Considering Sustainable Infrastructure with Anthony Kane, ISI

The Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI) works with tangible frameworks and step by step verification processes to help utilities ask the right questions to meet their sustainability, operational and community goals. The Institute is a product of collaboration between the American Public Works Association (APWA), the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), and the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC). We had the opportunity to meet with Anthony Kane, president and CEO of ISI, to brainstorm ways small to mid-sized water utilities might benefit from applying ISI’s ENVISION framework to strengthen project outcomes, build public trust and align infrastructure investments.  

Origins of ISI- Making Sustainability Actionable for Utilities 

Kane and his team at ISI began with the idea that achieving sustainability is not a one-size-fits-all approach. “What’s sustainable for one project might not be sustainable for another,” says Kane. “You need a fairly in-depth framework. It’s about rethinking what infrastructure is, what it does, always trying to do better, improve upon it.” Kane and his team developed the ENVISION framework, a structured, flexible verification process that helps organizations evaluate tradeoffs, ask better questions, and make informed decisions about infrastructure sustainability. “We chose to go about that through the creation of the rating system. A rating system can help you decide what is sustainable, how sustainability can be done in your area, and provide you with the tools and resources to take more sustainable approaches,” says Kane. 

When to Consider ENVISION 

Kane recommends reviewing the framework to determine individual fit, but strives to keep the framework and ISI’s resources fully accessible. “ENVISION can be used at any stage, but if you can start early, you have more opportunities to make improvements,” says Kane. "Deciding to do a different project before you’ve started is free. When did you start including this? Are you making smart economic decisions? What is the point of this project? Why are we doing this???”  

Considering Sustainability Outcomes 

Concerns utilities have when considering sustainability include more involved projects, complicated decisions, and lengthier time to completion. However, Kane and administrators at ISI point to financial, environmental, social, and operational benefits to taking a more holistic and sustainable approach to infrastructure decisions. “We’ve seen through cost surveys that implementing even parts of the ENVISION framework can add a lot of value,” says Kane. Even more than these quantifiable benefits, however, is the raise in public approval and trust that investing in questions about sustainability provide. “The ENVISION framework can be used as a way to connect with the community, to connect to things that are important to them,” says Kane. “The verification demonstrates to the community that you keep sustainability a priority.” 

Next Steps 

At its core, Envision is designed to help utilities think more critically about how infrastructure supports resilient, sustainable systems over time. “Water is inherently a sustainability issue,” Kane reminds us.  “Sustainability is unavoidable in the water sector, and the choice becomes how to think about it.”  In terms of next steps, Kane recommends members download the manual (after making a free account) and begin flipping through it for ideas. “You don’t have to read it cover to cover, but get familiar with it,” says Kane. He encourages members to consider participating in a formal training, discussing it with your team internally, or joining some of ISI’s own resources. 

The main takeaway, he hopes, is to start a real conversation about moving toward sustainable infrastructure. “Sustainability is a lot like safety- it's a cultural thing for an organization,” says Kane. “It has to impact everyone,  and everyone has to see sustainability as a concern. What are the solutions and approaches that follow the natural systems? Let’s take advantage of these resources in a way that works for you.” 

To learn more, join us in a webinar with Anthony Kane to continue this topic on on February 25th at 1 PM EST. More information and RSVP to come!