THE ENVISION RATING SYSTEM

Transcription

1 THE ENVISION RATING SYSTEM Presentation for NALEO Policy Institute on Infrastructure By: D. Wayne Klotz, P.E., D.WRE September 12, 2014

2 The Importance of Infrastructure Planet Earth is a Dangerous Place for Humans Infrastructure Provides: A Measure of Security A Basis for Public Health A Quality of Life Worth Living

3 Population Growth The Realities of the World in Which We Live Diminished Resources Climate Change Adaptation

4 A New Fact of Life It is no longer enough that infrastructure work be constructed on time and within budget or even that it last it now must be SUSTAINABLE.

5 What makes Infrastructure Sustainable? We can start with a definition

6 What Do We Mean by Sustainable? to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987

7 But it is more than just a definition. It is a way of thinking about the future

8 We Are Not Without Tools to Guide Us There are our Best Practices Statutes and Regulations Science and Technology Community Values and Priorities And there is ENVISION

9 Envision was developed in joint collaboration between the Zofnass Program for Sustainable Infrastructure at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design and the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure. The Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure is a not-for-profit education and research organization founded by the American Public Works Association, the American Council of Engineering Companies and the American Society of Civil Engineers.

10 What is Envision? Envision is a tool, which itself is part of a system, to help us evaluate the sustainability of civil infrastructure. That system includes: A Self Assessment Checklist The Envision Rating Tool A Credential Program for Individuals A Project Evaluation and Verification Program A Recognition Program for Sustainable Infrastructure

11 What Makes Envision Unique? It applies to civil infrastructure It includes design, planning, construction and maintenance elements It is applicable at any point in an infrastructure project's life cycle It speaks to the triple bottom line: social, economic and environmental goals It is designed to keep pace with a changing concept of sustainability

12 Envision is a web based program It is available on-line, It offers complete privacy to the user, And it is available in the public domain so its use is free of charge.

13 What Types of Infrastructure Will Envision Rate?

14 Why Will Agencies and Companies Want To Use Envision? Because it will improve their performance.and Public confidence in their performance

15 How Will it Help Them? By causing them to think about sustainability in an organized fashion that is consistent with their community values and priorities. Envision is not prescriptive it helps decide outcomes, not strategies. It is a powerful planning tool for whole systems and, simultaneously, an individual project evaluator.

16 AND It includes metrics to help identify and measure the value of an investment in sustainable infrastructure over the life of the project and allows decision makers to make decisions about that value at the point of procurement where it matters.

17 Five Levels of Achievement Improved - Performance that is at/above conventional. Enhanced - Indications that superior performance is within reach. Superior - Sustainable performance that is noteworthy. Conserving - Performance that has achieved essentially zero impact. Restorative - Performance that restores natural or social systems.

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19 Scoring Summary

20 Applications Using Envision Over 150 Projects That We Know About - Water and Wastewater Treat Plants Pipelines Brownfield Restorations Airport Upgrades Highway Interchanges Light Rail Facilities Wetlands Development

21 Agencies Using Envision City of Dallas Port of Long Beach City of Chicago New York City DEP County of Los Angeles San Diego Airport Cape Cod Planning Authority California Water Resources Department

22 What Can You Do? Promote Sustainability As A Worthy Goal Remove Regulatory Roadblocks Set Achievable Implementation Targets Get Public Buy-In on New Methods

23 FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ENVISION sustainableinfrastructure.org Bill Bertera, Executive Director (202)