In 2012, a collaboration between the Harvard University Graduate School of Design, American Public Works Association, American Society of Civil Engineers, and American Council of Engineering Companies launched the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI) to tackle these challenges of civil infrastructure. Many blue green and gray water infrastructure projects have benefited from ISI’s Envision Rating framework to guide decision making through project planning, design and implementation, including project verification and Envision Sustainability Professional (ENV SP) credentialing.
The Envision Rating framework presents a robust process to guide natural and built infrastructure including potable water distribution, water reuse, stormwater management, and flood control. The rating system consists of 60 criteria in 5 categories: Quality of Life (wellbeing, mobility, and community), Leadership (collaboration, planning, economy), Resource Allocation (materials, energy, water), Natural World (siting, conservation, ecology), and Climate & Resilience (emissions, risk). The framework has been used on hundreds of projects and tens of billions of euros in infrastructure across the globe.
While the framework is designed to evaluate specific project sustainability, water companies and waterboards have used the framework to shift organizational approaches and techniques for a structured approach toward ecosystem restoration.
Source: Cooper, J. P. (PE, ENV SP, CWO Arcadis). 2021. Applying a proven framework to promote sustainability in natural and built water assets. Sustainable built environment and governance through actor-led processes, Reuse, Recycle & Recover. AIWW 2021