The environmental benefits of LID are well understood, so why can it be difficult to generate buy-in from owners and see green infrastructure designs come to fruition? Private developments generally focus on the Return on Investment (ROI) of a property/project, which can make adoption of sustainability practices that don’t have short or measurable ROI less appealing. For the designers and engineers who work for these clients, the general rule has been: if it doesn’t pay back, they are not interested. So how do you describe the ROI in a way that continues the conversation and better represents the benefits of sustainable practices such as LID? Institutions have different drivers and, while ROI is still a big part of the equation, their decision-making tends to have more variables including educational benefits and long-term ownership. How is green infrastructure both facilitated and hindered by municipal regulations through the lens of these client types? This study focuses on lessons learned from engaging different types of owners in sustainable design, featuring cases studies from both institutional and private clients that found ROI in implementing LID.

Track 2: Engaging Owners in Low Impact Development (LID): Lessons Learned from Implementing Sustainable Design with Public and Private

To lean into ASCE’s sustainability efforts to mitigate environmental effects and use resources wisely, ASCE’s International Conferences on Sustainable Infrastructure (ICSI) 2021 will be held as a virtual event. The dates of ICSI 2021 will be December 6-10th.

Powered by the ICSI Steering Committee based in Houston, the 2021 event will bring together leaders to discuss leveraging sustainable infrastructure for resilient communities.  The program will offer content from across the globe, but have several highlights on sustainability initiatives in Houston, Texas. We hope you will join us virtually for plenary sessions, technical discussions, along with opportunities for Q&A and networking, connecting with virtual exhibitors, and to earn professional development hours.  

[Paper Proceedings](https://ascelibrary.org/doi/book/10.1061/9780784483879)

Conference DOI: https://doi.org/10.26226/m.63208d58cb3e8e001271fcc3