Lecture 12 - Using INVEST For Scoring And Evaluation

Sustainable Transportation Curriculum for Universities

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LECTURE 12: Using INVEST for Scoring and Evaluation

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INVEST — Infrastructure Voluntary Evaluation Sustainability Tool

INVEST is a web-based self-evaluation tool

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INVEST — Infrastructure Voluntary Evaluation Sustainability Tool

Refresher:

• It includes voluntary sustainability best practices called criteria
• It covers the full life cycle of transportation — system planning, project planning, design, construction, and operations and maintenance
• Developed by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)

https://www.sustainablehighways.org/

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INVEST Modules

INVEST has modules covering three main areas:

1. Transportation systems planning (for states and for regions) — focuses on planning and delivery of transportation infrastructure at the programmatic level
2. Project development — covers planning, design, and construction of an individual project; includes different scorecards applicable to different project types
3. Operations and maintenance — covers system-level O&M activities (for an agency's internal actions)

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INVEST Criteria

Each module has criteria that are used to evaluate a particular metric or performance measure

• Criteria represent best practices for sustainability
• Individual criteria have a maximum obtainable score ranging from 1–15
• Linked to one or more of the three sustainability dimensions (affected triple bottom line principles)
• INVEST provides detailed descriptions and instructions for scoring each criterion

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INVEST Criteria Example — Access and Affordability

• This criterion is from the System Planning for States module
• As shown in the screenshot from the INVEST website, all three triple bottom line principles are affected by this criterion
• Considerations for scoring include physical access, access and equity, and affordability

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INVEST Criteria Example — Highway and Traffic Safety

• This criterion is from the Project Development module
• As shown in the screenshot from the INVEST website, the social and economic triple bottom line principles are affected by this criterion
• Scoring for this criterion was based on whether human factors are considered in efforts regarding safety, whether public awareness efforts were conducted, and whether scientific methods were used to evaluate safety for the project

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INVEST Criteria Examples — Stormwater Quality and Flow Control

• This criterion is from the Project Development module
• As shown in the screenshot from the INVEST website, the environmental triple bottom line principle is affected by this criterion
• Scoring for this criterion was based on whether the project treats stormwater runoff and whether flows of the runoff are controlled at the project site

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INVEST Criteria Examples — Electrical Energy Efficiency and Use

• This criterion is from the Operations and Maintenance module
• As shown in the screenshot from the INVEST website, the environmental triple bottom line principle is affected by this criterion
• Scoring for this criterion was based on whether the agency has energy reduction or renewable energy usage goals or plan, the existence of an electricity monitoring system, employee awareness efforts, and commitments to purchase renewable energy

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Project Development Scorecards

• Project Development module has multiple scorecard options, so only applicable criteria are considered
• Custom scorecard can also be created as long as core criteria are included

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INVEST Scoring

• Depending on the project or program being evaluated, a set of criteria are applicable
• Projects may receive a Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Platinum rating for achieving 30%, 40%, 50%, and 60% or more, respectively, of the total achievable score for the relevant module
• Scoring can be done online on the INVEST website or offline by downloading fillable worksheets

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INVEST Scoring Example

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Criterion Scoring Example

Detailed background and scoring requirements are provided for each applicable criterion. Users then select responses to questions based on this guidance to determine the scores. Collaboration among stakeholders is vital to the scoring process.

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Criterion Scoring Example (Continued)

Detailed background and scoring requirements are provided for each applicable criterion. Users then select responses to questions based on this guidance to determine the scores. Collaboration among stakeholders is vital to the scoring process.

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CASE STUDY — Planning

• MetroPlan Orlando, the MPO for central Florida, applied INVEST to help address health and sustainability in regional planning
• Evaluation of the Metropolitan Transportation Plan was conducted using INVEST's Systems Planning for Regions Module
• Received a Gold rating (129 out of 255 possible points)

Source: https://www.sustainablehighways.org/779/97/metroplan-orlando-integrating-health-and-sustainability-principles-into-transportation-planning.html

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Case Study — Planning (continued)

Key Outcomes

• Identification of areas of success and for improvement
• Helped develop a multi-year health and sustainability approach
• New relationships and enhanced relationships with non-traditional transportation partners
• Increased support from elected and senior officials
• Development of white papers
• Identification of research topics

Source: INVEST. Case Studies. https://www.sustainablehighways.org/779/97/metroplan-orlando-integrating-health-and-sustainability-principles-into-transportation-planning.html

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CASE STUDY — Project Development and Construction

• Ohio DOT included sustainability (measured by INVEST) as one of the criteria for scoring contractor proposals for a design-build contract for the second phase of the George V. Voinovich Bridge
  • Winning bid committed to INVEST Platinum rating (95 INVEST points out of a total possible of 126)

Source: INVEST. Case Studies. https://www.sustainablehighways.org/779/94/ohio-dot-george-v-voinovich-bridgecleveland-innerbelt-corridor.html

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CASE STUDY — Project Development and Construction (continued)

• Collaborative workshop (eco-charette) was used to identify areas for improvement
• Selected outcomes
  • Reuse of materials
  • Earthwork balance to eliminate excess fill
  • Diversion of most of the construction waste

Source: https://www.sustainablehighways.org/779/94/ohio-dot-george-v-voinovich-bridgecleveland-innerbelt-corridor.html

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CASE STUDY — Operations and Maintenance

• ADOT conducted an evaluation of internal operations and infrastructure operations and maintenance areas using INVEST
• ADOT achieved a platinum rating, based on the self-evaluation

Source: https://www.sustainablehighways.org/779/78/arizona-dot-using-invest-to-benefit-planning-programming-and-maintenance-in-arizona.html

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CASE STUDY — Operations and Maintenance (Continued)

High-Scoring Areas

• Vehicle fuel efficiency and use
• Pavement management system
• Transportation management and operations
• Work zone traffic control

Areas for Improvement

• Sustainability plan
• Electrical energy efficiency and use
• Tracking environmental commitments
• Bridge management system
• Road weather management program

Source: https://www.sustainablehighways.org/779/78/arizona-dot-using-invest-to-benefit-planning-programming-and-maintenance-in-arizona.html

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LECTURE 12: Using INVEST for Scoring and Evaluation

 

 

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