Comparing Green and Grey Infrastructure Using Life Cycle Cost and Environmental Impact: A Rain Garden Case Study in Cincinnati, OH
Abstract
Abstract Green infrastructure ( GI ) is quickly gaining ground as a less costly, greener alternative to traditional methods of stormwater management. One popular form of GI is the use of rain gardens to capture and treat stormwater. We used life cycle assessment ( LCA ) to compare environmental impacts of residential rain gardens constructed in the Shepherd's Creek watershed of Cincinnati, Ohio to those from a typical detain and treat system. LCA is an internationally standardized framework for analyzing the potential environmental performance of a product or service by including all stages in its life cycle, including material extraction, manufacturing, use, and disposal. Complementary to the life cycle environmental impact assessment, the life cycle costing approach was adopted to compare the equivalent annual costs of each of these systems. These analyses were supplemented by modeling alternative scenarios to capture the variability in implementing a GI strategy. Our LCA models suggest rain garden costs and impacts are determined by labor requirement; the traditional alternative's impacts are determined largely by the efficiency of wastewater treatment, while costs are determined by the expense of tunnel construction. Gardens were found to be the favorable option, both financially (~42% cost reduction) and environmentally (62‐98%more »
- Authors:
-
- National Risk Management Laboratory United States Environmental Protection Agency 26 W. Martin Luther King Drive Cincinnati Ohio 45268
- Enviance, Inc. Carlsbad California 92008
- Publication Date:
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1401844
- Resource Type:
- Publisher's Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Journal of the American Water Resources Association
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Name: Journal of the American Water Resources Association Journal Volume: 51 Journal Issue: 5; Journal ID: ISSN 1093-474X
- Publisher:
- Wiley-Blackwell
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Citation Formats
Vineyard, Donald, Ingwersen, Wesley W., Hawkins, Troy R., Xue, Xiaobo, Demeke, Bayou, and Shuster, William. Comparing Green and Grey Infrastructure Using Life Cycle Cost and Environmental Impact: A Rain Garden Case Study in Cincinnati, OH. United States: N. p., 2015.
Web. doi:10.1111/1752-1688.12320.
Vineyard, Donald, Ingwersen, Wesley W., Hawkins, Troy R., Xue, Xiaobo, Demeke, Bayou, & Shuster, William. Comparing Green and Grey Infrastructure Using Life Cycle Cost and Environmental Impact: A Rain Garden Case Study in Cincinnati, OH. United States. https://doi.org/10.1111/1752-1688.12320
Vineyard, Donald, Ingwersen, Wesley W., Hawkins, Troy R., Xue, Xiaobo, Demeke, Bayou, and Shuster, William. Tue .
"Comparing Green and Grey Infrastructure Using Life Cycle Cost and Environmental Impact: A Rain Garden Case Study in Cincinnati, OH". United States. https://doi.org/10.1111/1752-1688.12320.
@article{osti_1401844,
title = {Comparing Green and Grey Infrastructure Using Life Cycle Cost and Environmental Impact: A Rain Garden Case Study in Cincinnati, OH},
author = {Vineyard, Donald and Ingwersen, Wesley W. and Hawkins, Troy R. and Xue, Xiaobo and Demeke, Bayou and Shuster, William},
abstractNote = {Abstract Green infrastructure ( GI ) is quickly gaining ground as a less costly, greener alternative to traditional methods of stormwater management. One popular form of GI is the use of rain gardens to capture and treat stormwater. We used life cycle assessment ( LCA ) to compare environmental impacts of residential rain gardens constructed in the Shepherd's Creek watershed of Cincinnati, Ohio to those from a typical detain and treat system. LCA is an internationally standardized framework for analyzing the potential environmental performance of a product or service by including all stages in its life cycle, including material extraction, manufacturing, use, and disposal. Complementary to the life cycle environmental impact assessment, the life cycle costing approach was adopted to compare the equivalent annual costs of each of these systems. These analyses were supplemented by modeling alternative scenarios to capture the variability in implementing a GI strategy. Our LCA models suggest rain garden costs and impacts are determined by labor requirement; the traditional alternative's impacts are determined largely by the efficiency of wastewater treatment, while costs are determined by the expense of tunnel construction. Gardens were found to be the favorable option, both financially (~42% cost reduction) and environmentally (62‐98% impact reduction). Wastewater utilities may find significant life cycle cost and environmental impact reductions in implementing a rain garden plan.},
doi = {10.1111/1752-1688.12320},
journal = {Journal of the American Water Resources Association},
number = 5,
volume = 51,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Jun 23 00:00:00 EDT 2015},
month = {Tue Jun 23 00:00:00 EDT 2015}
}
Free Publicly Available Full Text
Publisher's Version of Record
https://doi.org/10.1111/1752-1688.12320
https://doi.org/10.1111/1752-1688.12320
Other availability
Search WorldCat to find libraries that may hold this journal
Cited by: 61 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science
Web of Science
Save to My Library
You must Sign In or Create an Account in order to save documents to your library.
Works referenced in this record:
A streamlined sustainability assessment tool for improved decision making in the urban water industry
journal, August 2011
- Schulz, Matthias; Short, Michael D.; Peters, Gregory M.
- Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management, Vol. 8, Issue 1
Impervious Surface Coverage: The Emergence of a Key Environmental Indicator
journal, June 1996
- Arnold, Chester L.; Gibbons, C. James
- Journal of the American Planning Association, Vol. 62, Issue 2
Environmental Reviews and Case Studies: Building Green Infrastructure via Citizen Participation: A Six-Year Study in the Shepherd Creek (Ohio)
journal, March 2012
- Mayer, Audrey L.; Shuster, William D.; Beaulieu, Jake J.
- Environmental Practice, Vol. 14, Issue 1
Life-cycle energy and CO2 analysis of stormwater treatment devices
journal, September 2008
- Andrew, R. M.; Vesely, É. -T.
- Water Science and Technology, Vol. 58, Issue 5
Life cycle cost assessment of a rain water harvesting system for toilet flushing
journal, May 2012
- Ghimire, S. R.; Watkins, D. W.; Li, K.
- Water Supply, Vol. 12, Issue 3
Operations and Maintenance Requirements for Storage Tunnels and In-System Storage Facilities
journal, October 2007
- Murphy, Sean P.; Moore, Terrance
- Proceedings of the Water Environment Federation, Vol. 2007, Issue 19
Long-Term Orthophosphate Removal in a Field-Scale Storm-Water Bioinfiltration Rain Garden
journal, October 2012
- Komlos, John; Traver, Robert G.
- Journal of Environmental Engineering, Vol. 138, Issue 10
Comparison of Stormwater Lag Times for Low Impact and Traditional Residential Development
journal, August 2007
- Hood, Mark J.; Clausen, John C.; Warner, Glenn S.
- Journal of the American Water Resources Association, Vol. 43, Issue 4
Assessing Impervious Surface Connectivity and Applications for Watershed Management
journal, February 2009
- Roy, Allison H.; Shuster, William D.
- JAWRA Journal of the American Water Resources Association, Vol. 45, Issue 1
Modeled Impacts of Development type on Runoff Volume and Infiltration Performance
journal, August 2004
- Brander, Kent E.; Owen, Katherine E.; Potter, Kenneth W.
- Journal of the American Water Resources Association, Vol. 40, Issue 4
A Field Evaluation of Rain Garden Flow and Pollutant Treatment
journal, October 2005
- Dietz, Michael E.; Clausen, John C.
- Water, Air, and Soil Pollution, Vol. 167, Issue 1-4
Is Denser Greener? An Evaluation of Higher Density Development as an Urban Stormwater-Quality Best Management Practice
journal, June 2009
- Jacob, John S.; Lopez, Ricardo
- JAWRA Journal of the American Water Resources Association, Vol. 45, Issue 3
Consequential Environmental and Economic Life Cycle Assessment of Green and Gray Stormwater Infrastructures for Combined Sewer Systems
journal, September 2013
- Wang, Ranran; Eckelman, Matthew J.; Zimmerman, Julie B.
- Environmental Science & Technology, Vol. 47, Issue 19
Bioretention Technology: Overview of Current Practice and Future Needs
journal, March 2009
- Davis, Allen P.; Hunt, William F.; Traver, Robert G.
- Journal of Environmental Engineering, Vol. 135, Issue 3
Richards Equation Model of a Rain Garden
journal, May 2004
- Dussaillant, Alejandro R.; Wu, Chin H.; Potter, Kenneth W.
- Journal of Hydrologic Engineering, Vol. 9, Issue 3
Fines Accumulation and Distribution in a Storm-Water Rain Garden Nine Years Postconstruction
journal, December 2010
- Jenkins, Jennifer K. Gilbert; Wadzuk, Bridget M.; Welker, Andrea L.
- Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering, Vol. 136, Issue 12
Assessment of Residential Rain Barrel Water Quality and Use in Cincinnati, Ohio 1
journal, March 2013
- Shuster, William D.; Lye, Dennis; De La Cruz, Armah
- JAWRA Journal of the American Water Resources Association, Vol. 49, Issue 4
TRACI 2.0: the tool for the reduction and assessment of chemical and other environmental impacts 2.0
journal, January 2011
- Bare, Jane
- Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy, Vol. 13, Issue 5
Green house gas emissions due to concrete manufacture
journal, May 2007
- Flower, David J. M.; Sanjayan, Jay G.
- The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, Vol. 12, Issue 5
Life Cycle Assessment of Domestic and Agricultural Rainwater Harvesting Systems
journal, March 2014
- Ghimire, Santosh R.; Johnston, John M.; Ingwersen, Wesley W.
- Environmental Science & Technology, Vol. 48, Issue 7
Environmental life-cycle costing: a code of practice
journal, April 2011
- Swarr, Thomas E.; Hunkeler, David; Klöpffer, Walter
- The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, Vol. 16, Issue 5
Bioretention Design for Xeric Climates Based on Ecological Principles 1
journal, August 2012
- Houdeshel, C. Dasch; Pomeroy, Christine A.; Hultine, Kevin R.
- JAWRA Journal of the American Water Resources Association, Vol. 48, Issue 6
Water Supply and Stormwater Management Benefits of Residential Rainwater Harvesting in U.S. Cities
journal, March 2013
- Steffen, Jennifer; Jensen, Mark; Pomeroy, Christine A.
- JAWRA Journal of the American Water Resources Association, Vol. 49, Issue 4
Water-Quality Performance of a Constructed Stormwater Wetland for All Flow Conditions 1 : W
journal, January 2010
- Wadzuk, Bridget M.; Rea, Matthew; Woodruff, Gregg
- JAWRA Journal of the American Water Resources Association, Vol. 46, Issue 2
Field Performance of Bioretention: Hydrology Impacts
journal, February 2008
- Davis, Allen P.
- Journal of Hydrologic Engineering, Vol. 13, Issue 2
Implementation of Bioretention Systems: a Wisconsin case Study
journal, August 2004
- Morzaria-Luna, Hem Nalini; Schaepe, Karen S.; Cutforth, Laurence B.
- Journal of the American Water Resources Association, Vol. 40, Issue 4
Evaluation of Hydrologic Benefits of Infiltration Based Urban Storm Water Management
journal, February 2003
- Holman-Dodds, Jennifer K.; Bradley, A. Allen; Potter, Kenneth W.
- Journal of the American Water Resources Association, Vol. 39, Issue 1
Remediation to improve infiltration into compact soils
journal, March 2013
- Olson, Nicholas C.; Gulliver, John S.; Nieber, John L.
- Journal of Environmental Management, Vol. 117
Decentralized Groundwater Recharge Systems Using Roofwater and Stormwater Runoff1: Decentralized Groundwater Recharge Systems Using Roofwater and Stormwater Runoff
journal, October 2011
- Stephens, Daniel B.; Miller, Mark; Moore, Stephanie J.
- JAWRA Journal of the American Water Resources Association, Vol. 48, Issue 1
Saturation to Improve Pollutant Retention in a Rain Garden
journal, February 2006
- Dietz, Michael E.; Clausen, John C.
- Environmental Science & Technology, Vol. 40, Issue 4
Promoting ecosystem and human health in urban areas using Green Infrastructure: A literature review
journal, June 2007
- Tzoulas, Konstantinos; Korpela, Kalevi; Venn, Stephen
- Landscape and Urban Planning, Vol. 81, Issue 3
Performance Assessment of Rain Gardens
journal, August 2009
- Asleson, Brooke C.; Nestingen, Rebecca S.; Gulliver, John S.
- JAWRA Journal of the American Water Resources Association, Vol. 45, Issue 4
The domestic garden – Its contribution to urban green infrastructure
journal, January 2012
- Cameron, Ross W. F.; Blanuša, Tijana; Taylor, Jane E.
- Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, Vol. 11, Issue 2
Air pollution removal by urban trees and shrubs in the United States
journal, April 2006
- Nowak, David J.; Crane, Daniel E.; Stevens, Jack C.
- Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, Vol. 4, Issue 3-4
Environmental analysis of rainwater harvesting infrastructures in diffuse and compact urban models of Mediterranean climate
journal, September 2011
- Angrill, Sara; Farreny, Ramon; Gasol, Carles M.
- The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, Vol. 17, Issue 1
Stormwater Runoff Quality and Quantity From Traditional and Low Impact Development Watersheds
journal, August 2009
- Bedan, Erik S.; Clausen, John C.
- JAWRA Journal of the American Water Resources Association, Vol. 45, Issue 4
Using Life Cycle Assessment to Evaluate Green and Grey Combined Sewer Overflow Control Strategies: Evaluating Watershed-Scale CSO Strategies with LCA
journal, October 2012
- De Sousa, Maria R. C.; Montalto, Franco A.; Spatari, Sabrina
- Journal of Industrial Ecology, Vol. 16, Issue 6
Improving bioretention/biofiltration performance with restorative maintenance
journal, January 2012
- Brown, Robert A.; Hunt, William F.
- Water Science and Technology, Vol. 65, Issue 2
Integrating Valuation Methods to Recognize Green Infrastructure's Multiple Benefits
conference, April 2012
- Wise, S.; Braden, J.; Ghalayini, D.
- Low Impact Development International Conference (LID) 2010, Low Impact Development 2010
Low Impact Development Practices: A Review of Current Research and Recommendations for Future Directions
journal, September 2007
- Dietz, Michael E.
- Water, Air, and Soil Pollution, Vol. 186, Issue 1-4
Rapid assessment of the cost-effectiveness of low impact development for CSO control
journal, September 2007
- Montalto, Franco; Behr, Christopher; Alfredo, Katherine
- Landscape and Urban Planning, Vol. 82, Issue 3