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INSTRUCTOR:
Denise Nelson, P.E., CFM, ENV SP, LEED AP
Sponsored by the Sustainability Committee.
Purpose and Background
A changing climate and aging infrastructure have forced civil engineers to develop a new set of best practices to meet public demands for safety and sustainability. This course provides practical knowledge to infrastructure professionals for “making the case” for sustainable infrastructure development with project owners and developers. It introduces public and private infrastructure owners, decision makers, and associated stakeholders to the need for sustainable and resilient infrastructure based on economic, environmental, and social factors.
It describes the innovative ways to use sustainable thinking when designing infrastructure to be resilient to changing environmental conditions. This course identifies sustainability best practices in infrastructure development and describes the impetus for changing our approach for developing climate-safe, context-specific solutions based on the type, scale, and location of projects.
This course is ASCE’s first course to address “making the case” for infrastructure: it follows our extensive efforts to recognize and promote sustainability in the industry. ASCE recognizes the leading role civil engineers have in planning, designing, building, and ensuring a sustainable future by providing the bridge between science and society. In this role, engineers actively promote and participate in multidisciplinary teams with other professionals, such as ecologists, economists, and sociologists, and work with communities to effectively address the issues and challenges of sustainable development. The knowledge gained throughout this course will enable you to secure support for sustainable thinking and infrastructure.
Benefits and Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:
- Identify and address key factors when planning, designing, and constructing infrastructure to develop resilient, context-specific solutions.
- Use data and storytelling to explain successful practices and enhanced performance of sustainable infrastructure.
- Describe the value and benefits of implementing sustainable infrastructure to promote support and collaboration in cross-departmental and multidisciplinary teams.
- Apply a sustainable development and delivery approach to projects incorporating the economic, environmental, and social factors.
Assessment of Learning Outcomes
Achievement of the learning outcomes by attendees will be assessed through (2) exams.
Who Should Attend?
- Sustainability and resilience are applicable to all infrastructure sectors, all private and governmental levels of infrastructure ownership, and all levels of experience.
- Mid-senior level engineers in decision-making roles interested in developing the technical and non-technical skills necessary to lead cross-departmental and multidisciplinary teams in developing sustainable infrastructure solutions.
- Professionals making decisions in the planning, design, and construction of infrastructure as well as those influencing the decisions for policies, procedures, and procurement.
- Engineers, environmental and social scientists, planners, architects, economists, project and program managers, and other development professionals interested in working in coordinated, integrated teams on sustainable and resilient solutions to serve their community.
How to Earn your CEUs/PDHs
This course is worth 1 CEUs/10 PDHs. To receive your certificate of completion, you will need to complete (2) exams and receive a passing score of 70% or higher.
How do I convert CEUs to PDHs?
1.0 CEU = 10 PDHs [Example: 0.1 CEU = 1 PDH]
Course Outline
Week 1: The State of the Industry
Introduction to the course and week
Standard practice
Sustainable infrastructure definition
Impetus for change: human development index
Learning exercise – Calculate your own footprint
Impetus for change: non‐stationarity of variables
Opportunities: sustainable development goals
Opportunities: green degrees and jobs
Learning exercise – Explore ASCE’s policy statements
Conclusion
Week 2: Leading Change
Introduction
Perceptions
Stakeholders
Communication
Learning exercise – Exploring stakeholder engagement
Bias
Nudge theory
Change agent
Learning exercise – Exploring biases
Conclusion
Week 3: Doing the “Right” Project (Project Development)
Introduction
Location
Operating content
Community expectations
Learning Exercise – Determining the right project
Project definition
Case study
Sustainable procurement
Learning exercise- Defining the right project
Conclusion
Exam: Weeks 1-3
Week 4: Doing the “Right” Project and Project “Right” (Project Design)
Introduction
Whole system design: integrated team
Whole system design: holistic systems view
Whole system design: life cycle analysis
Learning exercise – Whole system design
Technology, materials, and equipment
Sector-specific
Final design and project delivery strategy
Learning exercise – Finalizing design
Conclusion
Week 5: Doing the Project “Right” (Project Design)
Introduction
Construction
O&M
Adapt / upgrade
Deconstruction
Learning exercise – Stakeholder engagement
Innovative project delivery
Project certifications
Learning exercise – project certifications
Conclusion
Week 6: A Three-Pronged Approach
Introduction
The social case
The environmental case
The economic case
Technology, materials, equipment
Policies
Case study
Learning Exercise
Conclusion
Exam: Weeks 4-6