Resilience Scanner

AutoCASE Triple Bottom Line Infrastructure Analysis Tool

Solution Overview

Oakland plans to explore digital cost-benefit tools to demonstrate the triple bottom line benefits of green infrastructure projects, with AutoCASE being useful for determining triple bottom line returns associated with infrastructure projects at sizes ranging from small (e.g., $500,000) to extremely large ($1 billion+).[2] This low-cost, web-based analysis tool automates triple-bottom-line analysis of a proposed project's social, environmental and financial impacts.[1] The technology automates calculation of a proposed project's net present value based on its likely social, environmental and financial impacts.[1]

Technical Components

AutoCASE functions as a cloud-based plug-in for the Autodesk Infrastructure Design Suite, letting users bring TBL analysis to AutoCAD Civil 3D building information models.[1] The system uses several data sources in its calculations, with a key one comprising the 60 sustainability criteria from Envision, a sustainable-infrastructure rating system managed by the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure.[1] This approach enables users to continue sustainable planning through the design phase by integrating triple bottom line analysis directly into building information modeling workflows.[1]

Implementation Details

The City will explore using digital cost-benefit tools to demonstrate the triple bottom line (economic, social, and environmental) benefits of GI projects.[2] AutoCASE is useful for determining triple bottom line returns associated with infrastructure projects at sizes ranging from small (e.g., $500,000) to extremely large ($1 billion+).[3] Traditional triple-bottom-line analysis costs $50,000 to $150,000 per project and can usually only be afforded by large firms on a per-project basis.[1] This web-based tool provides a low-cost alternative that automates the traditionally expensive process of analyzing a proposed project's social, environmental and financial impacts.[1]

Benefits and Impacts

The technology enables comprehensive evaluation of infrastructure investments across economic, social, and environmental dimensions simultaneously.[2] By automating calculation of a proposed project's net present value based on its likely social, environmental and financial impacts, the system provides quantitative assessment capabilities that were previously cost-prohibitive for many organizations.[1] This approach makes triple-bottom-line analysis accessible at a fraction of the traditional cost, which ranges from $50,000 to $150,000 per project.[1]

[1]: [Source 1] [2]: [Source 2] [3]: [Source 3]

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