ISI and Skanska announce new U.S. partnership

Washington, D.C. — The Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI), a non-profit 501(c) 3 organization that launched the Envision sustainable infrastructure rating system for public and private owners, and Skanska, one of the largest construction and development companies in the country, announced a new U.S. partnership. With the partnership, Skanska has committed to aligning the delivery of heavy infrastructure civil projects with efforts to ensure the social, economic and environmental sustainability of the communities where they are built.

“ISI welcomes this new partnership with Skanska, a company with organizational commitment to promote sustainable infrastructure in healthy, thriving communities,” said ISI President and CEO, Bill Bertera.

Skanska’s Chief Sustainability Officer Beth Heider will work with the ISI Board of Directors, and Skanska USA Civil Vice President of Environmental Health and Safety Paul Haining, as well as Skanska’s National Safety Health and Environmental Management System (SHEMS) Director Nicholas Bishop, will both provide technical expertise to spread the adoption of the ISI Envision rating system within their areas of responsibility in construction, civil infrastructure, public-private partnerships, and commercial development initiatives.

“Partnering with ISI to promote sustainable infrastructure is a way to reinforce Skanska’s view that construction ultimately should contribute to healthy, thriving communities,” said incoming Skanska USA President and CEO Richard Cavallaro. “Our support of ISI and Envision is a way to declare that no matter what you are building – from a hospital to the highway that gets you there – it can be built green.”

Within the new partnership, ISI has agreed to provide opportunities for all Skanska employees to receive training and credentialing in the 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. With the Envision credentialing effort, Skanska will continue its commitment to embed sustainability throughout its infrastructure practices.

“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 Bertera.

“Communities are facing new challenges arising from environmental regulations, ever more scarce financial resources, and pressures associated with climate change and global warming. We need to respond to these conflicting priorities in ways that speak to broad public and societal interests” he said. “Skanska embodies the commitment in its business philosophy and in its implementation, and ISI is delighted to work with a company and team that embraces a sustainable future through infrastructure that meets our needs, yet respects our dependence on the natural world we share.”