Citizens’ Sustainability Advisory Committee is envisioning a more sustainable future for Central Indiana thanks to a tool that analyzes the impact of infrastructure projects.
The Sustainability Advisory Committee is comprised of several subcommittees that are tasked with implementing a variety of actions related to sustainability around the Trust. The Project Delivery Subcommittee’s responsibility is to make energy efficiency a focal point of, and incorporate sustainable design elements into, capital projects.
The subcommittee’s members, Daphne Chiu, John Trypus, Matt Thomas, and Dave Kiesel (who is now retired), have begun using the Envision Rating System to self-assess the level of sustainability of Citizens’ capital projects. Envision is designed to evaluate, grade, and give recognition to infrastructure projects such as roads, bridges, pipelines, dams, levees, landfills, water and wastewater treatment systems and other civil works that make exemplary contributions to a more sustainable future.
“Our focus on sustainable project delivery gives us an incentive to look at our projects in the early stages of design to ensure we’re capturing the opportunities available,” said Ann McIver, Director Environmental Stewardship. “These opportunities may come in the form of a reduced impact on the local community or enhanced energy efficiency, for example. Engaging the project managers and engineers tasked with this helps reinforce our employee commitment to sustainability while at the same time benefiting our community.”
Several recent projects have received positive scores using the Envision Rating System. The tool analyzes sustainability within five categories. Below is a brief explanation of the categories and examples of how sustainability practices are being incorporated into projects.
1.) Quality of Life – Are the relevant community needs, goals and issues being addressed in the project? Does the project team intend to hire and train a substantial number of local workers?
Example: White River Intake project will help meet water demand as the community we serve continuously grows. Our construction partner, Bowen Engineering, is local.
2.) Leadership – Does the project team plan to engage with stakeholders and solicit stakeholder feedback?
Example: Citizens has consistently hosted public meetings regarding STEP projects in specific areas.
3.) Resource Allocation – Does the project team consider the appropriate reuse of existing structures and materials and incorporate them into the project?
Example: Southport Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant Capacity Expansion reuses existing contact treatment tanks for the heart of secondary treatment. (Shown in photo above.)
4.) Natural World – Does the project team identify existing habitats on and near the project site? Will the project increase the quality or quantity of existing habitat?
Example: Pogue’s Run CSO 143 Sewer Separation built bioswales and water quality basins filled with native plantings to treat stormwater runoff and minimize CSO overflows. (Shown in photo below)
5.) Climate and Risk – Is the project designed to accommodate a changing operating environment throughout the project life cycle?
Example: Southport Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant Capacity Expansion utilized engineering tools to identify the most feasible solutions and is constructed to ensure operation flexibility.
Using Envision, subcommittee members and other contributors (Justin Burnett, Olivia Hawbaker, Daniel Kramer, Becky Schaefer, Steve Summerlot, and Ryan Taylor) have determined that consistent engineering standards and best practices within Citizens’ Capital Programs and Engineering Department are making a sustainable impact on the City.
“We often deliver projects throughout the Trust that provide various environmental benefits,” said Daphne Chui, Manager Resource Recovery. “As we strive to uphold our Commitment to Sustainability – to sustain our Environment, Businesses, and Community – this tool offers a way to thoroughly review our projects from these perspectives.”