Center for Sustainable Infrastructure

Mission

The Center for Sustainable Infrastructure (CSI) supports and accelerates sustainable infrastructure innovation and development in the Pacific Northwest. CSI is the trusted Pacific Northwest-based non-profit with a mission to catalyze state-of-the-art sustainable infrastructure solutions that help communities of every kind thrive economically, socially, and environmentally.  

Description

Our powerful proposition: Pivoting to sustainable infrastructure is one of the biggest levers we have to tackle our toughest challenges – from climate change to inequitable prosperity to crippling cultural divisions – and together build a thriving future for communities of every kind.

Why Infrastructure? 

Quality infrastructure matters to every community, in every part of the Pacific Northwest.

Community infrastructure is the lifeblood of our local economies and shapes much of our daily lives – providing us with clean water and air, effective transportation and communication, heat and power for home, work and industry, and more.

We spend billions of dollars every year to operate, maintain, rebuild and expand these essential systems - it's time we ensure these investment decisions work better for all communities.

RECENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Growing Symbiosis in the US

CSI's momentum importing industrial symbiosis (IS) to Oregon and Washington grew this month with a major grant from the Scan-Design Foundation to support our clean industry knowledge exchange programs over the next 3 years.  Already the exchanges with Denmark have leveraged big gains, including creating the nation’s first IS program in Washington. You can hear about some of the innovative IS projects happening in the state by viewing this recording of a work session of the House Environment and Energy Committee: https://www.sustaininfrastructure.org/is-work-session

 We’re also working with WSU and ag sector innovators on recommendations to the Washington Legislature, due June 2023, on how symbiosis can improve agriculture’s economic and environmental performance. Recent highlights include a trip to Walla Walla to learn about restoring soils and eliminating toxics through vermiculture (worms!), and a visit to a regenerative dairy.

And we’re excited to be working with partners in Washington, Oregon, Denmark, California, and Brazil on a “Systemic Approach to Clean Industry” project to advance symbiosis policies and projects, and train IS facilitators in the Americas to expand this approach internationally.

Innovation Lab 

CSI’s Innovation Lab continues to bring community leaders and local infrastructure decision-makers proven tools and expertise to develop innovative, locally tailored solutions to deliver bigger, broader community benefits through smarter infrastructure investments.

In the past 5 years, CSI has worked with more than a dozen PNW communities to help them reimagine over $230 million in infrastructure investments for triple-bottom-line outcomes and our work has helped them attract over $35 million in state and federal innovation funding. 

Since 2017, we’ve supported and collaborated with the Cities of Gresham, John Day, and Portland in Oregon; the Cities of Olympia, Stevenson, Pasco, Goldendale, Tonasket, and Granger in Washington State; as well as the Evergreen State College, the Yakima Valley Conference of Governments, the Port of Seattle, and the Port of Willapa Harbor.

Recognition

The Center for Sustainable Infrastructure has been awarded funding by the Stolte Family Foundation, the Bullitt Foundation, Laird Norton Family Foundation, The Healy Foundation, Sustainable Path Foundation, Eric and Cyndi Strid Family Foundation, The Cosman Family Foundation, and the U.S. Economic Development Administration, among others.