Elizabeth J. Bradford, MS, ENV SPGlobal Technology Leader: Resilient & Sustainable Infrastructure Planning & Envision Sustainable Infrastructure Rating System

Planning and Designing Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructure

Innovative Envision Approaches

8th Annual Water Resources Strategies Symposium:

Challenging the Status QuoThe Massachusetts Coalition for Water Resources

Stewardship

May 17, 2017

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Agenda

1. Industry challenges and opportunities

2. CH2M’s Resiliency and Sustainability Framework

3. The Envision Rating System

4. CH2M’s Resiliency and Sustainability Framework with Envision, including Case Studies Results

3

Industry Challenges and Opportunities

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The terms resiliency and sustainability are often used interchangeably, but there are nuanced differences

• Sustainability is simply the ability of something to endure through time

– Sustainable development as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

• Resiliency is the ability to return to an original or desired state after experiencing stress or change

– Resilient infrastructure is infrastructure constructed such that it can withstand or quickly recover from stressors.

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Industry trends have created a market for a standardized approach to resilient and sustainable design

Increased understanding

and use on projects

Illumination of social and

environmental benefits and co-benefits

Demonstrations of reduced

costs (financial benefits)

Growing demand for

standardized approach

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The Challenge: Multiple resiliency and sustainability drivers, but limited resources

• Compile and communicate requirements?

• Know how resilient and sustainable current initiatives are?

• Communicate current performance to stakeholders?

• Identify areas for short- and long-term improvement?

• Create future value for their community?

• Select design alternatives with the highest return on investment?

• Reduce capital investment and long-term operating and maintenance costs?

• Train and empower staff to plan and design more sustainable and resilient projects?

• Understand and communicate the value proposition to stakeholders?

So, how does a large organization or program:

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Resiliency and Sustainability FrameworkA comprehensive program development, management and decision support system

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The Solution: CH2M’s Resiliency and Sustainability Framework

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The Envision Rating SystemEnvision is a sustainability rating system for civil infrastructure projects

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Many are looking to the Envision rating system for their infrastructure projects

Similar to LEED, Envision is a project certification process that allows for projects that have achieved high levels of sustainability to receive recognition awards (bronze, silver, gold, or platinum) based on level of achievement.

LEED framework helps designers integrate sustainable alternatives into buildings.

Envision framework helps designers integrate sustainable alternatives into all types of civilinfrastructure projects.

The criteria vary, but Envision award levels are intended to be equivalent to LEED in level of effort and level of sustainability.

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The Institute for Sustainable

Infrastructure

The American Society of Civil Engineers

The American Council of Engineering

Companies

Envision is the flagship product developed by Zofnassand ISI

The Zofnass Program for Sustainable

Infrastructure at the Graduate School of Design at Harvard

University

The American Public Works Association

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Envision is a framework of 5 categories broken down into themed subcategories, within which 60 credits are arranged

Subcategories

Categories Quality of Life

Purpose

Wellbeing

Community

Leadership

Collaboration

Management

Planning

ResourceAllocation

Materials

Energy

Water

Natural World

Siting

Land+Water

Biodiversity

Climateand Risk

Emissions

CR2.1: Assess Climate Threat

CR2.2: Avoid Traps and Vulnerabilities

CR2.3: Prepare for Long-Term Adaptability

CR2.4: Prepare for Short-Term Hazards

CR2.5: Manage Heat Island Effects

Resilience

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Each credit is laid out on two pages, with the same structure throughout

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Increasingly Sustainable

Points Per Level of Achievement

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Resiliency and Sustainability Framework with EnvisionA comprehensive program development, management and decision support system – that uses Envision

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From Projects to Programs – CH2M Increases the Value of Envision

Program and organization level

framework

To operationalize and institutionalize the Envision framework

Integrates economic resiliency and sustainability

DesignTeam

Stakeholders

DecisionMakers

Envision

Project level framework

Objective metric for measuring project

performance

Defines opportunities for more environmentally

and socially resilient and sustainable projects

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CH2M’s Resiliency and Sustainability Framework was extended to integrate the Envision principles

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In Phase 1 documents and standards that apply to all projects across a program or organization are identified

External Guidance Documents

Internal Guidance Documents

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Case Study: Phase 2 results for a wastewater treatment plant, by credit category

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

21%

36%

6%

37%

17%

23%

PER

CEN

T A

PP

LIC

AB

LE P

OIN

TS

20%

30%

40%

50%

Bronze

Silver

Gold

Platinum

100%

Phase 5

Not Applicable

Phase 2

Phase 3

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Case Study: Phase 3 potential additional commitments for a wastewater treatment plant, by credit category

23%

29%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Phase 2 & 3 Results

Phase 2 - Baseline Phase 3 - Potential Stretch Goals

Gold

Silver

Bronze

Platinum

?

20%

30%

40%

50%

Bronze

Silver

Gold

Platinum

100%

Phase 5

Not Applicable

Phase 2

Phase 3

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In Phase 3 we narrow list of stretch goals by integrating economic realities

Envision points are a proxy for level of resiliency and sustainability. Each potential action (dot) has a corresponding Envision score (y-axis) and associated cost (x-axis). Priorities are highlighted with stars. Action selection is based on (1) highest impact alternatives (lowest cost, most sustainable and resilient, within circle); or (2) organizational priorities (squares).

Leve

l of

Re

silie

ncy

an

d S

ust

ain

abili

ty

Cost

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In Phase 4 we operationalize and institutionalize organizational priorities with guidance documents and training

Chartering

Training

Program Standards

Key Performance Indicators

Designer Scopes of Work

Sustainable &Resilient

Planning andDesign

Guidelines

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Case study: Phase 5 tools integrate resiliency & sustainability into project design alternatives analysis

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

QUALITY OF LIFE LEADERSHIP RESOURCEALLOCATION

NATURAL WORLD CLIMATE ANDRISK

Overall Score

36

%

54

%

4%

53

%

39

%

36

%

35

%

54

%

4%

47

%

39

%

34

%

29

%

54

%

4%

21

% 22

% 25

%

Per

cen

t A

pp

licab

le P

oin

ts

Alt

1

Alt

2

Alt

3

Alt

1

Alt

2

Alt

3

Alt

1

Alt

2

Alt

3

Alt

1

Alt

2

Alt

3

Alt

1

Alt

2

Alt

3

Alt

1

Alt

2

Alt

3

Note: Alt = Alternative

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This allows for comparison of resiliency and sustainability of alternatives against other priorities

Social Resilience

20%

30%

40%

50%

Bronze

Silver

Gold

Platinum

100%

Phase 5

Not Applicable

Phase 2

Phase 3

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Envision created the project framework, and CH2M expanded the framework to programs

• CH2M’s approach takes Envision from projects to programs:

– Assesses current organizational commitments and goals

– Integrates cost of sustainable alternatives

– Communicates priorities to planning and design teams

– Enhances capacity building within the organization

• Envision improves project planning and design phases:

– Provides objective metric for measuring performance

– Illuminates project co-benefits

– Defines opportunities for more sustainable and resilient design

– Provides talking points for communicating with stakeholders

26

Thank You!

Contact:Elizabeth J. Bradford, MS, ENV SPEmail: elizabeth.bradford@ch2m.comTel: 845-392-4053