1st Draft

(W/O paraphrasing, 403 words)

Nelson (June 2015) discussed about the Envision rating system where it is the new international reference for best practices for all types of infrastructure, determining their sustainable achievement. Envision was created as a joint collaboration between the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI) and the Zofnass Program for Sustainable Infrastructure at Harvard University Graduate School of Design. Envision has been in the industry for three years and is used to improve hundreds of projects and thousands of professionals have earned the Envision Sustainability Professional (ENV SP) credential. These professionals are trained in the use of the Envision rating system and is credentialed by ISI. Nelson quoted in the article, an interim city engineer from Los Angeles, Deborah Weintraub commented that “Envision expands our over a decade long use of green rating systems for buildings to civil engineering projects. We believe this is urban design at its best.” The Envision rating system has a scoring metrics where the triple bottom line was incorporated into and together with the transparent framework, the true value of the project features were brought out. The rating system consist of 60 sustainability criteria, or to be known as credits. They are organized into five general categories: Quality of Life, Leadership, Resource Allocation, Natural World, and Climate and Risk. Based on the points achieved by addressing the 60 credits, awards will be given accordingly, starting with bronze, silver, gold, and lastly, platinum. Countless projects are on their path towards an award however there are six projects which have managed to complete third-party verification and received awards. One of them would be The William Jack Hernandez Sport Fish Hatchery located in Anchorage, Alaska. This project was awarded the Envision Gold Award. This Sport Fish Hatchery was redeveloped from a brownfield by incorporating recirculation technology thus transforming it into a sport fishing recreational area with public park-like setting while protecting the onsite stream. The other five projects are the Snow Creek Stream Environment Zone Restoration in Placer County, California, The South Los Angeles Wetland Park in Los Angeles, The Sun Valley Watershed Multi-benefit Project in Los Angeles County, California, The Line J, Section 1 Pipeline in north central Texas, The Grand Bend Area Wastewater Treatment Facility in Ontario, Canada. Besides rating projects for a score, Envision can be used in any phase of the project life cycle to guide the decision-making process, improving funding prospects, criteria in design contests, and facilitating public outreach.

19/09/15 11:25pm