Sustainability

Nature-Based Solutions: Protecting Coastal and Inland Ecosystems

April 30, 2026

By Raul Osorio, Coastal Resiliency Program Manager, WSB 

Celebrated worldwide, Earth Day and the month of April encourage us to reflect on our role in protecting the natural world. As threats from natural hazards, habitat loss, and pollution grow, nature-based solutions emerge as innovative approaches that work in tandem with conventional strategies in favor of the environment. These approaches connect the restorative and protective abilities of ecosystems, offering sustainable solutions to challenges faced by both coastal and inland systems.

Coastal Ecosystems: The Front Lines of Climate Action

Coastal areas, including mangrove forests, tidal marshes, and coral reefs, play an important role in safeguarding the boundary between land and sea. These ecosystems are vital for mitigating the effects of rising sea levels, storm surges, and coastal erosion. For example, mangroves act as natural barriers, absorbing wave energy and reducing the impact of storms on coastal communities. Their natural structure also provides habitat for fish and other marine life, supporting biodiversity and local fisheries.

Nature-based solutions in coastal regions include restoring dunes, protecting mangrove forests, implementing living shorelines, and rehabilitating coral reefs. Such efforts not only preserve habitats and wildlife, but also enhance tourism, fisheries, and livelihoods. Combining natural infrastructure with grey infrastructure, such as living shorelines alongside concrete sea walls, helps improve resilience against climate extremes while preserving the landscape and sustainability of coastal environments.

Inland Ecosystems

Inland ecosystems encompass a variety of systems such as forests, wetlands, rivers, grasslands, and agricultural lands. These landscapes offer a variety of benefits to people and serve as habitats for many species, playing a vital role in ecological health. Forests help by absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen, which is essential for life. Wetlands act as natural barriers, absorbing excess rainwater and reducing the risk of flooding. Grasslands support pollinators and help keep soils stable, preventing erosion and supporting soil fertility.

Reforestation projects, wetland restoration, and regenerative agriculture represent nature-based solutions implemented within inland regions. These approaches protect, restore, and manage natural ecosystems to address a range of environmental hazards and challenges, contributing to human well-being, biodiversity, improved water quality, and enabling these systems to adapt to future climate risks. By incorporating these practices, communities enhance resilience, promote biodiversity, and maintain food security.

Collaboration and Innovation for a Sustainable Future

Effective nature-based solutions implementation requires collaborative efforts among governments, scientists, private sector, local communities, landowners, and real state professionals. Identifying restoration goals, prioritizing areas, conducting long-term monitoring, and openly sharing information, will support the successful implementation of these strategies to address local needs and encourage broad support.

Innovative policy frameworks and cross-sectors partnerships can help leverage resources and expertise to advance scalable projects that protect both people and the environment. Education and outreach further strengthen these efforts by encouraging individuals to get involved whether by restoring a riverbank, planting native trees or supporting sustainable production.

Earth Month reminds us of our connection to the natural world. By embracing nature-based solutions within our ecosystems, we protect the future of our planet. Let us celebrate Earth Month as an opportunity to reflect and take action to care for, restore, and support the landscapes that sustain us and future generations.

From Vision to Action: How WSB Delivers Climate Plans That Work

April 17, 2026

By Mattie Anders, Sustainability Program Manager, WSB

As communities across the country work to address climate change, the challenge is no longer setting ambitious goals—it’s turning those goals into practical, actionable plans. Effective climate planning starts with a clear, data‑driven understanding of a community’s emissions, risks, and priorities—and that’s exactly how WSB approaches every project. Drawing from industry best practices, we begin by establishing a strong foundation: developing greenhouse gas inventories, identifying climate vulnerabilities, and aligning goals with state and regional targets. This analytical groundwork ensures that climate strategies are rooted in real conditions, not assumptions, and sets communities up to make informed, high-impact decisions. This approach has been successfully applied in local communities like Mahtomedi, St. Anthony Village, and Circle Pines, where WSB has supported the development of tailored, actionable climate and sustainability plans.

But data alone doesn’t create meaningful change – people do. WSB places a strong emphasis on intentional, right-sized engagement that brings residents, businesses, and stakeholders into the process in a way that is accessible and actionable. Transparent, inclusive engagement improves outcomes and builds long-term support for implementation, and we tailor our approach to meet each community where they are. Whether through targeted surveys, stakeholder workshops, or focused conversations, we ensure that local knowledge and priorities directly shape the plan, without overburdening staff or budgets.

Finally, WSB’s climate plans are designed to move beyond vision into implementation. We integrate climate strategies into existing city processes, like capital improvement planning, policy updates, and infrastructure investments, so sustainability becomes part of everyday decision-making, not a standalone effort. By pairing technical expertise with practical, community-focused solutions, we deliver plans that are not only ambitious, but achievable, helping communities take meaningful steps toward a more resilient, low-carbon future this Earth Day and beyond.

How Cities Are Measuring What Matters: Transportation Sustainability Assessments and the Future of Urban Infrastructure

April 17, 2026

By Katie Baum, Sustainability Program Planner, WSB 

For decades, cities measured transportation performance using a narrow set of indicators, including vehicle counts, travel times, and pavement conditions. But as urban areas grapple with changing climate conditions, equitable demands, aging infrastructure, and constrained budgets, a more sophisticated question has emerged: Is our transportation system actually working for people, the environment, and the economy all at once? Transportation Sustainability Assessments (TSAs) attempt to answer exactly that.

What Transportation Sustainability Assessments Measure and Why It Matters

At their core, Transportation Sustainability Assessments evaluate a transportation system across three interconnected dimensions: environmental performance, social equity, and economic viability. Rather than asking only how fast vehicles can move through a corridor, a TSA asks harder questions about who has access, what the system emits, who bears the burden of its impacts, and whether the investment is viable over the long term. A 2021 systematic review published in Transport Reviews examined 99 peer reviewed studies and identified nearly 2,400 unique sustainability indicators in use across the field, a figure that speaks both to the richness of the concept and to the challenge of standardizing it.

Common Methods Cities Use to Measure Transportation Sustainability

The most common assessment approaches fall into several broad categories, each offering distinct value to practitioners. Indicator and framework development is the most widely used method, characterizing nearly a third of published assessments, and produces structured tools that cities can apply to evaluate and report on their transportation systems over time. Multiple Criteria Decision Analysis is particularly valuable when a city needs to compare alternative investments or policies, using weighted sustainability criteria and stakeholder input to generate ranked, defensible priorities. Modeling and simulation tools allow cities to project the sustainability impacts of future decisions before committing capital, comparing outcomes such as the long-term emissions reduction of a transit investment against roadway expansion. The most advanced assessments identified in the literature were those that paired quantitative performance data with genuine community engagement, incorporating the perspectives of residents whose lived experience of the transportation system may differ significantly from what the data alone reveals.

How Transportation Sustainability Assessments Support Smarter, More Equitable Infrastructure Decisions

For smaller and mid-sized cities navigating complex transportation contexts, including industrial freight corridors, environmental justice communities, and limited staff capacity, the practical lesson from the literature is clear: start with a framework grounded in local policy goals, invest meaningfully in stakeholder engagement, and resist the temptation to default to easy-to-measure indicators at the expense of qualitative dimensions. When done well, a Transportation Sustainability Assessment establishes a measurable baseline that enables long term accountability, allowing cities to track progress against adopted sustainability goals and demonstrate outcomes to funders, policymakers, and the communities they serve. A TSA can transform transportation planning from a technical exercise into a genuine act of community investment, one that ensures infrastructure decisions reflect the specific conditions, values, and priorities of the people a city exists to serve.

Sources: Karjalainen, L.E. & Juhola, S. (2021). Urban transportation sustainability assessments: a systematic review of literature. Transport Reviews, 41(5), 659–684.

How Cities Can Reduce Environmental Impact Through Infrastructure Decisions

April 7, 2026

By Ben Fletcher, Design Manager, WSB 

Earth Month is often associated with big-picture sustainability goals, but for city and county staff, real environmental impact is driven by everyday infrastructure decisions. From how roads are designed to how projects are coordinated across departments, practical choices made during planning, design, and construction can significantly reduce environmental impact —while also saving time and money. 

One of the most effective ways communities can advance sustainability is by prioritizing on long-term asset performance rather than short-term fixes. Infrastructure that is designed with lifecycle planning in mind lasts longer, requires fewer repairs, and reduces the need for frequent reconstruction. This approach not only saves on materials and lowers greenhouse gas emissions associated with construction but also minimizes disruptions to residents and businesses. Over time, a lifecycle approach delivers stronger fiscal stewardship, improved service reliability, and more sustainable outcomes for the whole community. 

Data-driven planning also plays a critical role. The greatest impact occurs when sustainability is embedded directly into capital improvement planning rather than treated as a separate initiative. Using condition data, asset inventories, and readily available environmental datasets, communities can prioritize investments based on demonstrated need, not assumptions or the loudest complaint. This approach allows limited resources to be directed where they deliver the greatest impact to your community, extending the lifespan of roads, utilities, and facilities while reducing unnecessary construction and environmental disturbance. Integrating environmental considerations into routine planning processes enables more consistent, informed decision-making without adding complexity to already busy workloads. 

Another opportunity lies in project coordination. When Aligning roadway, utility, and facility improvements are aligned through data-informed capital planning, communities can avoid repeat excavation and construction impacts. Coordinated investments reduce disruptions to citizens, businesses, traffic, and neighborhoods, while also limiting impacts on natural resources. This integrated approach not only improves overall project efficiency, but also maximizes the value of public investments, ensuring that infrastructure upgrades are strategic, cost-effective, and aligned with long-term sustainability goals. 

Finally, education is the key to success. When both leadership and frontline staff understand how their day-to-day decisions influence long-term asset performance, costs, and environmental outcomes, sustainability becomes embedded in routine operations – not treated as an add-on. Building this shared awareness empowers teams to apply lifecycle thinking, use data effectively, and coordinate projects more strategically. The result is more consistent, informed decision-making that drives cost-effective investments, reduces environmental impact, and reinforces a culture of sustainability across an organization.  

Earth Month is a reminder that sustainability and resilience go hand in hand. By understanding and respecting natural systems, local governments can build infrastructure that lasts longer, performs better, and serves communities well into the future. WSB partners with cities and counties to plan, design, educate and deliver infrastructure that works with those natural systems to reduce risk and build long-term resilience. Our teams bring together geotechnical, environmental, stormwater, and resilience planning expertise to help communities make informed decisions early, before challenges become costly problems, protecting their infrastructure, their environment, and the people who rely on them. 

Tribal Technical Assistance with WSB

WSB’s sustainability team has a contract with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) to provide a cumulative total of approximately $680,000 in technical environmental and climate-related assistance to Minnesota Tribes at no cost to tribal communities, now through June 2026. WSB approached this program by first listening, understanding your goals, and offering project solutions that align with your community’s vision. This funding was designed to enhance capacity and offer free, expert assistance to identify, prioritize, and implement Tribal environmental and climate-related projects that may have otherwise faced barriers to completion, ensuring that the projects we support reflect your Tribe’s unique priorities and long-term goals.

This program is available to Minnesota Tribes from March 2025 through June 2026. Future opportunities for an additional round of program funding will depend on decisions made by the Minnesota Legislature in 2026.

What projects are eligible?

This technical assistance can include activities such as:

• Sustainability/Climate Work
  • Climate plans and greenhouse gas inventories
  • Sustainability Plans
  • Renewables development
  • Policy development such as for solar, EVs, water conservation
  • Feasibility studies (such as EV or solar plans)
  • Community planning and economic development
  • Public engagement support on climate topics
• Natural Resource Support
  • Water resources, water reuse, and hydrology modeling
  • Forestry services
  • Fisheries services
  • Wetland and soils services
  • Regulatory assistance
  • Limnological analysis
  • Vegetation surveys
  • GIS support
• Transportation Support
  • Transportation or transit planning that reduce vehicle miles travelled
  • Trail planning and fundraising
  • Traffic engineering such as to support pedestrian or EV-related projects
• Grant Support
  • Identification, writing, and administration assistance
  • Partnership development
  • Research and analysis to identify most competitive grant applications

How can WSB support my Tribe?

WSB is a trusted engineering and consulting firm with deep expertise in energy, resiliency, water, environmental stewardship, transportation, and a range of other disciplines. We have had the privilege of partnering with Tribes across the Midwest, providing tailored support in climate planning, renewable energy development, and natural resource management. Our team approaches every project with respect for Tribal sovereignty, cultural values, and traditions—prioritizing meaningful relationship building, adaptability, and genuine curiosity. Based in Minneapolis, our project team is readily available to travel to your community to engage directly and ensure our work reflects your Tribe’s unique needs and priorities.

Leading the Charge for Sustainable Construction: Minnesota’s Buy Clean Initiative

April 21, 2025
By Nicole Muske, Senior Graduate Engineer, WSB

Earth month is an opportune time to highlight the strides being made in sustainability, particularly through initiatives like the Buy Clean Buy Fair Minnesota Act, passed in 2023. This act highlights Minnesota’s efforts and commitment to responsible environmental practices, including sustainable construction efforts.

Understanding Buy Clean

The initiative is an industry and government-focused step on carbon emissions associated with construction materials on state-funded projects. Sustainable construction is a key component of Minnesota’s Department of Transportation (MnDOT) strategy with the Buy Clean initiative, due to the state’s commitment to lower carbon materials and responsible procurement practices. This initiative is part of a larger goal to decrease the carbon footprint of construction projects throughout the state. By laying the groundwork for the use of lower embodied carbon products, states like Minnesota are providing examples for how other states can explore these types of approaches to resilient infrastructure.

Broader Adoption and Innovation

Currently, 20 states have implemented their own Buy Clean programs. This highlights the need for broader adoption across the nation, especially in sustainable construction practices. By pushing for initiatives that prioritize sustainable materials, we can pave the way for a more resilient future.

Additionally, the initiative encourages research into products that offer lower emissions and embodied carbon, without compromising on quality, resilience, or durability. This involves thorough testing and evaluation to ensure that materials meet high standards while contributing to a reduction in carbon emissions, which is integral to sustainable construction.

WSB has relevant experience with helping clients analyze and adopt the use of lower embodied carbon materials in infrastructure, such as through pavements utilized in the Heights, a master development project developed by the St. Paul Port Authority.  At the state level, we are coordinating a DOT project in Oklahoma on Balance Mix Design.

These and other real-life examples were discussed at a transportation materials conference that WSB recently co-sponsored. By discussing cutting-edge ideas with key stakeholders through these efforts, we work with other thought leaders to advance cost-effective solutions in sustainable construction.

Environmental Product Declarations (EPD)

A crucial aspect of the Buy Clean initiative is the focus on Environmental Product Declarations (EPD). By obtaining more EPDs, stakeholders can better understand the origin and composition of materials, allowing for informed decisions that prioritize sustainability. The initiative promotes sourcing and availability within a certain radius, ensuring that concrete and asphalt used in projects are both locally sourced and environmentally responsible, which is a prime aspect of sustainable construction practices.

With Earth Month here, it is essential to recognize and celebrate these efforts. The Buy Clean initiative exemplifies how state-level actions can lead to significant environmental benefits, and how collective efforts can drive change. By supporting the implementation of such programs, we are not only contributing to a cleaner and more sustainable planet but also setting a standard for future generations.

How WSB Can Help

The WSB team includes subject matter experts in materials, transportation planning and design, sustainability, resiliency, and beyond, who support communities in exploring and integrating sustainable pavements and other materials into their operational and infrastructure plans. We offer comprehensive services including project assessment, strategy development, and implementation guidance to help municipalities and states align infrastructure projects with community goals. Our expertise results in efficient, resilient, sustainable, and strategic outcomes in the realm of sustainable construction.

Embracing Sustainability with Envision® Framework

April 11, 2025
By Shawn Poe, Director of Municipal Services, WSB and Amy Fredregill, Senior Director of Sustainability, WSB

As we recognize Earth Month this April, it is imperative to emphasize sustainable and resilient practices in infrastructure projects. A comprehensive Sustainability Plan is most strategic, relevant and useful when it considers future capital projects planned within a community.

Introducing the Envision® Framework

One effective practice to incorporate is the Envision® framework — a holistic sustainability rating system designed to evaluate the resilience of various types of civil infrastructure.

Envision® serves as a tool for cities, consultants, and contractors, helping to deliver infrastructure that:

Utilizing the Envision® framework allows infrastructure projects to contribute positively to the environment by enhancing sustainability and resilience. This framework helps improve the quality of life for communities by addressing climate change, supporting public health, providing long-term economic benefits, and improving infrastructure longevity.

How WSB Can Help

The WSB team includes certified Envision Sustainability Professionals (ENV SP) who can support communities in integrating Envision® into their sustainability and resiliency plans, as well as transportation, transit, and other infrastructure projects. We offer comprehensive services including project assessment, strategy development, and implementation guidance to help municipalities align infrastructure projects with community goals. Our expertise ensures that sustainable, resilient, and equitable outcomes are achieved.

Sustainable Road Design with Federal Funding

September 16, 2024
By Derek Schmidt, Sr Project Manager, WSB

Once in a lifetime federal funding is providing once in a lifetime opportunities for sustainable road design projects across the country. With passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Infrastructure and Jobs Act (IIJA), now is the time for counties, cities and transportation agencies to redesign and redevelop deteriorating roads and bridges to meet sustainability goals. The IIJA is providing $550 billion in new infrastructure investment through 2026 and another $5 billion from the IRA.

However, in order to capitalize on these historic investments, new infrastructure projects need to be designed and constructed with environmental sustainability top of mind. For example, new projects need to ensure they meet standards that may have not existed when the original road or bridge was built like accommodating animal habitats or minimizing pollutants from transportation.

With that in mind, here are some ways counties, cities and transportation agencies can make their roads and bridges projects more sustainable and take advantage of increased federal funding.

Project Sustainability Scoring

To ensure a project qualifies for federal funding, it must be scored. Stronger scores give a project a greater chance at receiving funding.

The available grants also have strict requirements that must be adhered to. For instance, the IRA is providing $3.2 billion for projects that improve walkability, so transit improvements like bike lanes and pedestrian paths have a greater opportunity to secure funding that align with those funding goals. Other ways to achieve stronger scores include using locally available building materials to cut down transportation distances which lowers costs and limits vehicle pollution.

Decreasing Costs and Environmental Impacts

Not only is accounting for environmental impacts a way to improve the odds of securing federal grant fundings, but also a way to decrease overall costs. For example, projects can achieve greater sustainability by reducing transportation distances, using local landfills for waste and using locally available materials like sand. Reducing distances and trips not only cuts down costs but lowers vehicle pollution and a project’s footprint.

Rethinking sustainable road design can also create more environmentally friendly options that better meet community needs. The curb to curb spacing in older, rural roadways, for example, tend to be unnecessarily long. A redeveloped road with a space of 80 feet from curb to curb can be cut down to only 40 feet with the inclusion of expanded green space. This will reduce the overall pavement area, create a road that better fits the demands of the community and increase the overall green space. Ensuring roadways are designed and built to meet traffic needs and improve sustainability features cut down pavement costs and improve a project’s sustainability.

How WSB Can Help

WSB’s team of experts can help your community or agency navigate the influx of federal funding and help secure funding for your sustainable transportation project. With the use of new technology like multidimensional modeling and design, communities and transportation agencies have all the data they need at their fingertips. WSB helps communities and transportation agencies find the best possible design, leverage federal funding opportunities, improve traffic flow, increase the wellbeing of residents and protect the environment one roadway at a time.

The MN Solar on Public Buildings Program for a Sustainable Future

November 11, 2024
By Ameer Kian, Sr Project Manager, WSB

The Minnesota Legislature established the Solar on Public Buildings (SPB) Grant Program in 2023, allocating $4.3 million in grants to local governments within Xcel Energy’s service territory. Administered by the Department of Commerce, this program aims to promote solar energy systems on public buildings, supplementing Federal Tax Credits.

Eligibility and Application Process

Eligible applicants include counties, cities, towns, and federally recognized Indian Tribes in Minnesota, excluding school districts within Xcel Energy’s service territory. The grants cover up to 70% of project costs for solar arrays on public buildings, with a capacity of up to 40kW or 120% of the building’s annual energy consumption. The application deadline is Monday, December 2, 2024.

For more information on this program, you can visit the MN Department of Commerce website here: Solar on Public Buildings / Minnesota Department of Commerce – Energy.

Strategic Benefits of the SPB Program

The Solar on Public Buildings Grant Program enables cities to reduce energy costs, lower carbon footprints, and demonstrate commitment to renewable energy. Economic efficiency is achieved through financial incentives and long-term energy savings. Solar energy’s environmental impact includes reducing greenhouse gas emissions and fossil fuel reliance. Adopting solar positions local governments as sustainability leaders, enhancing community pride and fostering innovation.

How WSB Can Help

WSB has successfully applied for and received funding for our clients from the first round of this program earlier this year. We can assist in the following areas:

• Streamlining the RFP process and completing the Readiness Application, ensuring compliance with the grant application requirements
• Prioritizing locations for grant consideration based on energy usage data and solar feasibility
• Identifying system and City eligibility for additional funding via Federal Clean Energy Tax Credit Elective Pay system
• Navigating through complexities with Community Solar Garden subscriptions and eligibility requirements
• Estimating PV system size, annual production and assessing utility grid capacity based on publicly available tools
• Providing guidance on solar best practices and setting up a successful RFP process for contractor selection

In addition to the Solar for Public Buildings RFP, WSB has experience in and can support local municipalities and governments in their energy and sustainability goals by:

• Writing zoning ordinance updates to align city code with EV and Solar infrastructure
• Drafting and implementing Climate Plans to secure funding for solar and renewable energy and helping design EV Charging infrastructure
• Writing grants to obtain energy efficiency funds and conduct equitable community outreach to drive future climate focused investments

For more information on WSB’s experience and services in Sustainability, please visit our website: Sustainability – WSB Seeking more sustainable solutions.

Conclusion

The SPB Program empowers local governments to lead in sustainability. With WSB’s expertise, cities can navigate the grant process, maximize funding, and implement impactful solar projects. This program not only reduces energy costs and environmental impact but also positions cities as leaders in innovation and sustainability. Embracing this program is a significant step towards a cleaner, greener future. Contact us today to get help starting the application process.

Grant Opportunities for Minnesota Cities

December 4, 2024
By Amy Fredregill, Sr Director of Sustainability, WSB

We would like share news about three upcoming resiliency grant opportunities that can help cities in Minnesota advance their strategic plans, reduce costs and risks, and provide new services to stakeholders.

MN Pollution Control Agency Local Climate Action Grant

The MN Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has opened applications for the Local Climate Action (LCA) grants. There are two types of grants available: a climate action planning grant and a climate action implementation grant. These grants are available to local governments, Tribes, community-based nonprofits, and schools working on projects to reduce climate pollution and prepare communities for climate change impacts.

The planning grant focuses on developing local action plans to combat and adapt to climate change, including community-wide greenhouse gas emissions data collection through the Regional Indicators Initiative at no cost. The implementation grants fund projects that execute existing climate or sustainability plans, aiming to increase community resilience to climate change and reduce contributions to it.

The maximum grant award for both programs is $50,000, with a match requirement based on community population size. Communities with populations under 20,000 need to match 5% of the grant amount, while those with populations of 20,000 or more need to match 50%. Applications are due by January 9, 2025.

MPCA Community Resilience Implementation Grant

The MPCA is also offering $5 million in grants for non-stormwater and non-wastewater projects to enhance community resilience to climate change. Eligible projects include extreme heat mitigation, hardening public assets against extreme weather, upgrading resilience hubs, improving transportation alternatives, wildfire resilience, public water supply projects, and climate resiliency upgrades to publicly owned housing or community storm shelters. Applications are due by December 19, 2024.

Geothermal Planning Grants

The Minnesota Department of Commerce is launching a new grant program to provide financial assistance for examining the feasibility of geothermal energy systems. Grants of up to $150,000 are available for planning geothermal systems that heat and cool buildings. Eligible applicants include counties, cities, townships, and the Metropolitan Council. The program will launch by the end of 2024, with a public webinar scheduled for December 16, 2024.

Next Steps

At WSB, we specialize in helping communities secure funding and grant opportunities through competitive applications, innovative partnerships, and cost-effective approaches. Recently, we assisted a tribe in securing $5 million from the EPA for a Climate Pollution Reduction Grant and helped a city obtain a Solar on Public Buildings grant. Let us know how we can assist you in securing funding to advance your goals.