Zofnass Program Workshop: Innovations for a Sustainable Infrastructure
Date and time
Location
Harvard University
HBS Cumnock Hall, Room 102 (Monday) GSD Gund Hall, Stubbins Room 112 (Tuesday) Cambridge, MA 02138Description
Innovations for sustainable and resilient infrastructure are disrupting the business as usual approach to infrastructure. The focus of the ZPH Workshop is to discuss what are the key innovations addressing environmental challenges and driving sustainable projects on all phases of infrastructure development: planning & financing, construction, and operation & maintenance. The different panels explore the role of stakeholders in disruptive projects, and how are these innovative solutions financed and developed.
The workshop is structured into the following panels:
1) Synergies and Integration for Sustainable Infrastructure; CS) HBS Case Study on Sustainability; 2) Disruptive Technologies towards Sustainability; 3) Sustainable Development Goals and Innovation; 4) What types of Procurement lead to Sustainable Projects?; 5) A Case Study: Rebuilding Water Systems in Puerto Rico after Maria: thinking out of the box?
More details below and at link.
SPEAKERS FROM:
Barclays, Bentley Systems, City of Columbus, City of Los Angeles Bureau of Engineering, Columbus Yellow Cab, FEMA Water Sector Puerto Rico, EFCG, Harvard Business School, Harvard University, HNTB, Inter-American Development Bank, Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure, Kadak Associates, LOEB Fellowship GSD, Louis Berger, NV5, Parsons, Rebuild by Design, 100 Resilient Cities, Stantec, Texas Central Railway, TRC, University of Geneva, Wren House Infrastructure Management, Zofnass Program Harvard University.
WORKSHOP AGENDA
DAY 1 at HBS
Location: Cumnock Hall 102, HBS
12:00 pm, Bagged lunch available to all attendees
12:30 pm, Welcome to Workshop Day 1
Panel 1: INTEGRATION & SYNERGIES for Sustainable Infrastructure
12:50 pm
Innovative infrastructure solutions are needed to respond to global environmental challenges, such as climate change and global warming, and that can also offer opportunities for cost reductions, and competitiveness. This panel will present out-of-the-box innovative approaches that challenge ‘business-as-usual’ approach to infrastructure. Presentations will discuss the contribution of tools that measure sustainability and resilience in both the Infrastructure project-level and infrastructure system-level, as well as the global sustainable development goals (SDGs).
HBS CASE STUDY Session
2:40 pm
Led by John Macomber. This a HBS case study session focused on infrastructure sustainability and innovation. Attendees are expected to contribute and participate in the session discussion. It is highly encouraged to read the case study before the session.
Case Study link: Sound Group China: Urban Waste Entrepreneurs
Panel 2: DISRUPTIVE TECHNOLOGIES towards Sustainability.
3:50 pm
This panel is aimed to discuss how disruptive technologies and applications that support sustainability are changing the landscape of infrastructure planning. The panel will present various innovative solutions, such as the potential use of AVs, and the implementation of EV infrastructure in cities and airports.
7:00 pm, Sustainable Infrastructure Advisory Board Dinner (by invitation only)
DAY 2 at GSD
Location: Stubbins Room 112, GSD
7:00 am, Sustainable Infrastructure Advisory Board Meeting (by invitation only)
8:30 am, Workshop Day 2 starts (Coffee and breakfast items available)
Panel 3: SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS and Innovation.
8:30 am
Infrastructure is considered a pathway towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This panel will present how infrastructure can help reach SDGs, and how the Envision rating system applies to those.
Panel 4: What types of Procurement lead to SUSTAINABLE PROJECTS?
10:25 am
To realize innovative concepts, all stages from planning to implementation are crucial. The procurement process is key to establishing sustainability as a core guiding principle at a project’s development and providing space for innovation and creativity.
12:30 pm, Lunch break (Bagged lunch available to all attendees)
Panel 5: A Case Study: REBUILDING WATER SYSTEMS IN PUERTO RICO AFTER MARIA: thinking out of the box?
1:20 pm
The aftermath of hurricanes Irma and Maria is still latent in the infrastructure systems in the island of Puerto Rico. This panel will present resilient approaches to planning the water infrastructure and its interdependencies with the energy sector, discuss recommendations made in the ReImagina Puerto Rico reports, lessons learned from sustainable infrastructure emergency responses, and goals from the Envision rating system. This session welcomes feedback from attendees to discuss how is best to incorporate sustainability and resilience in the approaches.
4:20 pm, End of workshop.
Organized by
The mission of the Zofnass Program for Sustainable Infrastructure is to develop and promote methods, processes, and tools that quantify sustainability for infrastructure. Its goal is to facilitate the adoption of sustainable solutions for infrastructure projects and systems, and expand the body of knowledge for sustainable infrastructure.
The Zofnass Program was founded in 2008 by a generous donation by siblings Paul and Joan Zofnass, and is housed at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design. The Zofnass Program extends its activities throughout Harvard including the School of Public Health, the Kennedy School of Government, the Business School and the Center for the Environment. The Zofnass Program is supported by the industry through an Industry Advisory Board and by research foundations.
The Zofnass Program prides itself on the collaborative nature of its research efforts. In addition to providing the generous on-going gift that founded and supports the program, Paul and Joan Zofnass have been advising the program’s research direction. The research team includes a core group of faculty from across Harvard and student research associates from undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs. The strong support provided by the industry through the Advisory Board makes the Zofnass Program unique and relevant: the collaboration of academic experts and industry specialists has led to the development of the Zofnass Rating System, that has been integrated into the Envision™ system of the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure.
The program seeks to provide a series of resources and tools, and host events to facilitate sustainable project planning and design, as well as rate the sustainability of infrastructure projects. The Zofnass Program aims to serve as a clearing house for information collected from projects, both in its pilot phase and after the system is launched and utilized.
We will continue to improve the system and resources with our on-going research.