Sean and Kate are both qualified environmental scientists with over 20 years’ professional experience, and together they have established a reputable network of industry professionals and regulatory bodies.
The Harris Team
Kate Harris
Partner, Director & Principal Environmental Consultant
M: 0403 237 072
E: kate@hec.eco
Qualifications: Bachelor of Applied Science (Agriculture), Post Graduate Diploma’s in Natural Resource Management, Design for Bushfire Prone Areas, Environmental Management for Business (Herts) and in Bushfire Protection.
Kate is currently undertaking her Masters in Design for Bushfire Prone Areas at UWS.
Kate is an Accredited Practitioner BPAD – Level 3 (NSW) and have provided more than 400 Bushfire assessments and BAL reports over the last 4 years to builders, developers, surveyors, planners, architects and the general public.
These reports include:
- Rezoning Proposals for RU1 Rural landscape to be rezoned to R5- large Lot Residential;
- Special Fire Protection Purpose Developments including day hospital, surgeries, cabins, wedding venues, schools, eco cabins and places of Public Worship;
- Subdivision proposals range from 2 lots to 100 lots both rural residential and urban release;
- Certified BAL certificates for both single house lots and industrial;
- Infill for 79BA;
- Alternate solutions for infill- including access design, water supply and Flame Zone;
- Bushfire Evacuation Emergency Plans consistent with the RFS Guidelines for the Preparation of Emergency/Evacuation Plan, and in consultation with the local RFS Control Centre’s;
- Reports for Class 5,6 & 7 proposals including large industrial development, aquaponics ventures and fire wood supply business.
Kate works to find a solution for her clients so that:
- the regulative requirements are satisfied;
- the clients understand the implications of the risk;
- the bushfire risk is managed at the appropriate level.
Kate enjoys working with people who are trying to achieve a dream and Kate especially enjoys the problem solving throughout the process.
Sean Harris
Partner, Director & Principal Environmental Consultant
M: 0425 335 245
E: sean@hec.eco
Qualifications: Bachelor of Applied Science (Agriculture), Graduate Diploma in Natural Resources Management and Masters of Environmental Science.
Sean’s passion and expertise in on site wastewater management, floating treatment wetlands and water quality management. Sean started his career with the NSW Soil Conservation Service in 1990, working in Western NSW as a soil and vegetation specialist. Sean’s core expertise since 1997 has been on site wastewater management, working on a diverse range of domestic, commercial and local government projects, comprising over 3000 site.
Between 2001 and 2003 in the United Kingdom, he was a Senior Environmental Scientist, specialising in Sustainable Urban Drainage System, our equivalent of Water Sensitive Urban Drainage. In this role, Sean worked closely with specialists in constructed wetlands that included the beginning of the floating treatment wetland, which has since become a recognised Best Management Practice for water quality management around the world. Since 2005, Sean has been developing a floating wetland system, based on his trials and commercial installations. He remains committed to developing a an ecologically resilient system that supports true, emergent wetland species.
Pichamon (Nay) Sarakan
Environmental Engineer
E: nay@hec.eco
Qualifications: Pichamon (Nay) Sarakan is an Environmental Engineer at Harris Environmental Consulting. Pichamon assumed her position in the beginning of 2017, specialising in soil, water and on site wastewater management.
Pichamon eagerly keeps informed of the latest technologies and engineering software available to ensure solutions are delivered effectively to our clients.
Her expertise in using CAD software including Draftsight, one and two dimensional flood analysis (HEC-RAS software, EPA SWMM Software) for stormwater management analysis and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for performing analysis remotely have aided the clients in successfully meeting their objectives in a safe, ethical and high quality manner.
Michael Wilson
E: michael@hec.eco
Qualifications: Michael Wilson graduated from the University of New South Wales with a Bachelor of Science (Zool) in 1983. In 1993 he was awarded a Graduate Diploma in Education from the University of Wollongong.
From 1994, Michael has worked as a secondary school teacher (Science) in the Illawarra region. This role enabled Michael to promote the Sciences amongst students and, in particular, raising levels of environmental awareness.
From 2012 until 2017, in addition to maintaining his role in the classroom, Michael lectured and tutored for the University of Wollongong’s Education Faculty, helping inspire and prepare Science teachers in-training for their future work.
Michael is pleased to join the team at Harris Environmental Consulting, and is relishing the opportunity to apply his scientific background to a range of environmental projects within the local community.
Zachary McCann
Environmental Scientist
E: zac@hec.eco
Qualifications: Bachelor of Science (Environment); University of Wollongong, Australia
Zac is a Graduate Environmental Scientist at Harris Environmental Consulting. Zachary commenced his position in June 2018, specialising in bushfire planning, fluvial quality management, and terrestrial ecology.
Zachary is skilled in Computer Aided Drafting (CAD) Software, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) as well as analytical chemical testing. He is passionate about providing outcomes for clients that bridge the gap between public safety and maintaining biodiversity.
Delivering expertise, advice and integrated environmental solutions to clients in both the public and private sector
Every good project needs good groundwork. And that’s where Harris Environmental Consulting (HEC) comes in. We not only deliver expertise, advice and integrated environmental solutions to clients in both the public and private sectors. When you work with HEC, you can count on a reliable service for a competitive price. Before anything, we listen – taking the time to understand your needs and giving you our best understanding of the legislative requirements. The result is a cost effective and practical design.
The HEC team specialises in soil and water management, on-site wastewater management and storm water management. We are qualified in environmental science and bushfire engineering, as well as drawing on experiences from when we were previously employed with the NSW Soil Conservation Service and roles with various councils and other environmental consulting groups.
Over the past 12 years, we have provided a service to almost 500 clients. These include private homeowners, surveyors, architects, town planners, developers, land development consultants, councils and mining companies. HEC covers a lot of ground, consulting on projects throughout Western Sydney, the Southern Highlands, Illawarra, Shoalhaven and Far South Coast regions. The environmental management landscape – both literally and figuratively – is constantly changing, and it’s our 20+ years’ experience that allows us to assess all cases accurately and professionally.
For us, it’s all about ensuring you can proceed with complete confidence, every time. That’s the true nature of our business.
