International Conference on Sustainable Infrastructure 2019: Leading Resilient Communities through the 21st Century

Natural gas pipeline systems may be impacted by several aspects of climate change, such as changes in the maximum and minimum temperature; higher thermal stress; heavy precipitation and flooding due to increased runoff; more frequent hurricanes; more frequent landsliding; and more frequent land subsidence. Land subsidence in California is attributed to two main sources, groundwater pumping and oil extraction. Of the two sources, groundwater pumping has been identified as the main cause and the annual rate of land subsidence can reach more than 1 foot per year. In Central California, due to the current drought, more groundwater is being extracted; therefore, land subsidence has become a major issue in Kern County and San Joaquin Valley. This paper discusses the long-term and short-term indirect impacts of climate change on land subsidence, and the direct impacts of land subsidence on existing natural gas pipelines. This study utilizes available data and evaluates the potential impact on natural gas pipelines in Central California using a finite element model and a simplified soil-pile interaction modeling technique. We explore the effects of not only vertical subsidence on a selected gas pipeline but also the effects of horizontal ground movement. This paper illustrates how drought, an element of climate change, which causes greater use of groundwater pumping, may be incorporated in the planning, design, construction, operation, and maintenance of pipelines by presenting a case study from Central California.

Considering the significant environmental disadvantages of stormwater runoffs (pollution and flooding) in urbanized watersheds, various techniques for controlling runoffs have gained importance in the last decades. Bioretention cells are one of the most versatile and widely used stormwater control tools due to their strong performance in reducing the runoff volume and removing pollutants, plus being inexpensive and easy to build. However, since bioretention cells are a relatively new technology, their design and application still have significant potentials for improvement. Lack of widely accepted standards to design bioretention systems and guidelines to modify the systems to be appropriate for the local conditions are two of the most significant issues. Also, there seem to be potentials for improving the pollutant removal capacity in these systems. This paper aims at discussing these concerns and introduces research potentials for improving the performance of bioretention cells. The information provided in the article can assist in detecting potentials in modifying the design and implementation of bioretention cells and increasing their efficiency and serviceability.

Best management practices (BMPs) are now an essential component of urban infrastructure as impermeable surfaces have disrupted the natural hydrology in developing watersheds. BMPs can be used to offset the extreme changes to surface flow due to urbanization. In this work, a series of infiltration basins were added to a hydrologic model to evaluate their effect on the urban hydrology of the Los Angeles River watershed. The watershed was represented using EPA’s BASINS model that extracted the river network and existing land cover patterns, geomorphology, and other physiological features using remotely sensed observations. Hydrologic simulations were conducted using the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) hydrologic simulation program—Fortran (HSPF). Calibration results demonstrate reasonable representation of annual streamflows and storm peak flows when compared to historical observations. After calibration, percent land cover was allocated to the infiltration basins (increasing from 0 to 6) in an attempt to lower streamflows to pre-urbanization levels. Results of the model indicate that BMPs do reduce streamflows within the channel; however, there is an effective threshold—flows exceeding the threshold are not reduced (in some cases they increase), and flows below the threshold are reduced. As we increase the number of BMPs, there is not an increase in effectiveness as originally hypothesized. We found that infiltration basins will not sufficiently reduce streamflows within the Los Angeles River watershed. In future work, we will explore the inclusion of other BMP types and placement in an effort to reduce hazardous flows in the face of an uncertain climate.

Environmental factors and ageing influence deterioration mechanisms in buried metal culverts that may impair mechanical performance over the service life. Corrosion occurs, primarily at the culvert haunches, due to changes in the water level and repeated exposure to air circulation. This action provides a pathway for water to flow into the backfill that may cause erosion and the development of soil voids adjacent to the culvert. In this study, the behavior of corrugated metal culverts, with a circular cross section subject to overburden and surface loads, is simulated using calibrated finite element modelling procedures. A three-dimensional model of a deteriorated culvert-soil system was developed for different cover depths. The relationship between the culvert wall section loss, due to corrosion, on the load carrying capacity is investigated. Erosion voids are created around the buried culverts with distinct sizes and shapes. For the parameters examined, the soil erosion had a greater influence on pipe/soil interaction mechanisms, which ultimately influenced culvert performance and serviceability, than the effect of corrosion. The erosion void size and location were influential factors on the culvert performance that could result in local bucking and a decrease in the service life.

Middletown, PA, receives piped stormwater runoff from >5 other entities and passes it through to the river. On July 23, 2017, a microburst storm dropped 5.3 inches of rainfall on the watershed in 2 hours, with 4.7 inches coming in the first hour, resulting in substantial flash flooding in non-FEMA-floodplain areas. Because the watershed contains multiple jurisdictions, flooding mitigation will require involvement by all watershed entities. The Penn State Harrisburg Water Resources Engineering capstone class developed a PCSWMM-based model of the watershed, using data on stormwater piping systems, detention systems, outfalls, and green infrastructure installations from the primary stormwater dischargers in the watershed. The model allowed the students to look for locations in the system where storage was available. The results to date show that opportunities for temporary storage exist in the system. In several locations, the piping system capacity and detention pond capacities were not fully used. The outlet structure sizing for the ponds was large and prevented temporary retention of substantial amounts of water (several ponds were never more than half full). Modeling of floodplain reconnection of two streams in the watershed also provided substantial storage that could mitigate flooding. Green infrastructure installations are being explored, but, as expected, the modeling highlights the minimal impact on this type of flooding. This year, the class is exploring real-time controls of pond outlet structures and piping storage in the upper watershed to provide extended detention. In addition, modeling is being used to evaluate the impact of the storm direction on the volume and duration of flooding. Preliminary results show delays in peak node depth and flow rates, depending on storm direction. The project highlights the need for a systems analysis of a watershed rather than a single-site development analysis. Each of the recent developments in this watershed was designed, built, and operated according to the federal and state guidance. However, it appears that the interaction of these devices increases flooding in the watershed, specifically due to the multiple detention facilities in the watershed that discharge their peaks at a similar time. The systems analysis also is able to identify where pipe storage is underused, even during extreme storm events.

The city of Los Angeles’s Hyperion Water Reclamation Plant’s (HWRP) Bio-Energy Facility (HBEF) has operated since 2017 as part of the HWRP Digester Gas Utilization Project (DGUP). The project makes full beneficial use of the HWRP’s generated digester gas (biogas). The biogas, prior to combustion, is conditioned by removing H₂S and siloxanes through a desulfurization facility and a two-stage regenerable media and activated carbon scrubbing process, respectively, and then pressurized to 2,750 kPa and conveyed to two combustion turbines for power generation. The conditioned biogas is also blended with natural gas to supplement the HWRP’s power generation in a “load following” operations scheme. A system of two combustion turbine generators, two heat recovery steam generators, and one steam generator produce up to 32K kg/hr of steam at 690 kPa for the HWRP’s solids digestion process and up to 27 MW of power generation. This renewable energy power generation by the HBEF reduces the plant’s dependency on the electrical grid. Furthermore, all cooling water for the HBEF is provided in a single pass configuration through the use of secondary effluent generated by HWRP. The HBEF’s emissions controls exceed the latest air emissions standards by incorporating oxidation catalyst and selective catalytic reduction systems for CO and NO_x emissions control, respectively, significantly limiting the environmental impacts of a combine cycle cogeneration facility of this magnitude and scope. The project has won numerous awards including the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure’s Envision Platinum award and “2018 Outstanding Wastewater Project, Region 9” by the ASCE.

“Urban flood” during monsoon becomes an unavoidable experience due to land use changes along with uneven rainfall distribution and the existing drainage system often fails to dispose stagnant water. In this connection, personal computer stormwater management model (PCSWMM) 2D software was adopted as a predictive tool to estimate flood depth for Chittagong, Bangladesh. Firstly, the non-parametric Mann-Kendall trend test was used to analyse rainfall amount and extreme events during 1949–2016. Secondly, magnitudes of the changes in rainfall events were acquired. Thirdly, daily as well as consecutive days’ annual maximum rainfall data in the different return periods were estimated by Weibull’s and Gumble’s methods to develop a rainfall intensity-duration-frequency curve. Finally, PCSWMM simulated flood depths were used to prepare the flood hazard map using ArcGIS10.1. Based on the inundation depths, inundated areas were classified into eight qualitative hazard classes. Therefore, it is envisaged that the applied approach could be a useful means.

The resilience of transportation infrastructure to extreme weather events, such as flash floods, sea level rise, and hurricanes is one of the most important aspects of urban resilience and sustainability. Any disruption in transportation and road network during and after these weather events could delay the emergency services and may disturb the evacuation process. Studying the resilience of transportation network combined with a comprehensive data source could enhance the resiliency of infrastructure and reduce the risks associated with the extreme weather events. Open-access satellite observations were used to investigate a case study, Hurricane Harvey in the state of Texas. We calculated environmental stress factors, F_env, for before, during, and after the hurricane to evaluate the stress onto the road network. A decision support system was developed to evaluate the resiliency of different components of transportation infrastructure. The results of this study could be further extended and calibrated for different coastal regions.

Extreme weather events brought about by climate change have caused devastating impacts on communities in many parts of the world; affecting people’s lives and infrastructure in an unprecedented manner. Extreme weather events are the most prominent risk facing humanity and 2017 was the most costly hurricane season on record. As extreme weather events increase in both intensity and frequency it is critical that preemptive solutions to mitigate disasters are found. Nowhere is this more true than in the Philippines where 62% of the country’s population lives in coastal zones. The scale of devastation caused by Typhoon Haiyan in 2013 revealed a high degree of vulnerability among coastal and small island communities in a region regularly hit by tropical cyclones. The situation is expected to worsen with more frequent extreme events compounded by sea level rise. Conservation International (CI) in collaboration with Bechtel Corporation’s Building Resilient Communities Program is piloting a new approach for coastal protection at two sites in the province of Iloilo, Philippines. The project integrates ecological solutions with engineering structures, providing green-gray infrastructure to alleviate the impact of extreme weather events. By blending green and gray techniques the environment becomes more adaptable and resilient than either technique applied alone. The concept designs, planned for implementation in 2019, use civil engineering techniques to establish and support the rehabilitation of mangrove communities. The long-term benefits of rehabilitating coastal mangrove forests in the region will mitigate climate change impacts and support community adaptation strategies.

The city of Naples discharges stormwater through large pipes (18–48” diameter), supported by timber structures, which cross the beach and release the stormwater into the Gulf of Mexico during high frequency rainfall events. Periodic beach nourishment results in a dynamic shoreline which often blocks the outfall pipes’ flow due to sand build up, causing upstream flooding of the adjacent beach road which has elevations generally less than 4 ft MSL. This requires the upstream swales and roads to stage (flood) to open the blocked or tidally flooded pipelines for stormwater to discharge to the gulf. In addition, these outfalls often become a petri dish for bacteria such as E. coli and enterococci and pre-date current, regulatory oversight prohibiting such discharges. The authors designed a functional and constructible stormwater infrastructure improvement project to reduce flooding (including sea level rise) and storm damage (for coastal resiliency) during high frequency events (e.g. <25-yr return period). The design consolidates the stormwater flow associated with five beach outfalls and conveys it to a pump station with water quality treatment and discharge through two directionally drilled pipelines a distance of 1,100 ft offshore. The beach outfalls will be removed from the sandy beach. Additionally, an overflow system will convey stormwater during extreme storm events when peak discharge volumes exceed the maximum capacity of the pump station. The design is a low impact and sustainable system to alleviate flooding and water quality issues on Naples Beach which was directly impacted by Hurricane Irma (Category 3) in September 2017.

Emissions related to energy consumption in buildings could rapidly increase in the following decades, considering the high probability of increased outdoor temperatures and more frequent and prolonged heat waves. Countries with extreme climate, rapidly growing urban environment, and fossil fuel-based energy systems [for example, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states] would be most susceptible to such impacts. The main goal of this study is to evaluate the increase in building energy demand in GCC countries, driven by climate change, and assess the efficiency of suggested mitigation measures. Moreover, the potential obstacles for the implementation of such measures are examined from an interdisciplinary perspective. The results were obtained by simulating building energy performance for a representative residential building, under reference and forecasted weather conditions for all GCC member states. The findings indicate building energy demand increase of up to 16% and 28% in 2050 and 2080 (respectively). By implementing building envelope renovation as a mitigation measure, future energy demand could be reduced for up to 20%, achieving significant carbon emission savings. However, while such renovation measures proved to be economically and environmentally feasible in developed countries, additional investigation should be performed for GCC countries, taking into account local sociopolitical, environmental, and economic aspects.

Many cities are facing combined sewer overflow (CSO) challenges due to intensifying federal and state regulations and increased attention on public health impacts. Municipalities across the country are exploring multiple alternatives to improve their CSO outcomes and, while there is no one-solution-fits-all approach, the complexities of the Ship Canal Water Quality Project offer insights into planning, design, and implementation. Additionally, there is an added twist of improving sustainability across social, economic, and environmental aspects, as evidenced by the project’s use of Envision. This paper will describe the process for implementing this large-scale CSO tunnel solution, from alternatives analysis through preparation for construction. It will focus on sustainable components-some related directly to the CSO tunnel and others planned as a result of community input or intended for community improvement. Although this is a CSO solution on a grand scale, the decision-making process and sustainability-driven conversations are applicable and transferable to projects of various sizes and locations. The paper will: communicate the importance of integrated agency and community planning-level considerations; illustrate how a CSO project can integrate with and support surrounding infrastructure, above and below ground; highlight innovative practices designed to improve sustainable performance; explain the influence of the Envision sustainable infrastructure on project design, implementation, and policy.

Long Beach, California, faces significant risks from sea level rise (SLR). Increased flooding and wave runup from changing precipitation patterns and an expanding ocean threatens significant industrial, transportation, commercial, and civic infrastructure. Situated at the bottom of two major Southern California watersheds, the urban waterbodies emptying into San Pedro Bay are heavily polluted. This environmentally degraded coastal zone suffers the dual impacts of concentrations of heavy industry emissions and polluted runoff from an urbanized watershed, which stagnates nearshore, trapped by the Long Beach breakwater. To mitigate these vulnerabilities, the authors propose a hybrid approach of strategies, integrating traditional engineered coastal and marine infrastructure with innovative natural measures such as vegetated dunes and habitat-enhancing breakwaters that have been implemented and proven effective in coastal communities around the world. This hybrid approach can decrease risks, enhance coastal-based economies, and improve the health of coastal and marine ecosystems.

Deterioration in the structural properties of steel fiber reinforced concrete (SFRC) corbels occur, over time, due to chloride-induced corrosion. In this study, design curves detailing the effects of variations in geometry and the parameters considered in the corrosion degradation process (i.e., initial chloride concentration) on the load carrying capacities of SFRC corbels are presented. The methodology adopted is based on an analytical model for predicting the service lives of SFRC corbels; the service life of SFRC corbels are calculated considering the initiation time of corrosion cracks. In order to illustrate the capabilities of the adopted approach, two distinct sets of SFRC corbel samples are examined separately. The results obtained demonstrate that, in the presence of chloride-induced corrosion, the observed increase in the load carrying capacities of SFRC corbels due to the variation of effective depth to overall depth ratio is more significant than the reductions observed in the service lives of these corbels.

The Ontario First Nations Technical Services Corporation (OFNTSC), in collaboration with Stantec Consulting and Engineers Canada, developed a First Nations (FN) infrastructure resilience toolkit that guides FN communities in the assessment of risks related to climate change in a life-cycle/asset management context. The toolkit was developed through pilots in three First Nation communities in Ontario and is now used for capacity development across the province; it was funded by the governments of Canada and Ontario. This article presents the development process, principles, and key elements of the toolkit (climate risk assessment and asset management modules), and provides the results of the application of its climate risk assessment module to water and wastewater systems in two Ontario FN communities: the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne (Ontario, Quebec, and New York State) and Moose Factory (Northern Ontario).

This project presents an overview of the safe distance on a roadway. It aims to establish a design of vehicle safety distance system while driving on the road. It is an improved safe distance system involves four main points to 1 develop international standards for measuring the safe driving distances along with 2 modifying the vehicle speed measurement in the speedometer as an indication for the safety distance between vehicles. In the last points, 3 traffic signs and 4 black circular plates included with red border were constructed to integrate the safety distance lines between traveling vehicles to reduce the number of traffic accidents. The study method was carried out by a 3D sketch up modeling computer program and experimental questionnaires. The results indicated that 88% of drivers were satisfied with the project and additions to existing traffic signs, thereby 90% of participants agreed that the project was innovative and was genuinely enthusiastic and well convicted that it of great benefit.

Requisite durability concerns of infrastructure often get undermined against strength considerations in prevalent construction practices of Bangladesh. A dominant factor behind durability and sustainability degradation of reinforced concrete (RC) structures has been chloride induced corrosion. The associated risk is largely dependent on concrete cover, which affects the ultimate serviceability of RC structures in corrosion prone environment. However, local guideline lacks specific directives on deducing adequate cover to ensure desired lifespan in different severe corrosion exposures. Hence, a probabilistic approach has been adopted to determine specific covers for ubiquitous concrete mixes with different water-cement ratios and cement type for a set of service lives and exposure conditions. Based on chloride diffusion coefficients from migration test, cover values have been determined while considering a fixed target time to initiate corrosion. The findings reveal significant impact of exposure condition on cover requirement, with magnitudes beyond recommended values in general guidelines of local codes, which urge special consideration to achieve desired service life. The obtained outcomes of this study manifest an immense scope as a preliminary quantitative guideline for necessary cover determination in order to safeguard the sustainability of RC infrastructure.

Over the last few decades, magnetic-based nondestructive evaluation (NDE) methods, including the magnetic flux leakage (MFL) concept, have been studied through numerical simulation, experimental work, and field testing for detecting flaws such as corrosion in reinforcing and prestressing steels within concrete structures. This article summarizes the results of 3D transient finite element solutions (ANSYS Maxwell) and laboratory investigations to determine prestressing steel corrosion detection capability of the MFL concept under several configurations. The concept is based on introducing a DC magnetic field in the vicinity of the reinforcing steel within concrete and detecting changes in the induced magnetic field due to the presence of corrosion. Magnetic sensors are installed in orientations so the magnetic field variations in different planes are evaluated. This article will report on good correlations between the results from the simulation and experimental investigations.

Regional storm water capture and reuse/infiltration is an emerging green infrastructure (GI) approach to address water quality treatment in highly developed urban areas. Treatment options using proprietary BMP solutions to address local compliance initiatives are often way too expensive, a challenge to find the right footprint, and can be a deterrent to development of an area in desperate need of revitalization. Watershed management plans (WMPs) are written to address this issue at a regional level, bringing multiple stakeholders together for mutually beneficial solutions. Regional storm water capture and reuse/infiltration projects are designed to treat larger areas where development is at the ultimate stage, and finding large enough footprints for installation of green infrastructure BMPs are a challenge. An example of this type of project is a design/build project located in the city of Long Beach, managed by the city of Signal Hill called Los Cerritos Channel (LCC) Sub-Basin 4 Regional BMP and Capture Facility.

The cost of inspecting and monitoring vertical structures is increasing and is still a very high-risk process when using current methods such as scaffolding and tie wires that are sometimes hundreds of feet high. Using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) may help reduce these costs and risks, as well as improve the quality of structural inspection and monitoring. This paper focuses on researching the capabilities of two different UAVs for investigating, inspecting, and analyzing vertical structures. The research highlights the capabilities of the UAVs, ranging from the physical geometry process, including height, proximity to the structure, latitude, longitude, and flying modes, to the image-capturing process, including camera, sensors, gimbals, and payload. Also, Optar AI V1.0 computer software was used to examine detailed crack configurations found in the captured visual data and to analyze structural stresses through the software’s visual analyzer to determine whether there is a need for further inspection.

The residential construction sectors in New Zealand and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines are plagued by low productivity levels and inefficient information management; exacerbated by the effects of climate change-related hazards and extreme weather events. Previous studies only recommend ways to partially mitigate some of these challenges and risks. The author aimed to model construction information management systems that can improve the productivity and resilience of residential construction projects in NZ and SVG. A convergent parallel mixed methods design was used to collect qualitative and quantitative data. The author developed an original conceptual model, termed “Agile Residential Construction Information Management System (ARCIMS)” that represents an agile approach to the management of information during the execution of projects. The ARCIMS model will serve as a foundation for the further development of CIMS that could contribute to more efficient and resilient residential construction in hazard-prone areas.

Based on the previous studies, the majority of the energy consumption utilized by the building sector and the most significant part of power distributed by existing buildings. One way to improve and monitor energy efficiency in existing buildings is to use sustainable development assessment methods. This study aims to improve the process following these steps: (1) provide a concise review on the most recent papers concerning sustainability in design and construction, sustainability in existing buildings, and BIM-based methods which published in peer-reviewed journals and international conference papers to ascertain the status of this research area. (2) Present a BIM-based sustainability model to target existing building projects. (3) Finally, the benefits and barriers of the model for the design team, construction managers, and owner highlighted. This paper provides a roadmap for future efforts toward implementing BIM and Sustainability for existing buildings.

The Inland Empire Utilities Agency (IEUA), a wholesale water agency and regional wastewater district, has established a diverse renewable energy portfolio at its treatment plants to optimize renewable power and reduce facility energy costs. In 2015, IEUA partnered with Advanced Microgrid Solutions (AMS) to install 4 MW of battery storage and 1.5 MW of solar that will integrate with all onsite generation sources, as well as imported electricity from the utility, to optimize energy management and achieve cost savings through strategic procurement. Through complex algorithms that analyze historical facility loads and apply time-of-use pricing structures, the battery storage systems can identify savings opportunities and improve demand side management for renewable generation. The battery storage system optimizes energy cost savings under predictable power generation.

The flood protection infrastructure system of the United States is in poor health and aging fast. These problems are exacerbated by the observed increase in natural disturbances that is increasing structural demand on the systems, as well as difficulties in carrying out maintenance programs in the last decades. This paper provides an overview of recent advances from the authors on the resilience assessment of flood protection infrastructure. The research aims at advancing knowledge in the field by defining a new paradigm for the design of the infrastructure, taking into account resilience metrics to quantify the capability of the systems to withstand extreme events. This ultimately allows for a quantification of the risk involved with the failure of infrastructure systems, reducing the effects of extreme events on communities and populations.

The next stage of energy infrastructure consists of renewable resources combined with energy storage. With the approval of SB 100, California aims to go carbon free energy generation by 2045 utilizing renewable sources for the majority of its energy demand. Solar and energy storage technologies have emerged in response to that need. Energy storage is necessary to convert the natural variability of solar into a dispatchable resource that mimics conventional fossil generation. The expanding use of energy storage marks a paradigm shift in energy infrastructure and presents a promising transition to a high renewable electric grid. Beacon Solar and Battery Energy Storage Project is the first of its kind for Los Angeles. With 250 megawatts of generation capacity, it is one of the largest solar facilities used by the city. The 20 megawatt storage component is the city’s first utility-scale battery system. With new technology also came challenges in integration, operation, and safety. This case study examines the purpose of this joint facility in the context of LA’s 100% renewable energy target and alignment with ASCE’s policy statements on energy, technology, business, and the environment.

Infrastructure faces a growing range of vulnerabilities as climate-change threats become more severe and global resources are increasingly constrained. Mirroring a typical pattern in addressing large-scale performance gaps within complex organizational structures, infrastructure owners have sought to identify, or create, tools and resources to pilot test solutions. Leveraging infrastructure rating systems has helped users understand the depth and breadth of what defines sustainability and resilience, identify the broad range of players, and highlight performance gaps. Following a successful pilot test, many organizations seek to standardize an approach across all projects and programs, developing sustainable design guidelines, often using the guidance and metrics of various rating systems. Like many organization-wide initiatives, identifying problems and growth areas for infrastructure is clear but owners cannot always fund the significant capital needed to implement the changes. However, as with many emerging technologies, as understanding of the fundamentals increases across an organization, so does the understanding of the interconnectedness of sustainability and resilience with existing resources and initiatives. This paper explores the benefits of these connections, and how they lead practitioners to logically tie sustainability and resilience initiatives with well-established principles and tools, like those provided by the asset management and information management disciplines. Equipped with a holistic approach that balances the needs of each of these spheres, an organization can set well-informed priorities and demonstrate data-verified performance in achieving these priorities to stakeholders and investors. The synthesis of these ideas can start to erode the existing financial barriers inhibiting expansion of sustainable and resilient infrastructure.

In recent years, connected automated vehicles (CAV) have received significant attention and have the potential to revolutionize our existing transportation system. Highway infrastructure construction management has to deal with a variety of uncertainties related to traffic volume and capacity due to the impact of AVs in the future. Such ambiguity makes the entire infrastructure planning highly volatile. While it is perceived that some legal and technical issues yet to be solved, widespread adoption of automated vehicles is considered unavoidable. To the best of authors’ knowledge, currently, there is not a comprehensive survey regarding the impacts of AV adoption on the traffic in the context of the highway construction. This paper fills this gap and presents a comprehensive review of the literature, investigating the impact of AV adoption on the highway infrastructure to explore the trends and new directions. The authors explore how automated vehicles adoption could alter the attractiveness of traveling by car and the way it affects the mode of transportation choice. Moreover, the impact of AV adoption on the highway capacity is investigated. The future directions of the research along with potential drawbacks associated with AV adoption impact on highways are also discussed.

Capitalizing on technology to establish smart city capacities that respond to urbanization, sustainability, and resilience challenges have gained momentum in recent years. The increased use of sensors and systems—e.g., Internet of Things (IoT)—has enabled more cohesive networks among and between human and infrastructure systems to support services for complex cities. However, it is still considerably uncertain how IoT can improve sustainability and resilience in city operations due to interdependencies that exist between the sub-system operations. Lack of effective IoT system integration can further hinder its ability to improve real-time interoperability of infrastructure systems. Here, we examine the interdependencies between buildings’ sub-system operations (operations efficiency) in an urban university campus, to identify the key drivers of sub-system interdependencies that are likely affecting efficiency rankings (energy performance) across buildings. High levels of interdependence among infrastructure sub-systems are an important consideration in making cities smarter because of such systems’ close association with urban vulnerability and resilience. Our study highlights the need for understanding systems’ unique operations infrastructure beyond global efficiency rankings when examining their scope of readiness for efficiency interventions and developments that are intended to foster smart sustainable cities.

The advent of autonomous vehicles (AVs) is likely to generate marked changes in demand for user fee assets, with consequences for planning, developing, and financing these transportation investments. In the particular case of express lanes, there is limited understanding for how key assumptions to traffic and revenue forecasts, the main tool to value these assets, will change under an AV scenario. This paper discusses original research aimed at understanding how willingness to pay, a key input to express lanes asset valuations, could change with the advent of autonomous vehicles. Three stated preference surveys were developed and administered independently, targeting users of the 91 Express Lanes in California, the I-95/I-495 express lanes in Virginia, and the Katy Managed Lanes in Texas. Values of time for two scenarios—travel in a traditional vehicle and travel in an AV—were estimated using the survey data through a binomial logit model. The results indicate that on average, for all geographies, trip purposes, and ages, willingness to pay is lower for travelers in an AV compared to driving a traditional vehicle. Therefore, while travelers still value travel time savings all else equal, they value them less—around 30% less—in an AV scenario. The research also provides insights into specific travel market segments. Survey responses indicate that travel time reliability remains a key consideration regardless of total trip time. This research provides an important indication of how one aspect of travel demand on express lanes assets could be affected by AV adoption.

If current consumption trends continue, the global per capita use of natural resources will increase by 70% by 2050. To avoid a crisis and ideally reverse human impact on the environment, change is necessary. Fortunately, adjustment of habits has been taking place in certain countries around the world. Why is it that certain countries have adopted change while others are far from it? How is it that certain countries are transitioning to a low carbon, resource efficient, and socially inclusive economies, while others are still struggling with waste management solutions, dangerously high emissions, and a fast rate of natural capital depletion? This paper investigates the lessons that can be drawn from countries making the switch to a “Green Economy”. Investments in natural capital, energy, resource efficiency, and government policy, are effective methods that contribute towards making this transition possible.

The economic success of any nation hinges on the functionality of small-to-medium construction company, and cooperate owners’ and managers’ competencies toward economic growth. However, the competencies of the owners and managers of small and medium construction organization to grow the economy and create job opportunities are challenged. Consequently, unemployment and poverty is the result in South Africa. This necessitates the evaluation of owner and manager influence toward effective management of small and medium construction company. The objective of the study is to significantly improve the performance of the owners and managers of SMEs. Outcome of this study was achieved based on mixed method used. Data was collected from operators through questionnaires. Data collected were analysed through descriptive statistics, and result was validated among the operators. The results are: lack of adequate training of owners and managers; and poor management of financial resources for productivity. Thus, indicators that predicted economic improvement was established, and variable that predicted failure of owners and managers was proven for the national economic growth.

California State University Los Angeles is a leading institution that integrates its sustainable infrastructure into curriculum and research projects demonstrating the concept of “campus as a living laboratory.” This paper features examples of sustainable campus infrastructure that contribute to education the next generation of engineers and technology professionals. For example the Hydrogen Research and Fueling Facility enables research, workforce development, and laboratory experiences that support academic courses with topics on fuel cells, hydrogen infrastructure, and clean transportation. The electric vehicle chargers provide data for research and analysis in advanced transportation. The photovoltaic installation provides ample performance data and design review case studies in photovoltaics. The campus physical plant and energy consumption data are also integrated into courses that target energy efficiency and sustainability.

Infrastructure projects are what keep the important functions of any state alive. This paper is about a study concerning the factors affecting the tender pricing for infrastructure projects. A questionnaire was designed according to the collected factors form the literature, which were classified into six clusters (owner, consultant, contractor, donor, market, and project). The final version of the questionnaire was distributed to the owners, constructors, and consultants after the pilot study. The analysis shows that: the highest cluster is consultant related with RII of 81.33%. The second cluster is donor related cluster with RII of 79.92%. On the other hand, the highest two factors from the contractor cluster are: contractor visits to the project site, and study tender documents accurately, with RII 88.33% and 86.67%, respectively. It can be recommended that the contractor should be aware of the conditions of the project site, and the nature of the soil, taking into account the different nature of the land from one location to another, knowing that the rocky land requires a high cost and a longer period of time to complete the work. Also contract terms and the executive regulations should be accurately reviewed, which may bear additional costs.

Infrastructure is a core driver of human welfare and economic success in modern globalized society. Investment in infrastructure is in fact a primary contributor to the success of the world economy. However, investment in existing and future infrastructure assets has been deficient for decades worldwide. There is both an increasing demand for existing infrastructure maintenance and renewal as well as future proposed infrastructure needs. As a result many infrastructure assets are retained in service well beyond their initial design service life exposing the public to unforeseen risks. This paradigm is equally true for the Port of Baltimore which has infrastructure that was originally constructed in the 1920s. The marine terminal at the Port of Baltimore project presented real life challenges and solutions including: project budget and how to economically develop an asset management system; how to change the culture of an organization—terminal operations “Buy In”; asset management software tailored to the port industry—referenced classification system (Uniformat). The development of infrastructure asset management planning will help with on-going discussions of how to maintain aging infrastructure. By holistically maintaining and renewing infrastructure assets throughout their lifecycle, efficiency is reached. In addition, risk of failure potentially causing environmental fall out is mitigated by strategically prioritizing maintenance and renewal. Implementing an integrated asset management tool will have benefits related to accountability, risk management, service management, and financial efficiency. These benefits can be realized by both public and private entities for existing and future projects.

The delivery process of green building projects requires greater synergy both within and amongst the various parties involved to ensure compliance with the technical requirements needed to achieve their triple bottom line values. Quality performance is a domain concerned with the extent a green building conforms to standards and regulations in its delivery process and ultimately has an overarching effect on the triple bottom line objectives of green buildings. The construction industry has used the cost of quality method to evaluate the optimum cost incurred in achieving the quality performance required. Greater investment incurred for quality performance may potentially be associated with the greater cost overruns involved in green buildings. Without a consistent approach in measuring the costs incurred, effective comparisons for decision makers to leverage the costs cannot be reached. Recent studies had also emphasized on the client choice of the delivery system (design-bid-build, design and build, construction management agency) to have an impact on the overall success of the project but the extent quality performance was investigated was not as thorough as for cost and time performances. The case study provided shows the challenges design and build project faces in terms of quality performance due to the inherent nature of the contractual arrangement.

Recently international lending institutions are investigating financing solutions that enhance the effectiveness of their funds. Results based funding mechanisms consider this objective through diverting the lending cycle, where lenders pay agreed amounts following the achievement of results. This introduces the need for a proper assessment of risks, when considering such mechanism in financing infrastructure programs. This paper provides a risk assessment framework for supporting governments throughout the risk assessment process for programs financed through results-based funding mechanisms. It considers the program-for-results mechanism as one of the results-based funding mechanisms offered by international financial institutions. The introduced methodology includes four main steps: (1) risk identification based on most common risks from previous operations, (2) risk assessment based on risk surveys distributed for each specific program, (3) risk response based on a preset list of relevant risk mitigation measures for each risk, and (4) risk monitoring through the follow-up of risks occurring throughout the implementation process.

The Envision guidance and rating system for sustainable infrastructure has been widely adopted and implemented across Los Angeles, California. The county of Los Angeles, the city of Los Angeles, and Los Angeles Metro have committed to using Envision as tool to promote sustainable infrastructure practices. This paper examines the variety among their considerations, methodologies, and results. Overall conclusions suggest (1) educating staff from different backgrounds on Envision promotes collaboration, (2) the flexibility in Envision empowers project teams to develop context-specific, feasible solutions, (3) Envision supports the documentation of design decisions and monitoring of sustainable performance over the project lifecycle necessary to inform decisions on future projects and advance the industry, and (4) while it takes time to adopt the use of Envision in infrastructure development (garnering support, educating staff, updating procedures, etc.), the outcome is far more valuable that earning awards for projects—Envision is a tool for stimulating a paradigm shift in how we develop communities.

Project owners can require sustainability in infrastructure development in a holistic and comprehensive manner that is also enforceable by the owner using sustainable procurement practices and other mechanisms, as identified in an industry study. Sustainable procurement is a process of finding and acquiring services or products that incorporates positive outcomes for the economy, environment, and society beyond those for the project owner. Contrary to popular belief, sustainable procurement does not always increase the cost of the project. Also, sustainable procurement is considered a business best practice that can lower life cycle costs, spur innovation, and improve the project owner’s reputation. Project owners are using procurement documents to: request project staff with sustainability qualifications, require elements of sustainability in the project scope, and emphasize sustainability in the selection criteria/scoring for consultants and vendors. Project owners are also requiring sustainability in local design standards and standard operating procedures; local or regional policies, ordinances, and codes; and state or national legislation. A collection of these mechanisms are summarized in a database for reference and use by other project owners when crafting future sustainability requirements. ASCE maintains resources (guidance, examples, and the database) and plans to create more to support the development and implementation of sustainable infrastructure requirements.

Cost overruns are one of the main obstacles facing the uptake of green buildings in the construction industry. A qualitative system dynamics approach was employed to understand the interrelationships of multiple factors causing such overruns based on literature collected in terms of the client and contractor and an active case study of a green building development complex in Qatar. Although studies had compared the cost performance of delivery systems, the study provides unique aspects related to the traits of delivery systems that reduce or increase such overruns. In doing so, latent factors that were not previously assessed in previous studies’ approaches on delivery systems such as foreign currency collapse, corruption, and political impacts are considered. Although the model considered a green building in its work, the model can also be applied to less complex, conventional building projects, and yield important inferences on causes of cost overruns. The significance of the work enables testing different policies and scenarios in finding how cost overruns can be reduced.

The Franklin D. Roosevelt Park Regional Stormwater Capture Project (project) developed by the county of Los Angeles serves as a model for sustainable infrastructure through features that will protect the water quality of local rivers and streams and increase local water supply. The project is also a model of multi-benefit incorporation, exemplified by the inclusion of enhanced park amenities for recreation and education. The project will capture and infiltrate stormwater runoff via an underground infiltration system which consists of a diversion structure, a pretreatment system, two large infiltration galleries inside the park, and a series of 75-foot deep infiltration wells. Stormwater will be redirected into the infiltration system and allowed to percolate into the groundwater basin. Above ground features include a re-designed soccer field with artificial turf, an education garden with drought tolerant landscaping, interpretive signage to educate recreators, and park amenities to improve park usage.

The Ladera Park Stormwater Improvements Project (project) is part of the county’s multi-benefit approach to improve water quality in the Ladera Heights community of Los Angeles County. The project is located at Ladera Park, which is a vital 15-acre public space within the densely urbanized Ballona Creek watershed. The Ballona Creek has been identified as impaired for bacteria, toxic pollutants, and metals, and regulations have been imposed to protect wildlife and water contact activities. The project will capture and infiltrate stormwater and urban runoff via an underground infiltration system. Infiltration will be achieved through the installation of a diversion structure, a pretreatment system, and a series of 70-foot deep infiltration wells. Stormwater and urban runoff will be redirected into the infiltration system and allowed to percolate into the ground. A portion of the diverted water will be stored and used for park irrigation purposes after undergoing ozone treatment. Impacts to park users will be minimal since most of the improvements will be underground. Above ground, a watershed themed demonstration garden will replace traditional turf and feature drought tolerant plants, and educational signage which will increase public awareness of water quality and conservation. In addition, the garden will also feature LID bio-swales, a walking path with decorative bridges, a shade structure, and seating areas. The project received $4.8 million in grant funding from the State of California’s Proposition 84 Santa Monica Bay Restoration Grant Program. Project construction began in January 2019.

The Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the United States, is regulated by the U.S. EPA under a total maximum daily load (TMDL) to improve water quality. Since 2010, the states in the bay watershed have been developing and implementing actions, primarily via regulated communities. Recent outreach has focused on encouraging non-regulated communities to take voluntary actions. However, without regulations or funding, those communities are limited in their ability to contribute. The Healthy Watersheds project focuses on the recognizing the value of forest cover for achieving Chesapeake Bay water quality goals. A key to successful land conservation is to create, or tap into, a market for the private financing of high quality forest and agricultural land retention and land reforestation. By aggregating a landowner’s potential ecosystem service offerings (e.g., carbon credits, water quality credits, habitat enhancement, etc.), and matching those environmental resources to the investment market’s structural protocols (e.g., trade regulations, trade restrictions, liquidity, tax treatment, secondary markets, etc.), a financial conduit can be developed to link the aggregated demand for those green resources with money for the land owners and host locality. This approach essentially pays landowners to maintain or expand forest land which, in turn, improves water quality in the bay watershed and the bay itself allowing non-regulated communities to contribute to meeting the regional goals.

This paper aims to assess the benefits of substituting conventional aggregates in concrete with alternative aggregates obtained from recycled tires, also known as tire-derived aggregate (TDA). Existing literature is rich on mechanical properties and performance measures of TDA concrete (TDAC). These literatures agree that TDA reduces the strength of the concrete based on their volume content. However, it is also evident that application of TDA is highly effective in the enhancement of toughness and energy absorption of concrete elements. The recycled nature of TDA also provides significant opportunities to reduce the environmental footprint of concrete through preservation of natural resources and reduction of waste and pollution. At the same time, the recycling process of producing TDA is an adjustable procedure to allow for an optimum balance between the quality and the cost of materials. This study evaluates such balance through consideration of input energy, greenhouse gas emissions, and market pricing. Further, comparative assessments in this paper discuss the application of ENVISION as a decision making tool to facilitate such evaluations.

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) District 7 North Fork Matilija Creek (NFMC) Geomorphology, Fish Passage, and Engineering project protects local steelhead trout habitat while repairing erosion along State Route 33. This project was unique as the existing step-pool system provided an excellent rearing habitat for juvenile steelhead. The canyon steepness limited the potential approaches that would be compliant with existing environmental guidelines. Engineers demonstrated that the 5-foot drops outside the design manual recommendations were within the steelheads’ capabilities. After demonstrating that adult fish could pass through the step-pools, further analysis determined that the channel widening would not fill the juvenile rearing pools with sediment. Trees, riparian habitat, and habitat structures were added to keep the stream cool and provide cover and shelter for the fish. The system protects the juvenile fish rearing pools and will help the steelhead population increase within the creek.

In 2018, Infrastructure Canada introduced the Climate Lens Assessment as a requirement for all large infrastructure projects (project costs over $10M) seeking funding support from the Government of Canada. The Climate Lens is an innovative policy approach that encourages public sector organizations to better assess the climate impacts and hazards of their projects. This assessment consists of two components to identify carbon reduction opportunities and likely climate change hazards over the full project lifecycle: an extensive GHG emissions inventory of the infrastructure asset and the use of a risk management approach to identifying climate risks. In this paper we will compare the required methodologies within the Climate Lens against emerging best practices from our multi-disciplinary perspective as engineering, environmental science, and planning consultants working on large infrastructure projects across Canada. We will share observations from our recent application of the Climate Lens on new and existing public transit, remote airport, highway, and renewable energy infrastructure projects. This paper provides feedback on the effectiveness of the new Infrastructure Canada policy in achieving its aim to incentivize behavioral change to promote consideration of climate impacts in the planning of infrastructure projects; we include our observations for policy updates.

In recent years, municipalities in Palestine and more specifically in Gaza Strip suffered from many obstacles, which impede municipalities from completing their functions and obligations. Among these obstacles, are the challenges to provide wastewater services, water supply, and solid waste management. The main aim of this paper is to identify the challenges facing the municipalities to provide wastewater services in the Gaza Strip. In this research, previous studies were reviewed, and 26 factors were determined as challenges and divided into three clusters in the field of wastewater services. A questionnaire was designed based on a quantitative scale approach. The final version of the questionnaire was obtained through an arbitration process by 20 experts who work at the municipal sector in addition to the academician, who participated in the pilot study. Then the questionnaires were distributed to the 25 municipalities serving in the Gaza Strip. The collected data were analyzed statistically. The critical challenges facing the municipalities' wastewater services in Gaza Strip can be categorized as financial, physical, technical, and environmental. For financial challenges: lack of provided budget to the municipalities and the decline of revenues are the most critical challenges. For physical challenges: lack of the energy such as fuel and electricity to operate treatment plant and inability to wastewater treatment, however, for technical and environmental challenges: the negative impact of wastewater on the environment and aquifer pollution are the most critical challenges. This study recommends increasing the provided budget to the municipalities and the use of sustainable energy sources in order to overcome the challenges and improve the wastewater services provided in the Gaza Strip.

The United Nations has a bold and audacious plan to transform the world through "The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development". The tools for achieving the agenda are the UN's recently implemented 17 Sustainable Development Goals. "While some of the goals may be outside the purview of engineering, successful implementation of many of these goals will require substantial new engineering, re-engineering, and retrofitting across all engineering disciplines" (Workshop on the "Technical and Engineering Challenges of Addressing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals", November 2018). This paper will explain and stress the importance of engineers becoming intimately familiar with the UN SDGs and how they are inseparable from the need for sustainable infrastructure. This will be accomplished by presenting the outcomes from the above referenced workshop, with methods and techniques to put them into action, thereby enabling engineers to engage in new and innovative ways to meet the technical and engineering challenges of the UN SDGs.

Resilience and sustainability are critical for the long-term performance of transportation systems. This paper is part of a project to evaluate guidance for infrastructure resilience and sustainability from the point of view of underground transportation infrastructure (UTI). A summary of the extant literature is presented followed by an assessment of the Envision Sustainable Infrastructure Framework for a representative UTI project. The literature review covers resilience and sustainability in transportation infrastructure, guidance for climate vulnerability assessments, rating systems, and resilience and sustainability of UTI. Specific strengths and weaknesses of UTI are identified. In the Envision study, each credit was evaluated for its familiarity to the UTI community and the benefit of a UTI project as compared to a different type of infrastructure. Envision was found to be suitable for use with UTI; however, areas in which UTI is most beneficial are also those that are least familiar (natural world and quality of life). Specific suggestions are made for potentially fruitful avenues of research and to strengthen Envision’s treatment of resilience.

The Albion Riverside Park Project, in the city of Los Angeles, is a Proposition O project. The project goal is to provide water quality benefits to help the city meet their total maximum daily load (TMDL) goals set by the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board, and to provide beneficial recreational park use for the local community. The project site was a challenge for stormwater management solutions due to its history of contamination brought on by previous industrial activities onsite. The site was remediated and low impact development (LID) techniques were strategically configured to meet water quality goals. Flows from the 300-acre (121-hectare) watershed are diverted to two pretreatment units before entering the underground infiltration galleries. Stormwater captured within the infiltration galleries percolate into the underlying soils, recharging the groundwater. Once the system reaches capacity, it is shut down with an actuated valve to prevent surcharge. This project will benefit the professional community by showcasing how the project team met the project goals given the industrial history of the site.

Although they share a common goal of promoting more sustainable design and construction practices, the Envision and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) sustainability rating and certification frameworks come from separate backgrounds and their ‘roots’ are reflected in how they are practically applied to projects. LEED was conceived to guide green building design based on occupant comfort and energy efficiency. Envision, in contrast, is focused more on the extended impacts that infrastructure projects can have on communities. Each certification framework hypothetically applies to distinct types of projects, with LEED reserved for occupied buildings and Envision reserved for non-occupied infrastructure projects. In practice, however the distinction is often blurry. Public infrastructure assets such as water and wastewater pump and treatment facilities often include spaces that are temporarily occupied yet experience different challenges in design from what either framework was conceived to address. Some owners have found value in drawing on the guidance in both LEED and Envision to achieve their performance goals for their assets. By examining infrastructure projects that have sought dual certification under both LEED and Envision, this paper will explore the relative benefits and limitations inherent in each framework, and areas where there are overlap and synergy in guidance provided. This paper will seek to answer the question of how these tools complement one another, and what value practitioners using each framework in isolation could learn from critically examining the other.

The city of Santa Monica (city), along with the city of Los Angeles, and the county of Los Angeles developed the Enhanced Watershed Management Plan (EWMP) for the Santa Monica Bay Jurisdictional Group 2 and 3 in response to the 2012 Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Permit. The development and implementation of regional best management practices (BMPs) are a critical component for addressing the water quality goals and objectives of the EWMP. The city is implementing the Santa Monica Clean Beaches Initiative (CBI) Project as a regional BMP that will result in the improvement of the beach water quality and improve the city’s drought resiliency. The objective of the project is to develop a diversion and holding system for up to 85th percentile 24-hour storm event at the Santa Monica Pier outfall and pipeline delivery system to the Santa Monica Urban Runoff Recycling Facility (SMURRF). The project consists of building a diversion structure to direct dry- and wet-weather runoff into a subsurface modular storage facility to store approximately 1.6 million gallons (6.1 million liters) per storm event. In addition, the storage facility is equipped with underdrains to collect and pump brackish groundwater into the storage facility when stormwater is scarce. The stored urban runoff, stormwater runoff, and brackish water within the facility is pumped to and treated at the SMURRF for non-potable use. This project included the incorporation of real-time supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) controls to further increase system performance. The presentation will highlight the innovative approach to designing a regional BMP concept that enhances the existing low flow diversion and provides benefits for protecting beach water quality.

Sustainability of reinforced concrete (RC) structures in chloride laden environment relies on its durability and therefore is a global concern because it threatens natural resources, economic growth, and human safety. Durability requirements in existing international standards from the USA, Australia, Canada, Europe, and India have been studied and compared with latest draft (in 2015) of Bangladesh National Building Code (BNBC). Majority of international codes recommended to control i) cement content, ii) water-binder ratio, iii) concrete grade, and iv) cover to rebar, based on exposure environmental conditions of the concrete structure. It was found that durability requirements in Draft BNBC specifying five exposure classifications viz. mild, moderate, severe, very severe, and extreme, certainly requires improvement to address appropriate deterioration mechanisms considering local atmospheric conditions. Published research results and obtained chloride concentration data form this study was used to drive empirical equations to estimate chloride penetration depths and corrosion initiations in RC structure by airborne chloride and that in seawater (submerged, tidal, and splash zones) for the coastal area of Bangladesh. Relationship between critical chloride contents (2% and 0.4% by weight of cement for submerged zone and tidal and splash zone respectively), depth, and exposure period has been used. The outcomes have been utilized to produce a chloride concentration map for Bangladesh classifying severity of the zones with the aid of geographical information system (GIS). A new exposure conditions along with limiting concrete properties based on this in line with the international codes has been proposed for BNBC.

People are the key difference between mediocre and innovative infrastructure projects. Sustainable infrastructure design requires more than simply assessing a project against a sustainability scorecard or rating system. As a practice, sustainable design begins with people and their dynamics as a collaborative team. Decades of green building performance have taught us that optimized building design is only possible though an integrated process. Today, as infrastructure owners grapple with public perception, enhanced performance requirements, lifecycle impacts, and more, these lessons are more important than ever before, and should be leveraged by infrastructure designers. Due to the complex and diverse nature of infrastructure projects, traditional design approaches and delivery models make it challenging to fully realize the benefits of sustainable design. To successfully implement sustainable practices, design teams must employ innovative strategies through leveraging tools such as integrated design process, collaborative decision making, and sustainable design frameworks. Using “charrettes” to bring the broad team together for focused design and decision-making workshops is an important part of this process. Involving a construction manager early is also key to this approach, enabling integration of contracting and constructability knowledge into early planning and design. By examining a real project example, this paper will explore the benefits of taking an integrated design approach, involving a multidisciplinary collaborative team who work and make decisions together based on a shared vision and holistic project understanding. We find this approach leads to higher performance across a wide-variety of well-defined environmental and social goals, while staying within budgetary and scheduling constraints.

The input energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are key environmental performance measures in environmental footprints of engineering practices, including building construction. This paper presents a case study on these measures to assess the sustainability of a completed conventional building using actual records. Discussions will focus on the application of masonry walls utilizing lightweight expanded clay aggregate (LECA) masonry units. Masonry walls typically influence architectural, structural, and mechanical components of the building, including heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC). Furthermore, the manufacturing processes of masonry units and their ingredients, such as LECA, introduce more challenges to the measurement of energy and emissions. The proposed methodology in this paper attempts to facilitate these measurements using a bottom-up approach based on actual values recorded at the end of the construction phase. Presented results include considerations on the energy consumption and GHGs involve the operation of building and the need for HVAC systems.

In response to the devastation of Hurricane Sandy, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Rebuild by Design (RBD) program awarded funding to New York State through the Living with the Bay (LWTB) proposal. To advance this proposal, New York State Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery (GOSR) developed a resiliency strategy to identify a program of defined improvements across approximately 10,000 acres. GOSR developed a strategic sequence of activities created to guide the varying dynamic groups of stakeholders to consensus of a collection of prioritized projects aimed at the LWTB goals. The resiliency strategy identifies and prioritizes interventions independently addressing problem areas and collectively improving the resiliency of the Mill River corridor while adhering to GOSR, HUD, and RBD requirements. The recommended projects provide the prioritized framework to reduce the risk and vulnerability of this area and its valuable assets and provide its residents a more resilient infrastructure and environment with an enhanced quality of life.

Mobile hybrid power generators and small-scale, portable hybrid microgrids (a combination of solar power, solar storage, and diesel backup power) are a new, disruptive technology applicable for temporary power applications where power reliability and quality, cost of fuel, and maintenance, as well as environmental impact are driving factors. However, with very few vendors and no comprehensive application track record, the technology first demonstrated after Superstorm Sandy in 2013 has not yet become widespread. Following the devastating 2017 hurricanes in the Caribbean, Louis Berger, as a United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Advanced Contracting Initiative (ACI) contractor, undertook the largest and longest temporary power mission in world history—in Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands, having performed over 2,000 generator installations and provided fueling, maintenance, and repair for the deployed fleet for well over 12 months. This provided a unique opportunity to run a long-term pilot of mobile hybrid power systems in parallel to the core mission, collecting necessary application and use data for a mission-level assessment of the new technology against the baseline of conventional mobile diesel power generators.

Over recent decades, Boston has been affected by several tidal floods due to sea level rise. In addition to hurricanes, Sandy and Irene, are the storms occurring at high tide bringing damaging floods to coastal communities, causing major damage to the historical neighborhoods and developing areas, specifically, new Seaport District. Like other historical ports in the United States, most of Boston, including the new Seaport District, has neighborhoods/commercial districts built on filled coastline. Within recent years, the Seaport District has experienced significant economic increase in businesses/residents. This area has been revived and a thriving community has formed. However, solid mitigation to handle extreme weather and rising seawater is lacking. During the winter storms on 2018 in which the rising sea water flooded neighborhoods, Boston saw the storm surge as a threat to continual development in the Seaport District and around the city. One great storm surge could cause enormous economic damage to the city’s coastlines. Several towns in Massachusetts have adopted their own mitigation plans. Boston is researching and exploring the economic and life safety issues to address or prepare for the changing climate. Adopting a formal plan is vital to preserving and protecting Boston’s rich history and neighborhoods. This paper addresses mitigation measures to form a robust plan for policy makers, useful recommendations for engineers and designers working on infrastructure/buildings in coastal communities. These mitigation measures include protecting life safety equipment, MEP services/equipment, structural durability, accessibility with flood events, functional design recommendations for at-risk buildings, and retention.

As part of the Los Angeles water system implementing a resilience program, a planning-level study was undertaken to quantify post-earthquake firefighting water demands, for which a model was developed to quantify ignitions and firefighting water requirements for five earthquake scenarios. The model estimated the building stock, earthquake ground motions, post-earthquake ignitions, fire department operations, available firefighting water supply, fire spread, and water required per fire. Model results were validated against the 1994 Northridge earthquake. Three of the five scenarios are very severe events, causing over 100 ignitions each, with two events—Puente Hills M_w 7.0 and Santa Monica M_w 6.8 probably exceeding the fire department’s capacity. These results are useful for assessing the water system’s ability to meet the fire flow demands in a post-earthquake damaged state. Further hydraulic assessments will help identify and prioritize system improvements.

Bridges are among critical components of transportation infrastructure systems. These structures can experience multiple low probability-high consequence natural hazards, such as earthquake, during their long lifetime. Vast economic, social, and environmental consequences of seismic-induced damages to bridges demand for comprehensive multi-faceted lifecycle analysis of bridges. Commonly, the primary focus of lifecycle analysis frameworks has been the assessment of economic consequences of infrastructure investments and little attention has been given to the analysis of social and environmental impacts. This study investigates the economic and environmental impacts of various retrofit plans for bridges quantified over the lifetime of the infrastructure in order to determine the most sustainable plan. Since bridges are long-lived systems and may encounter several occurrences of earthquakes during their lifetime, effects of repair actions being incomplete prior to the occurrence of the next hazard can play a significant role in the sustainability assessment. Therefore, in this study, a probabilistic framework is developed to incorporate effects of multiple occurrences of earthquakes and incomplete repair actions for damages induced under stochastically generated future seismic events. Sustainability here is quantified in terms of economic and environmental indicators, which are based on the expected lifecycle cost, expected carbon dioxide emissions, and expected energy waste in the lifetime of the infrastructure. Results of this investigation facilitate analysis of sustainability metrics, allowing for objective consideration of sustainability in determining optimal investment decisions.

Lifecycle analysis of levees against storm surge hazards is critical for the development of cost-effective risk mitigation solutions. This paper introduces a probabilistic framework for lifecycle analysis of levees by considering the impacts of storm surge hazard on the backward erosion of levees. Soil backward erosion can be described by the following damage states: first, the seepage front reaches the landside due to the difference in the hydraulic head. Second, the blanket soil layer in the landside ruptures due to uplift pressures. At this stage, water starts to flow out. Third, a water path is created and develops a piping channel between waterside and landside of the levee. Finally, the configuration of the levee starts changing, leading to the collapse of the levee, and breach. Existing lifecycle analysis frameworks neglect impacts of residual damage because of untreated damages from prior storm surges or incomplete repairs. This may lead to underestimation of probabilities of transitioning to more severe states of internal erosion under future hazards. This study addresses this gap via a comprehensive lifecycle analysis framework that incorporates the effects of multiple occurrences of storm surge hazards and incomplete repair actions. This methodology is subsequently utilized to evaluate the impact of repair time durations of a single levee that is susceptible to backward erosion. Results point to the significance of the dependencies among backward erosion damage states as well as the repair times for the lifecycle cost of levees against backward erosion.

ASCE evaluates the U.S. transportation infrastructure every four years. Its most recent report in 2017 grades the nation’s roads and bridges at D and C+, respectively. This poor condition coupled with impending natural hazards exacerbates the risks emanating from potential losses of mobility. Consequently, quantified investigation of resilience in regional transportation networks has been a growing research focus. Despite this increasing attention, state-of-the-art studies fall short of devising and utilizing explicit transportation network models wherein infrastructure components (roads, bridges, etc.) and network users along with their behaviors are modeled in high fidelity. In this study, we present a novel model-based approach that couples an image-based structure-specific bridge modeling methodology with a metropolis-scale travel demand model towards achieving a comprehensive and high-resolution resilience assessment. Due to its data-intensive nature, the proposed approach is capable of capturing and incorporating many details that are usually disregarded in traditional analyses, promising improved accuracy in estimating the resilience and sustainability metrics of transportation networks. As a small-scale testbed for the proposed approach, this paper introduces the preliminary direct/indirect seismic loss estimates for the Los Angeles metropolitan area due to a hazard-consistent scenario earthquake event for the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach and the resulting truck freight traffic disruptions.

The objective of the study presented in this paper is to propose and test a network analysis framework for better understanding the risks involved in infrastructure adaptation processes in response to sea-level rise (SLR). In pursuit of this objectives, this study developed a meta-network framework that conceptualizes human systems as interacting networks of actors, infrastructure, tasks, policies, and knowledge in order to characterize risks based on the structure of networks embedded in the adaptation processes. The application of the proposed framework was demonstrated in the analysis of water infrastructure system in Southeast Florida region. The results show that the adaptation process of water infrastructure system in Southeast Florida is suffering from 15% compliance risk that caused by both non-availability of appropriate policies and not complying with the existing policies. This study enables a better understanding of the effectiveness and efficiency of adaptation processes and identifies areas to improve coordination and communication to enhance the adaptation of infrastructure systems to SLR in coastal urban areas.

Engineers are at the heart of planning, design, and construction of resilient communities. Pressures associated with climate change and extreme weather events are leading to competing priorities for resources that can be used to reduce risks. The global investment community is preparing to do its part in financing high impact resilience projects. Engineers who understand and are prepared to equip their projects to address finance screening criteria will have an advantage in seeing their projects move forward. Client agencies will turn to their engineers to gather, organize, and submit data that is responsive to finance screening criteria. This session will focus on screening criteria associated with the Urban Resilience Fund (TURF) sponsored by the Rockefeller Foundation. Successful completion of their criteria will position projects as candidates for financing via a billion dollar investment pool. Implementation of the TURF is expected to trigger “copy cats” within the global ESG, sustainability, and resilience investment sector that would grow available capital exponentially. This panel will include representatives of TURF management, the professionals behind the development of the screening criteria, and project engineers who have applied it. They will describe the screen and individual efforts put forth by civil engineers to create complete applications. Attendees will leave the session equipped to submit complete applications to TURF and post-finance reporting.

With worldwide efforts directed towards creating sustainable societies, how is the developing world coping with this trend? Often times we see groundbreaking innovations that contribute towards sustainable practices come from the developed world. However, we almost never see such technologies come from developing countries. How far behind in sustainability are such societies? To answer, an investigation examining the indicators of sustainable development is needed. Access to clean water sources, access to proper sanitation facilities, access to energy, emissions, and more are among some of those indicators. The purpose of this research is to raise awareness to the fact that at the end of the day we share the planet. If a small percentage of the world prides itself in achieving sustainability, how good is it if the majority of the countries are causing the depletion of the world’s natural capital, contributing in desertification, and more importantly accelerating climate change.

Parallel to significant benefits of urbanization such as increased efficiency, convenience to population, and social integration at a global level, uncontrolled urbanization has been shown to have enormous detrimental impacts on communities. Urban sprawl, overcrowded living conditions, inadequacy of infrastructural services, and environmental degradation are some the consequences of unsustainable approaches in urbanization. To control these consequences, it is essential to shift to approaches that consider urbanization comprehensively by evaluating its impacts not only on the economy but also on environment and society for the entire life-cycle of facilities’ service time. Although huge effort has been taken to introducing and establishing sustainable urbanization, due to various issues implementation of sustainable policies and strategies is a challenge. This paper investigates the barriers to implementing sustainable urbanization policies in five categories. The paper can be used to identify the existing knowledge gap and finding solutions to foster the sustainable development of the urban environment.

Hosting a mega-event such as the FIFA World Cup and Olympic Games is a potentially expensive matter. This paper presents the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality’s (NMBMM) bus rapid transit (BRT) system in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, as one of the key infrastructure projects for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The BRT system was intended to perform as a two-phase project following a design-bid-build approach with the aim of providing additional public transportation to tourists visiting Port Elizabeth for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. However, this project has still yet to be completed due to a series of challenges compounded by poor planning and lack of oversight. This paper discusses the issues that have plagued the project’s success, compares it with Germany’s successful transportation improvements during the 2006 FIFA World Cup, and offers recommendations towards how the NMBMM could have prevented Port Elizabeth’s BRT system issues from occurring. The results of our comparison suggest that while there can be considerable potential benefits for the host of a mega-event, many of them would not be realized or maximized due to organizational inadequacies and lack of proper management and long-term planning.

Fighting corruption in all its forms is an important component of the United Nations sustainable development goals (SDGs). Corruption in the construction sector is of particular concern as it affects providing the sustainable infrastructure needed to support achievement of the goals. SDG 16 specifically addresses corruption. The UN and its members and the engineering/construction industry have been active in taking actions and implementing programs to address corruption in the construction sector.

The development of sustainable and resilient infrastructure systems to achieve food, energy, and water (FEW) security has received considerable attention in recent years. Despite this intense interest, only limited research has been performed on the similarities and differences of sustainability and resilience in a nexus context. It is the main purpose of this study to investigate to which extent does the sustainability of FEW systems enable us to successfully respond to the anticipated and the unexpected stresses and shocks. Unlike traditional approaches to study sustainability and resilience of FEW systems in a fragmented and isolated way, a literature review undertaken in this study is focused on integrated use of sustainability and resilience in a nexus context. Resilient FEW infrastructure are essential to the implementation of policies and actions with regard to sustainable development. A sustainable FEW system is defined as a system that can consistently meet its food, energy, and water demands with sustainable inputs rather than using non-renewable sources.

There are leadership lessons to learn from the implementation and operation of Lima Metro Line 1, which facilitated a transformational change along its transit corridor. Line 1 is the first electric metro in Lima, the fifth largest and densest city in Latin America, and it reduces traffic volumes, air pollution, carbon footprints, and commuting times, which impact positively the environment and the productivity level in the city. This study is based on the infrastructure sustainability performance of Line 1, as assessed with the Envision rating system as part of the Infrastructure 360° Awards, where it received the project of the year award for most comprehensive sustainability performance. Many of Line 1 successes and high sustainability performance are funded by the implementation of social investment through the "Cultura Metro" initiative. This initiative is leading social inclusion programs in stations, and enhancing public spaces along the transit corridor, improving the quality of life for millions of people. Findings from this study indicate that the social investment has paid off in the community buy-in and ridership. This study contributes to the dissemination of lessons learned in sustainable leadership from Line 1, which can influence policy and innovations in public transportation infrastructure for zero carbon cities. The lessons from Line 1 can facilitate more transformational change in Lima, which is currently planning more metro lines, and in other cities in developing contexts, especially in regards to quality of life enhancements with emphasis in improving public space, urban security, and the environment.

Traditionally assessment of building sustainability has focused on operating energy. Only recently has there been a shift towards consideration of embodied energy, due to a rise in energy-efficient technologies and a growing concern over material manufacturing processes. However, for a comprehensive embodied energy estimate, the impacts of material choice on vulnerability to hazards must also be evaluated in light of the significant environmental impact of repairs. Thus, the design of resilient, sustainable buildings necessitates a holistic projection of environmental impact using an integrated life cycle assessment (iLCA) that accounts for such vulnerabilities driving hazard resilience. This study presents a seamless workflow for iLCA of buildings, which captures the dependencies between multi-hazard resilience and multi-metric sustainability. This practitioner-centered workflow utilizes industry-standard tools, prioritizes open data sources, and provides sufficient granularity to facilitate decision-making. A case study executed in the Revit environment is presented for a location in Los Angeles to illustrate the impact of embodied energy and repairs due to geophysical hazards on life-cycle performance.

This paper discusses the outcomes of the third Symposium for Sustainable Infrastructure (SSI-3) in Colorado under the theme The Cities We Have, the Cities We Want. The one-day symposium brought in nationally recognized experts that provided a continuum of discussion—beginning with understanding The Cities We Have and leading to The Cities We Want. What has led our cities to the current infrastructure and planning paradigm? What are the key issues facing engineering and planning? Can the status quo guide our efforts without dealing with underlying assumptions? This paper provides an analysis of an existing paradigm of infrastructure management and how the paradigm impacts urban planning. In order to build truly smart cities and succeed in reversing the threat of aging infrastructure, we must evaluate the status quo and its inability to reverse the threat.

Sustainable infrastructure (SI) is of central importance to achieve the 2030 UN Development Agenda and to secure strong and sustainable growth. The access to basic services such as good health and well-being (SDG 3), quality education (SDG4), clean water and sanitation (SDG6), and affordable and clean energy (SDG 7), can only be achieved by environmentally responsible, socially equitable, and economically viable infrastructure projects. Despite the importance infrastructure plays in achieving sustainable growth and development, there is no clear understanding of how well-known sustainable infrastructure tools such as Envision rating system relate to the SDGs. Therefore, this paper provides a cross-comparative analysis between the Envision rating system criterion and the SDG targets to understand the overlaps and key difference, as well as the potential synergies. According to the analysis, out of the 169 total targets in which the 17 SDGs are divided, 67 of them were identified to be in alignment with the Envision rating system. From the 67 related SDG targets, 34 were identified as having a direct alignment with Envision, while 33 were determined as having an indirect correlation.

Considering common concerns and specific priorities of developing countries like India, the study has recognized and explored 8 criteria and 4 indicators in assessing sustainable building performance, and further extended to quantify the identified criteria based on the attributes and prerequisites. The objective of the present study is to assess the degree of performance of a sustainable building based on quantification of associated attributes and prerequisites. The developed approach has been integrated with a coding program using C++, a user-friendly software interface to develop a sustainable building assessment tool (SBAT). The developed holistic framework will not only facilitate in providing the guidelines for sustainable design and practice, but also, measures the building sustainability score to achieve sustainable construction. This simple and lucid software helps the designers and architects in measuring the performance of building towards sustainability.

Materials flow is a key parameter in assessing the environmental and economic impacts of various products over their life cycle; any change in the logistics of construction materials can directly or indirectly affect all parties involved in the product supply chain. Geopolitical challenges can affect the normal routes of construction materials flow and the delivery of those materials. Qatar’s only land border and air and sea routes have been cut off by its neighboring countries. Most of Qatar’s construction materials are produced outside the country and imported, and so this geopolitical crisis has forced Qatar to seek alternative routes of producing and importing building materials; this is important, as Qatar has undertaken massive construction projects, given that it will host the 2022 FIFA World Cup. In this study, the environmental and economic sustainability of building materials under states of geopolitical uncertainty are examined using an environmental life cycle costing method. Various building materials (i.e., steel, sand, cement, limestone, and asphalt) were investigated from a life cycle perspective, using a cradle-to-gate system boundary. Preliminary results of this analysis demonstrated trade-offs and the variability of impacts, depending on the material considered. It is crucial that countries facing geopolitical uncertainty assess the sustainability potential of alternative routes, if they are to mitigate environmental and economic impacts.

While the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles were the only games to produce a surplus, in large part because the city was able to rely on already existing infrastructure, many others did not have a similar fate due to lavish, specialized arenas which had no beneficial use afterwards. The enticement of hosting the Olympics with the plan of investing to address communities needs at an accelerated rate is appealing to city officials and residents. As the 2028 Olympic Games host, LA has a plan to revitalize or capitalize on existing infrastructure to address the needs of the community, while simultaneously meeting requirements for the sudden temporary influx of people for the games. However, all too often billions of dollars of infrastructure, paid by taxpayers, will then be left either unutilized or underutilized, leaving the community in worse condition than it started. Similarly, projects which only look at a few data sets, or a few people's recommendation can create a so-called solution which the community does not want, nor use. A community’s investment in infrastructure and the Olympic Games should bring returns and a positive long-term legacy by soliciting feedback from those who will be impacted the most. A few case studies of several host cities and infrastructure projects will be evaluated. This analysis will conclude with key recommendations for sustainable, intentional urban planning.

Mobility represents freedom, control, and access to quality-of-life enablers such as healthcare services, recreation, jobs, and financial stability. Through a case study project in Denver, Colorado, a project team partnered with transportation agencies to develop the 2030 Mobility Choice Blueprint, a collaborative strategy helping to define the region’s mobility future through a more connected, mobile, adaptable, and user-driven network. Using innovative community engagement techniques, the team uncovered residents’ motivations and behaviors to develop an understanding of how mobility ties to quality of life including health and wellness. The research provided a strong foundation for building a relevant, equitable, and resilient future state, as well as helping stakeholder agencies prioritize policy changes and investment over time.

As engineers, we have been solely responsible for many designs, plans, and projects, relying on input and assistance primarily from other engineers and technical experts. New, sustainable design initiatives demand a more innovative and inclusive approach to the design process. Enter the American Public Health Association's "Joint Call to Action for Healthy Communities" (APHA JCTA)! On the outset, one may wonder what health has to do with sustainability…. the answer is everything! After all, the right project done right will be one that empowers the users and contributes to their good health when using it. This paper will address the importance of utilizing multi-disciplinary, diverse, and inclusive teams to arrive at the most innovative and sustainable solutions to our country's infrastructure needs. This will be done by assimilating information from the APHA JCTA's initiatives, and case studies, following the group's vision and mission: vision: improved public health outcomes in all communities enabled by engaged and proactive members of the built environment and health professions; mission: to promote healthier, more equitable communities by empowering our members to make health a primary consideration in their practice and collaborate across built environment and health professions. I will endeavor to show why this is the only way to plan projects that will meet the needs of several generations of users in the most environmentally, socially, and economically responsible manner.