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Retired Academic |
Academic Profile
I retired from the Department of Environmental and Geographical Science at the University of Cape Town (UCT) at the end of 2016, after 31 years at this institution. I am still active in the field of environmental assessment and management as a freelance consultant and researcher.
My primary focus is on the philosophy and theory of environmental assessment (EA), including the integration of environmental factors into land use planning, engineering design and decision making. A secondary focus is on the requirements for sustainability in the provision and management of the built environment. My current research is on the role of knowledge, values, reason and power in the making and taking of decisions, in both strategic and project-level EA.
I have been involved in EA policy development since 1986, contributing to policies, laws, regulations and guidelines, and was the final editor of the 2014 national strategy for Environmental Impact Assessment and Management. Since 2012 I have been a Board Member of the Environmental Assessment Practitioners Association of South Africa (EAPASA) and act as Chair of the Board’s Standards and Criteria Committee. I am a member of the South African Affiliate of the International Association for Impact Assessment.
Publications
Refereed Journal Articles
- National publications
- International level
- Bowen, P.A., Hill, R.C., Mabote, R., Catell, K.S. and Edwards, P.(2009) The Potential Role of Value Management in Environmental Impact Assessment: A Maseru Case Study. ACTA Structilia, Vol.16, No.2, pp.103 - 120. Bloemfontein: University of the Free State.
- de Villiers, C. and Hill, R.C. (2008) Environmental Management Frameworks as an Alternative to Farm- Level EIA in a Global Biodiversity Hotspot: A Proposal from the Cape Floristic Region, South Africa, Journal of Environmental Assessment Policy and Management, Vol.10, Issue 4, December, pp.333 - 360.
- Kaatz, E., Root, D.S., Bowen, P.A. and Hill, R.C. (2006) Advancing Key Outcomes of Sustainability Building Assessment, Building Research & Information, Vol.34, No.4, pp.308 - 320.
- Kaatz, E., Bowen, P.A. and Hill, R.C. (2004) Development of Benchmarks and Weighting Systems for Building Environmental Assessment Methods: Opportunities for a Participatory Approach. Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology , Vol.2, No.2, pp.125 - 143. Cape Town: Peninsula Technikon.
- Barker, G., Hill, R.C., Bowen, P.A. and Evans, K. (2004) Economic and Regulatory Approaches to Improve the Environmental Performance of Buildings in South Africa. ACTA Structilia, Vol.11, Nos.1&2, pp.1 - 25. Bloemfontein: University of the Free State.
- Hill, R.C., Pienaar J., Bowen P.A., Küsel, K. and Kuiper, S. (2002) The Transition to Sustainability in the Planning, Construction and Management of the Built Environment in South Africa, Int. J. of Environmental Technology and Management - Special Issue on 'Sustainable Built Environments', Vol.2, Nos.1/2/3, pp.200 - 224. Genève: Inderscience.
- Knowles, L. and Hill, R.C. (2001) Environmental Initiatives in South African Wineries: A Comparison Between Small and Large Wineries. Eco-management and Auditing. Vol.8, No 4, pp.210 - 228. Chichester: John Wiley.
- Hill, R.C. (2000) Integrated Environmental Management Systems in the Implementation of Projects. SA Journal of Science, 96, February, pp.50 - 54. Pretoria: National Research Foundation.
- Hill, R.C., Bowen, P.A. and Soboil, J.H. (1997) The Use of Environmental Management Systems in Construction Projects. Australian Institute of Building Papers, Vol.8, pp.27 - 39. Melbourne: University of Melbourne. One citation on ISI Web of Science.
- Hill, R.C. and Bowen, P.A. (1997) Sustainable Construction: Principles and a Framework for Attainment. Construction Management and Economics, Vol.15, No.3, pp.223 - 239. London: E & FN Spon.
- Dalgliesh, C.D., Bowen, P.A. and Hill, R.C. (1997) Environmental Sustainability in the Delivery of Affordable Housing in South Africa. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, Vol.4, No.1, pp.23 - 39. Oxford: Blackwell Scientific.
- Brown, A.L. and Hill, R.C. (1995) Decision-scoping: Making EA Learn How the Design Process Works. project Appraisal, Vol.10, No.4, pp.219 - 228. Guildford: Beech Tree Publishing.
- Hill, R.C., Archer, F.M. and Webley, L. (1990) Conflict Over Change in Land Tenure in the Reserves of Namaqualand, South Africa: A Role For Integrated Environmental Management. Impact Assessment Bulletin, Vol.8, Nos.1 & 2, pp.197 - 215. Indiana, Pennsylvania: International Association for Impact Assessment.
Papers presented at Conferences (last five years)
- Hill, R.C. (2012) Evidence, Rationality and Power in Decision-Making for Sustainability, paper presented through a virtual link to the Berlin 2012 conference on Evidence for Sustainable Development, a biennial conference on the Human Dimensions of Global Environmental Change, Freie Universität Berlin and the Graduate School of Business, University of Cape Town, 5-6 October.
- Hill, R.C. (2012) The Art of Mutual Adjustment and the Science of Critical Rationality: Theory for Reaching Decisions in Environmental Assessment, paper presented at the 32nd International Geographical Congress, Down to Earth, University of Cologne, 26-30 August.
- Hill, R.C. (2012) Argumentative Theory of Reasoning and its Implications for Deliberative Decision-making, paper presented to the 2012 Conference of the Society of South African Geographers on Building Critical Conversations in Geography, Department of Environmental and Geographical Science, University of Cape Town, 20-22 June.
- Hill, R.C. (2009) Alternatives as the 'Soul' of Environmental Assessment: Where Applicable, and How Comprehensive? In web-based proceedings of the National Conference of the South African Affiliation of the International Association for Impact Assessment - IAIAsa 09 - on Environmental Impact Assessment and Beyond, Theme - Re-looking at EIA: pp.1 - 13, Wilderness, 23-26 August.
- Raji, O.R. and Hill, R.C. (2008) Class Environmental Assessment for Groups of Projects in South Africa. Double-blind peer reviewed paper published in web-based proceedings, Pope, J. and Morrison-Saunders, A. (eds) of the 28th Annual Meeting of the International Association for Impact Assessment - IAIA'08 - on The Art and Science of Impact Assessment, Perth Convention Exhibition Centre, Australia, 4 to 10 May. ISBN 978-1-9800351-1-7.
Other Publications and Reports (last five years)
- Hill, R.C. (2011) Points of Agreement, Dispute, and Recommendations on Proposals in Subtheme One Report, Procedures and Organisational Structures, for the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) national Environmental Impact Assessment and Management (EIA&M) Strategy, pp. 1 - 10.
- Rippon, S., Hill, R.C. and Sowman, M. (2009) Report on Preliminary Environmental Impact Assessment of Development of a Solar Power Plant at Touws River, Environmental Evaluation Unit, University of Cape Town, for Concentrix Solar.