This document has been prepared by the Standing Committee on Engineering and Environment of the Institution of Professional Engineers, New Zealand (IPENZ).

It is based on material previously published by IPENZ as the Environmental Code, A Guide to the Integration of Environmental Assessment with Engineering Practice. This Code is now over 10 years old.

An extensive revision of this earlier document has been necessary because of the enormous changes in legislation which have taken place since its publication, most notably the advent of the Resource Management Act, 1991, the Building Act, 1991, the Crown Minerals Act, 1991, Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act, 1996 and associated Regulations.

Thus, this document incorporates much new material, specifically:

• a description of the new legislation
• a chapter on methods of environmental effects assessment
• an essay on ecological economics as a contribution to the debate on sustainability
• an introduction to the principles of stewardship embedded in the Resource Management Act and Agenda 21
• an introduction to the principles being adopted as the base for the ISO 14000 Series of Standards on Environmental Management Systems

The purpose of this document is to provide information and guidance. It is aimed at all engineers including students, graduates, and those already in professional practice. The document is structured in two parts:

It is hoped that these guidelines will encourage professional engineers of all kinds to think seriously about how the environmental issues and concerns presented herein should affect their daily life and work, and how the engineering profession should practice the principals of sustainable development management of resources. In this respect reference should also be made to the IPENZ publications entitled "Environmental Principles for Engineers", the Code of Ethics, and the "Sustainable Management Action Plan".