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
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.
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!
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.
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:
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.
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
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.
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.
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
18-November-2024
Thank you to everyone who attended the 2024 ISI Annual Conference, “Realizing the Vision.” This year, the list of registrants, comprised of civil engineers, planners, designers, architects, constructors, owners, and academics reached 1,800 — a new record for us. A special thank-you to our esteemed presenters and moderators who provided such terrific sessions. And the conference need not fade into memory! You can replay any session through your ISI user account.
The 2024 ISI Annual Conference was a huge success, providing actionable strategies and insights to our audience, and we wanted to take this opportunity to highlight some key achievements. Here are six big takeaways.
Envision users are part of a thriving community, one that matters more than ever. The annual conference gathers a diversity of civil infrastructure professionals. You might be part of a small team taking on (seemingly) daunting goals. Or you might be working to change the nature of your organization. Regardless of your specific roles in infrastructure development or your organization’s current level of Envision adoption, throughout our conference, you can see the broader impact that Envision users are achieving together. And that’s truly inspiring! What we do has always been critical and will continue to be even more so.
Envision can be applied to a wide range of project size and types. The broad range of case studies and lessons shared underscored the versatility of ISI’s Envision rating system. We were reminded that no matter the type of project — it might be a new highway, bridge or runway, an improved drinking water facility, a renewable source of energy, a revitalized park system, a climate-resilient shoreline — the Envision rating system can play a key role in delivering a higher-performing project that maximizes benefits for communities.
Attendees connected to the conference in locations around the globe.
Envision is being applied by public agencies and by AEC firms large and small. Our event attracted 1,800 registrants working to plan, design, and build civil infrastructure projects — 600 more than last year. That’s 600 more professionals committed to delivering triple-bottom line benefits on infrastructure projects. These include social benefits such as achieving stronger and more equitable communities, environmental benefits such as protecting and enhancing the air we breathe and the water that sustains our planet, and economic benefits such as creating local jobs and ensuring ratepayers receive good value for their infrastructure investment.
The ENV SP credential is the credential of choice for sustainable infrastructure professionals. People from across North America and around the world tuned in for the opportunity to learn more about Envision and its implementation. Bonus: by attending, participants also fulfilled their Envision Sustainability Professional (ENV SP) credential maintenance hours as the conference offered several elective course hours and two prescribed course hours (The “Project Showcase” and the session on “Building Together: Sustainability, Equity and Engagement”). The ENV SP credential is widely used and recognized by the civil infrastructure sector. Whether you’re with an organization with 4 ENV SPs — or 400 ENV SPs — know that you are making a difference for the future of civil infrastructure.
Our speakers and moderators delivered! Our presenters swung for the fences as they shared strategies to plan, design and build sustainable and resilient infrastructure. Their sessions were rich with insights on collaboration, resilience, nature-inspired solutions, cutting carbon, sustainability in construction, the cost of Envision, and moving to scale with Envision. Special thanks to our keynote speakers Ethan Kent of PlacemakingX and TJ Moon of Los Angeles County Public Works and to our guest moderators Prabh Banga (Aecon Group, Inc.), Stephanie Printz (HDR), and Bob Beinstein (AECOM).
We would also like to recognize the bright minds who presented their insights and experiences in the poster session presentations on November 6 and 7. We were inspired by these young students and professionals who will be writing sustainable infrastructure’s next chapter. They helped remind all of us that the right projects connect to communities and deliver gifts to the future.
Finally, advancing sustainable development has always been about collaboration. That collaboration happens every day, between the public agencies and their engineering consulting firm partners. But that collaboration is also demonstrated in the work of the many not-for-profit organizations, institutes and academic organizations who bring their knowledge and experience to the table. Their initiatives and the commitment to implementing them will continue to change our industry for the better.
Working together, these organizations are on the front lines in making infrastructure more sustainable, resilient, and equitable. We hope you will join us again for the 2025 ISI Annual Conference, and we invite you to attend our webinar series throughout the year. Thank you to all of our conference participants and supporters who continue to advance our important mission!
