Evaluation of existing sustainable infrastructure rating systems for their application in developing countries
TL;DR: In this article, the authors analyzed some of the mainstream infrastructure rating frameworks such as Envision (USA), CEEQUAL assessment (UK) and Infrastructure Sustainability (IS) Rating Tool (Australia) from the perspective of the Triple Bottom Line (economy, environment and society) to determine the effectiveness of their application in the context of the least developed countries.
About: This article is published in Ecological Indicators.The article was published on 2016-12-01 and is currently open access. It has received 78 citations till now. The article focuses on the topics: Sustainability & Least Developed Countries.
Summary (2 min read)
Jump to: [1. Introduction] – [2. The effect of urban development on sustainability assessment systems] – [3.3. Envision Sustainable Infrastructure rating system] – [4. Discussion] – [4.1. Developing countries in the context of Sustainable Infrastructure Rating Tools] – [4.2. Comparison of mainstream Sustainable Infrastructure Rating Systems] and [4.3. Assessment of Sustainable Infrastructure Rating Systems for their application in developing countries according to the United Nations Declarations]
1. Introduction
- This research aims to compare and assess existing sustainable infrastructure rating tools to determine whether any of them can be effectively implemented in developing countries.
- The effect of urban development is examined under the perspective of its impact in the social and economic transformation of countries.
- Infrastructure systems can provide a complementary tool to promote the balanced consideration of all TBL principles.
- Since most megacities are located in the least developed world, the implementation of infrastructure rating systems in these countries is a key factor to improve their sustainable development over the next decades.
- As a result, some principles and goals emanating from several United Nations Declarations, which seek to mobilize efforts through sustainable development worldwide, are suggested for incorporation into sustainable infrastructure frameworks.
2. The effect of urban development on sustainability assessment systems
- Envision, CEEQUAL and IS are complementary tools to community frameworks that provide effective stakeholder communication and engagement during the different life-cycle project stages, as well as the foundations for assessing sustainable community evolution.
- Furthermore, they encourage the implementation of project-based decision-making processes and management practices across the TBL to support the longterm interests of the community and provide a wider coverage of tools to stakeholders.
3.3. Envision Sustainable Infrastructure rating system
- Envision provides innovation points for projects with advanced sustainable infrastructure practices or exceptional performance beyond expectations.
- Five levels of achievement are defined by Envision to assess performance and foster project improvement: Improved (performance is above conventional); Enhanced (sustainable performance adheres to Envision principles); Superior (sustainable performance is noteworthy); Conserving (performance results in zero impact); and Restorative (performance restores natural or social systems).
4. Discussion
- In the previous section, the three main existing sustainable infrastructure rating tools have been briefly described, including their backgrounds, score schemes of current versions and levels of achievement and awards.
- To this end, the main aspects to consider for the application of infrastructure rating tools in these countries is discussed and the existing sustainable infrastructure systems are compared and reviewed in terms of the TBL, in order to evaluate their applicability in developing countries according to the United Nations Declaration.
4.1. Developing countries in the context of Sustainable Infrastructure Rating Tools
- The temporal space-time dimension of sustainability necessitates the development of generic but flexible decision support tools that facilitate the selection of indicators based on country and location-specific needs through the study of the local priorities in relation to the sustainability agenda and the incorporation of international indicators.
- Developing countries subscribed to internationally accepted sustainability metrics need to address their local situation as a part of overall international development strategies.
- Sustainable infrastructure rating systems are suggested as useful frameworks to implement and monitor sustainable performance indicators and green infrastructure practices in these countries.
4.2. Comparison of mainstream Sustainable Infrastructure Rating Systems
- Finally, the economic pillar focuses on workforce conditions, sustainable growth and development, improvement of the community's quality of life and connectivity.
- All points awarded by the tools can be grouped into the three sustainable pillar categories as shown in Table 6 .
- Only the superior level of achievement has been considered for Envision, because its sustainable performance is similar to CEEQUAL and IS systems.
- The share of points awarded by CEEQUAL, IS and Envision included in Table 6 reveals that all systems are fundamentally dominated by an environmentallybased approach.
- This unbalanced integration of the sustainability dimensions may lead to the promotion of weak sustainability [32] .
4.3. Assessment of Sustainable Infrastructure Rating Systems for their application in developing countries according to the United Nations Declarations
- Designers and contractors also collaborate with suppliers to deliver the final product according to required sustainability standards.
- Pre-qualification of consultants, designers or contractors is highly recommended to minimize risks during the procurement process.
- Even though the CEEQUAL, Envision and IS rating tools include best sustainable procurement practices, they should promote their extensive use through an effective combination with project management practices to enhance the contribution to social and economic dimensions.
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01 Jan 2016TL;DR: In this paper, the authors compare TBL approaches and principles-based approaches to developing such sustainability criteria, concluding that the latter are more appropriate, since they avoid many of the inherent limitations of the triple-bottom-line as a conception of sustainability.
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"Evaluation of existing sustainable ..." refers background in this paper
...To this end, the main aspects to consider for the application of infrastructure rating tools in these countries is discussed and the existing sustainable infrastructure systems are compared and reviewed in terms of the TBL, in order to evaluate their applicability in developing countries according to the United Nations Declaration....
[...]
...Furthermore, they encourage the implementation of project-based decision-making processes and management practices across the TBL to support the longterm interests of the community and provide a wider coverage of tools to stakeholders....
[...]
...Although green community frameworks are widely used to monitor the sustainable development of cities, infrastructure systems can provide a complementary tool to promote the balanced consideration of all TBL principles....
[...]
...Sustainability is based on the balance of three key aspects named the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) [2]: Economics, Environment and Social responsibility....
[...]
Book Chapter•
01 Jan 2016TL;DR: In this paper, the authors compare TBL approaches and principles-based approaches to developing such sustainability criteria, concluding that the latter are more appropriate, since they avoid many of the inherent limitations of the triple-bottom-line as a conception of sustainability.
Abstract: Sustainability assessment is being increasingly viewed as an important tool to aid in the shift towards sustainability. However, this is a new and evolving concept and there remain very few examples of effective sustainability assessment processes implemented anywhere in the world. Sustainability assessment is often described as a process by which the implications of an initiative on sustainability are evaluated, where the initiative can be a proposed or existing policy, plan, programme, project, piece of legislation, or a current practice or activity. However, this generic definition covers a broad range of different processes, many of which have been described in the literature as 'sustainability assessment'. This article seeks to provide some clarification by reflecting on the different approaches described in the literature as being forms of sustainability assessment, and evaluating them in terms of their potential contributions to sustainability. Many of these are actually examples of 'integrated assessment', derived from environmental impact assessment (EIA) and strategic environmental assessment (SEA), but which have been extended to incorporate social and economic considerations as well as environmental ones, reflecting a 'triple bottom line' (TBL) approach to sustainability. These integrated assessment processes typically either seek to minimise 'unsustainability', or to achieve TBL objectives. Both aims may, or may not, result in sustainable practice. We present an alternative conception of sustainability assessment, with the more ambitious aim of seeking to determine whether or not an initiative is actually sustainable. We term such processes 'assessment for sustainability'. 'Assessment for sustainability' firstly requires that the concept of sustainability be well-defined. The article compares TBL approaches and principles-based approaches to developing such sustainability criteria, concluding that the latter are more appropriate, since they avoid many of the inherent limitations of the triple-bottom-line as a conception of sustainability.
859 citations