Envision Fast Facts

Envision Fast Facts
PURPOSE OF ENVISION
To foster a dramatic and necessary improvement in the
performance and resiliency of our physical infrastructure
across the full dimensions of sustainability. Envision provides
the framework and incentives needed to initiate this systemic
change. As a planning and design guidance tool, Envision is
meant to provide industry-wide sustainability metrics for all
infrastructure typesan approach similar to its vertical facility
counterpart, LEED.
OUR ENVISION GOAL
To help owners, communities, constructors and others to create
cost-effective, more energy-efficient and adaptable long-term
infrastructure investments.
ENVISION BACKGROUND
Envision was created by a strategic alliance of the Zofnass
Program for Sustainable Infrastructure at the Harvard University
Graduate School of Design and the Institute for Sustainable
Infrastructure (ISI). ISI is a not-for-profit education and research
organization, dedicated to developing and maintaining a civil
infrastructure rating system, and was formed by the American
Council of Engineering Companies, the American Public Works
Association and the American Society of Civil Engineers.
OVERVIEW
Designed as a project assessment tool and to offer guidance
for sustainable infrastructure design
Can be used as a decision-making tool or to document
processes, decisions and design to apply for a third-party
verified Envision award
Objective framework of criteria and performance
achievement that helps identify ways in which sustainable
approaches can be used to plan, design, construct and
operate infrastructure projects
HOW DOES ENVISION WORK?
Guides planning, designing and construction projects that
contribute to the reduction of our environmental footprint,
and support the larger goal of improved quality of life
Evaluates, grades and gives recognition to infrastructure
projects that use transformational, collaborative approaches
to assess sustainability indicators over the course of a

projects life cycle
Flexible tool that can serve as a road map for sustainability,
even if project verification is not likely
WHERE DOES ENVISION APPLY?
Covers the roads, bridges, pipelines, railways, airports,
dams, levees, landfills, water treatment systems, and other
civil infrastructure
Does not include buildings or facilities, except processfocused, industrial-type facilities
Primarily focused on the U.S. and Canada, Envision
benefits and criteria could be adapted to other locations
Used by infrastructure owners, design teams, community
groups, environmental organizations, constructors,
regulators and policy makers
BENEFITS
Infrastructure investments with:
Longer-term viability
Lower cost
Fewer negative impacts on the community
Potential to save owners money over time
Credibility of a third party rating system
THE ASSESSMENT TOOLS
Envision checklist:
An educational tool that helps users become familiar with
the sustainability aspects of infrastructure project design
Can be used as a stand-alone assessment to quickly
compare project alternatives or to prepare for a more
detailed assessment
Structured as a series of yes/no questions based on the
Envision rating system
Organized into five categories and 14 subcategories; every
infrastructure project has an important impact on all five
Envision categories
Envision sustainable infrastructure rating system:
May enable projects to be eligible for an Envision award
Used for project team self-assessment, or by ISI Verifiers
for third-party review
Envision Fast Facts
Recognition Level
% of Total
Applicable Points*
Bronze Award
20
Silver Award
30
Gold Award
40
Platinum Award
50
Develop infrastructure with longer-term viability,

at a lower cost, with fewer negative impacts.
Includes guidance manual and scoring system
Requires someone trained in the use of the Envision
rating system be an integral part of the project team to
document sustainability achievements and guide project
team through the Envision Verification process
STRUCTURE
Credit Categories & Subcategories

The Envision rating system has 60 sustainability criteria
called creditsdivided into five categories, each with two to
three subcategories:
1 | Quality of Life Purpose, Wellbeing, Community
2 | Leadership Collaboration, Management, Planning
3 | Resource Allocation Materials, Energy, Water
4 | Natural World Siting, Land & Water, Biodiversity
5 | Climate and Risk Emissions, Resilience
Credit Levels of Achievement

1 | Improved Performance that is above conventional
2 | Enhanced Sustainable performance that adheres to
Envision principles
3 | Superior Sustainable performance that is noteworthy
4 | Conserving Performance that has achieved essentially
zero impact
5 | Restorative Performance that restores natural or
social systems
Innovation Points
Points assigned in each category for both exceptional
performance and application of methods that push innovation in
sustainable infrastructure.
PROJECT AWARD LEVELS
Projects that achieve at least 20 percent of applicable points
may be able to achieve an Envision award by submitting
related documentation for third-party verification. ISI recognizes
projects for Envision awards at four levels (shown above).
PROFESSIONALS INVOLVED IN ENVISION

Envision Sustainability Professional (ENV SP)
credentialed practitioner trained to use the Envision
rating system as a guide to address the triple bottom line
sustainability dimension in the design, construction and
operation of an infrastructure project; to qualify for an
Envision project award, at least one person on the project
team must be an ENVSP
Envision Project Verifierprovides independent, thirdparty verification of an assessment; to become an ISI
Verifier, you must be an ENV SP, have managed at least
one Envision project and participate in additional training
and testing
We currently have 195 ENV SPs and 6 Verifiers
OUR INVOLVEMENT WITH ISI & ENVISION
Charter Member of ISI
First company to register a project with ISI, in
December 2012
First company to complete an Envision project verification:
Gold Level Award
Developed comprehensive training module to prepare staff
to take the Envision SP exam
Exceeded our goal of credentialing more than 100
professionals by mid-2013; the first company to do so
Dedicated to helping clients understand and implement the
rating system on their projects
FEE SCHEDULE
Project Size ($)
Non-Member Fee
ISI member Fee
Up to 2M
$3,000
$2,400
2-5M
$8,500
$7,000
5-25M
$17,000
$14,000
25-100M
$25,000
$21,000
100-250M
$33,000
$28,000
Over 250M
Contact ISI for large or multi-phase projects
*The final project score is based on the percentage of applicable points. The applicable points are the sum of the highest level of achievement listed for all included
credits. Excluded credits are not counted in the scoring. Innovation credits are considered as bonus points in the scoring and are not added to the total applicable points.
5/27/14

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Envision Fast Facts

to assess sustainability indicators over the course of a

Envision Fast Facts

Develop infrastructure with longer-term viability,

Credit Categories & Subcategories

Credit Levels of Achievement

PROFESSIONALS INVOLVED IN ENVISION

ISI member Fee

Contact ISI for large or multi-phase projects

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