Heron_2774This summer, the American Association of Port Authorities made available an innovative set of guidelines intended to help identify opportunities for ports to go beyond simply complying with environmental requirements and begin practicing highly sustainable industrial development.

The guidelines were created by the West Coast Ports Technical Committee, a group of seven ports (including the Port of Vancouver USA) working together to integrate sustainable best practices into every step of port development projects.

With assistance from International Institute for Sustainable Seaports, the committee created guidelines similar to a recipe in a cookbook. Ports now have a list of “ingredients” for sustainable projects, and they can vary their approach to suit individual port or project needs. The West Coast Ports Technical Committee will continue to refine the guidelines as they collaborate and share experiences.

Ports around the world are already incorporating many different types of sustainable practices, ranging from energy conservation to endangered species protection and social responsibility. The committee aims to increase organization of these efforts, streamline processes and maximize benefits to enhance the overall efficiency, productivity, and environmental performance of each port.

Here at home, the Port of Vancouver is now looking at consistent, accessible ways to incorporate these guidelines into the process of designing and building projects. More information about our commitment to the environment and sustainability can be found at www.portvanusa.com/environmental-services.