CH2M HILL announces Charter Membership of Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure

Englewood, Colo. — CH2M HILL announced its Charter Membership of the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI). As part of its ISI membership, the company has also committed to enrolling 100 employees in the ISI Envision Sustainability Professionals (ENV SPs) credentialing program. When credentialed, these employees will be able to document and rate sustainability aspects of infrastructure projects in collaboration with ISI’s Envision infrastructure rating system. CH2M HILL’s Charter membership extends the firm’s ongoing developmental work on Envision, initially undertaken as a Founding Member of Harvard University’s Zofnass Program for Sustainable Infrastructure’s Advisory Board (SIAB). With the Envision credentialing effort, CH2M HILL continues its commitment to embed sustainability throughout its infrastructure practices.

Launched in 2012, the Envision rating system provides a holistic framework for horizontal infrastructure planners, designers, and builders to incorporate sustainability. “Each ENV SP works as an integral part of a project team with civil engineers, environmental engineers, infrastructure planners, construction managers, architects, transportation professionals, public policy leaders, public works professionals, and other stakeholders to achieve the highest level of sustainability for their infrastructure projects,” said ISI President and CEO, Bill Bertera.

“At CH2M HILL, we work to create infrastructure that provides communities with full environmental, social, and economic benefits throughout project lifecycles. We do this by embracing a spirit of inquisitiveness, looking beyond the first solution and thinking holistically to generate a range of possible outcomes. We see the Envision sustainability rating system as a key addition to our comprehensive tool kit for helping our clients achieve their goals, sustainably,” said Enterprise Sustainability Program Manager, Brandy Wilson.

“Our philosophy is to embed sustainability into all our services. We don’t see it as a separate add-on, but simply the way we deliver for our clients. Our Sustainability Leadership Board is a collaborative body comprised of one member from every corporate entity and geography, all focused on driving sustainability deeply into our DNA to create a new ‘business as usual,’” said Wilson.

In today’s environment, the conditions and constraints under which infrastructure must perform are increasingly challenging. “Communities are facing new challenges arising from environmental regulations, ever more scarce financial resources, and pressures associated with climate change and global warming,” said Bertera. “We need to respond to these conflicting priorities in ways that speak to broad public and societal interests,” Bertera said. “The Envision rating system is a part of the answer…to help us not only do the projects right, but to do the right projects,” he said.