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Anthony Kane featured on Bigger Than Us Podcast

11-March-2022

Newly released on the Bigger Than Us Podcast, ISI’s president and CEO Anthony Kane shares his thoughts on using Envision, assembling diverse teams to improve decision making, making infrastructure more equitable, and more. He was interviewed by Raj Daniels. This 36-minute podcast is very much worth a listen. It’s available on Apple, Spotify, and Anchor.

🎧 Apple: apple.co/3MBgV8w
🎧 Spotify: spoti.fi/3J7SMnO
🎧 Anchor: https://bit.ly/3vPWoqN

 

Port of Portland’s Rental Car Quick Turnaround Facility Earns Envision® Gold Rating

20-April-2021

The new Quick Turnaround (QTA) facility at the Portland International Airport (PDX) opened in March 2018 and recently earned the ENVISION® Gold rating for sustainable infrastructure. This $67 million facility improves rental car processing operations, making it quick and easy for airport travelers to rent clean, fueled cars ready for use. The QTA facility is the first large infrastructure project completed as part of a suite of capital projects at PDX geared towards modernizing the airport’s infrastructure to meet the growing needs of airport travelers, employees, and tenants.

The QTA facility is three times the size of the previous rental car facility, providing employees with more efficient workspace. During peak demand, 220 rental car employees can work efficiently to clean and fuel 430 cars per hour, making the whole system of processing rental cars much faster.

To learn more about this project, read about it in our Project Awards Directory

 

Envision v3 Credit Calculators

22-February-2021

ISI is pleased to announce the release of new resources for project teams pursing Envision verification. We have launched a series of four credit calculators for the Envision v3 Rating System. Credit calculators are Excel-based tools that project teams may use to summarize data for specific criteria within a particular credit. The credit calculators are developed by ISI in collaboration with industry subject experts. Use of the credit calculators are optional and complex projects may still need to develop their own methods for responding to specific Envision criteria.

The first series of Envision credit calculators relate to the Resource Allocation subcategory Energy (RA2.x):

  • – RA2.1 Reduce Operational Energy Consumption,
  • – RA2.2 Reduce Construction Energy Consumption,
  • – RA2.3 Use Renewable Energy, and
  • – RA2.4 Commission and Monitor Energy Systems.

The RA2.x credit calculators are now available on your ISI dashboard under Verification Resources.

Our goal is to create credit calculators for all credits in the Envision v3 system where such a calculator would benefit project teams. Based on the credit requirements, ISI has identified 31 credits where such a tool would be of benefit. In the coming months, credit calculators will be released in batches as they are developed and tested in collaboration with industry subject matter experts.

Additional information for project teams:

If submitting one or more of these calculators as part of your Envision verification submission, be sure to convert the Excel spreadsheet to a PDF before uploading.

Note that the credit calculators may form part of the documentation for the credit, but please remember to also submit documentation showing the basis for estimates or achievement of thresholds.

Please send any issues or queries related to the credit calculators to info@sustainableinfrastructure.org, or your ISI point of contact (for registered projects).

 

2021 Webinar Schedule

18-January-2021

We are excited to be sharing our 2021 webinar lineup.  Registration is FREE and each webinar qualifies toward education hours for your ENV SP credential maintenance. This year we are focusing on communications, community sustainability and resilience, and Envision applications and implementation. We have it all!

Review each webinar and keep this e-mail handy for future reference. We hope you are as thrilled as we are about the 2021 schedule.

 

August Webinar—Denver Water Envisions a Sustainable Future through its Northwater Treatment Plant
Presented by Catherine McIntosh (CDM Smith); Lauren Suer (Jacobs); Sananda Mukherjee (AECOM)

Denver Water is building a new, state-of-the-art drinking water facility on a 183-acre site next to Ralston Reservoir, north of Golden in Jefferson County. The Northwater Treatment Plant will be capable of treating up to 75 million gallons of water a day when it is operational in 2024. The new facility provides critical updates to an aging 80-year-old system that is reaching the end of its lifespan. One of the main objectives was sustainability and the executive sponsors tasked the team with achieving the goal of the Project site becoming Envision Gold verified. The presentation will explain the advanced new technology and the benefits for community by building a new cost-effective water treatment plant (WTP) and repurposing the existing Moffat facility for water distribution. Register

 

October Webinar — Pathway to Envision for Central San

Wednesday, October 20, 2021
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm Eastern
Presented by Jennifer Ninete, HDR and Justin Waples, Central Contra Costa Sanitary District

When it comes to sustainability and resiliency, organizations often “talk-the-talk,” but can find it more difficult to “walk-the-walk.” It can be intimidating to decide where to start and how to implement a broad sustainability program across a large organization.

This webinar will summarize the process that Central Contra Costa Sanitary District in California (Central San) used Envision, working with HDR, to evaluate the agency’s project approach related to sustainability. The assessment explored how Central San’s approach and policies aligned with Envision, revealed opportunities to for improvement, and identified how the agency could best use Envision to meet their short- and long-term sustainability and resiliency goals. The goal of the presentation is the convey a “roadmap” for others to use if they are considering ways to more holistically integrate sustainability, specifically the Envision framework, into their organization. Register

 

December Webinar — Managing Sustainability and Resilience in Developing Communities

Wednesday, December 1, 2021

1:00 – 2:00 pm Eastern
Presented by Fariborz Tehrani, California State University, Fresno and Denise Nelson, Environmental Engineer & Planner

Sustainable built environment has been the major focus in academic and industrial fields. The rise in climate-related disasters, constant challenges in energy sector, and substantial shift in consumer’s conscious toward conservation of natural resources are the major forces behind sustainable engineering. Further, many professional bodies have developed guidelines and specifications, such as Envision, to implement sustainable practices and rate their impacts. Becoming familiar with common sustainable practices and comfortable with implementation of more innovative materials and techniques in civil engineering design promotes analytical procedures to develop a context-sensitive design. This webinar aims to address challenges in the implementation of sustainable engineering solutions in developing communities and regions. Discussions include resources, funding, technology, and community involvements as main obstacles to such implementation and offers best practices for planning and design stages of built infrastructures. Register

Infrastructure & Nature Webinar Series

28-September-2020

The Infrastructure and Nature coalition, representing more than 20 organizations formed to organize the Infrastructure and Nature Pavilion at the 2021 World Conservation Congress, is holding a series of virtual discussions from October to December. With leading private and public sector actors on the financing, planning, and development of sustainable infrastructure, we will explore solutions for reducing risks and generating incentives for building nature into future infrastructure business models.

ISI has been specifically helping with the November 5th panel. There is a presentation on November 19th from 8:00-9:30. There will be one Envision project presented on the 5th.

To learn more about the webinars in the series, view the Infrastructure and Nature flyer.

Register here.

ISI’s 2020 Webinar Schedule

18-September-2020

Please stay tuned for ISI’s 2021 Webinar schedule, which will be released in January 2021

2020 Webinar Schedule      

Previous Webinars

Effectively Communicating the Value of Your Infrastructure Projects 

Presented by: Dyan Lee, ISI Marketing and Communications director
Jennifer Ninete, HDR sustainability consultant
Wednesday December 2, 2020 at 1:00 PM Eastern
REGISTER  

Consider the importance of infrastructure in our daily lives. Despite the obvious need for infrastructure and the many benefits it provides, historically it is overlooked and underfunded until it breaks down or service is disrupted. How can infrastructure industry professionals shift this mindset to garner more support of sustainable projects? During this webinar, ISI’s Director of Communications, Dyan Lee, and Sustainability Consultant Jennifer Ninete, ENV SP, STP, will share tips for how the infrastructure industry can rewrite the narrative on what makes an infrastructure project valuable.  Jennifer will specifically discuss how important communication is on verification of projects. 

Registration is free and those wishing to participate must register in advance.  After registering, participants will receive a confirmation email containing important information about joining the meeting. 

Tailoring Envision to Meet Multiple Goals for Airport Infrastructure 

Presented by: Carly Shannon, C&S Companies
Wednesday June 10, 2020 at 1:00 PM Eastern
REGISTER

Airports are using Envision to meet their needs and achieve lofty goals outside of the terminals. This webinar features several airports that have leveraged Envision in different manners. Industry experts will describe the processes, benefits, and lessons learned. It will conclude with an outlook of future applications and potential both within the industry and other sectors 

Leveraging Integrated Design to Achieve Higher Sustainability Performance Under Envision 

Presented by: Quin MacKenzie, luuceo consulting inc., Bronwyn Worrick, luuceo consulting inc.
Wednesday May 13, 2020 at 1:00 PM Eastern
REGISTER  

Infrastructure projects are defined by unique challenges and opportunities, including diverse funding streams, contrasting stakeholder priorities, and a variety of triple-bottom line impacts. In this webinar we will use project examples to discuss processes and techniques for implementing Envision on projects with alternative delivery methods to support more sustainable and resilient outcomes. 


Implementing Envision 

On April 22, 2020, ISI’s President & CEO, Anthony Kane, held a webinar, discussing how an increasing number of public and private sector stakeholders are using Envision to plan, design, and deliver more sustainable infrastructure by setting standards, establishing policies, and pursuing verification. The purpose of this webinar is to provide a deeper understanding of practical applications of the Envision framework. Examples will be presented to inspire new approaches that can be strategically integrated into everyday operations. Look for the recording of this webinar on your ISI account. 

Envision: Lessons Learned from Project Preparation and Verification 

Presented by: Lauren Ballou, VHB; Sierra LePore, VHB; and Van Du, VHB
Wednesday August 26, 2020 at 1:00 PM Eastern
REGISTER

The webinar will discuss lessons learned and common challenges for projects going through certification, as well as observations and lessons learned on project verifications. The presenters will focus on challenging credits and helpful tips on how to provide sufficient documentation as well as what to look for when verifying. 

Using Envision as an Umbrella Framework: Applications for Large Mixed-Use Transit Projects 

Presented by: Teresa C. Vangeli, WSP, and Zachary Youngerman, WSP
Wednesday October 14, 2020 at 1:00 PM Eastern
REGISTER 

Sustainable design has come a long way in the past decade. Many transportation projects include a mix of project types from buildings to stormwater systems to parks and parking garages. WSP recommends Envision as a framework with a wide scope that encompasses all elements of the project site.  The rating systems for single elements of larger projects can operate under the Envision umbrella.  The presenter will share natural synergies that arise and will also note the pitfalls to avoid.   

Implementing Equity

9-September-2020

From the NYC DDC Sustainable Infrastructure Program – June 5, 2020

The NYC Department of Design and Construction informed ISI of their plans for incorporating equity into their projects, and they asked us to share what they are doing with other organizations and individuals. Please read the following information or download the shareable document.

IMPLEMENTING EQUITY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE IN NYC DDC INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS

The official strategic plan of New York City – ONENYC 2050 is based on the principles of growth, equity, sustainability and resiliency. Achieving equity and social justice is one of the major goals for New York City and is considered a strong foundation for social sustainability and resiliency.i

NYC Department of Design and Construction is proud of being the City’s leading construction management agencyii. We build infrastructure assets for one of the largest American cities and attribute its growth and success to its communities. The projects NYC DDC Infrastructure builds have a significant impact on the day to day life of New Yorkers. The current civil unrest has created an opportunity to investigate the possibility of achieving higher levels of equity and social justice through infrastructure projects.

Currently, NYC DDC uses Envision as a guide to improve the implementation of overall sustainability in infrastructure projects. In this framework, Quality of Life (QL) is one of the five categories. The intent of credit QL3.1 Advance Equity and Social Justice is to ensure that equality is fundamental to a project’s processes – from planning to construction. The Envision framework defines “Equity and Social Justice” as the responsibility of a society to ensure that civil and human rights are preserved and protected for each individual and that all persons are treated equally and without prejudice. iiiThe credit identifies the degree to which equity and social justice are included in stakeholder engagement, decision making, the project team and communities. The metrics for this specific credit ranges from Understanding Equity (Improved), Mitigation (Enhanced) and Empowerment (Superior ); to higher levels of achievement such as Equitable Access to Benefits (Conserving) and ultimately to Restorative levels of achievement such as Equitable Futures where the project positively addresses or corrects an existing or historic injustice or imbalance.

The NYC DDC Sustainability Infrastructure program assess and works towards ensuring the execution of social sustainability for NYC DDC Infrastructure projects. Moving forward we will aim to collaborate with our various colleagues, sponsor agencies and consultants, to obtain the highest level of achievement for credit QL3.1 and other credits that synergize with those goals.

Implementation strategies that can be considered for Infrastructure Projects are:

  • ➢  Stakeholder engagement is informed by the historic context of equity, social justice and environmental justice.
  • ➢  Identify and document social impacts of the project related to equity and social justice.
  • ➢  Ensure key members of the project team have made commitments to equity and socialjustice within their organizations.
  • ➢  Project-specific commitments for addressing equity and social justice.
  • ➢  Plan to address social impacts related to equity and social justice.
  • ➢  Create a map showing key demographic data overlapped with areas likely to receivebenefits or impacts of the project.
  • ➢  Engage underrepresented communities and higher rates of participation and/or inclusion.
  • ➢  The project positively addresses or corrects an existing or historic injustice or imbalance.i http://onenyc.cityofnewyork.us/reports-resources/
    ii https://www1.nyc.gov/site/ddc/about/ddc-strategic-plan.page iii https://sustainableinfrastructure.org/envision/use-envision/

Image by Wokandapix from Pixabay

 

August Member Spotlight: The Berkley Group

1-September-2020

Each month, ISI spotlights an ISI member organization. In August, we profiled the Berkley Group. Please review their accomplishments and check out the wonderful projects they are working on.

The Berkley Group provides sustainable and resilient community planning services, including Envision training, support, and project assessments for clients around the country. The Berkley Group’s environmental program is led by Denise Nelson, P.E., ENV SP, who offers over 8 years of Envision experience. She has led two projects to earn Envision awards in 2020 and has other project applications in process. Learn more about them here.

ISI is Enhancing its Website in Early September

28-August-2020

Website Refresh Occurring in September

From Friday, September 4th through Saturday, September 5, ISI’s website is being improved and will be inaccessible. Once complete, you will experience improved functionality and new features through your “ISI account.” 

Please keep in mind that on Tuesday, September 1st—72 hours prior to the website refresh—the website will not allow you to begin a new exam. However, if you had previously started an exam before September 1st, you should be allowed to continue taking the exam. It is also important to note that access to project files and exam data could be limited through the morning of Tuesday, September 8th. 

The schedule for updates is as follows:
Friday, September 4th
During the late hours on Friday evening , September 4th, ISI’s website will be shutdown entirely. The 11-hour shutdown will last through Saturday morning, September 5.

Saturday, September 5th
Saturday afternoon, September 5th, the website will relaunch with almost all functionality available, including new exams. However, access to completed exam data and some project files could be limited through Tuesday morning, September 8.

ISI thanks you for your patience and understanding. Once the refresh is complete, we are confident that the improvements will be more user friendly, will enhance your work, and allow you to navigate the site with ease.

If you have any questions, please contact  Dyan Lee, ISI’s Marketing and Communications director.

ISI and FEMCIC Partner to Bring Envision to Mexico

20-August-2020

Washington, D.C. — 8-18-2020:


The Federación Mexicana de Colegios de Ingenieros Civiles (FEMCIC) and the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI) are proud to announce their partnership to bring the Envision framework and rating system to Mexico. Working together, ISI and FEMCIC are hopeful that the A/E/C industry will use Envision to plan, design, and deliver sustainable and resilient infrastructure to enhance societal health and wellbeing, protect the environment, and boost economic prosperity across Mexico.

The President and Chief Executive Officer of ISI, Anthony Kane, is elated to be collaborating with FEMCIC and extending the Envision framework into Mexico: “We see this as a tremendous opportunity for Mexico, its citizens, communities, and the A/E/C industry. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, there has never been a greater need to rebuild better infrastructure to aid communities in bouncing back stronger. The Envision framework and rating system can empower all stakeholders to do just that.”

Mr. Alejandro Guevara, president of FEMCIC, agrees and said: “Mexico has an opportunity to implement a process for sustainable infrastructure development, and the civil engineering community will be leading the effort to demonstrate how our organization is partnering with international organizations like ISI to improve our nation’s infrastructure.”

Oscar Cortes, vice president of International Relations of FEMCIC, agrees and said, “This partnership will be a highly beneficial relationship as it promotes the use of the best management tools for our engineers.”

FEMCIC is the leading Civil Engineering Society in Mexico comparable to ASCE in the United States. As such, they promote (within their membership) capacity building, and they coordinate the certification process across all 60 local chapters in Mexico. FEMCIC also engages its local, state, and federal legislative officials to promote an integrated development process for sustainable infrastructure as part of policies and regulations.

Envision is the product of the collaboration between ISI, which was founded by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC), the American Public Works Association (APWA), and the Zofnass Program for Sustainable Infrastructure at Harvard University Graduate School of Design. ISI’s partnership with FEMCIC is a natural progression of that work.
To date, thousands of individuals in the United States, Canada, and Italy have earned the Envision Sustainability Professional Credential (ENV SP). More than one hundred project teams have also had their projects verified. Numerous professionals and experts in the A/E/C industry have benefited from learning Envision. Infrastructure owners, engineers, designers, architects, planners, contractors, operators, and other stakeholders have found it most impactful when used as a guidance tool in the early planning and design stages of infrastructure development. Doing so helps engineers identify and analyze their needs before approving and executing projects.

The goal of both ISI and FEMCIC is to help individuals and communities thrive. With FEMCIC’s stamp of approval, ISI is eager to work collaboratively with them to deploy Envision. Together, they’ll be ensuring a more sustainable and resilient Mexico.

To learn more about Envision or the partnership between FEMCIC and ISI, please contact Dyan Lee, ISI’s director of Marketing and Communications, at lee@sustainableinfrastructure.org. You may also contact FEMCIC directly at presidencia.femcic@gmail.com   

Please check out the FEMCIC website

Download the press release in English / Spanish