Approved by the Infrastructure and Research Policy Committee on March 14, 2019
Approved by the Public Policy Committee on April 28, 2019
Adopted by the Board of Direction on July 13, 2019
Policy
The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) supports sustainable growth and development, which incorporates appropriate urban scale and form, diversity of land use, and good engineering design to achieve a balance between the interests of the individual, the community, and the natural and built environments. Community planning should hold paramount the public health, safety and welfare and balances community concerns, private initiatives and local, and regional planning objectives. Public and private infrastructure should be built concurrent with the development it supports and should be managed at the lowest appropriate level of government.
Issue
Community development plans should be consistent with the principles of sustainable development as defined by ASCE and supported by a strong institutional framework and appropriate public and private infrastructure. Such plans should support the rededication of existing facilities when possible and the use of appropriate technology to improve services and environmental quality.
Rationale
The civil engineer's role is to plan, design, and implement the built environment in service to society and in conformance with the principles of sustainable development. Civil engineers provide leadership in the creation and execution of vital development and redevelopment plans to support populations in a sustainable manner.
This policy has worldwide application
ASCE Policy Statement 131
First Approved pre-1974