Developed through a collaboration between the Zofnass Program for Sustainable Infrastructure at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design and the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI), Envision is a framework that guides systematic change in the planning, design and delivery of sustainable and resilient infrastructure. Using the Envision Framework, project teams and owners can work towards higher performance across a range of criteria that fundamentally represent sustainable infrastructure goals.
The Envision Framework comprises six parts:
- Guidance Manual
- Pre-Assessement Checklist
- Online Scoresheet
- Sustainability Professional Credential
- Verification
- Awards
The framework includes 64 sustainability and resilience indicators across five categories. By assessing achievement in each of the 64 credits, project teams establish how well the project addresses the full range of sustainability indicators, and are challenged to pursue higher performance, including in some instances, the possibility of restoring negative impacts of previous projects in a community.
Envision™ asks 2 q’s “are we doing the project right?” and “are we doing the right project?”
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How to Start Using the Envision Sustainable Infrastructure Framework
The quickest way to start using Envision to review a project at any stage of development is through the pre-assessment checklist. Available as a free download through the ISI website for registered members, this spreadsheet based tool can be used in planning stages to assist decision-makers in understanding the potential sustainability of the project, and the possible level of achievement that could be attained by a project. We recommend that all projects are assessed through the checklist, allowing an open conversation with clients and the community about available options, as well as the opportunities and benefits of sustainable infrastructure.
How We Can Help
Mike Thomas is a certified Envision Sustainability Professional and Professional Engineer, trained and experienced in evaluating project sustainability and providing recommendations to infrastructure project teams, particularly with local governments.
To find out more about the Envision Sustainable Infrastructure Framework, visit the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure, or if you have a project in mind, contact us.