The Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure Launches Envision v3

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure has launched Envision v3, the newest version of its sustainable infrastructure framework. Introduced in 2012, Envision was developed “to foster a dramatic and necessary improvement in the performance and resiliency of our physical infrastructure across the full spectrum of sustainability.” Envision v3 evolves the framework, revising the system to reinforce industry relevance and continue to push the leading edge of sustainable practices.

Developed and maintained by ISI, Envision is a tool used by infrastructure owners, engineers, planners, designers and other sustainability professionals to self-assess infrastructure projects of all types and sizes in relation to their economic, environmental and social contribution. ISI also offers an optional verification program to help users calibrate their self-assessments through an independent, third-party review process.

“Envision v3 is an important progression toward our goal of assisting infrastructure owners and engineers to create cost-effective, resource-efficient and adaptable long-term infrastructure investments,” said John Stanton, president, ISI. “After five years of applying Envision on billions of dollars’ worth of infrastructure assets, the industry has progressed significantly and we have learned a great deal about how Envision is applied to real-world projects. We’ve incorporated those industry trends and key lessons learned into this version to continue to drive advancement in resilient and sustainable infrastructure design.”

The new version was created through a collaborative process involving 13 technical committees, made up of 65 Envision users across the United States and Canada, and the Envision Review Board, a group of industry-leading professionals accountable to the ISI board of directors for maintaining the integrity of the Envision framework.

Highlights of Envision v3 include:

Expanded scope: New credits on lifecycle economic evaluation, equity and social justice and sustainable community planning

New construction-focused credits: Improve construction safety, minimize construction impacts, reduce construction waste, reduce construction energy consumption, reduce construction water consumption

Improved manual format: New section specifically explains what performance improvement looks like for each credit

Verification process pathways: Envision v3 includes two pathways to pursue project verification – one at or after 95 percent design completion, the second at or after 95 percent construction completion