WASHINGTON, DC, Feb. 26, 2015 -- Today, the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI) announced that the Grand Bend Area Wastewater Treatment Facility, located in Ontario, Canada, on the shoreline of Lake Huron, has earned the Envision sustainable infrastructure rating system's Platinum award. This project is the first ISI Envision verification in Canada and first wastewater facility to be ISI Envision-verified in North America.
For the project, the municipalities of Lambton Shores and South Huron commissioned global design firm Stantec to convert one of four existing lagoons into an extended aeration mechanical treatment facility and wetland nature reserve. The utility prevents effluent discharges from adversely impacting surface and groundwater quality and allows for responsible community development. Stantec used the ISI Envision framework during the design to integrate sustainable features throughout the facility.
Key sustainable features include a constructed wetland to support native wildlife species and further buffer treated effluent; a flexible design that makes the facility responsive to changing sewage flows; reduced construction and operational costs through a focus on efficiency, constructing the project within the boundaries of the original plant's footprint to protect prime farmland; and trails and interpretive signage to encourage community visitors.
"The Grand Bend Area Wastewater Treatment Facility achieved the Platinum award, the highest ISI Envision verification level, because it meets the needs and sustainability goals of stakeholders," said ISI President and CEO, William Bertera. "This is the first ISI Envision-verified project in Canada, and both the Stantec project team and municipalities of Lambton and South Huron made significant public commitments to the principles of sustainability. They involved the community on key project issues and concerns and made sustainable design choices to reduce negative impacts.
"The Municipality of Lambton Shores is excited to have achieved ISI Envision verification of the Grand Bend Area WWTF with our partners - the Municipality of South Huron and Stantec," said Director of Community Services, Municipality of Lambton Shores, Brent Kittmer. "We take great pride in our efforts to achieve sustainability and hope this project will pave the way for others in Canada to pursue Envision verification in their infrastructure designs."
See also:
"ISI announces first government agency to credential 100 Sustainability Professionals"
About ISI Envision
Envision is the product of a joint collaboration between ISI, which was founded by three national engineering associations: American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC), and American Public Works Association (APWA), and the Zofnass Program for Sustainable Infrastructure at Harvard University Graduate School of Design. For more information, visit www.sustainableinfrastructure.org.
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