Infrastructure Sustainability and Design

15

Current Environmental Evaluation Approaches

The Zofnass Program Team¹

HARVARD UNIVERSITY

Introduction

There are a surprisingly large number of sustainability rating systems in use today. Most of these rating systems are designed to assess the sustainability of new buildings. Some also address neighborhood or urban development. Only a few address the sustainability of infrastructure projects.

The most familiar rating system in the USA is LEED®, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. Developed in 1993 and administered by the US Green Building Council (USGBC), LEED has been widely promoted and adopted. It has become the “gold standard” of sustainability in America. LEED Silver, Gold, and Platinum building certifications ...