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Envision’s Role in the Water Sector

7-February-2025

Guest author: Michaella Wittmann, EcoMend Solutions 

The water sector is uniquely positioned to benefit from Envision. Whether it’s water treatment and distribution, stormwater management, or environmental restoration, Envision offers a flexible framework that addresses the sector’s diverse needs. The framework is particularly adept at tackling critical challenges such as: 

  • Aging Infrastructure: Helping organizations modernize outdated systems while incorporating sustainability.
  • Climate Resilience: Building systems that withstand extreme weather events and changing environmental conditions.
  • Regulatory Compliance: Simplifying adherence to both current and future environmental regulations.
  • Water Availability and Quality: Ensuring reliable access to clean water.
  • Social Justice and Equity: Promoting multi-benefit solutions that serve diverse communities equitably.

As of February 1, 2025, water and wastewater projects make up 36% of ISI’s verification program, representing $38 billion in investment. This significant adoption highlights the water sector’s trust in Envision as a reliable tool for achieving sustainable outcomes. Project types that have successfully used Envision are varied across the water sector and include water treatment & distribution; wastewater collection & treatment; capture/storage; stormwater management; flood control; nutrient management; and environmental restoration. 

A Growing Community of Envision Users 

One of the strengths of Envision lies in the robust community of professionals and organizations that have embraced the framework. Public agencies at the municipal, county, and state levels are leading the charge, incorporating Envision into strategic plans, design guidelines, and even requests for proposals (RFPs). Notable examples include: 

  • Hampton Roads Sanitation District, Virginia Beach, VA. Hampton Roads wrote Envision into their Design & Construction Standards: Firms “shall utilize the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI) Envision checklist when evaluating and designing projects.” This is a good example of an organization using Envision to influence project design and planning without requiring Envision verification.

Source: https://water.ca.gov/-/media/DWR-Website/Web-Pages/About/Files/Publications/DWR-Strategic-Plan.pdf

  • The California Department of Water Resources (DWR). DWR included Goals and Actions related to Envision in their Strategic Plan. Language from Objective 3 – Implement Sustainability Best Practices reads, “By 2026, conduct a complete Envision evaluation of all new infrastructure projects that require an Environmental Impact Report.” Integrating Envision into a strategic plan solidifies an organization’s commitment to using the framework to evaluate project sustainability. 
  • KC Water. KC Water has a long-standing commitment to sustainability. The organization developed a Sustainability Playbook that utilizes tiers and project types to prescribe which Envision credits should be reviewed and how far the project should follow the standard Envision process.

Moreover, the reach of Envision extends beyond U.S. borders, with a growing number of international projects. In 2024, nearly half of project registrations were for projects outside the United States.

Envision in Action: Project Examples 

The versatility of the framework is showcased through its diverse portfolio of verified projects. From small-scale environmental restorations to large-scale water treatment facilities, the system has guided projects toward achieving higher levels of sustainability. Platinum-rated projects exemplify the highest standards, often incorporating innovative practices and engaging deeply with local communities to ensure long-term benefits. 

The Benefits of Envision 

For organizations and individuals alike, Envision offers a multitude of benefits: 

For Organizations: 

  • Industry-Recognized Framework: Provides a free, credible system to evaluate and enhance sustainability. 
  • Improved Stakeholder Engagement: Fosters better communication and collaboration with communities and stakeholders. 
  • Streamlined Processes: Supports better project management and regulatory compliance. 
  • Cost Savings: Identifies opportunities to reduce costs through sustainable practices. 
  • Enhanced Benchmarking: Helps organizations measure and improve their sustainability performance over time. 

For Individuals Earning the Envision Sustainability Professional (ENV SP) Credential:  

  • Professional Growth: Positions professionals as leaders in sustainability within their organizations. 
  • Skill Development: Offers training and credentialing to enhance expertise. 
  • Commitment to Sustainability: Demonstrates dedication to creating a positive environmental impact. 

For information on becoming an ENV SP, visit: Envision Sustainability Professional (ENV SP) – Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure 

What the Experts Say 

The transformative impact of Envision is echoed by professionals across the industry. Here are some testimonials from the water sector: 

  • “Envision goes beyond the basic efforts of project management and development into areas that benefit the community in a holistic way.” — Dave Koster, General Manager, Holland Board of Public Works. 
  • “Envision is very holistic. We found, for example, that no other rating system captured and gave credit for work that we do with the community and stakeholders, or the benefits of that work.” — Heidi Sowell, Sustainability Project Lead, King County Wastewater Treatment Division. 
  • “Using the Envision certification process has helped the City become a better fiscal, social, and environmental steward.” — Max Kirschbaum, Public Works and Utilities Director, City of Westminster. 

Call to Action 

While the Envision framework and ISI already have the attention of a lot of water sector infrastructure owners, there is significant room for growth of the use of Envision across all sizes of utilities. Many of the largest utility companies in the US are not yet aware of Envision and the benefits it would bring to their projects and how it might align with strategic goals. Since Envision is applicable to all project sizes, the same can be said of small and medium size utilities as well.  

Are you ready to take the next step toward sustainable infrastructure? Engage with ISI and explore the opportunities Envision offers: 

  • Learn about membership benefits. 
  • Enroll in ENV SP training and exams. 
  • Discover guidance on project verification. 
  • Sign up for ISI’s monthly newsletter. 

The Envision framework is more than just a tool—it’s a pathway to transforming the water sector and other infrastructure industries. By addressing today’s pressing challenges and embedding sustainability into everyday practices, Envision is empowering organizations to lead with purpose. Whether you’re looking to improve project outcomes, achieve regulatory compliance, or demonstrate a commitment to environmental stewardship, Envision provides the roadmap for success. Let’s embrace this framework and build a more sustainable future together.  

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About the Author

Michaella Wittmann is a sustainability trailblazer with 25+ years of experience in green building, civil infrastructure, and ESG strategies. A LEED Fellow and founding force behind EcoMend Solutions, she mentors emerging leaders and champions sustainable innovation. In her spare time, she nurtures her passion for native plants and flowers.

 

 

Dispelling Common Myths About Sustainability and Envision

4-February-2025

As ISI works to advance sustainable, equitable, and resilient infrastructure through the use of Envision, we’ve run into various myths, or misconceptions, about sustainability and Envision application. We delve into five myths, exploring projects in the verification program and industry context.Read more

Envision Review Board Welcomes Two New Members

15-January-2025

ISI’s Envision Review Board (ERB) plays a critical role in upholding the integrity and evolution of the Envision Sustainable Infrastructure Framework. Composed of infrastructure professionals from diverse sectors — including public agencies, private companies, and advocacy groups — the ERB ensures that Envision remains a robust, relevant, and forward-thinking tool. The board’s responsibilities include supporting the ongoing development and interpretation of Envision, upholding the highest standards for review processes, and ensuring that the framework’s tools, resources, and best practices continue to reflect the latest advancements in scholarship and industry practice.

As 2024 has come to a close, and we embark on what is to come in 2025, we want to recognize a few outgoing and incoming ERB members.

Amanda Schweickert

First, we would like to extend our sincere thanks to Amanda Schweickert for her outstanding contributions to the Envision Review Board over the past six years. As a Project Director with the Sustainability, Energy & Climate Change group at WSP and an early advocate for Envision, Amanda has been a key figure in promoting sustainable infrastructure practices across a range of projects. She became one of the first Envision Sustainability Professionals credentialed in the state of Washington and was part of the first class of ISI-trained Trainers and Verifiers. Her expertise, dedication, and leadership, both within her professional work and through her involvement with various organizations such as the American Society of Civil Engineers, American Public Works Association, and Engineers Without Borders, have been invaluable to the development and growth of Envision. We deeply appreciate Amanda’s years of service to the ERB and her ongoing commitment to advancing sustainability in infrastructure.

Next, we are excited to welcome two new outstanding professionals, Cristina Contreras Casado and Holly Lopez, to the Envision Review Board!

Cristina Contreras Casado

Cristina Contreras Casado, ENV SP and Envision Trainer and Verifier, brings nearly two decades of experience in sustainable infrastructure, blending academic expertise with real-world application. As the Founder and CEO of Sinfranova LLC, a sustainable infrastructure consulting firm, and an instructor at Harvard University, Cristina has made significant contributions to the global adoption of sustainability standards in infrastructure. Her work spans collaboration with Multilateral Development Banks like the World Bank, global nonprofits like WWF, and international organizations, including the United Nations. Notably, Cristina has been a champion of Envision in Spanish-speaking countries, training nearly 400 participants across Mexico, Peru, Guatemala, Colombia, Chile, and Spain. Her leadership in sustainability initiatives, including her involvement with the American Association of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), and the United Nations Environment Programme’s Expert Working Group on Integrated Approaches to Sustainable Infrastructure, will bring invaluable expertise and global perspective to the Envision Review Board.

Holly Lopez

Holly Lopez, MPP, ENV SP is the Policy & Public Affairs Director at Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities (SLCDPU), where she manages the agency’s sustainability efforts and is leading the first two projects in the state of Utah to pursue Envision verification – a new Water Reclamation Facility which replaces Salt Lake City’s only sewer treatment plant and upgrades to the existing City Creek Water Treatment Plant. Holly brings a unique perspective to the Board, focused on integrating sustainability into public infrastructure planning and policy.

We are thrilled to have both Cristina and Holly join the Envision Review Board, and we look forward to their fresh insights and valuable contributions toward advancing more sustainable infrastructure.

For additional information on all of our ERB members, visit our Envision Review Board page.

2024 Year-in-Review

14-January-2025

The Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure is proud to serve as the central hub for a dynamic community of individuals and organizations committed to advancing the sustainability of infrastructure. We thank the public agencies, companies, associations, and academic institutions that partner with us to foster more sustainable, resilient, and equitable civil infrastructure. Together, we are advancing the training and credentialing of professionals, evaluating infrastructure needs and sustainable solutions, protecting the environment, enhancing public health and well-being, and driving economic prosperity through smart, forward-thinking infrastructure strategies. Here’s a look at what we accomplished together in 2024!

ISI Launches New Project Team History Feature

14-January-2025

We are excited to announce the launch a new feature that will now showcase a record of individual participation on Envision projects. This feature has been introduced both to celebrate the efforts and achievements of our Envision users, and to serve as a directory for those looking to engage with experienced ENV SPs.

 

How does the new feature work?

Anyone with an ISI account can now view a private record of their participation on Envision projects. This record is located within your individual ISI dashboard – just navigate to the “Projects” tab and select “Team History.” In order to be associated with a particular project, you must have been added to that project within the project’s ISI dashboard. Then, your personal team history will show the project name and ID number, the current status of the project, and the project role that you were assigned (Team Member, Project Leader, and/or Lead ENV SP) – including your role’s start and end date.



If you are an ENV SP, and you have opted in to having your profile listed in our public ENV SP Directory, then your project role(s) will now also be publicly visible within that directory. However, the ENV SP Directory will only show your roles associated with completed projects – not with projects that are unregistered, registered, or currently still in the process of verification – and it will only list the project name and your specific project role.



If you are an ENV SP, and you have not opted in to having your profile listed in our public ENV SP Directory, you can do so at any time by clicking “Edit Profile” on your individual ISI dashboard, navigating to the “Public Profile” tab, and selecting the option to “Include profile in public directory.”



*Note: The ENV SP Directory only features current ENV SPs. If you are not an ENV SP, or if your ENV SP status is inactive or expired, you will need to become an ENV SP or maintain your credential to activate your listing in this directory.

How is the new feature helpful?

For individual ISI account holders and ENV SPs, the new team history feature can help with internal record keeping, as well as with showcasing your Envision experience. The Team History tab in your individual ISI dashboard will help you maintain a private record of your participation with Envision projects. It will keep a running list of your participation on all projects – even those from which you have since been removed. If you’re an ENV SP who’s opted in to being listed in our public ENV SP Directory, this showcase of your project roles will publicly demonstrate your Envision experience and may serve as a resume of your work on Envision-verified projects.

For the general public browsing our ENV SP Directory, you can now search by project role (Team Member, Project Leader, and/or Lead ENV SP). This allows those looking to engage with experienced ENV SPs to identify individuals with specific Envision project experience, which might support consideration for collaboration, training, or hiring for other Envision-related services.

 

Please contact us if you have any questions.

Call for Judges for ASCE Sustainable Solutions Competition

13-December-2024

The ASCE Sustainable Solutions Competition is currently seeking judges for the 22 ASCE Student Symposia that will take place across the United States throughout the spring of 2025. ISI continues to support the ASCE Sustainable Solutions Competition this year through promotion and participation, and we hope you’ll consider joining us as we engage with these talented young students!

 

Judges should:

  • Have experience in sustainable design and be familiar with the Envision framework – ENV SP credential is a plus.
  • Enjoy interacting with students.
  • Have time to review and score project submissions before the event. Pre-work, which includes scoring technical design proposals, sustainability, and public outreach posters, will take about two hours per team submission.
  • Plan to attend the student symposium in-person to view poster displays, judge presentations, and meet with judging team to finalize team rankings.
  • Be impartial and fair to all participating teams.

 

To volunteer, fill out the volunteer form. Select “competition judge” and “ASCE Sustainable Solutions Competition.” Under “How did you learn about this student symposia volunteer opportunity?”please note ISI.

 

ISI’s New Technical Assistance Program Supports Small and Economically Distressed Communities

13-December-2024

ISI launched its pilot for the Technical Assistance Program (TAP), which focuses on helping small and/or economically distressed communities in their efforts to develop more sustainable, resilient, and equitable infrastructure.Read more

Nearly 130 Organizations are Celebrating ISI Membership Milestones

6-December-2024

This month we’re recognizing all organizations who reached 3, 5, and 10-year membership milestones with ISI in 2024. These companies and public agencies are committed to implementing more sustainable, equitable and resilient infrastructure projects with ISI and Envision.

Envision enables organizations to go beyond traditional minimum project requirements and focus on the areas that are critical to their long-term success, including: human well-being, mobility and access, community development, economic development, leadership, planning, collaboration, materials, energy, water, siting, conservation, ecology, emissions, and resilience. 

Continue reading this article.

Three Envision Italia Projects Earn Awards

3-December-2024

Three infrastructure projects in Italy have obtained Envision awards through ICMQ. Stazione di Lecce and Stazione di Teramo each earned Envision Gold, and the redevelopment of Piazza Sigmund Freud, adjacent to Milan’s Porta Garibaldi Station earned Envision Silver. All three are Rete Ferroviaria Italiana-owned projects.

The Teramo Station project, pictured above, will support integration of the station with its urban and regional context, including by redeveloping station environments and creating spaces for community interaction. Located in the Abruzzo region, this project is also designed to enhance intermodal services by increasing parking facilities—facilitating efficient access to and from the station.

The Lecce Railway Station project, located in the Apulia region, focuses on removing architectural barriers, upgrading the existing underpass, and enhancing the travellers’ building to revitalize the station complex. The project also protects and enhances the heritage status of the traveller’s building and is implementing the GBC Historic Building protocol.

Piazza Sigmund Freud will feature a new urban park with expansive green spaces, medium- and large-sized trees, pools, and rest areas with terraces. Through the remade piazza, Porta Garibaldi Station in Milan will be reconnected to the adjoining community, becoming the hub of a cohesive and vibrant urban space.

Richmond’s New Sustainable Design Standards Are Supported by Envision

2-December-2024

Richmond, Virginia provided an update on November 22 on the amazing work it is undertaking to meet climate and resilience objectives. The city’s new sustainable design standards, which reference the Envision Framework, were presented to community members and city employees in the City Council Chambers.

These standards are part of RVA Green 2050, led by the Office of Sustainability. Designed as an equity-centered, community based, integrated climate action and climate resilience plan, this initiative is formally called RVAgreen 2050: Climate Equity Action Plan 2030.

Richmond’s Mayor Levar M. Stoney was joined by Office of Sustainability Director Laura Thomas and other staff. ISI President & CEO Anthony Kane was also invited to share remarks!

The intent with the new sustainable design standards is for new development projects to “not only meet the functional requirements, and community needs but also align with the long-term vision for an equitable, sustainable, and vibrant Richmond.” To that end, Envision is identified as a key tool, particularly for horizontal projects where the framework “shall be applied… regardless of size, ensuring that sustainable practices are integrated throughout planning, design, construction, and operation” (4.2).

Learn more:

Sustainable Design Standards: https://www.rvagreen2050.com/sds
RVA Green Website: https://www.rvagreen2050.com/rvagreen-2050-plan
RVA Green 2050 plan: https://www.rva.gov/sites/default/files/2023-01/FullDocumentRVAgreenClimateEquityActionPlan2030.pdf