“We’re Building 2050 Today”*
Wackernagle graphic
How infrastructure will perform for the next several
generations depends on what we build today
Ecological Overshoot (Global)
30%
overshoot
Natural
Capital
Impacts
Eco-system
services
Energy,
water,
materials
Produced
Capital
Achieving Sustainable Performance:
Three Dimensions of Response
Y. Range of sustainable performance
X. Project Life Cycle
Affected stakeholders
Partner organizations
Regulatory institutions
10.3
Z. Stakeholder Collaboration
envision Rating System Level 1:
Checklist and Guidance Documents
Benefits of Level 1 of the Rating Tool
Promotes understanding of sustainability and
triple bottom line accounting
Provides rule-of-thumb applications and generic
measures for sustainable infrastructure projects
After training, allows practitioners and owners to
self-assess projects based on rating system
concepts (leads to “informal” sustainability score)
Gives access to references, project library, key
resources and contacts
envision rating system Level 2:
Formal Project Assessment, including
Composite Score with Pre-Weights
Benefits of Level 2 of the Rating System
Ability to assess and rate overall project
contribution to sustainability, with third party
quality assurance and verification available
Provides recognition of achievement through
awards for high-scoring projects
Uses standard matrix of criteria and sums to an
overall composite score (similar to USGBC’s
LEED)
envision rating system Level 3:
Operational Focus with Flexible Weighting
Benefits of Level 3 of the Rating System
Recognition of dimension-specific achievements based
on operational priorities
Instead of pre-weighted scoring, discretion is provided
to weight scores according to operational imperatives
of the owner and project
Scores in other dimensions (other than operational
focus) still must meet baseline measures
Third-party verification available for award recognition
Promotes continuous incremental improvement toward
sustainable solutions
envision Level 4 (future):
Software for Alternative Solutions & Costing
Benefits of Level 4 of the Rating System Provide decision support tool for engineers and other
practitioners in design of sustainable projects
Enhanced web–based software
• Links to industry-recognized decision support
software
• Links to industry data with Parametric costing
Allow project systems sustainability review and tradeoffs among competing goals
Expanded project and technology library