Equity by Design

The effects of climate change, rising sea levels, and widespread pollution disproportionately affect low-income communities and communities of color. When public agencies do not consider equity, their projects can compound the adverse impacts to livability, economic opportunity, and environmental effects for marginalized communities. Conversely, equitable public infrastructure yields countless benefits to the community such as living-wage jobs, small business opportunities, affordable housing, and accessible public transit.

The Formation Lab works with public agencies and prime consultants to evaluate and evolve who pays, who benefits, and who are the decision makers. We help organizations ensure representation at the negotiating table, in the planning and design stages, and during construction of the projects. We help agencies reach out to the people who will be most affected by the projects. And we equip our clients with the tools, training, and consultation needed to create opportunity and equity in our public infrastructure.

Selected Projects

Equity by Design Planning
Portland Area Pump Station Improvements, Portland Bureau of Environmental Services

As a subconsultant to Brown and Caldwell, The Formation Lab is leading the integration of Equity in Design with upgrades and construction of pump stations across the city. Equity Plans developed through this process have two major elements. The first element is a plan to maximize opportunities for disadvantaged business participation and capacity. The second element focuses on the pump station itself—conducting an Equity Charette to understand how the pump station interacts with the surrounding community, identify interfaces with disadvantaged or underrepresented communities, and develop approaches to creating more equitable outcomes.

Equity Programs
Large-Scale Sewer Rehabilitation Program, Portland Bureau of Environmental Services

The Formation Lab team developed an approach to integrating equity into the Large-Scale Sewer Rehabilitation Program, as a subconsultant to Murraysmith. The approach focused on three categories of equity interfaces – engagement of underrepresented communities, community benefits and impacts, and economic opportunity. The implementation approach for each project includes identifying project-specific equity interfaces; identifying opportunities; developing a project-specific equity plan with specific, measurable goals; and integrating planned equity tasks and objectives into overall project delivery and monitoring.

Strategic Plan and Equity Toolkit Pilot
City of Hillsboro Water Department

As a subconsultant to Barney & Worth, The Formation Lab supported development of a strategic plan for the City of Hillsboro Water Department. Our role included leading a pilot project exploring how the City’s Equity Toolkit can be applied to utilities. The pilot focused on hydrant service—evaluating whether there are disparities in service levels across the City, exploring implications for vulnerable populations, and reaching conclusion on follow up actions. A key outcome of the pilot was a documented process allowing the Equity Toolkit to be applied to other infrastructure programs in the future. The Formation Lab’s work also included leading risk workshops during the situational assessment, developing a framework for increasing the pipeline of new water treatment operators through regional partnerships, and baselining current staff gender and racial/ethnic diversity.