Envision Review Board Welcomes Two New Members

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.

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

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

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

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

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

2024 Conference Re-Cap: Key Takeaways

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!

ISI Announces Partnership with Guatemala GBC

ISI Announces Partnership with Guatemala GBC to Advance Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructure through use of Envision

Washington, D.C. and Guatemala City – The Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI) is excited to announce a new partnership with Guatemala Green Building Council (GGBC) to bring the Envision framework and rating system to Guatemala. The goal of this collaboration is to encourage professionals working in Guatemala’s A/E/C industry to use Envision to plan, design, and deliver sustainable and resilient infrastructure projects that support the long-term health and well-being of their communities.

In September, ISI and GGBC formally signed the partnership agreement during América Sostenible & Resiliente, a GGBC-hosted regional meeting to encourage conversations about advancing sustainable and resilient construction by the countries that make up the Americas Regional Network of the World Green Building Council (WorldGBC).

“We are excited to work with GGBC to expand growth of Envision in Latin America” says Anthony Kane, ISI President & CEO. “ISI’s partnership with GGBC strengthens our regional network and local impact, while supporting our mutual goal to increase the sustainability of infrastructure across the Americas.”

GGBC is a non-profit, member-based, and mission driven organization focused on improving the quality of life by leading the transformation of urban surroundings. A WorldGBC member, the organization seeks to transform the construction sector to use more environmentally friendly, socially responsible, and economically feasible practices to support the needs of future generations.

“The partnership between the Guatemala Green Building Council and the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI) marks a significant step toward advancing resilient and sustainable infrastructure in Guatemala,” affirmed Pamela Castellán, Chair of Americas Regional Network and Executive Director of GGBC. “By aligning local expertise with global standards, this collaboration will empower our communities to build with sustainability in mind, addressing critical environmental challenges while fostering economic growth and resilience.”

ISI was founded in 2010 by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), the American Public Works Association (APWA), and the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) to support the development of a sustainable infrastructure framework. In collaboration with the then Zofnass Program for Sustainable Infrastructure at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design, ISI integrated the best of industry experience with cutting-edge academic research to produce the Envision framework and rating system. Envision now serves as a benchmark guidance tool for infrastructure owners, engineers, designers, architects, planners, contractors, operators, and other stakeholders in the early planning and design stages of infrastructure development. To date, more than 9,000 individuals around the globe have earned the Envision Sustainability Professional (ENV SP) credential, and more than 170 projects have been verified using the Envision rating system.

To learn more about GGBC, please visit https://www.guatemalagbc.org/.

To learn more about ISI, please visit https://sustainableinfrastructure.org/.

ISI Travels to China to Strengthen Envision Collaboration

ISI staff visited China, the largest infrastructure market in the world, to explore opportunities to apply Envision to very large and consequential projects, including the development of entirely new cities.Read more

ISI Announces Partnership with Chile GBC

ISI Announces Partnership with Chile GBC to Promote Sustainable Infrastructure through the use of Envision in Chile

Washington, D.C. and Santiago – The Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI) is pleased to announce a new partnership with Chile Green Building Council (Chile GBC) to bring the Envision framework and rating system to Chile. The goal of this collaboration is to encourage professionals working in Chile’s A/E/C industry to use Envision to plan, design, and deliver sustainable and resilient infrastructure projects that support the long-term health and well-being of their communities.

“We are excited to continue the growth of Envision in Latin America through this partnership with Chile GBC, the leading organization in Chile for sustainable development,” says Anthony Kane, ISI President & CEO. “Together ISI, Chile GBC, and our other partners in the region will work together to increase the sustainability of infrastructure across the Americas.”

Chile GBC is a non-profit organization founded in 2010 with the aim of accelerating the transformation of the built environment to be more sustainable. An established member and part of the board of the World Green Building Council, this organization works together with its members and strategic allies to promote technological innovation, capacity building, the generation of public policies, and the development and implementation of different certification systems in order to encourage the preservation and efficient use of resources and improve the quality of life, health, and well-being of people and their communities.

Chile GBC is a regional leader in the development and management of information facilitating platforms that seek to contribute to accelerating the implementation of sustainability solutions and foster market transformation. Additionally, they are an UNEP Global ABC member and are integrated into several working groups related to financing, advocacy and regulation, materials and carbon neutrality both in this organization and WorldGBC. Chile GBC is also a local and regional leader in training on various topics related to the circular economy; health and well-being; certifications for materials, buildings, infrastructure and cities, and strategies for carbon management, among other technical content.

“Emerging economies need to increase investment in the development of new infrastructure, which in a country like Chile that meets seven of the nine climate vulnerability criteria, needs to be sustainable, resilient and aligned with carbon commitments, while minimizing environmental impacts and generating greater benefits for communities,” remarked María Fernanda Aguirre, Executive Director of Chile GBC. “For several years, Chile has been highlighted in international rankings as the Latin American country that leads in terms of competitiveness in infrastructure, so the implementation and growth of Envision in Chile allows us to go one step further. This alliance will help us to increase the ambition of new public and private construction assets in terms of environmental and social sustainability, and promote better quality standards and practices of excellence in design, construction and management of the operation of projects of different scale and complexity.”

ISI was founded in 2010 by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), the American Public Works Association (APWA), and the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) to support the development of a guide for sustainable infrastructure. In collaboration with the then Zofnass Program for Sustainable Infrastructure at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design, ISI integrated the best of industry experience with cutting-edge academic research to produce the Envision framework and rating system. Envision now serves as a benchmark guidance tool for infrastructure owners, engineers, designers, architects, planners, contractors, operators, and other stakeholders in the early planning and design stages of infrastructure development. To date, more than 9,000 individuals around the globe have earned the Envision Sustainability Professional (ENV SP) credential, and more than 170 projects have been verified by the Envision framework.

Chile GBC and ISI will formalize this alliance during the “América Sostenible” ​​event that will take place from September 9 to 13 in Guatemala City. Likewise, the 2025 work agenda will be launched to strengthen the promotion of Envision in Chile during the annual assembly of members and allies on November 28.

To learn more about Chile GBC, please visit https://www.chilegbc.cl

To learn more about ISI, please visit https://sustainableinfrastructure.org

ISI holds second Zofnass Research Program Workshop in New York City

Infrastructure professionals gained new insights into the use and implementation of Envision to develop more sustainable projects at ISI’s second Zofnass Research Program Workshop.Read more