A system for calculating a proposed road, water, or energy project’s long-term economic, environmental, and social viability is being tested and should be available this summer.
The online tool will be the first product from the recently formed Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure, which has yet to launch a Web site. The nonprofit organization is a collaboration of the American Public Works Association, American Council of Engineering Companies, and American Society of Civil Engineers.
Designed to identify the benefits of sustainable practices for owners and regulators, the voluntary system will be the only such tool to allow third-party verification. The performance-based system will be based on project size and complexity to enable all levels of governments — from special districts and cities to state and federal agencies — to use it.
The organization’s nine-member board of directors includes the public works directors of Westwood, Mass., and Santa Barbara, Calif.
For more information, contact Julia Anastasio (janastasio@apwa.net) or Jeff Beard (jbeard@acec.org).
