Naples-Bari railway line earns first Envision award for sustainable infrastructure in Europe

Rete Ferroviaria Italiana (FS Italiane Group, the Italian national railway group) has been awarded the Envision platinum certification – the highest achievable level – for the Naples-Bari HS / HC railway route, Frasso Telesino - San Lorenzo Maggiore section. This is the first Italian infrastructure project carried out according to the Envision Protocol, as well as the first project certified in Europe with the highest achievable level. Certification of the project was carried out by Stantec and ICMQ, who, through an exclusive agreement with the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI), are promoting the Envision protocol in Italy.

Envision was developed by ISI and the Zofnass Program for Sustainable Infrastructure at Harvard University, and is the independent international rating system that calculates the sustainability of infrastructure based on its entire life cycle.

"Envision encourages the involvement of citizens and stakeholders in drafting projects” said Lorenzo Orsenigo, general director of ICMQ. “Social sustainability is considered a key factor of the philosophy that underlies the protocol. At ICMQ we try to encourage certification processes and registration through Envision because they create positive benefits for the community. In the case of Naples-Bari line, we can see improvements in some areas of the South that experience infrastructure delays, which cause economic and social issues. Thanks to Envision, the links between institutions, associations and citizens are strengthened.”

The Certification obtained by Rete Ferroviaria Italiana (RFI) was issued by ICMQ following a review process that considered a group of sustainability indicators. These are indicators that are already essential to the Italian railway group's design methodologies, such as consultation with the community, improving quality of life, resilience with respect to the risks arising from climate and social change, stakeholder involvement, effectiveness of project management skills, and efficiency in the use of resources, such as construction materials, energy, and protection of water resources.

Stantec and ICMQ worked alongside RFI and Italferr (FS group engineering firm), starting from training Envision Sustainability Professionals, to conducting preliminary assessments of the whole Naples-Bari line, with the aim of calibrating Envision and selecting the section to be put forward for verification.

Consultation began in 2006 with the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding for redevelopment and upgrading of the Naples-Bari route between the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, the Regions of Campania and Puglia, and Railways of the Italian State and RFI. From the early stages of the project, both government entities and the community were consulted regarding different route possibilities based on feasibility studies.

The railway project was designed to respond not only to mobility needs, but also to connect it to a network with other modes of transportation and integrate it with urban, port, airport and manufacturing and logistics networks. The idea is to build a multi-functional line of transportation that includes not only railway infrastructure, but others such as energy and telecommunications. Ultimately, the Envision protocol generates value for local socio-economic systems, maximizing community benefits and sustainability.

"One of the great advantages of the Envision protocol is how it encourages an innovative and holistic approach" said Emanuela Sturniolo, Operations Director, Southern Europe, Stantec. “Professionals are encouraged to look for creative solutions to achieve a high-quality outcome that creates a positive impact on the community by considering the full spectrum of what makes a project sustainable."

Stantec has a strong track record on transportation sustainability, having been awarded the first Envision Sustainable Infrastructure Platinum award for a transportation project on Port Metro Vancouver’s Low Level Road, and Envision Silver accreditation for Rochester’s Inner Loop transformation. 

Contact
Colin Nekolaichuk
Stantec Media Relations
Ph: 416-542-6049
colin.nekolaichuk@stantec.com

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