Envisioning a Sustainable Future

16 Jan - 7:00 to 9:00 pm
Don Nusser

C020-20240116

Abstract

Fortunately, there are many infrastructure projects underway in New Jersey. While they will provide immediate value upon completion, these initiatives, funded in part with $4.87 billion by the federal government, will result in long-lasting benefits to future generations.

Many of the best infrastructure projects consider sustainability, resilience, and equity in their planning, design and execution.

Come along on a brief journey which navigates through the complexities of the term “sustainability” and explores a very pragmatic approach to its application in our everyday planning and design work. We will quickly move from a historical perspective on sustainability to its practical application on a universe of infrastructure projects.

Of the many frameworks that exist for applying and rating sustainable elements on our projects, the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure Envision(TM) System offers a flexible system of criteria and performance objectives to aid decision makers and help project teams identify sustainable, resilient, and equitable approaches during planning, design, and construction that continue throughout the project’s operations, maintenance, and end-of-life phases.

Don will walk us through the system and demonstrate the wide range of uses for it in this intriguingly informative presentation.

Speaker

Don Nusser, PE, PP, ENV SP is a Senior Vice President in Mott MacDonald’s Pittsburgh office. Don is a civil and environmental engineer with over 45 years of experience in project management and engineering, business development, office and staff management, facilitation and training, and mentoring. He currently manages the Learning & Development program for Mott MacDonald in North America and he is the Executive Sponsor of the Sustainability Steering Committee.

Don has provided project technical and financial management on hundreds of environmental projects including soil and groundwater investigations and remediation design and implementation; solid waste management facilities planning, design, permitting, and FSO procurement; NEPA studies; Phase I ESA’s; water and wastewater infrastructure planning programs; shale gas environmental planning and permitting programs; and municipal wastewater and sludge treatment and disposal facilities.

Don has BS and MS degrees in Civil Engineering from the New Jersey Institute of Technology and is a licensed Professional Engineer and Professional Planner. He is an ISI-certified Envision(TM) Sustainability Professional (ENV SP). He currently actively serves on the ASCE Committee on Sustainability and the New Jersey Climate Change Alliance Executive and Steering Committees. He has lectured at several institutions including Duquesne University, Carnegie Mellon University, University of Pittsburgh, University of Southern Alabama, and Rutgers University on such diverse topics as sustainability, business writing, and career development.

Originally from north New Jersey, Don and his wife of 49 years, Karen, currently live in Cranberry Township, PA, and are privileged to frequently enjoy the company of their two daughters and three grandchildren.