Approved by the Infrastructure and Research Policy Committee on January 25, 2022
Approved by the Public Policy and Practice Committee on March 5, 2022
Adopted by the Board of Direction on July 22, 2022
Policy
The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) supports sustainable, equitable growth, and development incorporating:
- Appropriate urban scale and form.
- Diversity of land use.
- A balance between the interests of the individual and the community.
- The natural and built environments.
- Infrastructure built concurrent with the development it supports.
Community planning should hold paramount the public health, safety and welfare, and balance community concerns, private initiatives, and local, and regional planning objectives. Minimizing displacement and other negative impacts on historical community activities and culture are important considerations that should inform growth and development decisions.
Issue
Community development can be inconsistent with the principles of sustainable development as defined by ASCE and as defined by the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure through in Envision™ leading to adverse social, economic, and environmental impacts.
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 and justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI). 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