Environmental Clerk of Works (ECOW) Foundation Course

The ECoW role is fundamental to the construction industry, providing advice and guidance on best practice in a variety of environmental issues on site. Our Environmental Clerk of Works (ECoW) Foundation programme is designed for professionals looking for a broad basis of knowledge to support this role. It has been developed in collaboration with industry bodies including SEPA and local planning authorities and can be used as recognised CPD. The course is aligned to Masters level; while you may not currently be working as an ECOW we would expect delegates to have relevant practical or academic experience in a related field.

The course comprises approximately 40 hours of study; topics covered in our ECoW course include: the end-to-end construction process; water management and pollution control; waste and resource management (land contamination, waste, sustainability); auditing skills and project management. The course has been designed to be as interactive as possible with workshops forming the foundation of the course. As well as allowing delegates to build on practical on-site skills, the course also allows delegates to develop their personal skills by practicing effective communication and undertaking mental health first aid and resilience workshops. In terms of assessment, delegates are assigned a case study at the start of the course and use this to generate and submit a portfolio of short submissions throughout the duration of the course. Delegates are also asked to make a short presentation summarising their case study and findings at the end of the course.