Orange County Branch Newsletter

July 2013

Sustainability

Sustainability - Rating Systems – Next Steps


By: Kelsie Anderson, PE, STP

Sustainability rating systems were highlighted last April in the ASCE-OC branch. The committees for Sustainability and Continuing Education jointly held a seminar with presentations about Envision and Greenroads rating systems and CALGreen code and the President’s Message in the Branch’s newsletter described three emerging sustainability rating systems for infrastructure (Envision, INVEST, and Greenroads).

Sustainability rating is an emerging tool that can evaluate the existing and potential sustainable features of infrastructure at any phase: planning, design, construction, and/or operations and maintenance. Existing project documentation is generally all that is needed for the rating system assessment. Often a sustainability rating assessment will identify relatively small project changes that improve the overall sustainability of the project.

Even though southern California has a high density and large variety of infrastructure projects, there are very few sustainability rating system pilot projects or case studies in the southern California region. As professionals in the infrastructure industry we should take this opportunity to contribute to the development of the sustainability rating systems to make them valuable tools in project development and implementation. Below some next steps we can take to encourage use of these rating systems for our projects. The Sustainability Committee can provide information and accept feedback as you take these next steps.

All of Us

  • Understand the application of sustainability rating systems in planning, design, construction, and operations and maintenance
  • Share the benefits of using a sustainability rating system with colleagues and the public
  • Become a rating system certified practitioner
  • Join the ASCE Sustainability Committee
  • Participate in seminars and workshops on sustainable features and best practices to share your experience and learn from others
  • Use a rating system and provide feedback to the developers about shortfalls or suggested improvements

Consultants and Contractors

  • Perform an informal rating system evaluation of a project to identify low-cost and/or high value sustainable project features that can be proposed to your clients
  • Propose formal use of a rating system as a contract option
  • Be able to describe the implementation of sustainable materials and construction practices, including cost and/or effort increases or decreases

Public Agencies/Owners

  • Share the rating system benefits with your board of directors or city council members
  • Consider making project rating and/or certification a contract requirement
  • Facilitate interdepartmental communication to understand the ongoing or proposed sustainability efforts across the agency
  • Be open to sustainability suggestions from your consultants and contractors
  • Publicize existing and soon-to-be implemented sustainable features, materials, and practices

Academia/Rating Systems

  • Perform analysis and provide comparison data of cost, waste, treatment, and/or efficiencies of sustainable products and processes versus traditional methods to help owners make the business case for sustainable choices.
  • Work with partner professional organizations to identify case study candidates.

Related Groups/Committees

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