Climate action can mean different things to different people. Finding common ground is possible when infrastructure planning considers the value of natural systems — land, water, air and ecosystems.
Climate-related impacts and risks have serious financial ramifications for everyone. A well-known anecdote: rising insurance premiums and, at times, coverage being withdrawn altogether in areas exposed to extreme weather. The bottom line is climate risk translates into community and business exposure risk.
From this perspective, financial planning and risk management are drivers for climate action particularly when it comes to infrastructure. Proactive investment protects people, property and long-term asset value.
For example, Black & Veatch meteorologists can integrate historical storm data with infrastructure impact modeling, helping clients stay resilient and equipped for the future by forecasting long-term reserve costs.
To have a productive conversation about the benefits of taking climate action, consider discussing the following: air quality, natural capital and water resources and planning. These considerations are not just environmental best practices—they are strategic tools for climate mitigation and adaptation.
Traditionally, air permitting focuses on compliance with local, state and federal thresholds. However, air permitting is about more than regulatory compliance. It’s a key lever for climate action. While ensuring regulatory compliance, air permitting also provides an opportunity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve public health outcomes. By integrating air dispersion modeling and emissions forecasting early in project planning, organizations can proactively minimize regulated air pollutants and climate action-related emissions, which are usually a byproduct along with other regulated air pollutants.
An integrated approach includes:
Meteorological and climatology studies to understand pollutant dispersion;
Ambient air quality impact modeling to assess regional effects;
Emission analysis aligned with climate goals;
Permitting strategies that support long-term climate compliance.
When grounded in data, flexibility and collaboration, this approach helps organizations navigate permitting complexities while aligning infrastructure development with climate action.
Natural capital—air, water, land and ecosystems—underpins business and community growth, resilience and sustainability. These assets are essential for climate resilience. Integrating natural capital into infrastructure planning enables smart decisions, risk mitigation and environmental stewardship. Key strategies include:
Optimize resource efficiency – reducing waste and emissions;
Promote circular economy principles – extending asset life and reducing environmental impact;
Engage stakeholders meaningfully – building trust and social license to operate.
This isn’t about choosing between development and sustainability; it’s about blending them to create lasting value. Projects that respect the management of natural assets are more likely to be approved, supported, sustained and valued.
Black & Veatch engineers recently piloted a design approach to minimize the carbon footprint of a new substation for a major data center project. The team performed a life-cycle assessment of the substation’s steel structures, transformers, conductors, concrete and other components, quantifying embedded carbon and identifying reduction opportunities.
The assessment enabled the design to be optimized in several ways:
An alternative high-voltage conductor with a lower aluminum content (reducing manufacturing emissions) was selected;
Cement with 20% fly ash supplementary cementitious material for the control building was specified, cutting concrete carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 18%;
Recycling of construction scrap was planned;
Environmental product declarations (EPDs) were sourced with equipment providers for critical items, and emissions data was captured for easier comparison of design options.
As a result, embodied carbon was reduced by an estimated 12% and approximately 450 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent saved.
Water stewardship is increasingly vital for climate adaptation. Public agencies and private enterprises face mounting pressure to manage water resources effectively. Effective water resource management is critical for climate adaptation. Strategies such as wellfield development, aquifer management and stormwater planning enhance infrastructure resilience to climate impacts. An integrated approach with a focus on sustainability should combine:
Hydrologic and hydraulic expertise to address flood risk, stormwater planning and water quality;
Infrastructure resilience strategies that blend built and natural systems for adaptation, mitigation and recovery;
Advanced modeling and analytics that inform purchasing and site design decisions plus meet regulatory reporting requirements.
From assessments, master planning and permitting to digital transformation and risk management frameworks, optimizing water management and infrastructure investments enables communities to thrive, businesses to grow and ecosystems to endure.
Omaha, Nebraska, provides an example. The city implemented a major infrastructure upgrade connecting two urban parks to reduce combined sewer overflows during heavy rainfall. Planned and designed by Black & Veatch, the project expanded a lagoon to store excess stormwater and optimized the existing mix of sanitary, combined and storm sewers for greater efficiency. Leveraging natural and built assets empowered Omaha to meet a looming environmental mandate, protect area waterways from polluted runoff and renew the lagoon as the centerpiece of a new community amenity.
Organizations that embrace climate action:
Quantify risk and integrate it into planning and investment;
Frame decisions around shared values to build alignment;
Support practical action as a strategy for resilience and engagement.
By explicitly connecting air quality, natural capital and water resources to climate mitigation and adaptation, organizations can promote cleaner air, land and water while supporting business growth and community resilience.
Climate action is not a siloed initiative—it’s a framework that drives smoother projects and stronger reputations among stakeholders. Through the lens of environmentally sound infrastructure, it is a way that project development can build resilience, value and community, for today and the future.
