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Training Module 1:Purpose: “To foster a dramatic and necessary improvement in the performance and resiliency of our physical infrastructure across the full spectrum of sustainability.”Access and improve sustainabilityInstitute for sustainable infrastructure (American Public Works Association, American Council of Engineering Companies, ASCE) collaborative effort to identify issues and solutions60 criteria (credits) assess environmental, social, and economic impactsQuality of Life = Protecting and growing strong communitiesMore than a scoring tool, also a guideA universal framework gives the confidence to know the full range of impacts and trade-offsNot designed for buildings for solely human occupationPlanning & Design, Construction (under development) , O&M (under development)Improved, Enhanced, Superior, conserving, restorativeTotal points achieved / Total points possibleSelf-Assessments are free and no restrictionsVerification1. Register the project2. Pay a service fee3. Go through third-party verificationAnyone can use envisioncan be used at any stage of a projectCan be submitted after 95% design completion, up to 3 years after construction is completedbefore that time = not enough documentationWays to use EnvisionEducation, Framework, Communication, Planning and Design Guide, Internal Self-Assessment, Recognition, Achievement, Internal Accountability, Public AccountabilityThe modern concept of sustainability was first formally established in 18th century Europe. Earth = closed systemTriple bottom lineOvershoot = when the ecological footprint exceeds biocapacityInfrastructure development should consider its direct impacts on overconsumption and how infrastructure can encourage more responsible resource consumptionAs nations develop they increase their ecological footprintsSustainable infrastructure development is aboutbuilding stronger, more resilient communitiesproviding safe and reliable services that preserve what people valueQuality of their communityTheir environmenttheir futureEnvision Guidance Manual:The official referenceEach credit section has 6 important partsImproved: Slightly exceed conventional practiceEnhanced: Notable advancementsSuperior: High PerformanceConserving: 100% reductions or no negative impactsRestorative: Positive impact through restorationNOT ALL Credits have all 4 levels of achievementProvide sufficient documentation to answer the criteria questions and demonstrate achievementEnvision is comprised of both qualitative and quantitative credits and evaluation criteriaEnvision is a guide to making better decisionsThe ENV SP and project team present a narrative and supporting documentation demonstrating they have met the requirements of the creditYes/no, quantifiable targets, and subjectiveProjects cannot receive partial points or be assessed between levelsFor non-applicable credits the ENV SP must demonstrate that assessing the criteria is not possibleNot acceptable reasons for identifying a credit as “not applicable”The stakeholders indicated the issues are not a priorityLocal laws or regulations prohibit the credit activitythe company or organization conducting the Envision assessment does not have decision making authoritythe scope of the project does not consider the issueachieving the credit requirements would be too expensiveachieving the credit requirements would be too difficult0.0 Innovate or exceed credit requirements (Extra credit)exceeding credit requirementsinnovation, new-thinking, overcoming significant problems, barriers, or limitations OR creating scalable and/or transferable solutionsScoresheeta digital version of the rating systemFunctionalitiesCreate and define a projectassess performance in each credittally points and present scoresAchieving 100% in every credit will not be possibleenvision points encourage projects to focus on where they can achieve the greatest impactProjects that score 20% to 50% should be proud of their achievementVerification and Award Programrequirement, third-party confirmation, internal accountability, recognition6 steps to the reward processPreregistration: self-assessment Registration: discuss project overview, verification timeline, answer questions between ENV SP and ISI verifierAssessment: clear and concise documentation for every credit, link each piece of supporting documentation to a specific evaluation criteriaVerification: Verifier reviews the assessment to confirm levels of achievement and sends back to ENV SP with commentsAward: Envision award ceremony, press release, award plaqueSupplemental Material:pre-assessment checklist, does not correlate directly to Envision scoresENV SPFor the Blog:Glossary tab gives you definitions of unknown termsThere is a transcript tab that allows you to view the written narrationMenu tab shows you what the different sections are. You can not skip sections to you have to complete the first one before moving on to the next. There is a play/pause button to allow you to stop the module. There is also a prev and next button the navigate to different sections.Earth is a finite resourceVoyager 1 took a photo of the earth as it exited the known solar system. Earth looked like a pale blue dot. It may not seem significant at that distance but to us it means everything. “That’s here. That’s home. That’s us.” – Carl Sagan “…preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the only home we’ve ever known”1. Introduction to Envision, 2. Quality of Life, 3. Leadership, 4. Resource Allocation, 5. Natural World, 6. Climate and Risk, 7. Using Envisionoverview of category, how to assess each credit, interactionsModule 7 = assessing and scoring projects, example projects, details of the verification processModule 1: Overview of Envision and ISI, Role and purpose of Envision, Brief introduction to sustainability, organization/structure of Envision, introduction to using EnvisionModule 2: Quality of LifeAn overview of the category, its importance, organization/structure of credits, information about each credit, examples of its application, practiceproject impacts on communities at multiple scalesIntangible ways people can be negatively impacted by infrastructure: light pollution, noise, limited mobilityNet positive outcome for the communityProjects that are sensitive to the values of the community will be considered more valuable to the community13 CreditsPurposeMacro and long-term impacts of the project“Is this the right project?”Wellbeing:impacts to individualssafety and protection from disturbances, mobility and access to transportationCommunity:Aspects that impact livability and desirabilityunique history, culture, and local character1. Purpose: Does the project align with community goals and plans?Will it stimulate responsible, equitable, and sustainable economic growth?Will it lead to improved skills and capabilities for the future?Project’s impacts on the functional aspects of the community:Growth, development, job creation. livability, business attractiveness, general improvementPositive results include:community education, outreach, knowledge creation, worker trainingProject’s should balance short-term wants with long-term needsQL1.1 (p. 20-21)about improving the quality of life of communities affected by the project through the understanding and advancement of the needs and goals specific to that communitydialog between stakeholders and skilled professionalsholistic assessment of needs and concernsCommunities should be: informed about trade-offs be provided freedom and input to determine their own quality of life and community characterQL1.2 encourages the long-term viability of communities through sustainable growth, recognizing that sustainable growth does not necessarily mean expansionContributing to sustainable growth and development: Livability - recreation, community attractiveness, culture, capacityattractiveness – creates jobs b/c people want to live/work thereQL1.3encourages the long-term viability of communities by expanding the knowledge, skills, and capacity of the workforce14 million people are employed in infrastructure projects2. Wellbeing (6 credits)(First 3) Health and Safety, Noise and Vibration, Light Pollutions(Last 3) Transportation and MobilityQL2.1encourages projects to go above and beyond existing regulatory requirements regarding health and safety when new materials, technologies, or methodologies are utilizedthe system recognizes projects that go above and beyond to ensure these new applications are implemented with an additional focus on health and safetyproper operation and maintenanceQL2.2targets the noises and disturbances from infrastructure construction and operation that degrades the quality of life of those impacted by the projectNoise contributed to: cardiovascular disease, cognitive impairment of children, tinnitus, sleep deprivation, and annoyanceQL2.3encourages projects to reduce unnecessary light in order to improve quality of life, conserve energy, and protect ecosystemsExcessive light at night impacts: disrupts ecosystem health, wastes energy, has adverse impacts on human healthTypes of Light Pollution: glare, light trespass, and skyglowQL2.4asks project teams to consider mobility impacts across the community and encourages collaboration to achieve the best solution for improved mobilityTransportation of personal, materials, and wasteHow the project will impact the mobility of individuals in the communitycoordination with adjacent facilities, stakeholders, or transportation hubswhether projects can reduce their contribution to congestionQL2.5 (p. 34-35)promotes multi-modal systems and alternatives to single occupancy vehiclesNon-motorized transportation and public transportationImportant for: resource efficiency, reducing greenhouse gases, and improved livabilityQL2.6 (p. 36-37)recognizes the impacts that projects can have on individual safety, accessibility, and wayfinding of individuals on or around the siteBarriers are no always the best way to protect individual safety: more dangerous situations, difficult navigation, negative impacts on property values, increase in vandalism in and around the siteSafe and easy navigation can provide a benefit to the surrounding community and improve perceptions of infrastructure3. Community (3 credits)Historic and cultural resources are about the culture that makes communities unique todayLocal character is what makes communities desirable places to liveInfrastructure that is a visible asset to communities helps the public understand the importance of infrastructureQL3.1 Preserve Historic and Cultural Resourcesstrives to preserve local culture and history for future generations, as well as enhances community identity, attractiveness, and characterLaws help to protect historic and cultural resources, but many resources are still lost to development or neglectIdentification of historic and cultural resourcesfully preserving the character defining features of historic resourcesincreased significance placed on historic and cultural resourcesQL3.2 Preserve Views and Local Characterseeks to maintain the local character, desirability, and sense of communitydevelopment should seek to preserve: natural landscapes, mountains, forests, wetlands, farms, trails, observation pointsSupporting the community in developing policies for local characterDetermination of the local characterQL3.3 Enhance Public Space (p. 42-43)seeks to make improvements to public spaces like parks, plazas, recreational facilities, and hiking trails for the purpose of enhancing community livabilityTwo critical elements to public space:1. Infrastructure provides the basic services of life and prosperity. In providing one service, we should not have to negatively impact the other.2. Infrastructure’s history has been to be “out of sight and out of mind.” Where possible, design infrastructure to be attractive and accessibleAdding public space to increase livabilityStakeholder satisfaction with project plansModule 3: Leadership (10 credits)Determining the best sustainable projects requires collaborators, stakeholders, and project team members. Broad range of input and perspectivesCommitment, planning, and management systemsSubcategories: Collaboration, Management, PlanningTrends:commitments to improve sustainabilityICLEI – Local governments for sustainability, over 1000 urban regions, cities, towns, and rural communities, over 450 US and 30 Canadian membersResilient communities for AmericaLots of infrastructure was built after WWII and is reaching end of life (40-60 years)Collaboration (4 credits)Broad and effective collaboration early can increase the sustainability potential at little to no costaddress early commitments to sustainabilityLD1.1 Provide Effective Leadership and Commitmentrecognizes that a strong commitment to sustainability by the owner and project team is the only way to ensure a sustainable solutionrequires strong documentation: should demonstrate real commitment and actions, focus on owners or lead organizations with decision authority NOT advertising or promotionalThe extent to which the project owner and project tam have made public commitments to improve sustainabilityLD1.2 Establish a Sustainability Management systemfocuses on creating policy and authority regarding the roles and responsibilities for implementing sustainability plansISO 14001 & 14004 Standards: Guidance on how to create an EMS to implement policies and objectives effectively. Can be amended to incorporate the full range of sustainability criteriaLD1.3 Foster Collaboration and Teamworkfoster more sustainable projects by encouraging whole system design and input from various team members in early decision-makingAgreements and contracts should align toward better communication and collaborationCharettesLD1.4 Provide for Stakeholder Involvement (p. 56-57)is critical for ensuring projects align and take into account community inputcomprehensive, thorough, and well-timed public communication can make the differencethe impacted public provides the social license to operatesocial license: general support of a communityaddressing community concerens can help ensure the end users understand the communities values and the projects intended useManagement (2 credits)Incorporating systems thinking: 1. the integration of material and resources. How waste materials or waste energy can be utilized. 2. Integration of infrastructure sytems within a project, network, or across infrastructure systemsLD2.1 Pursue By-Product Synergy Opportunities (p.58-59)recognizes that directly using a waste stream as a resource is even more efficient than purchasing recycled materials (RA 1.3)Kalundborg Eco-Industrial ParkPoints can be achieved for by-products utilized during design, construction, or operation.Envision recognizes that it may not always be possible to utilize by-productsLD2.2 Improve Infrastructure Integration (p. 60-61)the operational relationships of existing infrastructure networks to improve performanceAsses project in relationship to its impact on the overall performance of the systemPlanning (3 credits)Operate and maintain the project as efficiently and as long as possibleExtend the life of the projectLD3.1 Plan for Long-term monitoring and Maintenance (p. 62-63)asks projects to put plans and policies in place to ensure proper protection measures and operational performance are maintainedPlans to monitor and maintain infrastructure help transmit critical knowledge to ensure projects meet performance goalsLD3.2 Address Conflicting Regulations and Policies (p. 64-65)recognizes that helping to change policies that run counter to sustainability objectives can have impacts far beyond the individual projectPiloting demonstration projects or helping to change design standards can help ease the way for more sustainable projects in the futureEnvision recognizes: changing regulations and policies is not always possible and conflicting regulations may not exist (may not be applicable)LD3.3 Extend Useful Life (p. 66-67)Focuses on designing the project to be more durable, flexible, and resilientPlanning & Design: proper maintenance can be facilitated during design. Consider how projects expand or adapt to increased growth and demandConstruction: proper maintenance is criticalModule 4: Resource Allocation (14 credits)Resources: assets that are needed to build infrastructure and keep it operational Subcategories: Material, Energy, and WaterQuantity, source, characteristics, impacts on sustainability.008% of all Earth’s water is accessible freshwaterAll Water: 97.5% Saltwater, 2.5% FreshwaterFreshwater: 70% is glaciers and snow. And 30% is liquid freshwaterLiquid freshwater: 99% groundwater, 1% rivers and lakesConsider costs and impacts associated with energy and materials needed to: extract water, treat water, transport water, re-treat water, and discharge waterConsider costs and impacts associated with environmental impacts on: source waters, receiving watersMaterials:Material Reduction: Minimizing the total amount of materials used should be a primary consideration for infrastructure projects. This reduces the amount of natural resources that must be extracted and processed, and the energy required to produce and transport those materials use must be balanced with safety, stability, and durability.Material Reuse or Recycling: reusing materials or using materials with recycled content can also mitigate material useLow Impact Material Extraction: The source of materials also matters. We can reduce the impacts of materials obtained from distant sources by sourcing regionally if the same type and quality of material is available.Waste Reduction: We can Pursue options to reduce waste and to divert waste to beneficial reuse. The life cycle of a material should always be considered: where it has come from and where it will go after its useful life in the project. Consideration should be given to the materials ability to be recycled or reused, its durability, and its adaptability. These help minimize the amount of natural resources consumed in the future.RA1.1 Reduce Net Embodies Energy (p. 74-75)addresses the need to use materials efficiently and to weight their relative impact by understanding their net embodied energyNet embodied energy: the energy needed to extract, transport, and process or manufacture “Cradle to gate”, material intensityAn inventory of embodies energy data by manufacturers or sourced from existing databasesA streamlined LCA focusing on materials of significant quantity in the projectThe embodied energy components of a complete projectRA1.2 Support Sustainable Procurement Practices (p. 76-77)emphasizes the importance of sourcing materials from companies that implement sustainable practicesReduce negative environmental impacts by implementing an Environmental Management system (EMS) (ISO 14001 Standards) & Disclose added chemical constituents and residuals RA1.3 Use Recycled Materials (p. 78-79)reduces the impact of material consumption by encouraging the use of reused or recycled content, reused materials, excavated aggregatesNOT RECYLCED METERIALS: reuse of existing plants & soils, or the use of excavated materials as fillpost-industrial or post-consumer recyclingCalculated percentages can be of weight of volume (REMAIN CONSISTANT)Component weight/volume * % recycled material = calculated %RA1.4 Use Reginal Materials (p. 80-81)minimizes transportation costs and impacts while retaining regional benefits to local communitiesassessed on the percentage of total materials that are sourced regionally to minimize transportation distancesoils, mulches, aggregates, and sand (50 miles radius)concrete (100 miles)Plants (250 miles)all other materials (500 miles)use the last manufacturing step for calculation (consider material origins byt not required)Equipment, such as electromechanical, can be excluded from the calculation The most efficient equipment should be specified regardless of distance1. Project team discuses the credit objectives in order to reach a common understanding and set goals 2. the team identifies specific opportunities and documents design choices for meeting those goals 3. an inventory of the project materials to help document credits 4. identifies those materials that meet the credit requirements 5. a narrative needed to explain calculations 6. some credits have additional requirements specific to each level of achievement which should be documentedRA1.5 Divert waste from Landfills (p. 82-83)the goal is to reduce waste generation and to direct waste to beneficial reuse. This is assessed through the percentage of waste diverted from disposalBoth construction and operational waste is countedAcceptable Diversion: waste reduction, onsite reusing or recycling, sending materials to recycling or reclamation facilities, sending materials directly to manufacturers to be used as recycled content, composting materials on or off site, sing materials as infill, incinerating biomass for energy generationUnacceptable Diversion: incinerating materials not classified as biomassRA1.6 Reduce Excavated Materials Taken Off Site (84-85)minimizes the impact of transporting excavated materials and helps protect the quality of the soil ecologyRA1.7 Provide for Deconstruction and Recycling Levels of Achievement (86-87)encourages designing projects in a manner to maximize the potential reuse or recycling of materials or usable components when the project reaches the end of its useful lifeensuring materials have value at the end of their lifeEnergy (3 credits)Monitoring energy systems is critical to: ensure projects function as planes. Maintain the intended level of efficiency throughout the projectRA2.1 Reduce Energy Consumption (p. 88-89)targets operational and maintenance energy consumption over the project’s lifereduce energy used by fossil fuelsDoes not include operational energycalculation should consider: electricity form the grid, onsite energy generation, fuel consumption, vehicular energy consumptionBenchmarks: the estimated energy consumption of a proposed project alternative, existing codes for energy consumption, a comparison of the energy consumed by existing systems which the project will replace, and measured data of a similar project with justification the comparison is validRA2.2 Use Renewable Energy (p. 90-91)encourages projects to meet energy needs though renewable energy sources% from Renewable Sourcesdecreasing overall energy use (RA2.1) leads to an increase in % renewable energy (RA2.2)RA2.3 Commission and Monitor Energy Systems (p. 92-93)addresses the need to ensure projects operate as intended and continue to operate efficiently over their intended lifeFactors that can impact project operation: 1. systems not being installed correctly 2. systems not being maintained properly with a decrease in performance 3. adaptation later in life without understanding the system impacts 4. the loss of institutional knowledge on how the systems should be operated Water (3 credits)Two roles of water: 1. integral part of the natural world involved in all ecosystem services. 2. A vital resource used by society for industry, energy, food, recreation, landscape, and healthfactors associated with water as a resourceRA3.1 Protect Fresh Water Availability (p. 94-95)encourages Envision users to look beyond the project site to the greater watershedRA3.2 Reduce Potable Water Consumption (p. 96-97)Targets reducing overall water consumption. The credit encourages replacing potable water consumption with non-potable alternativeswater conservation is not only an issue for water scarce regionsConserving water avoids the large amounts of energy consumed in: pumping water, treating water, distributing water, collecting wastewater, retreating wastewater, chemical use, waste impacts, and effluent impactsRA3.3 Monitor Water Systems (p. 98-99)recognizes the need to monitor water systems to ensure their proper performance7 billion gallons of treated water are lost a day due to leaks10% of all treated water from utilities was lost through leaksperformance areas: reduced consumption, improved efficiency, shifting water demand to off-peak hours, increasing groundwater recharge, improving the quality of discharge or runoffModule 5: Natural WorldEcosystems – Biotic and abioticFour Categories of Ecosystem ServicesConsideration should be given to whether restoring them might be most beneficial for projects and the communities they serveAddresses how to be aware of and minimize negative impacts to ecosystemsEncourages infrastructure to interact with natural systems in a synergistic waySubcategories: Siting, land and Water, BiodiversityWorld population has double over the past 40 years40% waterways too contaminated for swimmingSiting (7 credits)Siting projects to minimize environmental impacts avoiding sensitive sites (surface waters, prime habitat, farmland)providing sufficient buffers to avoid direct disturbanceAvoid disrupting natural cycles by protecting geology for: groundwater recharge, preserving floodplains, reducing risks of erosionLocation risks: earthquakes, floods, landslides, wildfiresThe use of previously developed or disturber sites are ideal for: preventing further damage, improving land value, and remediating contaminationDocumentation should demonstrate that locating the project on or near the sensitive site was consideredNW1.1 Preserve Prime Habitat (p. 106-107)encourages projects to avoid development on sites of high ecological value or sites that have species of high value, and to provide protective buffers around existing prime habitatsNot all “environmentally critical” areas are protected at the municipal, state or federal levelDo you know the ecological value of the site?NW1.2 Protect Wetlands & Surface Water (p. 108-109)addressed the need to protect wetland and surface waters with natural “buffer” zones in order to ensure their proper functioningRiparian Buffers (Vegetated Soil Protection Zones (VSPZ)): protect wildlife habitat, regulate water temp, maintain water quality, protect hydrology, protect against human disturbanceNW1.3 Preserve Prime Farmland (p. 110-111)helps ensure productive farmland is not used for developmentNW1.4 Avoid Adverse Geology (p. 112-113)has a dual purpose of preventing damage to sensitive geologic formations, as well as safeguarding projects from hazards posed by adverse geologyKarst Topography = protectNW1.5 Preserve Floodplain Functions (p. 114-115)limit development and the impacts of development in floodplainsmaps delineating the site, the floodplain, and calculating pre- and post storageBy actively avoiding any development in the floodplain, the project would receive ConservingNW1.6 Avoid Unsuitable Development on Steep Slopes (p. 116-117)seeks to prevent the social and environmental damage that can occur from improper development, leading to landslides, erosion, and other natural hazardstry to avoid step slope siteslandslides cost $1-$2 billion dollarsNW1.7 Preserve Greenfields (p. 118-119)encourages locating projects on previously developed or greyfields sites as well as sites classified as brownfields“greyfields” refers to all previously developed sites“brownfields” are properties with contamination caused by former useLand & Water (3 credits)Disturbances to ecosystem health (pesticides, fertilizer, stormwater runoff, and other contaminants)NW2.1 Manage Stormwater (p. 120-121)emphasizes the important role stormwater plays in the natural worlddevelopment changes the natural flow and runoff on a siteStromwater is a transport mechanism for contaminantstarget performance is dependent upon whether the site was formally a greenfield, greyfield, or brownfieldGreenfields: target water storage capacity is 100%Greyfields and brownfields: percentage of improvement over target water capacityNW2.2 Reduce Pesticide & Fertilizer Impacts (p. 122-123)aims to reduce the quantity, toxicity, bioavailability, and persistence of pesticides and fertilizers30%-50% nitrogen in fertilizers is not absorbed by plantsit is transported through vaporization surface runoff, and groundwater leaching50%-80% nitrogen in fertilizers is absorbed by plantsToxicity: degree to which these substances can damage living organismsBioavailability: fraction of a substance that reaches and can be absorbed by living systemsPersistence: Measure of a pesticide or pollutant’s resistance to degradationNW2.3 Prevent Surface & Groundwater Contamination (p. 124-125)recognizes that infrastructure can inadvertently become a source of pollution and encourages projects to increase protection and prepare response plansBiodiversity (4 credits)Natural extinction rate is around one species every 200 yearsIn the past 40 years there have been 89 extinctions with 169 mammal species critically endangered30% of all plant and animal species may be extinct within the next 100 yearsmaintaining habitat connectivity, proper soils, and surface water functionscontrolling invasive specieshow indirect disruptions of habitats can impact species biodiversityNW3.1 Preserve Species Biodiversity (p. 126-127)aims to protect species by preserving their habitat connectivityland transformation and habitat fragmentation are primary drivers in the loss of biodiversity – limits species ability to adaptNW3.2 Control Invasive Species (p. 128-129)recognizes that invasive species represent a threat to biodiversityInvasive species: compete for limited resources, often without natural predators, grow exponentially in populationNW3.3 Restore Disturbed Soils (p. 130-131)encourages to protect healthy ecological and hydrological functions by restoring soils disturbed during constructionSoil Disturbance: compaction, churning, puddling, displacement, and removal1 gram of soil can contain 50,000 unique speciesnatural soil porosity is critical to: air flow, water infiltration, water storageDisturbed soils can: destroy existing vegetation, prevent future vegetation, disrupt the hydrological cycle, and impact faunaNW3.4 Maintain Wetland & Surface Water Functions (p. 132-133)recognizes the important role healthy wetlands and surface waters play in providing habitatFour main ways to improve the ecosystem functions of wetland and surface waters by maintaining or enhancing: 1. Hydrological Cycle 2. Water Quality 3. Habitats 4. Sediment TransportMany healthy waterways and wetlands receive much of their normal flow from underground sourcesDocumentation: current source of the waterway’s normal flow, water quality of its source water, how water quality will be maintained or enhancedp. 132-133 Past projects that may have removed the: natural riffle, pool, meander sequenceLakes and watercourses may have structures on shoreline, destroying habitat for plants and animalsSediment transport is important for a healthy ecosystemProjects may choose which of the functions they address at each levelModule 6: Climate and Risk (8 credits)Reducing the production of harmful emissionsensuring projects are resilient to short- and long-term risksEmissions (2 credits)targets the reduction of emissionsprimarily quantitativegoal is to reduce these emissions during all stages of a projects lifeCR1.1 Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions (p. 140-141)reduced CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions released into the atmospheregreenhouse gas emissions are factored according to their global warming potential (GWP)Calculating life cycle carbon equivalency (ISO 14040 & 14044)Measured, calculated, or estimated dataEstimated emissions: materials, construction, operations, maintenanceAccepts Streamlined Life Cycle Assessments: focus on the primary sources of greenhouse gas emissionsNet emissions can include carbon-capture and carbon sequestration from man-made or natural processesBaseline Comparisons: existing conditions, standard practice, considered alterative, comparison with a similar projectCR1.2 Reduce Air Pollution Emissions (p. 142-143)targets the reduction of six criteria air pollutants including particular matter, ground-level ozone, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxides, nitrogen oxides, and leadair pollution regulations: National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)Envision accepts projects that can demonstrate an equivalent or greater standard has been metLeast Stringent: 1. NAAQS2. CAAQSMost stringent: 3. SCAQM 4. No air pollutant emissionsResilience (5 credits)encourages projects to prepare for changing operating conditionsassessed on the degree of consideration of risk and vulnerabilityProject, system or community’s ability to: reduce or avoid risks, withstand or absorb disturbances, respond quickly, and adapt to changing conditionsresilient infrastructure should: respond to extreme events and have adaptive capacity for long-term changing conditionsCR2.1 Assess Climate Threat (p. 144-145)provides the foundation for incorporating resilience into projects by requiring a comprehensive risk assessment and adaptation planawards points for conducting a comprehensive assessment of potential climate change impactsChanges in long-term weather patterschanges in extreme weather and natural hazardsincreases sea levelincreased desertification and droughtclimate assessments do not need to be created specifically for the projectlocal, municipal, regional, state or provincial, or federal studies can be referenced as long as they are applicableEnsure the relevance of reference studies and the clarity of the connectionConserving is the ONLY level of achievementCR2.2 Avoid Traps & Vulnerabilities (p. 146-147)addresses broader risks and vulnerabilities, including (but not limited to) climate change that projects may face over their useful lifedetermine the extent to which mean, variance, and plausible extremes could changeCommon Traps: Resource traps: dependence on resources that could become scarce and expensiveConfiguration traps: configurations that increase project or community vulnerabilityStandards traps: not taking into account changing operation conditions or other concernsA. identify changing variable that will increase vulnerabilityB. Assess traps and vulnerabilities and their potential risksC. Acting to avoid, alleviate, or eliminate vulnerabilitiesCR2.3 Prepare for Long-term adaptability (p. 148-149)addresses the need for infrastructure to be resilient to long-term climate change, perform under changing operating conditions, and adapt to long-term changing scenariosThe results of a climate assessment could form the foundation for designing ling-term adaptabilityCR3.4 Prepare for Short-term Hazards (p. 150-151)increases resilience and reduced recovery time from natural and man-made hazardsShort-term hazards: extreme events whose frequency or intensity may be unpredictable or increase over the life of the projectnon-climate and man-made hazards (NOT Climate-related natural hazards)CR2.5 Manage Heat Island Effects (p. 152-153)reduces localized heat accumulation and the associated impacts on communities, project performance, and environmental qualityHeat islands: negatively impacts lifespan and performance of infrastructure, increases energy consumption, reduced comfortcan have larger climate related effectsincreased rainfall 20-40 miles downwind by 28%-50%negative effects can occur in non-urban contexts as wellreduce the amount of heat-absorbing surfacesSolar Reflectance Index (SRI) measure of a surfaces ability to reject solar heatBlack SRI=0White SRI=100hardscapes should be shaded within 5 yeats of planting or have an SRI of at least 29Vegetated areas are not included in calculationsSRI for materials is calculated according to ASTM International standardsthe insurability of infrastructure that is NOT resilient may be in question in the futureModule 7Envision was created to help project teams better incorporate sustainability into their projectsUse Envision:as a communication tool for stakeholdersto prioritize a list of projectsto assess project alternativesas a communication tool with the project teamto identify sustainability opportunitiesto quantify the value of sustainable practicesto evaluate project performanceto recognize achievementPlanningIt can help to guide decisions when defining a project scope, prioritizing a list of projects, and considering project alternativescost can be a limited way to describe the benefits of a projectCommunication: Explain how the project will affect a neighborhoodSeek feedback from community membersExplain how the project will address community proioitiestransportationhistoric and cultural resourcesviews and characterpublic spacenoise and light levelseconomic developmentengage stakeholders and seek their feedbackcommunicate with the project teamproject ownerplannersdesignerscontractorsetc.Design:Are we doing the right project?Are we doing the project right?Including Envision early streamlines this process and limits potential impactsreview credits early and revisit them throughout the project lifeYou can use Envision for self-assessments to determine a project’s sustainability performanceEvaluation:Assessments can be a routine part of project evaluationENV SPs play a key part in conducting Envision assessmentsHow to encourage the use of EnvisionRFQ: request for qualifications ask respondents to sustainability experienceENV SP qualificationsFull project assessmentaward level soughtFundingFunding agencies can increase funding for projects that meet an Envision award levelSelf-assessment Processwhen a project team uses Envision to evaluate a projectEnvision is available for project self-assessments at no costThe guidance manual and online scoresheet are available to facilitate the self-assessmentThere are three steps to a self-assessment1. clearly define the scope and boundary of the projectProject intent, goals, schedule, team members, prominent sustainable featuresphysical location, dimensions, infrastructure componentsCondition of the site, neighborhood, and communityWhat is (and is not) included in the assessment2. Assess each of the 60 Envision creditsIs the credit applicable? (Provide documentation if No)Was the credit addresses?No? – no credit, no pointsWhat was the level achieved?look at lettered criteria and descriptive textreceive points, provide documentation, add pointsInnovation CreditsBonus Pointsno requirednot included in total possible pointsdo not count against a project3. Determine the project scoreFinal score breakdown of score by categorythe score represents the project’s sustainable achievement above and beyond conventional design practicesEarned points / applicable pointsShare your results with stakeholders or other community membersrecord the results for tracking performance and value over timeuse the score as a benchmark to aid in decision-making in the futureVerification Process:Envision Verification and Award Program: the 3rd party confirmation of the Envision scoreMay submit for verification after 95% completion of project and for up to 3 years after construction is completeRegistration fee + Verification FeeProjects must be submitted by an ENV SPhas been credentialed to use the Envision rating system and understand the processcan be any member of the project teamdoes not need to be employed by the projects owner or designerguides the project team through the verification processwill be the main point of contact for ISI and the project verifierVerifiers:Is specially trained by ISI to review projects is available to mentor the ENV SP in Envision and the verification processreviews the credit levels of achievement and required documentationconfirms that the project meets the evaluation criteriaPreregistration – Registration – Assessment – Verification – AwardPreregistration: complete a self-assessment and contact ISI to discuss the verification process, timeline, fees, and other concernsRegistration:fee = $1000Assessment:must be submitted through the online scoresheetdescription is required for verificationDescribe: project intent, goals, schedule, team members, most prominent sustainable features, the site, neighborhood, and/or communityactual or anticipated dates for the start of design, start of construction, and completionJustify credits marked as “not applicable”Support the credit levels of achievementuse a coversheetarrange in a way that is easy to understand (in order of the credit criteria)Reports, studies, drawing, specifications, meeting minutes, etc.The purpose of documentation is to communicate effectively how the project met the credit level of achievement criteriaIt is your responsibility to present this information clearlyHighlight if necessary make certain the documentation is relevant to the project as defined in the project description Upload one 10Mb file of supporting documentation for each creditcombine relevant information into one PDF fileSubmit all 60 credits at one time using the online scoresheetCoversheet: include narrative of why they got level of achievement, call attention to relative sections of the reportReports: title page, table of contents, relevant pagesConstruction Plans: consider how the plan will support the criteria and how the verifier will find the information, sheet with signage (highlight if needed), the scale of the drawingsMeeting Minutes: one meeting or reoccurring meetingsTo strengthen this documentation provide the underlying dataExplain how it is relevantuse callout boxeshighlight relevant areasinclude a short narrativeBaseline conditionclearly describe the baselinebe consistent in using the same baseline for all relevant creditsexisting conditions, a seriously considered project alternative, conventional practice, comparison to a similar projectexplain what baseline you’re using and why it is an appropriate comparisonVerification:When you submit, you will not be able to edit the levels of achievement or documentationverification fee varies on the type of the project1. Initial verification: you will not have access to online scoresheet2. ENV SP response: have online score, can respond to the verifier’s comments by providing additional documentation or accepting the level of achievementprovide a narrative explanation of new documents3. Final verification: if credit is verified – do not need to respond and no changes are made by the verifierif they don’t agree – provide additional documentation as noted, then resubmit4. AuthenticationISI staff acts as an authenticatorThis is to ensure verifiers apply an equal and consistent level of rigor in their determination of a project achievement.If there is a disagreement there can be an appealnotification – per-credit fee – verifier panelAward:Bronze = +20%Silver = +30%Gold = +40%Platinum = +50%William Jack Hernandez Sport Fish Hatchery Projectincorporate Envision earlier in the projectSouth Los Angeles Wetland ParkThe ENV SP was the project directorinvolvement from a functional team member who was also an ENV SP resulted in an efficient assessmentthe effort to prepare and compile documentation would have been easier if it had occurred during designRole of the ENV SP:Lead the project team in the verification and award programregistering the projectfinalizing the assessmentcompiling documentationacting as the project’s point of contact for ISI and the Envision verifierStaying current on EnvisionISI policiescredit interpretationschanges to the rating system ................
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