Recent ISI Webinars
View ISI’s latest webinars below, going back to the start of 2023. Following each webinar the recording is made available in users’ accounts. Looking for a particular webinar that took place prior to 2023? You will also be able to find those in your user account: https://v4.sustainableinfrastructure.org/login.
Leveraging the Envision Framework for Sustainable Development: A/E/C Project Planning & Learning from an Environmental Planning Perspective
Date: May 1, 2024
Presenter: Dr. David B. Abraham
This forward-thinking workshop aims to explore the transformative impact of the Envision framework on environmental planning and the broader field of sustainable infrastructure development. Led by a seasoned environmental planner and academic, it will share insights into how sustainable development has evolved with the advent of comprehensive tools like Envision, emphasizing its role in integrating sustainability into the fabric of infrastructure projects. We will delve into the framework’s capacity to foster synergy among diverse disciplines such as engineering, architecture, and construction, highlighting the increasingly interdisciplinary nature of sustainability efforts. Drawing from my dual experiences in professional practice and education, the workshop will offer a personal perspective on how Envision and similar tools have facilitated a deeper understanding of sustainable development, both in the field and the classroom. This interactive session invites interdisciplinary development professionals to reflect on the past, navigate the present, and envision a sustainable future for infrastructure development.
Learning objectives:
- Participants will gain an environmental planning approach to understanding the Envision framework, including its structure, sustainability criteria, and application processes for infrastructure projects.
- Attendees will be able to understand and integrate core principles of sustainable development into project planning, ensuring that projects contribute positively to economic, social, and environmental objectives.
- Acquire effective communication strategies for imparting knowledge of sustainable development and the Envision framework to diverse audiences, promoting broader understanding and implementation of sustainability practices.
Leveraging Envision for the LAX Automated People Mover
Date: March 6, 2024
Presenters: Andrew Castaldi, LINXS, and Cassidy Green, Brightworks Sustainability
The Los Angeles World Airports Automated People Mover (APM) is a landmark infrastructure project that will smooth transit to one of the world’s busiest airports. This new electric train system will run 24 hours a day on a 2.25 mile elevated track with six stations, connecting an estimated 30 million travelers per year with LAX terminals, new pick up/drop off facilities, and public transit.
The APM project team, led by design/build joint venture LINXS, is tasked with not only meeting airport design guidelines and regional design standards, but also with using two leading frameworks to maximize sustainability benefits. In 2022, the entire APM project earned Envision Gold verification, and its train Maintenance and Storage Facility is seeking LEEDv4 Platinum certification.
To streamline the overlapping requirements of their sustainability commitments, the project team created a unique Sustainability Compliance Plan, which groups related topics, clearly communicates the sustainability measures required, and articulates how the team is achieving them. This plan has already helped the team find and manage synergies between LEED, Envision and other contractual sustainability requirements to better integrate the infrastructure and green building programs. Hear how the renewable energy system on the LEED building will help power the electric train cars, and how leading water management strategies will meet stringent local requirements to the benefit of both the LEED and Envision efforts.
Learning objectives:
- Describe the main topical areas of the Envision rating system for sustainable transportation.
- Illustrate how the Envision rating system provides support for creating a massive infrastructure project that includes a green building program.
- Explain how a Sustainability Compliance Plan can help make projects with multiple rating systems and requirements easier to manage team-wide.
- Summarize how the project team maximized synergies while working with multiple rating systems and requirements at the same time.
Tampa International Airport Phase I Master Plan
Date: February 7, 2024
Presenters: Benjamin Moore and Jordan Singletary, RS&H, and Eric Caplan, Tampa International
Originating from a Master Plan completed in 2012, Tampa International Airport’s (TPA) $1 billion Phase 1 Master Plan (MP1) implementation was designed and constructed from 2014 through 2019. During its lifecycle, teams were encouraged to integrate environmental, economic and social factors into the project. The result was a project that reflected the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority’s (HCAA) foundational commitment to sustainability and earned Envision verification from ISI. This case study explores the key components of the Phase 1 Master Plan, highlighting the sustainable practices, community engagement strategies, and innovative solutions that contributed to the project earning Envision verification.
Learning Objectives
- How the Envision framework interfaces with airport sustainability and resilience programs.
- How airport master planning can be leveraged for sustainability and Envision framework implementation.
- How to successfully accomplish a bundled approach to Envision.
- How to implement Airport-wide documentation at the project level.
2023 ISI Virtual Conference: Content Now Available as Individual Webinars
Date: November 7–9, 2023
Various moderators and presenters
Users can now replay the panels presented at the November 2023 ISI Virtual Conference as individual webinars, on the backend of the ISI website in their individual accounts.
The conference had sessions focusing on: recent Envision-awarded projects, sustainability insights and lessons from water and wastewater projects, transportation projects, and energy projects; public agency and contractor perspectives on Envision application; and more. Description: “Join ISI from November 7-9, 2023, for our virtual conference, Accelerate Action: Prioritizing Sustainable Infrastructure for Climate Change. Be there as industry leaders and innovators explore actionable strategies to address the climate crisis and its profound impact on infrastructure development. The conference is open to anyone interested in learning more about the latest trends, technologies, and practices in sustainable infrastructure, this free conference offers invaluable knowledge and ideas to help transform your projects and initiatives and make new connections.”
Descriptions of the conference sessions are available here.
Beyond the Building: Increasing resilience and reducing emissions in the exterior built environment
Date: October 11, 2023
Moderator: Vincent Martinez, Architecture 2030
Presenters: Pamela Conrad, Climate Positive Design; Chris Hardy, Sasaki
Beyond buildings: streets, infrastructure, open spaces and natural systems represent more than 50% of a city’s space. Yet they are often overlooked and considered “in-between” spaces. These places hold vast opportunities for climate and community resilience, emissions reductions, and active biogenic carbon sequestration. Planning and urban design, infrastructure, and landscape architecture hold critical levers improving the mitigation performance of these spaces while unlocking critical co-benefits such as protecting from an increase of flood, heat and air pollution while conserving water and supporting biodiversity, community health, and well-being.
This session provides an opportunity to learn about the resources for cross-sector collaboration to amplify positive impacts globally. Pamela Conrad, Founder of Climate Positive Design, and Chris Hardy, Senior Associate at Sasaki, will demonstrate the use of design strategies and tools that measure and analyze data that infrastructure disciplines can employ.
Learning Objectives
- Understand biogenic carbon sequestration and its potential in the exterior built environment.
- Review industry examples of design strategies and tools that measure and analyze data that can be embodied by infrastructure disciplines.
Runway 5R-23L & Taxiway D: The Road to Envision Platinum at Indianapolis International Airport
Date: October 11, 2023
Moderator: Larissa Holland, ENV SP, C&S Companies
Presenters: Alexandra Davis, C&S Companies; Todd Cavender, Indianapolis Airport Authority; and Shannon Gunn, P.E., Kimley-Horn
The Indianapolis International Airport (IND) earned an Envision Platinum award for their Runway 5R-23L & Taxiway D Strengthening and Capacity Enhancement Project. Envision Platinum is the highest award level provided by the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI) for projects that significantly contribute to sustainability and resiliency. This is the first airfield project in the world to receive the prestigious Envision Platinum recognition.
Owned, developed, and operated by the Indianapolis Airport Authority (IAA), IND is a medium hub primary commercial service facility located on approximately 7,700 acres seven miles southwest of downtown Indianapolis in Marion County, Indiana.
This webinar will showcase the Project’s contributions to the local economy and workforce development, engagement with partners to specifically guide those contributions, use of a life-cycle economic analysis to support decision-making, renewable energy measures, and novel uses of technology to reduce carbon emissions.
Learning Objectives
- Understand how an airfield project can position itself for sustainability and resiliency success with Envision.
- Use stakeholder engagement to improve results in the Leadership category.
- Identify best practices for approaching innovation credits.
San Francisco Public Utilities Commission’s Biosolids Digester Facilities Project – Using Envision to Demonstrate Sustainability Commitment and Leadership
Date: September 13, 2023
Presenters: Carolyn Chiu, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission and Melissa Wu, Jacobs
Learn how this $3 billion dollar project used the Envision rating system to underscore SFPUC’s commitment to sustainability. The webinar will include examples of internal and public stakeholder collaboration and how the project helped establish new precedents as the largest SFPUC project to use Envision. The project will replace and relocate the existing (and outdated) solids treatment facilities at the Southeast Treatment Plant which treats 80 percent of the City’s wastewater, with more reliable, efficient, and modern technologies and facilities. This project will help transform the SEP into a modern resource-recovery facility, allow the SFPUC to meet its levels-of-service goals, and be an attractive workplace and an overall asset to the neighborhood.
Learning Objectives
- Review the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission’s Biosolids Digester Facilities Project.
- Observe SFPUC’s commitment to sustainability.
- Connect sustainability goals and achievements with specific Envision credits.
Initiating Envision Use for Organizational and Project Readiness
Date: August 30, 2023
Presenters: ISI Staff
This course consists of two modules that tackle how Envision can positively transform organizational and project practices.
The first module, Initiate Envision for Organizational Readiness, focuses on looking inward, and using a wealth of Envision resources to build sustainable practices within organizations and relevant stakeholders. The second module, Preparing for Project Success, takes the multidisciplinary foundation set and focuses on outcomes, using verified project examples as a roadmap.
Learning objectives:
- Describe the benefits of using Envision for organizational sustainability
- Initiate Envision use with available resources
- Use relevant Envision credits to enhance organizational sustainability practices
- Demonstrate how Envision tools enhance the overall sustainability of infrastructure
- Manage effective interdisciplinary project team collaboration
- Understand the value of using a sustainability management plan
Socially Just and Equitable Infrastructure; COVID-19: Road to Recovery
Date: June 28, 2023
Presenters: ISI Staff
Part 1 of this 2-part webinar takes a look at how justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion intersect with the infrastructure industry. Their importance and relationship with each other is explored, while the process of how to achieve and measure equitable outcomes is provided.
Part 2 begins by comparing and contrasting how various infrastructure sectors were affected by the shock of COVID-19, before focusing on how an emphasis on resilience is required to safeguard infrastructure assets from future “black sheep” events.
Learning objectives:
- Define the benefits of equity and social justice as they pertain to infrastructure
- Recognize the process of transforming community engagement into project development
- Prioritize social equity evaluation methods to measure the success of a project
- Differentiate between the state of various infrastructure sectors before and after COVID-19
- Recognize the infrastructure industry as uniquely situated to serve as a foundation for recovery
- Define the importance of resiliency in mitigating future shock events
Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage Overview
Date: June 14, 2023
Presenters: Sunil Vyas, FLUOR
Carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) encompasses proven technologies that have been used in some sectors for decades as well as new, disruptive technologies that have yet to be commercialized. However, CCUS has yet to be deployed widely at scale. Despite economic challenges, the future of CCUS looks more promising than ever due to net-zero goals set by governments and corporations worldwide. This presentation will explore different types of CCUS technologies used in heavy industries like power, steel, cement, and oil and gas and how the existing market drivers are helping to create a more sustainable world.
Learning objectives:
- Define carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS)
- Identify barriers to deploying CCUS at scale
- Compare different CCUS technologies and identify various market drivers
Learning from the Sixth Street Viaduct Project including the Viaduct Seismic Improvement and Park, Arts, River and Connectivity Improvements (PARC)
Date: May 31, 2023
Moderator: Jim Grant, HNTB
Presenters: Michael Jones, HNTB
The 3,500-foot long 6th Street Viaduct is a transformative landmark in Los Angeles constructed in 1932. Concrete elements of the original viaduct cracked and deteriorated over the next 75 years as a result of an internal Alkali Silica Reaction (ASR) caused by the reactive aggregate used in the concrete. Because of this ongoing and irreversible chemical action, it was determined that replacement was necessary during seismic vulnerability studies that determined the structure was susceptible to failure during major seismic activity. Additional geometric design, safety and functional deficiencies resulted in the decision to demolish and replace the bridge with a new 6th Street Viaduct. Presenters will discuss how the project met the following goals:
- Preserve 6th Street as a viable east-west link between Boyle Heights and Downtown Los Angeles
- Reduce vulnerability of the 6th Street Viaduct in major earthquake events
- Integrate the viaduct with the surrounding community
- Increase the role and functions of this urban viaduct
- Enhance and encourage multi-modalism transportation
- Resolve design deficiencies of the 6th Street Viaduct
Learning objectives:
- Review the Envision Platinum 6th Street Viaduct Project
- Identify the purpose of the project and its enhanced community benefits
- List the project’s wide-ranging sustainability achievements
Starlight Park, NYC – Lessons Learned from a Forensic Envision Application
Date: April 26, 2023
Presenters: Ashley Metius, NV5
The Starlight Park project helps realize a long-sought community vision: a continuous greenway along the Bronx River, designed with ecological principles that would provide river access for thousands of Bronx residents and visitors. The New York City Department of Design and Construction (DDC) managed the project and included the application of the Envision framework during the construction phase, providing a forensic evaluation of NYC’s standard sustainable design practices. This webinar will discuss the lessons learned from this forensic review through a case study published by the Zofnass Program for Sustainable Infrastructure comparing the first round Envision score to the project team’s expected scoring and a Lessons Learned Report developed by DDC and the project’s design consultant, NV5.
Learning objectives:
- Review the Starlight Park Project case study
- Compare the first round Envision score with the project team’s expected score
- List the project’s achievements and lessons learned
Blueprint for ENVISION with the NM Dept. of Transportation
Date: April 5, 2023
Presenters: Jerry Paz, Molzen Corbin
The I-25/University Avenue Interchange Improvements Project is the first infrastructure project in New Mexico to be awarded an Envision Rating. The purpose of this project was to: add capacity to the I-25 southbound off-ramp at University Avenue; reduce congestion, weaving, and backups onto off-ramps; incorporate roundabouts to improve traffic flow; encourage multi-modal transportation options for cyclists and pedestrians.
Since its inception, sustainability has been a core focus of this project. Sustainability goals, including this project’s pursuit of Envision verification, have been communicated to project and community stakeholders throughout its design and delivery phases. Ultimately, the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure’s independent, third-party project verification process awarded the project an Envision Silver rating. The rating recognizes the project’s wide-ranging sustainability achievements in improving overall community quality of life, demonstrating leadership in sustainability, using resources efficiently, protecting the environment, and improving climate resilience.
Learning objectives:
- Review the Envision Silver I-25/University Avenue Interchange Improvements Project
- Obtain Owner buy-in to using Envision process on a project
- List the project’s wide-ranging sustainability achievements
Foundational Decade for Advancing Sustainable Infrastructure
Date: March 29, 2023
Presenters: ISI Staff
ISI’s 10-year history is built on a foundation of grassroots advocacy by people who are passionate about sustainable infrastructure. This course showcases the key influencers along with the milestone projects that served as the platform for ISI’s growth and increasing Envision use across the U.S., Canada, and globally. This course prepares ENV SPs for advocacy by strengthening their foundational knowledge of ISI and the Envision framework. Examples are presented to demonstrate success by ISI members, ENV SPs, and project teams throughout the past 10 years; these examples inform future efforts and inspire expanded use of Envision.
Learning objectives:
- Understand the foundational steps and milestones contributing to the growth of ISI and the success of the Envision framework
- Examine ISI as a mission-driven organization and identify trends in Envision use
- Model sustainability best practices from practical examples
- Strengthen advocacy efforts and discover new ways to use Envision
Naples-Bari Italian High-Speed Railway – the first Envision award outside of North America
Date: March 1, 2023
Moderator: Spiro Pollalis, ISI
Presenters: Giuseppe Carcasi, RFI; Nicoletta Antonias, RFI; Silvia Ciraci, ICMQ; Giovanni Ranza, Stantec
In 2019, the Naples-Bari High Speed Railway Line project was the first in Europe, as well as the first outside of North America, to receive an Envision award.
The Naples-Bari route is a strategic infrastructure which is an integral part of the Scandinavia-Mediterranean railway corridor of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) and plays a key role in the development of Southern Italy.
Members from the project team as well as from the verification team will discuss strengths, weaknesses, challenges, and lessons learned from this Platinum awarded project, which has been the subject of a recent case study developed by the Zofnass Program for Sustainable Infrastructure.
Learning objectives:
- Review the Naples-Bari Italian High-Speed Railway Project Case Study
- Identify the purpose of the project and its role in the development of Southern Italy
- List the project’s wide-ranging sustainability achievements
