Today, we are joined by two veterans of the electrification movement. Jim Valerio is VP of Business Development for North American Intelligent Infrastructure at Parsons and plays a key role in our Zero-Emission Bus initiatives and planning work. John Daly is a Senior Growth Operations Manager at Parsons, specializing in utility cybersecurity and assisting anyone who needs to manage their energy. Read along as they discuss electrification, Distributed Energy Resource Management Systems (DERMS), electrifying public transit fleets and what the future holds for these industries.

Electrification is a widely used term. How would you define it?

Jim: As we all work to decarbonize our everyday life, from transportation to our homes to our workplace and to the fulfillment of our basic needs, the generation, storage, and use of electricity will be essential. Therefore, I see this term as the embodiment of the work we are undertaking to create a single resource that is generated in a cleaner way, stored, distributed in an efficient manner, and, ultimately, delivered to us safely and sufficiently. So, electrification surrounds every industry as the shared goal to achieve this transformation.

John: There are lots of approaches happening simultaneously to combat climate change as we try and mitigate its effects. I see electrification as one of those approaches.

Flipping our reliance as a society from technologies that utilize carbon-based, non-renewable power resources, like coal, to electricity-powered resources (which can be renewable) is a simple way to think about the term electrification.

The movement has tons of variables, as Jim mentioned, as more things need more electricity than in the past, and with that, we get a greater power demand. But in order to save the planet and make Earth livable for future generations, we need to move to more renewable technologies rapidly.

How is Parsons involved in the electrification movement?

Jim: Our contribution has been focused on supporting the conversion of electrifying public transit fleets to zero-emission (ZE) alternatives, such as battery-electric buses and vehicles. Additionally, we are helping to design the electric vehicle charging equipment necessary to keep vehicles operating smoothly and without any interruption to the service they provide workers and riders. Integrating solar technology into new infrastructure at bus depots is another innovation we deliver, creating natural and clean electricity generation. For our clients, we must consider resiliency as we design and implement these transitions, understanding that emergency responsiveness is necessary when natural disasters may cause utility systems to fail. The battery electric storage systems (BESS) we design provide this resiliency.

John: Energy management is another angle Parsons is taking to help address climate change. Our Distributed Energy Resource Management Systems (DERMS) and Meter and Operational Data Management (MODM) technologies are designed specifically to help utilities manage demand loads as increases in power demand strain the electrical grid. Our DERMS solution helps utilities smoothly integrate and manage renewable energy sources, keeping the grid running efficiently even as power demands rise. By smartly balancing supply and demand, DERMS makes energy distribution more efficient and reduces carbon emissions, pushing us towards a greener future. Our MODM technology complements this by effectively managing meter and operational data, enhancing the reliability and performance of the grid. We’re advancing these technologies for microgrids and working with a range of utilities, from resource-strapped rural providers to large power utilities.

What are the benefits of electrification?

Jim: Too many to list here! The most important benefits are sustainability through the clean generation of energy. With this comes reduced air pollution. Electric vehicles are typically quieter while operating and have fewer moving mechanical parts, thus reducing long-term repair and maintenance costs.

John: Climate change will continue to damage our planet and many of its effects are already irreversible in parts of the world. We are working to mitigate the impacts of climate change by adopting as many decarbonizing technologies as possible. Short term, electrification allows people to live without the worry of blackouts affecting their lives as we can establish uninterrupted and renewable energy solutions for the grid. Long term, we can make the planet hospitable for future generations. There is no greater mission than that.

What are the challenges you’ve seen in this space?

Jim: Wide adoption continues to meet with resistance (see the electricity pun I infused there?), largely because this type of large-scale transformation requires collective action, support, and significant new funding. Electrification is also not a simple solution. The mining, manufacturing, and recycling of materials used in lithium-ion and cobalt batteries required for electrification is arguably worse for the environment in the long term. Additional innovation – beyond the type of power – is needed to improve how the power is stored and used in a sustainable way. Also, I hope Parsons can participate in the pursuit of recycling efforts for all lithium-ion and cobalt batteries, as this will decrease costs/expenses while improving the sustainability of electrification for all users.

John: Power distribution technology is extremely old and inefficient to handle the uptick in power needs. The more things that flip to electric, like transportation and mobility, the more infrastructure is needed to handle the demand. The United States is focused on upgrading the grid to handle this rising power demand we’re facing. The biggest challenge with this is the time it takes to do so. There’s an exponential growth of power demand in our country, and the sooner we upgrade components of the aging grid, from transmission lines all the way to neighborhood transformers, the better. This prevents power outages due to overloads. Much of the U.S. power grid is decades old and wasn’t designed to even handle the current load demands. For example, 70 percent of transmission lines are over 25 years old. We’re also strapped for time on how long it takes for distributed energy resources like utility-scale solar projects and wind energy projects to build out. That’s why platforms like Parsons’ DERMS solutions are critical bridges in load management as the grid gets its upgrade.

What do you think the future holds for electrification?

Jim: We must continue to push and strive for better but remain cautious about how fast we get there. For now, finding places where innovative technology meets with the ideas of passionate people is exactly where I want to be!

John: The future of electrification is incredibly promising and essential for our planet’s sustainability. We’re going to see rapid advancements in renewable energy technologies and grid infrastructure upgrades. This means continued investment in smart grid technologies, like our DERMS and MODM solutions, to efficiently manage and distribute power. Electrification will also drive innovation in sustainable energy storage and microgrid systems. My guess is that we will see more decentralized energy production, with communities generating their own renewable energy and contributing to the grid.

Overall, electrification will mitigate climate change impacts, improve energy security, and create a more resilient energy system. Like Jim, I’m excited that we get to be a part of this for a living.

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No matter where you find yourself in life, attaining greater sustainability is always within reach and worth pursuing to ensure we live in a healthy and vigorous world. To me, this means using the tools I have, skills I’ve learned, and the network I’ve built to make a meaningful contribution towards sustainability. Parsons has played a key role as an extension of a series of foundational life experiences in motivating and encouraging me to pursue sustainability as a core value in my projects and daily practice. 

My own journey began as a Venetian blown glass artist, traveling the world to learn new techniques and showcase my work. However, I eventually realized that I craved stability and a deeper connection to community. This led me to State College, Pennsylvania, where I was exposed to a vibrant community of artists, scientists, and engineers. Through collaborations with these innovators, I helped design and build strawbale buildings on the Cheyenne Indian Reservation in Montana. This experience inspired me pursue a Master of Landscape Architecture from the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry. With this education and my previous experiences in art and building design, I have been able to integrate economic, environmental, and community sustainability into my personal and professional development. By building innovative paths towards a sustainable future with community at its core, I am committed to making a positive impact on both people and the environment.  

In my day-to-day work, I apply this unique background and experience to contribute to the culture of sustainability at Parsons and to add value for our clients. As a member of Parsons’ Energy and Environment group in Syracuse, New York, I am dedicated to creating infrastructure that has a positive impact on communities. For more than a decade, I have worked alongside an exceptional team of environmental engineers, scientists, and contractors to remediate Onondaga Lake. This project has not only restored the lake’s natural habitat but also provided recreational access to a culturally significant resource in the heart of Central New York. By bringing together stakeholders and building consensus, we transformed both natural and human communities while addressing contamination and dissolving the boundary between an industrial past and a technological future. Our efforts have not only improved the environment but also helped revitalize an economically struggling city with a rich history. 

After the completion of the Onondaga Lake Cleanup, our team took on a major role with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC). We developed a program to address legacy groundwater contamination, abandoned gas and oil well impacts, and various environmental liabilities throughout the state. Throughout this process, we have prioritized well-being by rebuilding healthy ecosystems, addressing environmental concerns, and listening to the needs of various communities. Our team is also spearheading the Green Sustainable Remediation program for the state of New York to reduce waste, energy, and GHG when investigating, designing, and implementing environmental cleanups, environmental liabilities and superfund sites. Part of this work involves leveraging existing evaluation tools and sometimes creating new ones to build practical procedures and enable project managers to determine the best solutions to the challenge of integrating sustainability into construction and remediation. 

Beyond this, I am a regular co-leader for sessions in Parsons’ Sustainability Mentorship group, where we enhance awareness through presenting professional skills, personal interests, and the state of sustainability across the industry by education, team building, and internal education with colleagues. It is via this group that I became aware of and am now supporting the implementation of a Clean Fuel Standard for one of our long-standing clients, Seattle City Light (a public utility in the state of Washington) to promote the transition to a clean energy future through enhanced transportation electrification and reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.  

Each of us brings something unique to the Mentorship Group which helps tie personal experiences together with work projects which in turn encourages others to share their backgrounds and interests. This amplifies our capacity to design infrastructure that meets customers’ needs while connecting human and natural communities. No matter where you are geographically or metaphorically, a path towards sustainability is always possible with dedication and hard work.

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Our Parsons-Systra Joint Venture (PSJV) team is proud to have been presented the “Sustainable Transport Best Consultant” award for the Dubai Metro Route 2020 extension project by the Dubai Roads & Transport Authority (RTA).

Launched in 2008, the Dubai Awards for Sustainable Transport highlight the special efforts made by both public and private sectors to implement sustainable mobility solutions that reduce congestion, conserve the environment, and improve mobility safety.

During the award ceremony, Suad Mousa Khawaja, MEA Sr. Vice President, accepted the award from His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Maktoum on behalf of our team. The prestigious award recognizes PSJV services and support in achieving a world’s first, the attainment of a LEED v4 for BD+C Gold Certification for all seven metro stations, the most achieved for one transit project. The LEED is the international sustainability rating system and recognizes practices carried out to implement resilient and energy-efficient infrastructures. This certification raises the bar for sustainability in metro rail and mass transportation systems and we are proud to be a part of this achievement.

The PSJV’s project management and consultancy services included:

• Feasibility Studies / Concept Design
• Preliminary Engineering
• Tender Preparation & Evaluation
• Program Management
• Design Review
• Construction Supervision
• Oversight during Defects/Liability
• Project Closeout

Through these services and by designating sustainability subject matter experts for every phase of the project, PSJV oversaw the reduction of construction carbon emissions and energy consumption by 16%, reduced construction water consumption by 10%, and diverted 95% of construction and demolition waste from the landfill to recycling centers.

The Route 2020 Project marks the first major modification and expansion to the Dubai Metro. The 15km-long extension consists of 11.8km of elevated guideways (viaduct) and 3.2km of tunnel and provides a safe, efficient, integrated, rail transportation solution to connect existing communities to the new line. The expansion also encourages further development, offering fast and efficient public transport to all as an alternative to driving.

In addition to making public transportation a viable alternative for more than 270,000 residents, the project was also identified by the US Green Building Council as the first and largest sustainable transit project worldwide and a showcase of leadership in transforming the building and transportation infrastructure industry in the United Arab Emirates and the broader Middle East region.

We are honored to receive this award, as it’s a reflection of our commitment to deliver innovative infrastructure and solutions that enable a sustainable, safer, smarter, and connected world.

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As we approach Earth Day 2022 and celebrate Earth Week here at Parsons, concluding with the release of our 2022 Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Report, it is an appropriate time to evaluate the state of our ESG program. So, what does ESG mean today and going forward?

What Is ESG At Parsons?

Our ESG journey started with the formal launch of Cultivating A Responsible Enterprise (CARE) in 2021 along with the goal of reducing emissions by 20% from a 2019 baseline by 2025 and enhancing both gender and racial/ethnic diversity across the organization. The company has shown a commitment to ESG by linking 10 percent of overall target bonus opportunity to non-financial, strategic qualitative goals – affecting the compensation of our senior leadership team.

Is it ESG or sustainability? ESG has its origins in the financial sector to bucket non-financial data and understand the associated risks. ESG is generally considered to be focused on reporting, disclosures, and investor relations. When most people think of sustainability, they think of projects and focus on the E, but it encompasses the E, S, and G.

The newly formed ESG group focuses on sustainability, integrity, and diversity not only as part of our core values but as central to our mission of delivering innovative infrastructure, defense, and security solutions that enables a sustainable, safer, smarter, and connected world.

On Friday, April 22, we will release our 2022 ESG Report and additional disclosures referencing the GRI standards on our ESG website. This reporting represents the company’s continued efforts to improve transparency of ESG data and focus on data material to all our stakeholders. Through accountable metrics, our report will highlight the continuation of our focused strategy to bring about a 20% reduction of GHG emissions by 2025 while fostering gender and racial/ethnic diversity across our workforce. Throughout 2022, we will be adding further disclosures as we highlight how our people, processes, technologies, and projects demonstrate our role as a global leader in ESG.

Our Sustainable Project Focus

We are positioned to provide added value to projects through project-driven sustainability assignments. One example of our commitment to ESG is the company’s 2021 recognition for excellence on projects including Gordie Howe International Bridge and New York City’s RFK Bridge, where our team received the ACEC New York Diamond Award as part of the 2021 Engineering Excellence awards. As lead designer on the design-build team, this project contributed to decreased congestion, reduced noise pollution, and elimination of CO2e. Our work on the Gordie Howe International Bridge earned our team the prestigious Envision Platinum Award from the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure for excellence in sustainable infrastructure. ISI’s worldwide mission focuses on the design and construction of infrastructure that is sustainable, resilient, and equitable.

We have a story to tell about our impact on the world and the communities we live and work in through our own footprint but more importantly the projects we deliver for clients – such as Gordie Howe and RFK Bridge. In addition to the sustainability aspect of projects, we are focused on the supply chain and how our procurement practices contribute to our ESG strategy. By enhancing our vendor-input process, we can screen potential suppliers for adherence to various environmental criteria which aligns with our ESG business practices.

What Is The Future Of ESG At Parsons?

Leadership starts at the top – but it goes to the bottom. It is important that we empower employees to act within and according to our core values. It’s incumbent on leadership to make sure our entire Parsons community knows that they can effect change and impact their communities in positive ways through the decisions they make every day.

The Sustainability team as a part of the ESG group will continue to focus on project execution in conjunction with business development. Our business development teams are uniquely positioned to effect ESG because they are the ones talking directly to our partners to help them achieve their goals. It’s imperative that we understand their ESG priorities and help deliver the positive impacts they seek.

Looking into the future we must deliver an ESG strategy to meet the changing needs of all our stakeholders. Investors continue to pressure companies to increase ESG transparency. If we fail to tell our own story through our disclosures and communications, then others will tell it for us. We must also look at internal reporting needs and deliver material metrics to leadership to drive informed decisions. As the regulatory environment continues to evolve, we will put in place controls to ensure the quality of all disclosures.

We are redefining the future of ESG by renewing our commitment to responsible economic, sociocultural, and environmental practices. We have the right leadership to set accountability standards and strategy to grow ESG and push the limits what we can achieve.

Read our 2022 ESG report here.

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Water is a critical resource in every community around the world. As part of our mission to deliver a better world, we work with industry, municipalities, and federal installations to help preserve water by creating and maintaining safe, efficient, and sustainable water treatment facilities and processes.

Our team in Syracuse, New York, has operated the Parsons Water Treatability Lab for more than 30 years. This research and treatment process development lab, which was recently expanded to include more space, a walk-in cooler and updated water purification system, gives our experts enhanced capacity to solve and optimize our client’s water treatment challenges while pursuing the latest technological innovations.

Watch our video below to learn more.

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The new Laycock Park Pedestrian Bridge, designed by our Calgary team, was successfully opened in 2019. This bridge re-establishes The City of Calgary North-South regional pathway and neighborhood access to Laycock Park that were disrupted by partial washout of an existing timber bridge during Calgary’s 2013 flood.

The new bridge, located on the Southwest corner of the intersection of 64th Avenue NE and Deerfoot Trail, is part of a greater re-naturalization project currently being implemented by The City for Laycock Park.

The new bridge, which features durable Alaskan Yellow Cedar (AYC) glulam girders, that pushed the limits of design and fabrication possibilities at 37-metres long without splices, has a pedestrian and eco-friendly coating system and the first example of a proprietary Glass-Fibre-Reinforced Polymer – wrapped black spruce glulam timber pedestrian bridge deck, coated with a proprietary wearing course system, in Calgary. Harvested from regional renewable resources, AYC provides the required strength, stability, and service-life for the bridge girders and demonstrates the usability of timber as a modern, efficient, and elegant sustainable cold climate bridge construction material.

The materials used in the bridge, including stainless steel girder caps, bike rails, and flashing, align with The City’s vision for sustainable development and coincide with the public interest in protecting the environment and fighting climate change. The new bridge’s abutments and the banks upstream and downstream of the bridge were protected from erosion concerns through a combination of bioengineering and riprap bank protection solutions. The bridge has a ‘natural stone’ finish concrete form lined block retaining wing walls and granite stone bridge curbs that add to the structure’s aesthetics.

We presented the details of this bridge, including the bridge’s structural system, design innovations, and aesthetic design features, at the CSCE 2021 Annual Conference virtually in May 2021.

Sustainability is one of our core values. Backed by empowered teams, we implement best practices in corporate operations and solutions to address environmental risk and minimize our carbon footprint.

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Parsons Supplier Diversity Dashboard

Our Supply Chain Operations, ESG & Marketing Analytics Team, and our Business Intelligence and Analytics groups recently collaborated to build a data-driven solution to promote equity and inclusion while enhancing our Supplier Diversity Program and Diversity as a Core Value.

Why Is Supplier Diversity Important?

A successful Supplier Diversity Program is crucial to our commitment to inclusion and diversity. It plays a vital role in the fight against economic and social inequality by generating opportunities for disadvantaged communities and encouraging diverse businesses’ growth.

Encouraging supplier diversity is not just the right thing to do; it’s also the smart thing to do. Having a diverse supplier base mitigates risk in our supply chain. It cultivates a culture of collaboration and innovation, which benefits our customers and supports the communities in which we serve. A significant component of our diverse supplier base is defined as small businesses. Small business growth is crucial for economic growth and recovery, particularly in the U.S., as the globe looks to rebuild from the COVID-19 pandemic.

What Did We Build?

Managing a Supplier Diversity Program is no easy task. It requires data-driven insights to track our achievements and enhance strategic decision-making. We have maintained a Supplier Diversity Program for decades as part of our Federal Solutions segment. However, expanding this capability and visibility throughout the enterprise prompted our need for a technology solution, which was developed in the form of a dashboard. This new Supplier Diversity dashboard was built for any audience. From a snapshot of enterprise procurement to a program manager assessing contract diversity achievements, the dashboard arms our teams with the data and information needed to quickly make decisions and provide significant benefits to the program’s overall success. We track diverse suppliers in several categories, including: small disadvantaged, women-owned, veteran-owned, minority-owned, and historically underutilized business (HUB) zone small business, just to name a few.

For Everyone: The Big Picture

First and foremost, we needed a report to show us the “big picture.” Each visual was carefully selected for the dashboard, packing in as much analysis and insight into the reports as possible. The key performance indicators (KPIs) encompass three pieces of information: the current diversity spends percentages, goal indicators, and year-over-year trends. Each KPI indicator allows us to see where the money is being spent if spend allocation is aligned with our Supplier Diversity initiatives and if we are improving or declining from previous years. Pairing this with the bar chart that includes total spend year over year, we get an immediate answer to the crucial questions: how much are we spending, and are we meeting our goals?

For Decision Makers: Drill Down Details

For some, the big picture view may be enough. Yet, it takes a lot of pieces to make up the whole puzzle. For us to reach the goals set, we need to empower leaders with tools to make data-driven decisions. Our dashboard allows exported reports and customized views with drill-down capabilities and data points that will enable decision-makers to see their own “piece of the puzzle.” Drilling down into the market, contract, or other levels allows that decision-maker to know where the money is being spent, if the goals are being met, and highlights opportunities for re-allocation to diverse suppliers.

What’s Next?

With any data-driven project, ongoing analysis is key, and the Supplier Diversity Dashboard is no different. As our Supplier Diversity Program and goals evolve, so will our data, research, and reports. The Supply Chain Operations, ESG & Marketing Analytics, and Business Intelligence and Analytics groups will continue to collaborate and innovate to support our ongoing commitment to inclusion and diversity.

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Elevating Our ESG Strategy

You may recall reading or hearing about the subject of environment, social, and governance (ESG) from our earnings discussions, or perhaps you’ve come across it in your everyday reading. ESG describes a set of factors that evaluate investment and company impact beyond traditional financial measures. You can even think of it as an extension of corporate social responsibility.

ESG topics have become points of significant global focus, especially with investors, as these factors help to establish best practices and are the hallmark of resilient businesses and business models. According to Morningstar, ESG funds (also known as sustainable funds) captured $51.1 billion of new money from investors in 2020, which is more than double that of the previous year.

Our corporate social responsibility is a vital component of our quest to deliver a better world.” — Chuck Harrington, CEO Of Parsons Corporation

We have a long-standing reputation for corporate social responsibility, including when we were a private company. We have published reports for more than a decade capturing various metrics on environment, our workforce and diversity, and governance practices—not because we had to, but because it was the right thing to do. ESG has always been a focal point for our business operations and our role as an employer of choice.

Over the last year, we’ve taken a step back to truly understand and prioritize these ESG factors, while taking actions that will continue making a positive impact on the world. We refreshed our sustainability policies and expanded our Code of Conduct, established an ESG Steering Committee, renamed the board’s Nominating and Governance Committee to the Corporate Responsibility and Governance Committee to better define its oversight of ESG topics, and began to expand our supplier diversity program, just to name a few. Moving forward, we want to take it to the next level.

In 2020, we worked with an independent third party to perform a materiality assessment. We learned that ESG and how we deliver on our corporate purpose matters to our customers, our employees, our investors, and our prospective employees. This assessment helped us develop a formal ESG strategy, prioritize actions, and take strategic and deliberate steps to make a positive impact as we work together to deliver a better world.

In early March, we launched Cultivating a Responsible Enterprise (CARE), our ESG strategy that leverages the strength of our core values, establishes transparency and accountability on ESG topics like climate change and diversity, and provides a framework to increase shareholder value over time. Our new CARE website highlights these goals as well as our policies, oversight relationships, and reporting details. With a culture driven by growth, we will nurture our commitment by enhancing our GRI disclosures, empower our employees through recognition opportunities, and positively affect our world.

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My name is Brittanny, and I’m an Associate Inspector. The majority of my work is on-site to ensure and review the project aspects are completed. These reviews correlate with the client’s needs, contract documents, and specifications.

I am proud to be part of a company that values sustainability as one of its core values and is conscious of the impact our work has on the environment. As an Inspector, I value being able to contribute by reinforcing our values in providing environmental-friendly and effective solutions on our projects.

I was always an avid recycler and environmentalist, so I thought. Growing up, I was taught to consume less, optimize my resources, and save every penny I had to travel the world. I took these life lessons and have applied them both professionally and in my personal life.

I enjoy working for a company that recognizes this and continues to implement numerous resource-reduction and reusing initiatives related to our buildings, vehicles, and business supplies, including eWaste. In addition, we look at ways we can implement reducing, reusing, and repurposing on the job site, whether it’s in the office or at the project itself.

Personally, I have adopted a similar approach, and it was apparent to me to spread environmental awareness in my community and beyond! At one point in my life, I had to take numerous daily medications. The frustration of having a pile-up of these #5 rigid plastics because the pharmacy would not reuse my same pill bottle, for the same medication, for me, the same person, led me to do a ton of research to find out where these could be reused. In Ohio, I found a disaster relief organization that accepted these used, cleaned prescription pill bottles as medical supplies. Next thing you know, I was melting down the single-use crayons from my restaurant job and donating them to a community resource center in a low-income area. I was cleaning and sending mascara wands to a wildlife refuge so they could be reused as brushes on tiny animals, taking egg cartons to the food bank for reuse, and collecting the 4L outer milk bags to organizations that make milk bag mats for the homeless. The list kept expanding into my own “Items to Keep Out of The Landfill” initiative.

Sure enough, that’s how Earthub blossomed!

While I realize that the initiative is only a band-aid solution, it is still a tactic to get people thinking about what they are throwing out on a daily basis. Some things are unavoidable; we grow up drinking out of cartons, buying eggs in containers, using makeup products – that’s life. But what I have done is created a way to divert them from the landfill.

There are negativities associated with this band-aid solution, though. Some of the items are shipped elsewhere or require specific packing standards that use other plastic. The prescription pill bottles are shipped in bulk from each city; there is a volunteer with a drop-off location, requiring the use of transportation emissions. In addition to this, the pill bottles are to be sorted and packaged in new zip lock bags to be considered as medical supplies. Although not ideal circumstances, we are certainly taking a step in the right direction.

With Earthub, I now have 43 drop-off locations in Canada and two in the U.S. To date, there have been 4224 pill bottles reused! Another shipment of about 1500 pill bottles will be happening in the next few weeks with collections from Ottawa, Kingston, Cornwall, and London in Canada.

I feel that many people looking to become more environmentally friendly don’t know where to start. Perhaps it’s the ‘engineering brain’ in me, but I want to make sure people understand the scientific facts behind everything in the environmental world is of utmost importance. Many people think that since they recycle, they are environmentally friendly. Many don’t understand that compost is not the same as a landfill. Demonstrating and teaching these aspects are crucial to get people on board and do better, which ultimately means refusing and reducing.

As I continue to spread environmental awareness on and off the job, I will never stop educating myself and others about what we can do, collectively, to save the planet!

The post Reducing, Reusing, And Repurposing appeared first on Parsons Corporation.

A Technical Webinar Series

Background/Objectives

We strive to increase resilience and sustainability for our client’s projects and portfolios through a holistic approach that incorporates innovative approaches and provides added value. Remedies at contaminated sites are increasingly vulnerable to extreme weather and climate change-related impacts, and the associated changes in the reliability, sustainability, and cost of energy. As a result, resilience to climate change and energy are increasingly important factors during the investigation, design, and implementation of remedial approaches.

Approach/Activities

The relationship between resilience and sustainability will be discussed, as well as the attributes of resilient systems and the process for identifying hazards and vulnerability to risk to develop effective mitigation approaches as part of a resilience plan. A case study will be presented to demonstrate how solar power was utilized for a groundwater extraction and conveyance system to increase energy and climate change resilience while also increasing sustainability. A second case study will illustrate how consideration of sustainability during evaluation of remedial approaches resulted in a resilient, cost-effective, and sustainable remedial approach utilizing enhanced in situ bioremediation, phytoremediation, and monitored natural attenuation (MNA).

Results/Lessons Learned

Resilience planning and mitigation provides near-term and long-term value through reduced weather-related interruptions and damage, continued operation of essential services, and reduced impacts to social, cultural, and economic systems. Early evaluation of a site’s potential vulnerabilities related to climate change and energy is a critical component to design of a resilient remedy. The most sustainable and resilient approaches are often also the most cost-effective, providing added value while reducing risk and liability.

Watch The Video

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