-
the Santo Antônio project gave rise to Acreditar, the
ment processes for construction-generated waste.
professional education program that has empowered
Comparable to a town with a population that has
more than 53,000 workers in Brazil alone. It also miti-
reached over 18,000 workers, the Santo Antônio con-
gated one of the venture’s biggest risks, which was
struction site has introduced procedures that are more
also cause for concern for local residents, who were
stringent than those adopted by most cities in the re-
accustomed to seeing different “booms” come and go
gion. The first licensed landfill in the state of Rondô-
– rubber planting, the Madeira-Mamoré railroad and
nia was built at the jobsite, a model that has already
gold mining – leaving nothing behind but memories.
been replicated by the towns of Lábria, in Amazonas,
Walking in the same direction was also the choice
and Guajará-Mirim, in Rondônia. The Consórcio Santo
Santo Antônio Energia (SAE) made in relation to the
Antônio Civil (CSAC) joint venture’s Environment team
Brazilian Environment and Renewable Natural Re-
set itself the goal of recycling 82% of everything that is
sources Institute (IBAMA), the nation’s environmental
used in the construction project. “Only 15% of waste is
agency, to make it possible to reach a voluntary target
sent to the landfill, which was built in compliance with
set for the project: generating power ahead of sched-
all environmental legislation requirements,” explains
ule. Thanks to planning, alignment and commitment,
Nelson Alves, the CSAC officer Responsible for Envi-
the company achieved that goal on March 30 of this
ronment. According to Nelson, this project’s success
year as a result of proactive measures taken by SAE and
is due to the commitment of each individual company
IBAMA with the support of Odebrecht Energia to obtain
member. “We don’t have a specific recycling team like
an Operating License (LO) for the hydroelectric plant.
other projects. Everything here is down to individual
informa
35
workers’ efforts to sort trash for recycling. They have
This system has resulted in a 50% reduction in the
already incorporated this habit in their daily routines at
use of other reagents, while slashing the cost of treat-
work and at home,” he adds.
ment and the amount of water removed from the river,
and the sludge can be reused as organic matter in land
Waste management
reclamation, along with seedlings grown in nurseries
CSAC has implemented a Waste Management Center
that house more than 200,000 units of 124 native plant
that consolidates the measures taken in different areas of the
species. This initiative, devised by Environment team
jobsite. Water, the raw material for the operations of any hy-
member Anelisa Cantieri, was among the winners of
droelectric plant, receives VIP treatment at San Antônio. Five
the 2010 Odebrecht Highlight Awards.
Water Treatment Plants (WTPs), with a total recycling capacity
The approximately 20,000 liters of lube oil that ma-
of 560 cu.m/h, enough to supply a city of 50,000, reclaim wa-
chines at the jobsite consume monthly are sent to the
ter through the Closed Loop process. In the WTPs, aluminum
city of Cuiabá for re-refining, and fluorescent lamps
sulfate is replaced with an organic reagent produced from
undergo a special recycling process to remove mercury
tannin extracted from the bark of the black wattle tree, whose
(a highly polluting metal). Aluminum parts are set aside
trade name is Organic Veta. This substitution of reagents
for recycling, and glass is crushed and decontaminated
makes it possible to treat and recycle the sludge produced
after removing the phosphorus powder, which is sent to
by washing clarifiers and filters, which returns to the water
cement plants and other processing industries.
storage tanks after going through a system of porous pockets
The industrial kitchen, which has reached the
that retain the sludge and let the treated water flow through.
milestone of 25 million meals served throughout the
Treating water with the
Closed Loop system:
clean water flows out,
sludge stays in
36
informa
Santo Antônio Dam: BRL 1.6
billion of the BRL 16-billion
investment is being used to
finance sustainability projects
Preserving local wildlife:
the parrot and sloth are
guests at the Wildlife
Screening Center (CETAS
project, produces about 2 metric tons of food scraps
per day. The waste is initially stored in special walkin freezers and then sent to the composting center,
where it will be turned into fertilizer used to grow
seedlings for the replanting process that is part of
the Degraded Areas Recovery Program (PRADE). All
of this is done with the best practices available in
the world.
Even the small amount of waste that cannot be recycled has a place to go. Replicating an experiment conducted by the Brazilian Navy Base in Antarctica, Santo
Antônio has purchased two hazardous waste incinerators
that are used to dispose of discarded oil filters, used rags
and other materials that would contaminate the soil or
take years and years to decompose. The jobsite incinerates 6 to 8 metric tons of waste per month. “Santo Antônio
was the first hydroelectric project in Brazil to acquire this
equipment, and in less than eighteen months, the savings have offset the investment,” says Nelson Alves.
Preserving native wildlife is also a priority.
Since construction began, approximately 104,000
animals have been rescued and most have been
returned to the wild. When they need veterinary
care and cannot go back to their natural habitat immediately, they are taken to the Wildlife
Screening Center (CETAS). Dodge and Zorrinho
are, respectively, a puma and a sloth. Both 4
months old, they are currently housed at CETAS.
These two youngsters are part of the group of
about 70 wild animals that are currently being
treated at the center. Built and funded entirely by
Santo Antônio Energia through a BRL 5-million
investment, CETAS will soon be transferred to IBAMA, which will also use the facility to address
other local needs. To date, the center has cared
for more than 1,900 animals.
informa
37
38
On a project in
Portugal, the past
and present come
together to leave
a priceless legacy
vestiges
of a lonG
journey
38
informa
O
written by Fabiana Cabral photos by Edu Simões
n a mountaintop in the Trás-os-Montes region, the
bright Portuguese summer sun shines on steady hands
and precise movements that shift trowels and brushes
from side to side under watchful eyes. The work stops
when faint lines appear on one of the pieces discovered
there. “We’ve found more than 290 slabs with rock graphics here, including geometric figures and pictures of warriors on horses,” says
Filipe Santos, trying to identify the graphic. He and 50 other archaeologists are working on the top of a hill called Castelinho, the largest
mobile rock art site on the Iberian Peninsula, and two other sites.
Filipe is in charge of the ethno-archaeological studies being carried
out for the Baixo Sabor Hydroelectric Project.
A fortified settlement dating from the Second Iron Age (up to 1,200
years BC), with a wall that can be up to 11 m thick, Castelinho (“little
castle” in Portuguese) is one of the 2,500 archaeological sites within
the area of the project being built for EDP Energia by OdebrechtBento Pedroso e Construções and Lena Construções in the northern
Portuguese district of Bragança. The Baixo Sabor Dam is one of the
biggest construction projects in that country, and includes the largest archaeology program underway on the peninsula. “Residents will
be able to learn more about the region’s past, which was previously
unknown, thanks to the archaeological ‘treasures’ being found,” says
Project Director Gilberto Costa.
The work began in February 2010 in the towns of Mogadouro, Macedo de Cavaleiros, Alfândega da Fé and Torre de Moncorvo. According
to Paulo Dordio, the officer Responsible for the Heritage Protection
Program, archaeological research was included in the Environmental
Impact Study. “We expected to find 240 sites, but we now have 10 times
more than that. Each work front is accompanied by an archaeologist,”
he explains.
One recent discovery proves that the region has been inhabited
since the Upper Paleolithic period (10,000 to 30,000 years BC). Soundings had already indicated a human presence in Roman times (27 BC to
395 AD) and the Middle Ages (the 10th to 15th centuries AD).
The archaeologists are also using creativity, along with the artifacts
they are finding, to recreate the daily lives of people from those periods. It is an ongoing exercise, focused mainly on the Cilhades site, a
group of buildings from the Modern/Contemporary Era with the same
architectural model, modified over the years. “There were auxiliary farm
buildings used for harvesting and producing almonds, olive oil and wine,
which were still common in this region,” says Filipe Santos, who adds:
A dig site in
Monte Castelinho:
unearthing
archaeological
treasures
“We’ve found several items such as pottery, farm tools and some coins.
The oldest is a King Sebastian coin dating from the 16th century.”
Nearby, at the Laranjal site, anthropologist Zélia Maria Rodrigues
completes the excavation of a skeleton. “This was a grown woman,”
she says, in the shadow of the umbrella that protects the bones. The
informa
39
Baixo Sabor Dam: one of
Portugal’s largest civil
engineering projects
former cemetery contains 170 graves from the medieval
water moles, wolves and fish at several points in the
period. Archaeologists and anthropologists conduct
construction area, as well as a “control zone” outside
preliminary analyses there to identify each skeleton’s
that perimeter. “We compare studies of these sites to
gender, age and cause of death.
check for any changes in the lives of these animals,”
The materials collected at the archaeological sites
says Vingada. They use a range of methods: analysis of
are taken to a laboratory set up at the construction site
animal scat and habitats, and observation using about
for cleaning, sorting, treatment and study. “Even a 2-mm
80 video cameras set up in several places in the forests,
piece can be analyzed and identified,” says André Tereso,
among others.
the officer Responsible for Assets.
Plant and animal life
If archaeology studies the human past by examining things people left behind, monitoring the flora and
fauna of the Baixo Sabor involves knowing and preserving the present-day environment, which is impacted by
the project.
In the Mogadouro Valley region, José Vingada and
seven biologists equipped with wetsuits, helmets,
flashlights and recording equipment enter a culvert
in the middle of the dry forest. It is one of the 80 bat
habitats in that area. “We’ve already catalogued 25
different species, including a rare one, the Black Bat,”
explains the Coordinator of the Wildlife and Aquatic
Ecosystems Monitoring Project. Every three months,
he and his team conduct an analysis of the animals
through observation, measurements of temperature and the humidity of their
shelters, and assessments
of noise levels.
They also examine the
development of eagles, otters,
40
informa
Mariana Santos and
Duarte Filipe Silva keep
a close eye on native
plants: making sure that
nothing changes
tugal because of this project, because they
For aquatic ecosystems, the team conducts physi-
can adapt and survive changes in environ-
cal and chemical diagnostics in 25 spots along a 16-
ment, climate and vegetation,” Mariana adds.
km stretch of the Sabor River, which has a total
length of 70 km, as well as two “control zones.”
Historical and
environmental legacy
“We need to ensure the survival of local species, because fish and macroinvertebrates indicate water quality,” explains the biologist.
The Baixo Sabor teams’ research will benefit from
In the first week of August, the team carried out one
the completion of the Environmental Interpretation and
of its most challenging tasks: transporting fish down-
Wildlife Rehabilitation Center (CIARA), which is being es-
stream and upstream before that stretch of the river was
tablished in Torre de Moncorvo. “The CIARA will be an im-
diverted and the water level was lowered. The transfer
portant legacy for the local community and environmental
was done by professionals, accompanied by representa-
education,” says Gilberto Costa.
tives of official agencies.
The Hydroelectric Project is developing 12 programs fo-
On the right bank of the Sabor, environmental engi-
cused on wildlife and aquatic ecosystems, plants, air and
neer Mariana Santos takes notes while biologist Duarte
water quality and preservation of historical and cultural
Filipe Silva observes some native plants from the Trás-
heritage. “The teams are comprised of more than 360 peo-
os-Montes region. Every three months, they scour the
ple, including environmental engineers, biologists, archae-
area, analyzing more than 400 types of plants, including
ologists and anthropologists,” says Augusta Fernandes, the
25 rare species, and keep an eye on “invasive” plants.
Coordinator of the project’s Integrated Management Sys-
“We’ve found more species than there were in previous
tem for Quality, Environment and Workplace Safety.
studies,” said Filipe.
Bureau Veritas Certification approved these programs
Every year, these professionals prepare a plant life in-
in 2010 in all three sectors. “This recognition sets us apart
ventory that counts and records the species found near the
in the market, honors the client and demonstrates our
construction site and in the “control zones” for compari-
competence in quality, safety, and especially in regard to
son. “No species have ceased or will cease to exist in Por-
protecting the environment,” concludes Gilberto Costa.
Monitoring aquatic
ecosystems: fish and
macroinvertebrates
indicate water quality
informa
41
collecting
written by Luciana Lana
photos by Bruna Romaro
One highlight of the
Chaglla hydroelectric
plant construction
project in Peru is the
pioneering program to
rescue plant and animal
life, a first in that country
42
informa
CRUCIAL RE
42
I
n Peru, the steep slopes of the Andes Mountains, which tower
over 5,000 meters high, are known as yungas. The yungas follow the river valleys, and are characterized by forest vegetation.
Down below, the lowlands are covered with dense rainforests.
This is the setting where the Chaglla hydroelectric plant is under
construction in Huánuco, 540 km from Lima, the nation’s capital.
SULTS
Chaglla is an extremely bold engineering project, due to the topography alone. But more than that, the hydroelectric plant has established itself as an example of environmental conservation. One of the
highlights is the program to rescue plant and animal life, a first in that
country. “There has never been a project like this anywhere in Peru,”
says biologist Rafael Tamashiro, the Odebrecht officer Responsible for
the Environment on the Chaglla project. Although Rafael has extensive
experience of working in protected areas and with environmental preservation agencies, such as the National Institute of Agrarian Research,
this is his first private-sector project: “This country needs infrastructure, and I decided to do my preservation work within the scope of major projects like this one,” he explains.
New level of sustainability
The Chaglla hydropower plant is an Odebrecht Energia investment,
built by Odebrecht AL (Latin America) in Peru. The Environmental
Impact Study Odebrecht Energia conducted to obtain the concession
was the first step in an extensive effort to chart and study the region.
“There was no record of the flora and fauna present here. So we set
out to identify species, assess the risk of extinction and make diagnoses,” says Rafael, adding that to ensure the continuity of the research,
records are sent to the National Agrarian University of the Rainforest
(UNAS) in Tingo Maria, a neighboring city.
Once the initial reports were submitted, the Peruvian Ministry of the
Environment approved the project. Because it is being funded by the
Inter-American Development Bank (IADB), which is a signatory of the
Equator Principles, further studies were also required.
“From that point on, the challenge was to bring the project to a new
level: world-class environmental sustainability. The detail and scope
of the studies go far beyond what is normally required,” explains Luiz
Gabriel Azevedo, the officer Responsible for Sustainability at Odebrecht
Energia. He highlights the research done to maintain the river ecosystem: “We had to study the behavior of all the fish species there to ensure that none of them would be impacted.”
The same precautions were taken with mammals, reptiles and
birds. The researchers discovered some new species, which were sent
to the UNAS Zoo and then returned to the wild. Their work with local
plant life goes beyond rescuing native species: because the region is
Composting with organic
waste from the jobsite:
used to cultivate local
plants
an ideal habitat for orchids, Odebrecht Energia is training local people
to grow these flowers, and two orchid nurseries are already up and
running. “I didn’t know anything about orchids, but now I can identify
informa
43
The Chaglla
hydroelectric plant’s
tunnel with yungas in the
background: swathes
of native vegetation
that rise up to the peaks
of the Andes mountains
the ground orchids, the epiphytes and the lithophytes. I
learned everything right here,” says Isaías Atachagua,
who classifies orchid species at the hydroelectric plant’s
nursery. They have planted nearly 3,500 orchids and catalogued about 130 species.
The areas for composting and growing seedlings
used to replant slopes are located near the orchid nursery. “Organic waste from the project is treated and the
fertilizer is distributed in the communities,” says Maximo
Evaristo Jorge, the officer Responsible for composting.
Archaeology and migration
Preserving historic sites is another concern at Chaglla. Excavations supervised by archaeologists have found
remnants of the past (bones, musical instruments, pottery, fossils) that led to a change in the design of the
plant’s facilities to preserve an archaeological site. “Here
we have found indications that the Incas descended the
mountain range in the direction of the rainforest,” says
Patrícia Robles, the officer Responsible for archaeological services.
From the social outreach standpoint, the project
is also making a contribution to the region, which was
sparsely populated until construction began. “Due to the
low population density, there was practically no need for
rehousing, but workers have been migrating to the area
near the project, and we are helping communities create
their own urban development plans,” explains Project
Patrícia Robles:
vestiges of the
Inca civilization
Director Sergio Panicali. He observes that the settlements have many requirements. “The company is helping these communities get organized,” says Panicali,
commenting on the formation of Advisory Boards for the
Fight against Poverty, which bring together community
leaders.
“One of our priorities is sanitation [water and sewage]. The other is setting up a health clinic,” says Edgar
Zevallos Cano, Mayor of Pampamarca, a community that
is actively participating in the Advisory Boards. He believes that Odebrecht’s support was instrumental in setting development goals and strategies. “With the company’s help, we will soon be installing a landfill,” he says.
Other contributions to the community include supporting farm production – such as purchasing produce,
providing community buses carrying about 1,200 people
daily, and offering waste management training. Not to
mention the Ongoing Professional Education Program,
44
informa
Workers in the orchid
nursery: local residents
are being trained to
grow these flowers
or Creer (Believe), an adaptation of Odebrecht’s Acredi-
The Chaglla hydropower plant will have 456 MW of
tar Program. More than 1,300 people have graduated
installed power and a reservoir covering just 4.7 square
so far, and 35% are now working at the jobsite. “This is
kilometers. “This ratio makes the project an interna-
an example of how the project’s investors can share the
tional benchmark,” says Erlon Arfelli, CEO of Odebrecht
benefits with the communities, aligning business goals
Energia in Peru. After working on large hydroelectric
with opportunities for social and economic development
projects in Brazil and other countries, Arfelli expresses
for the region,” says IADB Director Fidel Jaramillo, the
special pride in the work being done in Chaglla: “It is the
bank’s representative in Peru.
first time the Odebrecht Group has participated as an
investor in a power project outside Brazil. Because the
Local bird: making a record of all the wildlife in the
region in partnership with the National Agrarian
University of the Rainforest
concessions are permanent, we are establishing an enduring relationship with the region. This is a tremendous
responsibility.”
Chaglla is also having a major impact on Peru’s
energy mix: it represents the resumption of mid-size
dam construction in that country. “Peru has 60,000
MW of hydropower potential, and to maintain the
growth experienced in the last 10 years, the country has to go from the current 6,300 MW of installed
capacity to over 13,000 MW by 2020. Chaglla will be
one of the largest hydroelectric dams in the country,
supplying clean energy to meet about 6% of the total
demand,” says Erlon Arfelli. According to Fidel Jaramillo, the clean energy generated by the Chaglla hydroelectric plant could reduce Peru’s CO2 emissions
by 1.8 million metric tons per year. “This project can
become a benchmark for sustainable energy development in Peru,” says the IADB director.
informa
45
Destination
eco-sustaina
E
written by Leonardo Maia
photos by Almir Bindilatti
very year, the North Coast of Bahia’s nat-
Otherwise, the clients for this type of product will go
ural beauty and rich ecosystem, blessed
elsewhere. They are looking for authenticity,” says
with wetlands, mangroves and patches
Franklin Mira, the officer Responsible for Develop-
of Atlantic Forest, attract thousands of
ment and Management at Destination Sauípe.
tourists to the region, which contains the
Odebrecht established a presence in the region
largest variety of restinga plant life on the Brazilian
with the construction of the Costa de Sauípe tourism
coast (a restinga is a distinct type of coastal tropical
complex in 1998. Nowadays, the focus is on developing
and subtropical forest found in Brazil). These plants
residential projects at Destination Sauípe, and OR is
grow in the sandy and salty soil typical of the area. The
working on a new master plan for the area. “By 2013,
North Coast is also the nation’s main spawning area
we plan to introduce a new concept of development for
for sea turtles. Within this complex environmental con-
Sauípe, one that is more mature and keeps the focus
text, the village of Sauípe, in Mata de São João county,
on sustainability,” says Franklin.
has the support of environmentally sustainable development projects organized by Odebrecht Realizações
Empowering environmental projects
Imobiliárias (Real Estate Developments; OR).
To support this new phase, the company’s teams will
“When a company comes here to develop a real es-
enhance and intensify their environmental and commu-
tate project, it is imperative that it take special care
nity outreach projects. A partner in this process is the
with the environmental and social aspects of that ven-
Coconut Coast Institute Ecological Corridor (INCECC),
ture. They are often built in remote areas with pris-
which maintains Sauípe Park and the Forest Factory
tine natural environments and communities that have
project. Located on the Green Line (Highway BA-099),
never had any contact with rapid urban development.
across from the beach, the 66-ha park is home to the
To ensure the success of tourism real estate develop-
Archaeology Center, which houses more than 50,000
ments, it is essential to preserve the local community.
artifacts and fragments from 26 sites in the region, and
46
46
informa
bility
Environmental projects in
Sauípe, Bahia, combine archaeology,
landscaping, income creation and
protection for plant and animal life
the Natural History Museum, created in 1997 by Cetrel,
“Sauípe Park is one of our main focuses on the en-
the Camaçari Industrial Complex’s Environmental Engi-
vironmental side. We want to create attractions like
neering company through a partnership with the presti-
ecotourism, sports and adventure-related activities.
gious New York Museum of Natural History. In 2006, the
We will have a calendar of events at the park that
Camaçari Complex transferred the museum to Sauípe
involves the local community in the process,” says
Park. Since then, 10,000 students from public and pri-
Danilo Lima, the officer Responsible for Sustainabil-
vate schools have visited both facilities, which are taking
ity at Destination Sauípe. He points out that one of the
part in one of the region’s environmental education pro-
activities being planned is bird watching, along with
grams. The other program is run by OR and its partners
sports competitions such as stand-up paddling and
in conjunction with the nearby communities.
BMX bicycle racing.
Sauípe Park: native
plants form part of the
landscape in OR’s real
estate development
informa
47
catalogue, an initiative that seeks to make up for the
dearth of literature on the region’s biodiversity.
The nursery is also growing most of the 1,500 mutambo seedlings whose fruit will be used to extract oil
Artisan from the
Production School:
“Tourists love our work”
to make handmade soap and shampoo. The Tupinamba Indians who once lived in that region were the first
to use this oil for personal hygiene purposes. OR intends to reach sufficient scale to enable representatives of the local community, more precisely residents
of Vila Sauípe, to supply mutambo products to hotels
and homes on the North Coast.
The mutambo project is just one of the ongoing initiatives at the Production School, which OR has donated to the Vila Sauípe Residents’ Association. “We
created the Production School to develop a project
that reflects the local culture. We support the training
of artisans from Vila Sauípe, who make purses, wallets and other objects from piassava palm fiber. Job
creation in the region is still strongly linked to extraction, so it is key to establish a suitable management
program,” says Franklin Mira.
The artisans sell their products to hotels in the region, and, once a month, they organize a fair on the
grounds of the Production School to attract locals and
tourists from Mata de São João. The school also offers
the community another plant nursery, a computer
Not far from Sauípe Park, Odebrecht has established the Native Plant Nursery, an outgrowth of the
Plant Life Rescue program that was set up when the
first buildings were constructed in Sauípe. INCECC is
now running the nursery through the Forest Factory
project, which operates the site through an open-ended lease. As a result of this joint effort, in September
2012 the nursery celebrated the production of 1 million seedlings of native Atlantic Forest plants.
“Generally, when nurseries are set up in cities,
they grow exotic plants. Here at Destination Sauípe,
we conducted a study of the local ecosystem, and
learned a lot. For example we have mangrove saplings that do not reproduce easily,” says Danilo.
OR uses local plants in its landscaping projects for
real estate developments at Destination Sauípe, as
well as for the Degraded Areas Recovery Program
(PRAD) being carried out in that area. The identification of more than 200 types of plants gave rise to a
48
informa
Children learn about
plants and animals:
broadening their
knowledge of the
region
room, a library, and classrooms for courses that generate
income for the Association. “Tourists love our work, and they
are even more delighted when they come to buy handicrafts
Native Plant Nursery:
1 million seedlings in
September
here at the school and get a first-hand look at what we do
here. Many people haven’t been to our village. We need to
bring them here,” says Rute Souza, one of the Production
School’s artisans. Other community income-generation
projects being developed include growing flowers and tropical plants, an artisanal agroindustry that produces fruit preserves and sweets, and beekeeping and honey production
from rationally bred stingless bees.
To ensure that all these projects are sustainable, OR is
planning the creation of the General Association of Sauípe.
Something like a “Destination City Hall,” it will take care of
common areas, security, internal roadways and relations
with local communities. Another essential responsibility
will be setting construction and environmental standards.
The association will also run the future Ecocentro, a facility
planned to begin operations in 2014. It will be an environmental interpretation center that offers lectures and educational
programs, prioritizing local history. This facility will be part of
the Apraiú Project, planned as a common area for two new
OR real estate products under study for that region. These
initiatives will ensure that Destination Sauípe continues to be
a benchmark for projects carried out in perfect harmony with
the best practices of sustainable development.
informa
49
Three Odebrecht
companies are
participating in
Aquapolo, a project
that is innovating
the production of
recycled water
50
filters
written by Luiz Carlos Ramos
photos by Fred Chalub
50
informa
of GUMPTION
Aquapolo project
member with
a sample of
reclaimed water:
new technological
and environmental
solutions
T
he Aquapolo Environmental Project has embarked on the testing phase and
will start supplying reclaimed water to support the operations of Braskem
and (at least) three other companies in the ABC Petrochemical Complex in
Mauá, in the São Paulo metro area, that have already confirmed their interest. A few miles from the complex, at the ABC Sewage Treatment Station
(Sabesp), on the border of São Paulo and São Caetano do Sul counties, the treated sewage is converted into an input that is supplied to their plants. This project involves three
Odebrecht Group companies (Braskem, Foz do Brasil and Odebrecht Infraestrutura), in
a cross-cutting move that underscores the companies’ synergy and is a leap forward for
environmental sustainability.
By producing industrial water for use in production processes, the Aquapolo project
offers companies a reliable and sustainable alternative to using drinking water, therefore
making it available for public consumption.
A pioneer in large-scale industrial water reuse and one of the largest of its kind in
the world, the project has given rise to Aquapolo Ambiental, a Special Purpose Company
formed by Foz do Brasil, the Odebrecht Group’s environmental solutions company, and
Sabesp, a mixed-ownership (state-private) company controlled by São Paulo State. Sabesp CEO Dilma Pena observes that investing in the production of reclaimed water also
improves sanitation in general. “By recycling, we are using treated wastewater economically, because treating urban sewage is very expensive and initially requires a large investment in fixed assets. Therefore, water reuse will help universalize sanitation,” she
adds. For Paulo Massato, the director of Sabesp’s Metropolitan Region operations, the
company’s partnership with Foz do Brasil has opened up yet another prospect. “We can
move forward on other large-scale reuse projects in Brazil,” he says.
Interaction between different partners has consolidated a project that is economically,
socially and financially viable, and has been firmly established as a replicable business
model. This positive visibility has cast the spotlight on partners from several sectors that
are involved in the project, such as universities, industries and the press. An example of
Aquapolo’s media impact was a special report on the Globo News program’s “Cities and
Solutions” segment, in which Aquapolo received high praise from André Trigueiro, a journalist with a long track record in the field of sustainability. Furthermore, the project was
among the winners of the Global Water Awards, which recognizes successful water supply
and treatment initiatives around the world. The CEO of Foz do Brasil, Fernando SantosReis, accepted the award from former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.
informa
51
Water recycling plant: capable
of treating 1,000 liters per
second. Opposite, the pipeline
that takes the water to the
ABC Petrochemical Complex:
17 km long, running through
four cities
Cross-cutting operations
most as much as in the driest areas of Northeast Brazil.
Braskem is Aquapolo’s biggest client. And a third Ode-
There is a plentiful supply of fresh water in Brazil as a
brecht company is joining the partnership: Odebrecht
whole – as much as 35,000 cu.m per person/year. How-
Infraestrutura (Infrastructure), which is responsible for
ever, it averages just 2,500 cu.m per person/year in São
building the Industrial Water Production Plant (EPAI), the
Paulo State. In São Paulo City, that figure dwindles to 200
pipeline, and the distribution system within the petro-
cu.m. In the ABC region, the maximum amount is 130
chemical complex.
cu.m/person/year.
The project was built next door to the ABC Sewage
In the early twentieth century, the Guarapiranga res-
Treatment Plant. The sewage Sabesp collects and treats
ervoir managed to supply São Paulo City, which was
there undergoes an additional stage of treatment that
growing at a far lower rate than it is today. However, in
Aquapolo carries out using high-tech ultrafiltration mem-
recent decades, it was necessary to invest in obtaining
branes and reverse osmosis.
water elsewhere and building seven other systems of
The water then travels along a pipeline that is nearly 1
aqueducts, all under the management Sabesp: Canta-
meter in diameter and 17 kilometers long, passing through
reira, which is the largest; Alto Tietê, Alto Cotia, Baixo
three cities, São Paulo, São Caetano and Santo André, until
Cotia, Ribeirão da Estiva, Rio Claro and Rio Grande.
it reaches the petrochemical complex in Mauá. Braskem
All eight complexes produce 67,000 l/s of water, half of
will use the lion’s share of the 650 liters per second of
which comes from reservoirs in the Sierra da Cantar-
industrial water Aquapolo initially produces: 557 l/s. The
eira mountains, fed by small rivers from as far away as
remainder will benefit the operations of the Cabot, Oxicap,
southern Minas Gerais.
Oxiteno and White Martins companies. Aquapolo’s pro-
Named after three cities, Santo André, São Bernardo
duction capacity could reach 1,000 liters per second when
do Campo and São Caetano do Sul, where auto manufac-
more companies interested in consuming industrial water
turers and metalworking and petrochemical plants are
come on board.
based, the ABC region is one of São Paulo’s most developed areas The region also comprises four other munici-
52
Low water supply
palities: Diadema, Mauá, Ribeirão Pires and Rio Grande da
With 39 counties and a total of 21 million inhabitants,
Serra. When fully operational, Aquapolo will make up to
the São Paulo metro area is one of the five most populous
2.58 billion liters of treated water per month available for
regions in the world. This high population density, along
public use, enough to supply a city of 500,000 inhabitants,
with being the largest industrial complex in Latin America,
or the total population of two ABC municipalities - São
makes treated water scarcer and scarcer every year, al-
Caetano do Sul and Diadema.
informa
How reclaimed industrial
water is produced
Asseburg. “After that, the industrial water is disinfected with
Odebrecht Informa has followed every stage of the pro-
tion, where the industrial water is pumped into the pipeline
cess of producing reclaimed water. The CEO of Aquapolo
chlorine dioxide. Then it is sent to the high-load pumping stathat takes it to the petrochemical complex.”
Ambiental is sanitary engineer Marcos Koehler Asseburg, a
Chemical analyst Rodrigo Otavio Santos Dias, 29, a water
native of São Paulo who has been with the Odebrecht Group
and environmental sanitation technician, is a plant operator
for four years. He explains that he was very enthusiastic
at Aquapolo. He opens a tap and takes a sample of clean,
about being recommended to take part in this project. “It is
transparent reclaimed water to test its purity. “This is the fu-
completely innovative. Unfortunately, Brazil has a long way
ture. It is the solution for many cities,” says Rodrigo, who is
to go in the field of sanitation, both in terms of sewage col-
proud to be part of this pioneering initiative.
lection and treatment. But the Aquapolo project is a hopeful
Four storage tanks hold 70,000 cu.m of industrial wa-
sign, because it collects sewage and puts it to a good use,
ter, ensuring a steady supply for Aquapolo’s clients. The
while making a dream come true; and all that with viable
environmental benefits of this project go beyond econo-
financial engineering.”
mizing on drinking water: it is also helping clean up the
Marcos accompanied the magazine’s team to demon-
Tamanduateí River.
strate how secondary water (wastewater that has undergone the secondary stage of treatment) becomes industrial
Overcoming barriers
water. Treated sewage is collected from secondary decant-
Fabiano Munhoz has been Odebrecht Infraestrutura’s
ers at the ABC Sewage Treatment Plant and becomes the
Project Director for Aquapolo since mid-May, replacing Emyr
raw material for processing at Aquapolo Ambiental. After
Costa, who has taken on a new challenge at Foz do Brasil.
treatment, the water flows by gravity to the low-load pump-
“When I was 7 years old, I used to visit projects in Bahia along
ing station, and from there it goes on to the next stage for
with my father, Durvalino Munhoz, who worked at Odebrecht.
preliminary treatment. “That is when the production of re-
Here at Aquapolo, which is nearing completion, I can see that
claimed industrial water begins,” says the engineer. “Disc
the team feels they have accomplished their mission. We
filters remove solid waste particles greater than or equal to
have overcome major engineering challenges to build the
400 microns in size.”
treatment plant and pipeline. It required tremendous care
The water is then sent on for biological treatment, pass-
to ensure the safety of our members and motorists on the
ing through membranes that retain solids and even bacte-
routes where the project was being built. Another highlight
ria. “When industrial water shows high salinity, it undergoes
was people development – grooming the young profession-
reverse osmosis to reduce its conductivity,” explains Marcos
als who started their careers on this venture and have taken
informa
53
Braskem
Unit at
the ABC
Complex:
water
to keep
industrial
production
high
on ever-greater challenges over the course of this project.”
nually. Today, the unit is part of Braskem. Now called the
Fabiano also underscores the team members’ awareness of
Basic Petrochemicals Unit (Unib 3 ABC), it can produce up
the project’s immense importance for sustainability. “Without
to 700,000 metric tons of ethylene per year.
a doubt, Aquapolo is a calling card for projects with other cli-
Standing near a complex of buildings, pipes and tanks, en-
ents. Visits from several companies have already made this
gineer Fadlo Haddad points to a green balance tower, a new
clear,” he says.
feature in the landscape: that is where reclaimed water will be
The Engineering Manager for the project, Reynaldo
stored and sent to Braskem’s facilities and other clients at the
Moreira Júnior, is the engineer responsible for assembly and
complex through a 3.6-km pipeline network. Fadlo, who has
automation. He says he joined Odebrecht nearly three years
worked at the complex for 26 years and joined Braskem two
ago to take part in the construction of Aquapolo. “To install the
years ago, stresses the importance of the arrival of Aquapolo
pipeline, we started out with 12 work fronts, offering work op-
water: “For Braskem, this project is essential, because the
portunities to 800 people. As a result, we delivered the project
operation of the complex was under threat when it came to
quickly, including stretches that run alongside the Tamandu-
ethylene production processes. The water the complex used
ateí River and Avenida dos Estados.”
to obtain from the Tamanduateí River is inadequate and insufficient. Now, thanks to reclaimed water, we can even increase
54
Braskem upgrades the complex
production. And it also benefits the environment.” Fadlo Had-
Chemical engineer Fadlo Eduardo Haddad, the
dad observes that, because it is completely clean, reclaimed
Braskem officer Responsible for Process Engineering in
water has great advantages over river water from densely
Mauá and Santo André, leaves his office to visit the huge
populated cities, which is often polluted and can damage the
facilities in Capuava and walks past a large stone that com-
equipment.
memorates the inauguration of what was then called the
The Camaçari Industrial Complex in the northeastern
União (Union) Petrochemical Complex by President Emílio
state of Bahia is also introducing a recycling project using
Médici and Governor Laudo Natel. The inscription shows
rainwater. Based on a recent trial, expectations are that
the year: 1972. It was a leap forward compared to the first
treated and stored rainwater will account for approximately
steps of industrial development in that area, taken in 1954
one-third of the total the plant consumes, which is a plus
when the União Refinery was built. In the course of the
for residents of the Salvador Metropolitan Area. Creativity,
Brazilian petrochemical industry’s 40-year history, the re-
partnerships and alternative investments are giving rise to
finery would change its name several times until Braskem
alternatives that not only increase production but enable en-
took control of Quattor in 2010. Known as PQU, União had
vironmental conservation and improve the quality of life of
the capacity to produce 180,000 metric tons of ethylene an-
present and future generations.
informa
firefighters
IN THE CANE FIELDS
written by Edilson Lima photos by Ricardo Telles
The fire brigades’ work
is a highlight of ETH’s
safety, prevention
and environmental
preservation strategy
I
t’s 3 pm in Costa Rica county, Mato Grosso do
Sul. The Odebrecht Informa team is tagging
along with ETH Bioenergy Taquari Hub Fire Brigade Leader Renato Bonini and his team members on one of their regular visits to the mechanized sugarcane harvesting work fronts. Renato
gets a warning over the radio: there is a fire breaking
out about 20 kilometers away. His team needs to get
there quickly. The journalist and photographer follow
the firefighters in a 4x4 truck to get a first-hand look
at their efforts to put out the constant fires that plague
the Brazilian savanna region this time of year.
55
A firefighter and truck
positioned at a mechanized
harvesting front: extra
precautions during
droughts
informa
55
The fire was started by people who live on a farm
The committees are excellent tools for ensuring
rapid response of the fire brigade and truck, the
that everything and everyone is on the same page,
situation was quickly under control, preventing what
from ETH’s São Paulo City headquarters to the cane
could have become a major fire: it was just three
fields in the company’s five hubs. Every two months,
meters from the cane field. “That’s the way it is
the directors of the hubs and their HSE managers
around here: if we aren’t careful, we could have a
meet in São Paulo with Adriano Granjo, the ETH of-
disaster on our hands in minutes,” explains Renato.
ficer Responsible for the program. They spend an
A native of Castilho, São Paulo, Renato Bonini, 47,
entire day exchanging information and experiences.
worked as a professional firefighter in his home state
“We discuss our knowhow and planning here, but
for 15 years. With that experience in his resume, he
the data has to reach the work fronts,” says Adriano,
joined ETH three years ago. Today, he has 42 team
who is based at ETH’s São Paulo headquarters but
members under his command in the Costa Rica Fire
spends most of his time visiting the company’s agro-
Brigade alone. Besides his pick-up truck, he has 13
industrial operations in Goiás, Mato Grosso, Mato
fire trucks, an ambulance, and all the safety equip-
Grosso do Sul and São Paulo State.
ment the firefighters require at his disposal.
To make the company’s HSE program more pro-
Every day, Renato visits the four fronts of the har-
active, ETH has implemented an Automatic Tem-
vesting unit, covering an average radius of 27 km.
perature Detection System this harvest season, to-
There are two fire trucks at every work front, each
gether with the original protection system, called a
with its own driver and an assistant. Once an hour,
Fire Extinguisher Kit, in all cane harvesters (a total
they measure what they call the fire cycle: heat, hu-
of 304 units). “While harvesting, the dry cane straw
midity and wind. The limit is 33ºC heat, relative hu-
comes into contact with the hottest parts of the
midity of 20%, and 15 km/h winds. If they see any
harvester, and that can be enough to start a fire,”
change in one of these indicators, they advise the
explains Adriano.
work front leaders to take extra precautions, or even
to stop the harvest to prevent any risk of fire.
“Company members undergo safety and prevention training. Furthermore, every day, before
he starts his shift, the work front leader carries
out a Daily Safety, Health and Environment Dialogue (DDS). That 10-minute conversation is key to
getting the job done safely,” says Gilmar Pereira,
the unit’s Safety, Health and Environment (HSE)
engineer. “A detailed study of the site must be
conducted before any activity is carried out in the
field,” he adds.
Leandro Melo, the unit’s Agricultural HLT (harvesting, loading and transport) Manager, observes
that the unit’s leaders get together every week
as a local committee to mull HSE concepts and
practices: “It’s an opportunity to share their experiences.”
The Costa Rica Unit and Alto Taquari Unit comprise the Taquari Hub in the state of Mato Grosso.
Altogether, ETH has five production hubs and a total of nine units in four Brazilian states and 15,000
company members.
56
Exchanging information
and were burning household waste. Thanks to the
informa
The work done to prevent fires in the vicinity of the
A 24-hour safety net
harvesting machines is called Level 1. If the kit and
The period between June and September is the
the operator can’t control the fire with the machine’s
most critical time of year in Brazil’s tropical savan-
extinguisher, the system goes to level 2, bringing in
na region due to weather conditions (dry weather,
the operational front’s firefighting team - a driver
strong winds and high temperatures). Fires break
and his or her assistant, and a specially equipped fire
out all the time. “ETH, businesses and government
truck. If they cannot put out the fire, the system goes
agencies were concerned with this situation, so they
to level 3, and a team specialized in farm firefighting
got together to create the PAME. The aim is to join
is immediately dispatched to the scene.
forces to systemize and strengthen fire prevention
At the same time, the work front leader, who is pre-
and firefighting measures,” says Valmir Viana, the
pared for these emergencies, oversees the evacuation
HSE Manager at the Mato Grosso do Sul Hub, which
of areas where the fire is actively burning, prioritizing
includes the Santa Luzia and Eldorado units.
company members’ safety. When he reaches the front,
“We must never make the mistake of thinking we
the Brigade Leader takes charge of the firefighting op-
are 100% safe. All companies in that region must take
eration until the blaze is completely out. In some cases,
preventive measures and keep a close watch. A fire at
he calls in outside support through the PAME (Emer-
a neighboring farm could spread to the cane fields
gency Mutual Aid Plan), which could come from the Fire
and vice versa. That’s why we decided to deploy the
Department, city governments or local fire brigades.
PAME at all five ETH hubs by identifying local partners. That way, our fire brigades can give and receive
support when necessary,” says Adriano Granjo.
Renato Bonini (center) and
his team members Donival
do Assis (left) and Petrônio
Almeida: ongoing dialogue
and training
informa
57
revamping
WORLDWIDE
written by Alice Galeffi & Flávia Tavares
I
photos by Dario de Freitas & Dimitrius Beck Silva
n the biting wind of Rio Gallegos, southern Ar-
the Brazilian oil giant is bringing each of these facili-
gentina, Odebrecht Engenharia Industrial Proj-
ties up to its high standards and providing them with
ect Director Marco Duran explains some details
safe conditions for structural integrity, operational
of the work that will be done there. The tem-
control, safety, environment and health management
perature is close to freezing, but the wind chill
and people development. It is also revamping and or-
pushes it well below, down to -12ºC, and the sky is
ganizing preventive programs on all three fronts rep-
overcast. A few days later, he will be experiencing oth-
resented by the HSE acronym. This is where the proj-
er extreme: the scorching heat (over 42ºC) of Pasade-
ect that Petrobras designed and Duran is now running
na, Texas, in the USA. This is an occupational hazard
comes in. “We are active in all areas of work involved
for someone who is responsible for one of Odebrecht’s
in the oil supply chain, except geology,” he explains.
most internationalized projects, the PAC SMS (the
This means that his team, which now consists of 1,041
Portuguese acronym for Action Program for Certifica-
people, including Group members and contractors,
tion in Safety, Health and Environment).
assesses the state of Petrobras assets from drilling
Signed in October 2010 after a tender involving domestic and foreign firms, the contract is for
services provided to Petrobras’s Interna-
duction, transportation, storage and
refining. And they do it in no less
tional Business Area (ANI). After acquir-
than 11 countries: Brazil (where
ing assets in several parts of the world,
the project’s headquarters are
58
58
to final distribution at gas stations, including pro-
informa
On the PAC SMS project,
Odebrecht teams are
adapting Petrobras
assets in 11 countries
based) and operations in the United States, Argentina,
In Argentina, the location of most of the projects
Uruguay, Chile, Paraguay, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador,
included in the contract – signed for three years and
Peru and Japan.
renewable for three more – Odebrecht’s work includes
No wonder that most large companies use the
revamping, construction and installation, diagnosis
acronym HSE for these programs. In many ways, all
and environmental excellence, and studies, diag-
three areas are inextricably linked, and measures
nostics and surveys in the areas of Safety, Environ-
taken in one area impact the others. It is no differ-
ment and Health, and the acquisition of contingency
ent in the oil industry. Preventing a leak on offshore
and firefighting services and equipment related to
platforms or in the tanks of a gas station is not just
the Petrobras Action Plan for ANI HSE Certification.
an environmental issue but a safety and public health
In Paraguay, the team’s work is focused on adapting
issue as well. “The first major wave of global concern
gas stations to comply with the most advanced local,
was safety, which led to the creation of international
international regulations, and Petrobras’s own stan-
standards to prevent accidents. Now we are focusing
dards. “Here in Patagonia, for example, the ecosystem
our efforts on the environment, through leakage pre-
is very fragile. Any change made in the environment is
vention and reduction of CO2 emissions, for example,”
almost permanent. For that reason, every precaution
explains Julián Socolovsky, the Odebrecht officer Re-
is necessary,” says Marco Duran.
sponsible for QSEH (Quality, Safety, Environment and
Health) for this project.
In fact, both Neuquén and Rio Gallegos, two of the
locations where HSE projects are being carried out,
The PRSI refinery in
Pasadena, Texas, is over
100 years old: revamped
to meet high operational
quality standards
informa
59
are characterized by a natural environment that is both
rough and fragile. Production wells and oil fields are
surrounded by miles of pale brown terrain covered
with low-growing vegetation that is a habitat for wildlife. The tanks that store the oil, which can hold up to
30,000 cu.m, require sophisticated repairs, and when
they cannot be refurbished, they are replaced with new
ones. The professionals responsible for providing services on the 276 projects included in the contract (36
of which have been completed) are highly skilled, and
the HSE procedures Odebrecht and Petrobras have
jointly established meet the highest standards. “Every
country has its own laws, but the PAC SMS goes beyond
what the law requires, following standard procedures
for Petrobras,” says Julián Socolovsky. This is why the
Worker at Petrobras’s facilities
in Rio Gallegos, Argentina: the
environment is both rough and
fragile
project has been divided into four interdependent sections that interact with each other (see box).
A compilation of all the necessary procedures
PRSI is located on the banks of the historic Ship
for each project can reach more than 50 pages, ac-
Channel, the scene of the decisive battle of the Tex-
cording to Socolovsky. It’s a job that requires detailed
an Revolution in 1838, in which Texans and Mexicans
planning, which involves analyzing the risks and how
fought for possession of that territory. Almost two
to avoid them and setting out the entire task, step by
centuries later, a different kind of struggle is under-
step. It takes patience and expertise. “It’s true that
way: instead of guns, it involves hard work. Because
you get antsy when you have to wait for all that to be
it is an old and highly productive refinery (100,000
done before you can get started, but it is a necessary
barrels of oil refined per day), the work is steady and
process,” says Diego Barindelli, 28, a civil engineer
requires detailed follow up of planning, because one
and one of the 21 Young Partners working on the
project involves another due to the requirements en-
PAC SMS project. “The best thing is that I’ve been
countered along the way. “Our mission is to provide
here from the start, since the design of the contract,
the most advanced technological innovations to en-
and have followed the whole process. It’s an amaz-
sure operational safety,” explains Duran. There are 29
ing learning experience. I never dreamed that I’d be
projects underway at PRSI.
involved in a project with this level of environmental
concern,” he adds.
Over 100 years old
60
These projects are varied and range from simple
tasks, such as installing handrails and safety showers, to the replacement of old storage tanks, oil spill
control for those tanks, regulating emissions of pol-
In Pasadena, Texas, the challenge is to revamp the
luting gases, and the installation of a gas cleaning
PRSI (Pasadena Refining System Inc.) refinery, found-
system for the plant’s units. The PAC SMS team will
ed over 100 years ago in 1902, to meet Petrobras’s high
install a new fire prevention system, upgrade the ex-
HSE quality standards. “We don’t just want to comply
isting system and build a new water storage tank.
with the law. Above all, we want to be environmen-
Trained professionals will be on hand to take action
tally friendly,” says Marco Duran, now in the intense
in any emergency. “These projects are critical for en-
Texas heat, a few hours after landing in Houston. PAI
suring that our client achieves their goal of ensuring
(Petrobras America Inc.) acquired PRSI as part of the
excellence in environmental management and opera-
Brazilian oil company’s international expansion plan.
tional safety,” says Duran.
In December 2010, the PAC SMS project got started at
One important feature of the environmental pro-
the refinery - Odebrecht Engenharia Industrial’s first
tection facilities is the Wet Gas Scrubber, which
contract in the United States.
cleans the gases the refinery produces before they
informa
it’s the flag of Texas. I realized that I had to acculturate and adapt to some of their habits to better interact
with local partners. In Texas, driving a pick-up truck
and wearing cowboy boots is very natural. I’ve come to
understand and appreciate these customs. The day I
showed up at the office wearing boots, everyone came
over and congratulated me because I’m adapting to the
Texan way of life,” says Daniel.
The PAC SMS
and its work fronts
The PAC SMS project is divided into four sections:
INTEGRITY OF FACILITIES – projects involving construction and industrial assembly services required to
bring industrial facilities and off-site equipment, proare released into the atmosphere. The engineer responsible for this project, Charles Waligura, is a Tex-
cessing units and other physical facilities back to “optimum” physical and operational conditions.
an who is passionate about Pasadena and has worked
HSE LIABILITIES – services needed for diagnos-
at nearby refineries for over 30 years. He says this
tics and environmental protection, with a view to im-
project is extremely important because it is making a
plementing environmental excellence programs that
significant contribution to achieving Petrobras’s goals
prevent possible environmental impacts caused by
within the sphere of its sustainability program.
oil, and enable the disposal of hazardous waste stored
To explain the concept of the system, contaminated
in Petrobras’s ANI assets.
gases enter through a pipe in a cleaning machine,
where spray curtains of water and ozone break down
HSE MANAGEMENT – services required for con-
gas particles and release them back into the atmo-
ducting local HSE studies. These studies are prereq-
sphere 95% clean. The toxic particles are sent to an-
uisites, for example, for maintaining environmental
other compartment and taken to a treatment plant.
permits for operations, for the adaptation of each
PRSI’s Wet Gas Scrubber is currently being manufac-
company’s HSE Management System to Petrobras’s
tured and will be installed by early 2013.
Corporate HSE System Guidelines, and to establish
The Odebrecht Group has been present in the United
emergency response plans, crisis communication
States for 22 years and is active in the states of Florida,
plans and quantitative risk analyses. So far, in 2012
Louisiana and Texas. The Odebrecht Engenharia Indus-
alone, 4,820 hours have been dedicated to HSE man-
trial team in Pasadena has 60 members, most of whom
agement training. During the 832,313 hours worked
are local people. Only three are Brazilian expats. One is
on Odebrecht’s PAC SMS projects, the lost-time ac-
Daniel Alegria, the officer Responsible for the operation
cident rate has been zero.
in that country. “Putting a refinery within HSE quality
standards is not a new challenge for Odebrecht. Our
CONTINGENCY – the services and equipment
biggest challenge is cultural, because the US market
necessary to enable ANI companies to respond to
and, especially, the Texan market, are unique in many
emergencies and fight fires, in compliance with the
ways,” he says. Both Marco Duran and Daniel are fa-
Petrobras HSE System Standard. The equipment
miliarizing themselves with this culturally distinct en-
must be used in so-called Significant Accident Situ-
vironment. The work is going better all the time. “Tex-
ations such as oil spills and fires at ANI facilities and
ans are very proud of their state. The biggest-selling
assets.
flag in the United States isn’t the Stars and Stripes,
informa
61
Clean Lagoon Program participant
Philipe Fernando da Silva: learning to
row and preserve nature. Below, Rota
das Bandeiras: restoring degraded
areas alongside the highway
62
texto Luiz Carlos Ramos
fotos Fred Chalub
62
informa
aw
breeds commitment
Road concession
companies carry
out programs
related to
several aspects
of the work of
environmental
preservation
areness
commitment
written by Ricardo Sangiovanni
photos by Lia Lubambo
informa
informa
63
E
ach in their own way, Odebrecht TransPort’s highway concessionaires - Rota das
Bandeiras in São Paulo State, Bahia Norte
in Bahia, and Rota dos Coqueiros in Pernambuco - have made significant progress
in their efforts to establish a relationship of respect and
care for the environment.
The path chosen by the concessionaire in Pernambuco, which operates the coastal route that runs through
Reserva do Paiva and links the city of Recife with the
southern coast of the state, is paved with training courses
and programs in the field that have helped raise environmental awareness among youths, adults and the elderly.
The concession company in Bahia has also taken the
path of investment in grooming community environmental agents who are engaging in collaborative reforestation efforts spearheaded by the concessionaire, which
manages the highway system that connects Salvador,
the port of Aratu, the Camaçari Industrial Complex and
seven other municipalities.
Planting seedlings in degraded environments and in
the vicinity of springs in partnership with the government and private sector is also the driving force behind
the sustainability programs of the São Paulo concession
Businesswoman
Maria Aparecida
Junqueira Marche
on her farm:
“Reforesting on my
own would have been
very costly”
company. It manages the Dom Pedro I corridor, a route
that runs through Campinas and 16 more cities in São
basics about the importance of water and mangroves
Paulo State, a strategic region that has recently become
(vital habitats for the reproduction of fish and other local
the country’s largest consumer market.
wildlife).
“We learn to take care of what is ours. If we don’t, who
“If we don’t take care of it, who will?”
will?” reflects Philipe Fernando da Silva, a 17-year-old stu-
The concession for the Paiva road system, which in-
dent. While taking part in the program for the past year,
cludes the 6.2-km Via Parque route, as well as the cable-
between oar strokes he has seen all kinds of things float
stayed Barra da Jangada bridge, calls for Rota dos Co-
down the river - bottles, plastic bags, cans, shoes, clothes,
queiros to develop and implement social/environmental
sofas... “Even the oil filter of a car,” cries one of Philipe’s
initiatives in two of the municipalities the route traverses
classmates. “Look, right here!” another adds, picking it up
- Jaboatão dos Guararapes and Cabo de Santo Agostinho.
with his fingertips, so there is no question about it.
Since June 2011, the concessionaire has sponsored
The young participants receive guidelines on how to col-
the Clean Lagoon program, which offers rowing and ca-
lect the waste found in the bed and on the banks of the river,
noeing lessons along with environmental education to
using protective gloves and plastic bags. According to the
200 youths between the ages of 12 and 16, from seven
program’s coordinators, the average amount of trash re-
public schools in the region. Classes are held at the estu-
moved daily is impressive, ranging between 20 kg and 40 kg.
ary of the Jaboatão and Pirapama rivers.
64
Indignant at her neighbors’ lack of environmental
The sports the Clean Lagoon Program offers serve
awareness, Sandrine Barbosa, 16, says the classes have
as an attraction for young people, who not only learn
given her the courage to approach people when she sees
to row but take classes in how to preserve the environ-
them disposing of rubbish incorrectly. “Bottles, card-
ment. Those lessons cover topics like collecting trash
board...folks just dump them anywhere. I go over and talk
dumped in the river, planting seedlings and learning the
to them, but sometimes they don’t listen,” she says.
informa
The courage to educate
school where we have a suitable collection system,” says
Losing their fear of approaching people and educat-
Wellitânia dos Santos, a 35-year-old homemaker who is
ing them when they are polluting the environment is the
also taking the course.
challenge facing the 17 community environmental agents
Wellitânia has lived in Itapuama all her life, and she
in the first class taking the Route of Life course, a project
must have seen people dumping oil on the beach before.
created by the concessionaire’s environmental coordina-
“It’s just that, after taking this course, we’ve started see-
tor, Flávia Queiroz, in partnership with artist Diniz Cam-
ing how harmful things like that can be,” says one of her
pos, a sustainability consultant for Reserva do Paiva.
classmates, the craftsman, Francisco Antonio Almeida,
Since February, Flávia and Diniz have taught weekly
46. He and some students from the group are also taking
classes on the environment to residents of Itapuama, a
part in another project, Roles of Life, run by Diniz, who
town that is next to the southern end of the route. The les-
teaches his students to make handicrafts from recyclable
sons range from recycling to selective collection, seed-
materials and manufacture hats and handbags by recy-
ling planting and methods for approaching people edu-
cling construction uniforms.
cationally. Initially intended to end in June, the course has
The class really got to work during environment week
been so successful that it was extended by two months,
in June: in five days, they planted 30 trees on the medians
and there are already plans for a second class, at the stu-
along the highway, and alerted beachgoers and drivers
dents’ request.
at the toll plazas about the need to take care of Nature.
The results are already starting to show. “The other
They also distributed biodegradable bags and handed out
day, I saw the owner of a beach shack pouring the oil she’d
10,000 leaflets, each worth one native plant seedling. “All
used to fry fish onto the sand. I called her aside, so as not
it takes is for a resident to master the subject of the envi-
to embarrass her, and explained that the right thing to
ronment to feel ‘empowered’ and become a multiplier of
do is store that oil in a bottle and then bring it here to the
environmental awareness,” says Diniz.
informa
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65
Living to plant
Álvaro Oyama: a
long-held dream
comes true
Environment week was also a busy time in Bahia.
The Bahia Norte concessionaire held a seminar on environmental awareness, recycling and trash collection for
residents of the Cassange neighborhood on the outskirts
of Salvador, next to the Aratu Industrial Complex-Airport
highway (route BA-526).
At the end of last year, the concessionaire held another seminar on methods for planting seedlings for
students at the Federal Institute of Bahia (IFBA) and
residents of the Pitanguinha neighborhood in Camaçari,
in an area that is also near the highway.
After taking the seminar, many of the participants
joined the group of about 80 volunteers who worked
with the Coconut Coast Ecological Corridor Institute (INCECC), an NGO hired by Bahia Norte to plant 5,000 native
seedlings in the 3-ha area of Atlantic Forest where the
institute is located.
The replanting campaign was just the first part of
the concessionaire’s reforestation program to offset the
clearing of some areas because of the work being done
to widen roads and build toll plazas along 123.5 km of
highways. As the concession holder, Bahia Norte is also
responsible for monitoring the water quality of the Ipitanga and Joanes rivers, as well as inheriting about 40
environmental liabilities along the highway’s right of way
that are being resolved as the road-widening works advance.
“Every project causes some kind of impact, but we
have been taking good care of the environment since
the very start of this project,” explains Bahia Norte
Environment Coordinator Ciro Barbosa. The works on
State Highways BA-535 and BA-093 also involve reforesting 30 hectares. Some of the seedling planting will
be done on the roadsides to form a green corridor in
the future.
“I’ve always dreamed of planting trees for a living.
Now, I can say I’m doing just that,” says Álvaro Oyama,
President of INCECC, which is made up of 16 professionals, including biologists, agronomists, forestry engineeers and veterinarians. Álvaro Oyama is an attorney
specialized in Environmental Law.
One of the people who took the NGO’s seminar
on seedling planting, André Luís dos Santos, 32, has
worked at the IFBA as a gardener for four years and had
never had any formal instruction on planting methods
before. “I’ve learned that you can’t just plant things any
66
informa
Gardener André
Luís dos Santos:
“I’ve learned to do
my job better”
old way: you’ve got to press down the earth to squeeze
and has now been planted with 1,550 seedlings) to con-
out the air, and dig around the stem to hold in the water.
tacting public managers and farm owners one by one in
I’ve learned to do my job better,” says André, who lives in
the 17 municipalities the road network runs through, in
the neighborhood.
search of new land to plant.
One such area is located on the campus of the
Looking for available areas
Campinas Agronomic Institute (IAC), which authorized
Even after planting about 72,000 seedlings in three
the concession company to plant 7.2 hectares with
years, the Rota das Bandeiras concession company is
12,000 seedlings. Another is on a farm owned by busi-
looking for more available areas in the densely popu-
nesswoman Maria Aparecida Junqueira Marche. “For
lated interior of São Paulo State. After all, the goal is to
me, it was wonderful. Reforesting on my own would
reach 300,000 seedlings planted.
have been very expensive,” she says. Planting and
The reason these areas are hard to find is that, by law,
maintenance of each seedling for two years costs an
seedlings cannot be planted in just any kind of terrain:
average of BRL 30 (about USD 15). However, Rota das
the reforested areas must be contiguous with existing
Bandeiras was only able to plant 14,500 seedlings on
forests or located around springs - called Permanent
Maria Aparecida’s land because the project started in
Protection Areas (APPs). São Paulo’s environmental
2010 – prior to the new Forest Code, which prohibits
laws are strict: depending on the developmental stage
businesses from partnering with private individuals
of the trees felled to build a project, the reforested area
to reforest land, making life more difficult for farmers
might have to be two or even three times the size of the
and businesses while slowing down the pace of refor-
area cleared. When native trees are removed in isolated
estation, which harms the environment.
areas, the law requires replanting 25 new ones.
Mauro Pereira Junior, the concession company’s
The alternatives range from restoring and reforest-
environment manager, observes: “Thinking about the
ing degraded areas along the highway (one example is
environment means taking care of today better than yes-
a 1-hectare area alongside a stretch of Pedro I Highway
terday, while thinking about tomorrow. Much remains to
that was formerly used as a dump site for construction
be done.”
informa
67
COMMUNITY
THE IDEA IS
TO CHANGE
THE WORLD
Held at the Odebrecht
Building in Bahia, the
Environmental Education
Program shows that
major changes on this
planet can start with
simple measures
written by André Frutuôso photos by Beg Figueiredo
S
elective trash collection, wa-
Bahia, and Odebrecht Realizações
ed by three partner universities: Área
ter rationing and conserva-
Imobiliárias (Real Estate Develop-
1, Ruy Barbosa and Unifacs. Created
tion of green areas are key
ments; OR), seeks to “plant” habits
in 2004, the program receives visits
initiatives for realizing the dream of a
and practices in the minds of children
from 8,000 students per year. Col-
sustainable future. It is with this per-
and young people, Group members
lege students studying Environmental
spective - of turning small habits into
and service providers to ensure that
Engineering, Biology, Management
major contributions – that the Envi-
everyone’s relationship with Nature
and Public Relations are working on
ronmental Education Program (PEA),
becomes eco-friendly.
the project as interns with their pro-
supported by the Odebrecht Build-
The PEA is held at the Odebrecht
fessors’ guidance, and applying the
ing Administration Office in Salvador,
Building in Salvador, and spearhead-
knowledge they have assimilated in
Students from General
Dionísio Teixeira School
take part in a PEA activity:
assimilating sustainable
habits and practices
68
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68
Interns responsible for educational activities at the PEA: from left, Fernando Pires, Natália Naomi, Allana Gomes,
Leonardo Barros, Paula Santos and Elínia Oliveira
the classroom. The interns run all the
Classified as a Green Building,
times we had to cancel classes
program’s activities while studying
Odebrecht’s headquarters in Sal-
because there was a foul stench
the Odebrecht Entrepreneurial Tech-
vador was the first in the North/
coming in from the road in front of
nology (TEO) on a regular basis.
Northeast of Brazil to be certified as
the school,” recalls Cândida Tai-
Paulo Guimarães, from Odebrecht,
a Sustainable Building. It serves as a
ara, who teaches at Paulo VI Parish
is the institutional leader of the PEA.
practical example that enables En-
Municipal School in Salvador’s Pau
He observes that, based on TEO, the
gineering and Architecture students
Miúdo community. According to the
interns can absorb a work method
to see that it is possible to invest in
schoolteacher, the PEA has helped
focused on valuing people. “They are
alternatives that enhance social and
residents understand the need for
not only acquiring a professional edu-
economic development, in line with
selective trash collection, and they
cation by means of Education through
environmental conservation.
are now aware that the sidewalk
Work but are being groomed to work
as a team and foster and value life.”
The Communicate sub-program
updates the website and provides in-
is not the appropriate place to dispose of garbage.
The PEA is divided into five sub-
formation to visiting schools. Proger
Another highlight of the PEA
programs: Eco-Trail, Prosper, Com-
seeks to sensitize everyone who
is that it gives interns an oppor-
municate, Proger and Green Building.
works at the office about the im-
tunity to become members of the
Leonardo Luz, the leader of the team
portance of the proper disposal and
Odebrecht Group. This was the
of interns, took on the challenge of
recycling of solid waste. Prospera
case with Ulysses Santos, who is
learning about the more than 50 spe-
focuses on grooming environmen-
now working at OR as a member
cies of plants on the Eco-Trail, a frag-
tal multipliers who, after visiting the
of the company’s Sustainability
ment of Atlantic Forest covering an
Eco-Trail, receive guidelines on how
team. “We come here as diamonds
approximately 40,000 sq.m area that
to develop environmental initiatives
in the rough, and we are polished
contains six thematic stations: Water,
in their communities.
through the PEA, learning to turn
Wildlife, Waste, Bees, Composting
and Plant Life.
“Previously, we didn’t have anywhere to park our cars, and some-
difficulties into opportunities,” he
observes.
informa
69
70
Geobags: an alternative
that benefits the
environment and the
bottom line
defense
LINE OF
A decontamination system based on the use of geobags
is a highlight of the Embraport Terminal project
written by Elea Almeida
70
informa
photos by Júlio Bitencourt
informa
71
L
ocated on the left bank of the Port of
calculations. The solution to this logistical impasse also
Santos, São Paulo, Embraport is an Ode-
proved to be more eco-friendly: implementing a decon-
brecht TransPort venture, in partnership
tamination and containment system for the dredged
with DP World and Coimex, that includes
materials using the geobags technology - large cylin-
the construction and operation of a mul-
drical bags made of geosynthetic fabric, with a storage
tipurpose port terminal. When completed, it will have
“This is an environmentally appropriate solution
2 million TEUs (a unit equivalent to one 20-foot con-
because it removes contaminated material from the
tainer) and 2 billion liters of bulk liquid products.
estuary and contains it safely in an area where it can
Thanks to the construction methods used and the
additional capacity the port terminal will provide to the
72
capacity of 2,300 cu.m. per unit.
a total area of 850,000 sq.m and the capacity to handle
be used in the final stage of the project,” explains Production Manager Giorgio Bullaty Neto.
Port of Santos, Embraport has been included in The
The system involves the flocculation treatment
100 Most Innovative and Inspiring Urban Infrastructure
and containment of solid waste in 169 geobags. The
Projects in the World, a publication produced by the
dredged material is mixed with a polymer that con-
KPMG consulting firm and launched in July of this year
solidates it and prevents it from seeping out through
at the Cities Summit in Singapore.
the pores in the bags. The water is drained out and
One of the features that sets this project apart is the
pumped to a treatment station, where it undergoes a
use of sustainable building solutions, such as geobags.
process of aeration and pH balancing before being re-
Odebrecht Infraestrutura (Infrastructure), the contrac-
turned to the estuary.
tor responsible for building the terminal, adopted this
After receiving appropriate treatment, the water is
technology while dredging 580,000 cu.m of contaminat-
returned to the sea, and the contaminated material is
ed solid materials from the sea access channel located
stored at the terminal’s cargo yard in the form of solid
in front of the terminal - a liability that had been present
waste. “We have demonstrated that we can carry out a
in that area since the middle of the last century.
project of this magnitude with a minimal impact on the
At first, the plans for the project called for pumping
environment. Not only that, but we have improved the
the dredged materials to another site for drying, but the
situation in the surrounding area by implementing this
frequent rainfall in the region put paid to that idea. The
project,” says Giorgio Bullaty.
conventional solution would have been to transport the
The filled geobags occupy a 170,000 sq.m area, and
material to a landfill, which would have required approx-
will be used as the basis for reclaiming land to build a
imately 70,000 truck trips, according to the contractor’s
container yard. Without the containment system, the
informa
In addition to treating sewage, the STPs built at the
jobsite are intended to reduce the amount of treated
water used for other purposes. For example, treated
wastewater can be used to flush toilets. All told, the
three treatment stations process around 250,000 liters
per month. To remove excess impurities, Odebrecht
has created “WetLands” that provide additional treatment by filtering wastewater through rocks in a tank
where plants absorb excess nitrogen and phosphorus.
After that stage, the treated effluent is disposed of in
a body of water.
The three SWTPs have a total treatment capacity of
Giorgio Bullaty Neto: Brazil
needs to create and develop
eco-friendly infrastructure
300,000 liters of storm water. Gravity takes the water
to storage tanks before it is sent to the plants. After
treatment, it is stored in elevated tanks and used in
activities such as washing floors and cars, as well as
wetting down roads.
same amount of earth would have had to be removed
from deposits and transported to the site.
A color-coded system is used in pipelines and storage tanks, identifying recycled water from the STPs,
Giorgio Bullaty stresses that this is the first time
storm water from the SWTPs, and drinking water with
geobags have been used on a project like this. He be-
different colors. Also, the recycled water is dyed blue
lieves that it will serve as an example for other jobsites.
in the tanks to identify its source. To ensure the quality
“This system makes it possible to build major projects
of the process, frequent reports are issued on the ap-
without directly impacting the environment at a time
proximately 550,000 liters processed every month.
when Brazil needs to create and develop infrastructure
facilities,” he argues.
Using less treated water
The initiative has also received outside recognition.
In August, the terminal construction site garnered an
award from the American Chamber of Commerce in
Rio de Janeiro at the 8th Environmental Brazil Prize.
In addition to a treatment plant for the water drained
Odebrecht won in the “Rational Use of Water Resourc-
from the large geobags, the Embraport project also
es” category for a paper titled “Sustainable Jobsite:
has three STPs (sewage treatment plants) and three
Applying Environmental Education in Construction
SWTPs (storm water treatment plants) at its disposal.
Projects.”
Due to the location of the port terminal, bringing in
treated drinking water was a complex task.
The innovative and environmentally responsible solutions adopted on the terminal project have contrib-
Reynaldo Pincette Filho, the Administrative-Finan-
uted to the smooth progress of the work. By December
cial Manager for the project, says that one of the first
2012, Odebrecht expects to deliver the following stages
options studied was digging artesian wells, but the
within the scope of the contract for the first phase of
idea had to be dropped when they only found salt water.
the project: 350 m of the quay, a 50,000-sq.m yard for
Therefore, the short-term solution was bringing water
general cargo storage, an overpass and the admin-
in on barges. The suggestion to implement a treatment
istrative area for the terminal. The first phase will be
system to recycle water and utilize storm water was
completed by October 2013, totaling 650 m of the quay
well received, especially because it afforded an oppor-
and a 207,000-sq.m operational yard, with installed ca-
tunity to sensitize company members about the use of
pacity for handling 1.2 TEUs per year and 2 billion liters
natural resources. “The entire program was created to
of bulk liquid products. The start date for the second
cut down on the amount of treated water used, while
phase has not been set. It will include the extension
doing our duty in regard to educating our members,”
of the quay to 1,100 m, and the expansion of the cargo
says Pincette.
yard to 342,000 sq.m.
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73
savvy
UNDERSTANDING WHAT
MATTERS: PEOPLE
“What gives me the most satisfaction is seeing people who
have worked with me grow, and take on more responsibilities”
statement given to Válber Carvalho edited by Alice Galeffi photo by Holanda Cavalcanti
B
ased on strict discipline and
write. My father, an only child, got
ity of the people who were at the
dedication, Antônio Carlos
into Medical School. My mother is
head of such a large company.
Daiha Blando’s career be-
the daughter of Syrian-Lebanese
gan at the Military Institute of En-
immigrants. I had a very strict up-
First flight
gineering (IME). In 1985, he joined
bringing, and got used to reading
A friend of my father introduced
Odebrecht, where he found an
and studying.
environment that surprised him.
“What impressed me most was the
simplicity, humility and accessibility of the people at the head of an organization as large as Odebrecht.”
Now the CEO for Engineering and
Construction at Odebrecht Energia
(Energy), in this interview for the
Savvy Project, Daiha relates how
his upbringing, the discipline of
military school and years of expe-
then the Odebrecht CEO for Brazil.
“I’ve done a lot
of observing, and
I’ve learned that
everything we do is
through people. They
are the beginning,
middle and end
of all things”
rience at Odebrecht have given him
the tools to grow and enhance the
art of being what he describes as
me to Renato Baiardi, who was
My first job for the company was a
mine project in Minas Gerais. I was
a hick. I had never flown on a commercial airliner before. The first
flight I took was from Rio to Belo
Horizonte to start working at Odebrecht. I spent six months on that
project, where I met Paulo Sá, a
great teacher, and began to understand the company. I realized the
crucial role of Project Directors.
Daiha Blando
That became my dream: working
as a Project Director.
an “educational leader-achiever.”
74
The following are excerpts from
I managed to pass the entrance
his interview. You can watch the
exams for the IME, where we un-
Educational
leader-achiever
entire video on the Odebrecht In-
derwent rigorous trials, working
In Recife, I worked with Ariel
forma website (www.odebrechton-
hard with strict supervision, and I
Parente Costa, the person who had
line.com.br)
served in the military at the same
the greatest influence on my edu-
time. After I graduated, I stayed in
cation. Ariel invested a good part
Family, studies
and finding Odebrecht
the Army and was sent to Recife to
of his time in getting to know his
take a course. While there, I had
team members, how they lived,
My father is the son of an Italian
the opportunity to get to know the
what their expectations were, what
immigrant who came to Brazil after
Odebrecht team building the Re-
they expected from life and the or-
World War I and lived and worked
cife Metro. Right then, I realized I
ganization. Based on that knowl-
here as a shoeshine boy and lottery
wanted to work for this company.
edge, he tried to help them. He was
ticket seller. My grandmother was
What impressed me most was the
a true educational leader-achiever.
a laundress who couldn’t read or
simplicity, humility and accessibil-
He got people to do what he ex-
informa
pected of them without having to ask.
They did it out of admiration, affection; out of respect, or for whatever
reason. I then realized that a leader is
someone who has followers.
“I’m not giving
you a project,
I’m giving you a client”
When I arrived in Venezuela to
work on the construction of the Caracas Metro, Euzenando Azevedo,
Odebrecht’s CEO in that country, told
me something that was perhaps my
most important lesson in the 11 years
I spent there: “Daiha, I’m not giving
you a project, I’m giving you a client.
Don’t just think about your project;
take good care of your client. The
project is for a 6-km [metro] line, but
your client has 100 km more to build.”
And so I did my best to get to know
my client well. I visited him almost
every day, and established a strong
relationship with him, so whenever
Antônio Carlos
Daiha Blando:
the talent and
motivation
to learn and
teach
he had a project, when anything came
up, he’d give us a call.
Legacy
My entire life with the Group has
been based on people. I’ve done a lot
of observing, and I’ve learned that
everything we do is through people.
They are the beginning, middle and
end of all things. I’ve learned from
my leaders and my team members.
What gives me the most satisfaction
is seeing the people who’ve worked
with me grow, take on more responsibilities and become Project Directors and even CEOs.
informa
75
measure of
protection
written by Milton Gérson
T
76
photos by Ricardo Chaves
hanks to the extension of North Line
er for Trensurb, the client for this project, which includes
1, Trensurb, the commuter train sys-
the implementation of 16 environmental programs.
tem that serves Greater Porto Alegre
Odebrecht Infraestrutura Project Director Nilton
in the southern Brazilian state of Rio
Coelho highlights one of the innovations: building sub-
Grande do Sul, will be reaching Novo
way and road bridges across the Sinos River without any
Hamburgo, a traditional hub of the nation’s leather-
piers, which eliminated the need to dam the waterway.
footwear industry, by the end of 2012. All told, the
“We recycled the water in the manufacturing process for
project will add five new stations and over 9.3 km
concrete pieces and used metal formwork, generating
of tracks, but a major highlight is the environmen-
a savings of 4,600 cu.m of wood and the preservation of
tally sustainable programs involving communities
approximately 17,000 trees.”
76
affected by the works that Via Nova, a joint venture
The main programs directly related to the communi-
led by Odebrecht Infraestrutura (Infrastructure), is
ties are tree replacement and the sustainable resettle-
carrying out in that region.
ment of 214 families who used to live in Vila dos Tocos, a
“Speaking about the environment means speaking
slum in São Leopoldo (a town that Trensurb had already
about the preservation of life,” argues Dirceu Nunes Fer-
reached in a previous stage of the project, neighboring
nandes, the Workplace Safety and Environment manag-
on Novo Hamburgo in the metropolitan region of the
informa
On the
Trensurb
works in
Greater Porto
Alegre, the
sustainable
resettlement
of families
eliminates
social and
environmental
risks
state capital of Rio Grande do Sul), where Rio dos Sinos Station is
now fully operational.
“The joint venture built housing in the Brás III and Padre Orestes
subdivisions in the vicinity of the station, and that has changed these
families’ lives. Until recently they had lived in a situation of complete
social and environmental vulnerability,” says Edson Carlos Ferreira
dos Santos, the President of Trensurb’s Special Coordinator for Strategic Projects and the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
Community leader Pedro Nunes has moved into a 45-sq.m home
after living in a shack for the last 40 years, and expanded his bicycle
Trensurb train in São
Leopoldo: residents
who lived in rickety
shacks have moved
to safe locations
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77
Edson Carlos Ferreira
dos Santos: a leading
role in the process of
relocating families
workshop. He is clearly in a mood to celebrate: “Busi-
burgo. “The community is already benefiting because
ness has improved 300%.”
these works have reduced flooding during the rainy sea-
No families were resettled in Novo Hamburgo. “There
son,” she observes.
weren’t any slums on the bed of the railway,” says José
Mirella also explains that, since the inception of the
Luis Campos de Souza, the joint venture’s officer Re-
contract in 2009, the work fronts have generated 61.6
sponsible for Workplace Safety and Environment. “The
metric tons of recyclable waste, which is stored in bins
priority was transferring 52 protected trees like the Bra-
and dumpsters according to the type of trash in question
zilian coral and fig trees and jerivá and pindo palms, in
(plastic, metal, paper, glass and batteries) and taken to a
addition to compensatory planting of 12,600 seedlings,
facility at the main jobsite that ensures they are disposed
mostly along city sidewalks.”
of properly. “The entire process is overseen by representatives of the departments of the environment of both cit-
Wastewater treatment
78
ies,” she stresses.
Bourscheid Engenharia e Meio Ambiente S.A., a
Darci Zanini, the Secretary of the Environment of São
partner company, has followed up on the project’s en-
Leopoldo, points out the “social and environmental mag-
vironmental management since the permits were is-
nitude” of the work being done. He also observes that it
sued. The measures taken to control, prevent and re-
is solving the region’s mobility problems with a transpor-
duce environmental impacts include the deployment of
tation system that is among the most advanced in the
a wastewater treatment system at the concrete factory.
world in terms of sustainability.
“The water used to wash concrete mixer trucks is recy-
Karina Romariz Batista, the Novo Hamburgo Depart-
cled to fabricate new concrete pieces, and is also used
ment of the Environment’s Environmental Protection Di-
in the restrooms, to flush the toilets,” says agronomist
rector, stresses the construction of Praça Novo Nações,
Mirella Dias Machado, Bourscheid’s representative on
a park that opened in 2010. In addition to offering recre-
the project.
ational and sports facilities, it is home to 14 jerivá palms,
She also emphasizes the monitoring, drainage and
a pindo palm and a fig tree transplanted there from the
channeling of natural waterways on the route of the ex-
construction site. “Follow-up and monitoring allow us to
tension works, such as the Sinos River and two creeks,
give the community answers to the questions that arise
Gauchinho in São Leopoldo, and Luiz Rau in Novo Ham-
when they see trees being removed,” she observes.
informa
GROWING A
beach
T
written by Eduardo Souza Lima
The restoration
of the strip
of sand in
Sepetiba is the
first stage in the
district’s complete
revitalization
photos by Carlos Júnior
he amazing shrinking beach is now growing and gaining shape: “When I saw the
plan on paper, I thought what we would
be restoring was a strip of sand the
size of Ipanema. But this has become a
beach the size of Copacabana!” Marilene Ramos, Chair
of the State Environmental Institute (INEA), an agency
of the Rio de Janeiro State Department of Environment,
could not hide her enthusiasm when she visited the
Odebrecht Infraestrutura works in August. The Sepetiba Beach Environmental Rehabilitation Project has
left the drawing board and is now a reality, restoring
a 2-km stretch of sand, with some sections that are as
much as 500 m wide.
This expanse of seacoast in the West Zone of Rio
Revitalizing
Sepetiba
Beach:
boosting
the local
community’s
self-esteem
and identity
de Janeiro experienced its heyday in the 1970s, when
it attracted thousands of tourists on weekends. The
environment in that area had already begun to suffer,
but the process of degradation increased markedly
79
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79
The beach is back: more people are visiting Sepetiba,
particularly on weekends, and birds and fish are
returning. Below, the dredging operation
Transplanting mangrove seedlings
Odebrecht Infraestrutura began restoring the area
in September 2010. The results can already be felt,
not only there but also some 70 km away, in Fundão
Channel - a native mangrove that was dying out until
seedlings from the mangrove that had invaded Sepetiba were transplanted there. This, incidentally, was
the first stage of the project, a massive undertaking
coordinated by biologist Mario Moscatelli. His team
replanted seedlings in the vicinity of Fundão, and relocated fiddler crabs to Morro do Radar, in the same
region. They were gathered by hand, one at a time.
“We were able to transplant about 70% of the mangrove, instead of simply removing it. In another era, it
would probably have been entirely covered over,” says
from the 1990s onward, when sludge began covering
Moscatelli. “The recovery project for Fundão Channel
the sand and the beach became a massive swamp.
was going on at the same time, so the two projects
“We used to make our living from the beach. I sold
juice there as a vendor until 1993. After that, it was
80
were mutually beneficial. The Sepetiba mangrove was
key to the restoration of the channel,” he adds.
impossible,” recalls Sérgio Pinto, a native of Nova
Because the beach is located in the innermost part
Iguaçu who adopted the neighborhood 30 year ago.
of a bay, where there is little water transfer, Sepetiba
Sérgio is a member of the Sepetiba Rehabilitation
is a natural repository for detritus - and some con-
Committee (CORES), an NGO that has given voice to
sider the mud accumulated in its bed to be medicinal.
local residents’ demands for the past 12 years. But
However, human interference has accelerated this
now, he says it is even possible to catch shrimp near
process. “The mangrove is an indicator of the silting
the shore. Herons and other birds are also return-
process. The rivers that flowed into the bay used to
ing; vacationers, likewise. “On Sundays, from 2 pm
be sinuous, which prevented residue from building up.
onwards, there are 5,000 or 6,000 people here,” he
But when they were channeled, they became natural
guarantees.
barriers,” explains Mario Moscatelli.
informa
The residue is called silt, a mixture of clay and
sandy sediment. Wastewater from organic sewage
further aggravated the problem. “There is a natural
process that humans accelerate with pollution and
disorderly occupation. Unfortunately, the public is not
aware that a swamp is vegetation, and they treat it like
a garbage dump. Not to mention that it is harder to
clean a swamp than a beach,” says Project Director
Marcos Saliveros. The environmental damage was
considerable: in addition to driving out the native plant
and animal life, the degraded habitat attracted vermin, including rats and cockroaches. And then there
was the stench.
The region’s 40,000 residents can now celebrate
Retired soldier
Roberto Valentim:
“Sepetiba will once
again become the
West Zone’s beach”
the first benefits of the project. “This here used to
be the recreation area for the West Zone. I was born
The rehabilitation of the beach is the first step
in Marechal Hermes and came here as a kid, when I
in the project to revitalize the entire neighborhood,
was 10 years old, to live with my grandfather. Today, I
which also includes creating recreational areas such
am overjoyed to see it coming back to life,” says re-
as playing courts, and deploying a cleaning plan.
tired soldier Roberto Valentim, 56, also a member of
Now that the beach has been restored, it is also up to
CORES.
the public to take care of it so they can go on to en-
The sludge was kept in place with geosynthetic fab-
joy further achievements – for example, the water is
ric, which in turn was covered with sand. It is the same
still unfit for swimming. “I bought my house 17 years
method used to build roads and railways on wetlands.
ago, when I got married. I’ve raised my children and
“The plan calls for the beach to have an 80-m strip
am raising my grandchildren here. Sepetiba will once
that the swamp will never reach, ever again,” says
again become the West Zone’s beach. But for that to
Marcos Saliveros. Most of the sand used was extract-
happen, local residents must do their part. That is
ed with dredges from underwater deposits in Sepetiba
why environmental education is so important,” says
Bay, located up to 4.5 km from the coast.
Valentim.
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81
fresh
air
Tree planting and recyclng
help ensure a better quality
of life for communities
in Viana, in the Luanda
metropolitan region
written by Eliana Simonetti
82
82
informa
photos by Guilherme Afonso
I
n the Kimbundu language, one of 50 spoken in
Angola, zango means “gathering.” It is also the
name of the district in Viana, a town in the Luanda metropolitan region, where the Populations
Rehousing Program (PRP) is underway. Begun in
2001, it is generating about 3,000 work opportunities.
Odebrecht alone has built more than 15,000 houses
for families who used to live in at-risk neighborhoods
on the outskirts of Luanda and areas affected by the
city’s urban renewal plan – a range of projects that are
rapidly changing the face of Luanda.
The Zango neighborhood has been growing nonstop ever since. It isn’t easy to calculate how many
people live there now, but it is estimated to have more
than 100,000 residents. The original houses, each
with a built area of 60 sq.m, three bedrooms, a living room, kitchen and bathroom, are often adapted
and expanded to house extended families, including
grandparents, children, nieces and nephews, and
grandchildren.
The community has garbage collection, water,
electricity, schools, a bank, policing, markets, public
health clinics and other services. There will always
be room for improvement, but the people who live in
Zango realize that moving there has broadened their
horizons. It has brought new hope and provided a better quality of life.
The sea of houses that make up the neighborhood is an impressive sight for any visitor. The redness of the soil that characterizes that part of Luanda
strikes the eye in that flat terrain. The region was deforested centuries ago. It is important to plant trees
there, greening the land between the houses so there
is shade, flowers can bloom, and everything is that
much more beautiful.
A plant nursery at the project’s jobsite is helping make this happen. It has already produced over
6,000 tree seedlings of various species that have been
planted in front of houses and in public areas. The
goal, however, is even more ambitious: doubling the
number of trees planted by the end of this year, including public spaces like parks and gardens. To ensure their survival, each resident is tasked with caring
Gardener João
Domingos in the
nursery: 12,000
seedlings planted
by the end of 2012
for a sapling.
“You have to water them in the morning and afternoon,” explains Zango resident João Domingos,
the gardener who takes care of the nursery. Because
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83
Noé Sacassueca is happy
to show off some of the soap
the cooperative has produced:
generating incomes for
12 families
84
these lessons are taught through lectures given at lo-
nardo, this project ensures a weekly supply of three
cal schools, 8,000 children are already caring for the
containers of oil to the cooperative. Ramos Bernar-
trees that, in a not too distant future, will transform
do, who was a schoolteacher during the war and has
the streets of Zango into flowered boulevards.
worked at Odebrecht since 2007, is pleased with the
To increase the work opportunities available to
results. But not as pleased as Noé Sacassueca, 65.
families that now live in Zango, Odebrecht has de-
After growing cassava and maize in Zango before
ployed Acreditar (Believe), the Group’s Ongoing Pro-
that area became the huge neighborhood it is today,
fessional Education Program, as well as sponsoring
he was pretty discouraged about the future. Then,
other educational initiatives, including the Zango
in 2011, he took a course offered by Odebrecht, and
Socio-Professional Center (CESA), run by the Ango-
his outlook changed. He brought together a group of
lan Congregation of Salesian Sisters. CESA has also
women and organized the cooperative, which is now
partnered with Kambas do Bem (a group formed by
made up of 12 families.
Odebrecht Angola members’ families that does vol-
The formula is simple: oil, water and caustic soda.
unteer work in that country) and the Training Cen-
Plus elbow grease to stir the ingredients until they
ter of the Angolan Ministry of Public Administration,
thicken. The liquid is poured into wood trays, where
Employment and Security (MAPESS) to help produce
it is left to dry and then cut up into bars. Nothing is
more sources of income and access to job skills.
wasted, not even the leftover soap flakes and bars
Since August of last year, in the context of sustain-
that aren’t evenly sliced. They are grated, pounded
ability programs, the project has collected discarded
into a powder with a mortar and pestle, and then
cooking oil from the cafeteria that a cooperative of
bagged. “Our production is still small, but orders are
Zango residents uses to make soap. The cooking oil
not lacking,” says Noé. Other Odebrecht projects in
is stored in 20-liter containers. Run by Ramos Ber-
the Luanda region are also being organized to find
informa
more ways for Zango cooperatives to recycle the
cooking oil discarded from the company’s kitchens.
Recycling tires
This is a drive sponsored by Odebrecht to simultaneously raise the community’s awareness about
the benefits of recycling and improve their quality of
life. In Zango there is also a cooperative made up of
40 people who make brooms from PET bottles. An-
Products made
from used tires: an
opportunity for work
and income
other, composed of 60 women, produces handicrafts
using a variety of materials. And there’s more: 100
people, in three different classes, are taking an entrepreneurship course to learn how to manage small
businesses.
Something similar is also going on in an area not
far from there, in the Special Economic Zone (ZEE),
also located in Viana: a project in which Odebrecht
has taken charge of installing infrastructure to facilitate industrial operations. The Community MicroEntrepreneur Tire Recycling Program is being carried out within the sphere of that project. “We have
selected some people who have the skills and creativity required to multiply this knowledge,” explains
social worker Telma Marisa da Silva Handa. “After
all, we need to recycle tires used on the project and
many others that would otherwise be dumped in the
streets and neighborhoods of this city,” she adds.
Evaristo Carlos Benjamim is 40 years old and has
seven children and two grandchildren. Born in Angola’s Moxico Province, he moved to Luanda with his
family during the war in search of security and a way
to make a living. In the army, he handled food storage logistics. Years later, after he was discharged, he
joined an NGO dedicated to caring for children suffering from war trauma. That was where he learned
to make paper handicrafts and developed a knack for
dealing with people. With these assets, Benjamim
forged ahead. This is what happened next:
Six years ago, he joined Odebrecht as an admin-
to hone our skills. To make something we must first
istrative assistant, became responsible for general
design and create it, and this is an essential step that
services, and then took charge of the warehouse be-
I teach my students. We must also be careful and pay
fore reaching his current position as a social worker.
attention to safety, since we have to handle knives in
That’s what he does on weekdays. On weekends he
this activity,” says Evaristo. They make chairs, tables,
has another activity: on Saturdays and Sundays, after
vases, bowls, sandals, toys, gifts... Benjamim can cre-
church, he makes furniture and other items from used
ate whatever you can imagine from rubber tires. Even
tires. And he teaches his craft to a class of 7 young
hats, he says - although he prefers headgear made
people. “We make things to order, but we also strive
from leather or fabric.
informa
85
living in
equilibrium
written by Gabriela Vasconcellos
Restoring degraded
areas and springs
in the Southern
Bahia Lowlands
harmonizes the
flows of life
V
Permanent Preservation Areas for a 24-month period
at no cost to the owners. Dete has chosen this path, and
has already started planting. “I’m doing my best to get
good results. Everyone in the settlement supports this
program,” she says, clearly pleased.
According to Volney Fernandes, the Leader of the
OCT Cooperative Alliance for Environmental Services,
who is also working towards a Master’s degree in Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Development,
his institution considers the recovery of degraded areas
aldete “Dete” do Nascimento, 47, does
and springs a priority for ensuring that the flows of life
not complain about her busy routine.
– a term that includes the soil, water, flora and fauna,
She wakes up at 5:30 am and starts
humans and their businesses - are balanced. “We want
her day. First, she makes breakfast
to establish an economy in the Pratigi Environmental
and lunch. Then she goes to her farm,
Protection Area (APA) communities that is in harmony
where she works until the late afternoon, taking care of
with the environment, thereby promoting environmen-
her palm plantation, which produces hearts-of-palm,
tal services: water, carbon and biodiversity,” he says.
and her fish farm. She then returns home and does the
Dete Nascimento is going even further. While be-
housework, taking a break from time to time to watch
coming a water producer, she is also planting a one-
TV. Preferably, Brazil’s popular novelas.
hectare area with a variety of crops, such as cocoa,
A resident of the Mata do Sossego Settlement in the
rubber and fruit trees, a method known as the Agro-
Southern Bahia Lowlands county of Igrapiúna, she is
forestry System (SAF). The OCT is providing technical
driven by work. “I’ll never stop or slow down. My life has
and financial support in partnership with the Regional
always been this way. I’m guaranteeing my survival,”
Development and Action Company (CAR), an agency
she says. For example, she has started participating
of the State of Bahia. The Brazilian Biodiversity Fund
in the Payment for Environmental Services Program
(FUNBIO), the Executive Planning Commission for Co-
(PSA), through which she helps preserve the environ-
coa Farming (CEPLAC) and the Brazilian Agricultural
ment. “I’m going to start reforesting my property, main-
Research Corporation (EMBRAPA) have also joined
ly around two springs that I have here. I decided to help
forces, conducting research that identifies plants suit-
them so they don’t dry up.”
able for cultivation in the Pratigi APA, which covers five
The PSA is run by the Land Conservation Organization (OCT), an institution that is part of the Program for
86
photos by Fernando Vivas
86
Bahian counties: Igrapiúna, Ituberá, Ibirapitanga, Piraí
do Norte and Nilo Peçanha.
the Development and Growth Integrated with Sustain-
“The SAF is included free of charge, providing a
ability of the Southern Bahia Lowlands Mosaic of Envi-
means of ensuring a source of income for each family
ronmental Protection Areas (PDCIS), promoted by the
unit. It serves as a quid pro quo for farmers who set
Odebrecht Foundation, the government, civil society
aside part of their land to preserve native vegetation,”
and private institutions. This initiative enables the plant-
says Volney Fernandes. He adds that the ongoing work
ing and maintenance of native Atlantic Forest plants in
at the APA will result in a model that can be replicated
informa
informa
Dete Nascimento
and one of the
protected springs
on her property:
“I decided to help
them so they don’t
dry up”
87
informa
informa
in other regions. “It will be possible to gain scale by us-
Jeovan Nascimento, 41, hopes this will be the case.
ing existing public policies, making it natural to have
Like Dete, he cares about the environment. “My chil-
access to resources that are available in other regions,”
dren and grandchildren need to know what a forest is,”
he explains. For Dete, this is yet another opportunity to
says the farmer, who lives in the Juliana community, in
collaborate with the environment. “We receive guide-
Piraí do Norte county. Jeovan is also restoring a spring.
lines on how to cultivate crops while protecting the
“When my father came here, he found a devastated re-
soil,” she says.
gion. He made a pasture, but raising cattle isn’t profit-
In addition to her activities on the farm, Dete still
able here because it rains too much. When this oppor-
finds time to study. Last year, she graduated from the
tunity arose through OCT, he let us use those areas and
Youth House State High School, a teaching unit that is
get down to work,” he says.
part of the PDCIS and also located in Igrapiúna. The
On Jeovan’s family farm, in addition to restoring the
farmer is clearly interested in planning the future of
spring, they are also planting an SAF and engaging in
the forests around her. “What we are doing today is im-
forestry, another OCT strategy to reduce deforestation
portant for the present and future. I know we need to
which encourages people to plant eucalyptus trees to
preserve the environment now so we don’t suffer the
meet the demand for wood in the region. “I want to use
consequences later, like running out of water. I’ll leave
these different crops to increase our income and start
the rest to fate.”
my own business,” says Jeovan, who currently works as
a day laborer on someone else’s farm.
Everyone’s concern
ronmental Conservation Leader, feels a sense of sat-
on activities that contribute to the reforestation of the
isfaction because farmers are realizing that there are
Pratigi APA, fostering the creation of ecological cor-
ways of using the land that does not degrade the soil.
ridors that will link up forest fragments in the Central
“This is a major achievement,” he says. “We are work-
Corridor of the Atlantic Forest, an area ranging from
ing to recover springs, deploy and promote agroforestry
Bahia to the neighboring state of Espírito Santo. “We
systems, and encourage timber production to meet the
have an annual deforestation rate of about 700 hect-
demand in this region, thereby cutting down on defor-
ares in the region. We need to reverse that trend,” he
estation. This will lead us build up an economy that is in
observes.
harmony with the environment,” he argues.
Reforesting degraded
areas in the Pratigi
APA: a sustainable
future is being born
88
Environmental engineer Bruno Matta, OCT’s Envi-
According to Volney Fernandes, the OCT focuses
informa
Next issue:
Important milestones
in 2012
RESPONSIBLE FOR CORPORATE COMMUNICATION AT CONSTRUTORA NORBERTO
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Originally published in Portuguese. Also available in Spanish.
informa
89
Lia Lubambo
photo:
“People must love
and respect nature,
and help keep it
in balance”
TEO (Odebrecht Entrepreneurial Technology)
90
informa