Environmental Consulting

Wastewater treatment (Conventional Activated Sludge)

Since 1990 Nikolas has worked in Design Build Operate schemes for Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant projects in Greece.  His contribution has been on the design, construction management and operator training.  Typical characteristics of coastal towns in Greece provide challenging design conditions, which is very small population in the winter time, growing much in the summer.  Another challenge was the uncontrolled inflow of storm water into the sewer system.  Nikolas has participated in three main plant projects 5.000-25.000 PE and a number of smaller ones (municipal & industrial).

Wastewater treatment (Natural Systems)

Since 1996 Nikolas switched focus from conventional to natural systems for wastewater treatment.  He has been trained and worked on the vertical flow reed bed systems using Phragmites Australis plant species.  He designed and supervised four main municipal plant projects>1000 PE and a number of smaller municipal and private projects.  He managed the planting and start-up procedures and provided hands on guidance on the operation of the plants.  One of the facilities (Gomati, Chalkidiki) served as educational and research ground for the University of Thrace, Greece.

Environmental Impact Assessment

Nikolas has managed teams of scientists and engineers in the Environmental Assessment of a variety of projects.  He prepared Environmental Statements for a number of public infrastructure projects.  Highway and Water Resources projects were the core of his work.  He guided the consultee engagement process and helped obtaining the necessary permissions and authorisations for the maturation of the projects.

Since 1986 Nikolas follows closely the development of the EU Water Environmental legislation and its adaptation in Greece.  He has deep working knowledge of the relevant EU legal framework and its implementation in Greece.  He has extensive experience in water/wastewater project preparation for EU funding (Technical design, EIA, Stakeholder involvement, Budget, Submission package). 

Wind Project Development

Nikolas has been retained by Jura Energy from Germany to develop a 40 MW, 60Million € onshore wind farm in Northern Greece.  The project also included a substation of medium to high voltage, the connection of the farm to the national grid and the trunk road network to access the wind mills.  Nikolas set up a team of a geologist, ornithologist, mechanical-electrical, forest specialist, geotechnical, structural and ecology scientists and engineers.  The process lasted 6 years (2006-2012).  The results have been thoroughly checked by the project investors in 2013 to their full satisfaction and requirements.

Since 1992 Nikolas is providing consulting services to the American Farm School of Thessaloniki on the collection, treatment and reuse of their domestic, animal and process wastewater.  At the School the wastewater is treated to National, European and other international effluent reuse standards and it is applied sustainably to agricultural crops for the last 40 years.  The School operates a state of the art treatment-reuse facility which is constantly evolving.  The facility has been attracting significant private donations for improvements and also international students for field work.

Relevant publication: AFS Treatment Facility