Hazen & Sawyer NYC Green Infrastructure Co-Benefits Study and Calculator

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Green Infrastructure Co-BenefitsStudy and Calculator

Matthew Jones, PhD, [email protected]

Baltimore Urban Waters PartnershipJune 9, 2015

mailto:[email protected]

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NYC Green Infrastructure OverviewNYC Green Infrastructure Overview

Managing 1” of runoff from 10% of impervious surfaces with GI

Co-benefits noted as an advantage of GI Comprehensive pilot program informing

adaptive management

Managing 1” of runoff from 10% of impervious surfaces with GI

Co-benefits noted as an advantage of GI Comprehensive pilot program informing

adaptive management

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Design

Implement

Evaluate

Plan

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Goals of Co-Benefits StudyGoals of Co-Benefits Study

Identify and quantify green infrastructure co-benefits Conduct monitoring for co-benefits validation Develop a tool to calculate, compare, and track co-

benefits and triple bottom line costs

Identify and quantify green infrastructure co-benefits Conduct monitoring for co-benefits validation Develop a tool to calculate, compare, and track co-

benefits and triple bottom line costs

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Co-Benefit ParametersCo-Benefit Parameters

Environmental Carbon Sequestration Urban Heat Island Mitigation Reduced Building Energy

Demand Urban Habitat Improved Air Quality

Social Improved Quality of Life

Economic Reduced Stormwater Treatment Need Green Jobs

Environmental Carbon Sequestration Urban Heat Island Mitigation Reduced Building Energy

Demand Urban Habitat Improved Air Quality

Social Improved Quality of Life

Economic Reduced Stormwater Treatment Need Green Jobs

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Co-Benefits Study ApproachCo-Benefits Study Approach

Summary

Co-Benefits Calculator

Triple Bottom Line Costs and BenefitsEnvironmental Social Economic

AnalysisLiterature Review Monitoring Life Cycle

Analysis

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Co-Benefits Monitoring ProgramCo-Benefits Monitoring Program

Remote and On-Site Field Monitoring of Co-Benefits

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Field Monitoring Field Monitoring

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Field Measurements:• Temperature differences

between control and green infrastructure (air and surface)

• Observations of pollinators, animal species, bloom periods and fruiting

• Observations of vegetative coverage and correlation with success of planting schemes

• Soil investigations to correlate with vegetation health (nutrients, respiration, gasoline)

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Temperature Confirmed that green

infrastructure surfaces generally cooler than nearby pavement

In limited applications, cooler ambient air temperatures were not confirmed

Pollinators Confirmed presence at GI with

flowering vegetation, even when isolated in highly urbanized areas

Green Infrastructure Soils Observed higher level of soil

biological activity at GI than typical City soils, as well as some accumulation of pollutants

Temperature Confirmed that green

infrastructure surfaces generally cooler than nearby pavement

In limited applications, cooler ambient air temperatures were not confirmed

Pollinators Confirmed presence at GI with

flowering vegetation, even when isolated in highly urbanized areas

Green Infrastructure Soils Observed higher level of soil

biological activity at GI than typical City soils, as well as some accumulation of pollutants

Monitoring ResultsMonitoring Results

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Time-Lapse Camera EvaluationsTime-Lapse Camera Evaluations

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Literature ReviewLiterature Review

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What?A comprehensive review of literature on similar work performed elsewhere, focused on quantitative results and analysis methods

Why?Available literature provides insight into prior efforts on co-benefits identification and quantification, supplementing monitoring results

How?Review of over 100 reports, journal articles, and other publications on green infrastructure and urban vegetation

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Example Co-benefit CalculationExample Co-benefit Calculation

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Carbon Sequestration• Published annualized sequestration rates:

• Carbon Sequestration CalculationCarbon Sequestered = Soil Sequestration Rate * Control Area + Shrub and Herbaceous

Sequestration Rate * Shrub and Herbaceous Coverage * Control Area + Tree Sequestration Rate * Number of Trees * 3.67 lb CO2 / lb C

Carbon Sequestered (lb CO2/yr) = 0.1402 lb/yr/ft² * Control Area + 0.0181 lb/yr/ft² * Shrub and Herbaceous Coverage * Control Area + 8.0 lb/yr/tree * Number of

Trees * 3.67 lb CO2 / lb C

TypeAnnual

Sequestration Rate ReferenceSoil 0.1402 (lb/yr/ft2) Jo, H. K., & McPherson, G. E. 1995

Lawn 0.0181 (lb/yr/ft2) Jo, H. K., & McPherson, G. E. 19953-9” Diameter Tree 8.0 (lb/yr/Tree) Novak, 2007

Extensive Green Roof 0.06656 (lb/yr/ft2) Getter, 2009

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Life Cycle AnalysisLife Cycle Analysis

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• An evaluation of energy and materials needed to construct and maintain green infrastructure presents metrics of environmental costs

• Conducting an LCA provides a more comprehensive evaluation of GI costs

• A life cycle analysis database (Sima Pro) in conjunction with construction and maintenance details from implemented GI quantifies GHG emissions

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Carbon Network: Continuous Green Roof (Bishop Loughlin)Carbon Network: Continuous Green Roof (Bishop Loughlin)

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Continuous Green Roof Project

Soil Other Materials

Ceramic HydRocks Transport Transport Transport Foam

Core

Note that only large contributors to CF are visible.

Green Roof Carbon Network

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Environmental Life Cycle AnalysisEnvironmental Life Cycle Analysis

ControlScalable LCA(kg CO2 / ft² GI)

Non-Scalable LCA

(kg CO2)Maintenance LCA (kg CO2 / ft² GI / yr)

ROW Bioretention 33.81 151.93 0.31

Large Bioretention 12.90 123.17 0.09

Permeable Pavement 7.43 227.90 0.0004

Stormwater Wetland 6.03 398.20 0.07

Green Roof 3.62 75.97 0.0004

Blue Roof 4.89 104.02 ---

The more complex the materials and larger the practice, the higher the carbon footprint

Results differ when scaled based upon GI area or managed area

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Global Warming Potential per ft² of GIGlobal Warming Potential per ft² of GI

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Global Warming Potential per Gallon ManagedGlobal Warming Potential per Gallon Managed

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Co-Benefits Cost and Comparison ToolCo-Benefits Cost and Comparison Tool

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• A computer tool compiles information from the co-benefits study into a centralized location, allowing the user to perform assessments of proposed or existing GI controls

• Unified tool needed to support quick assessments and inform comparative decisions

• Normalized cost and co-benefit metrics calculated based upon user inputs and study results

• Able to be customized for a specific geographic location

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Co-Benefits CalculatorCo-Benefits Calculator

www.nycgicobenefits.net

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Co-Benefits CalculatorCo-Benefits Calculator

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SummarySummary

Green infrastructure widely assumed to provide co-benefits

Mechanisms exist to evaluate and quantify specific co-benefits provided

Quantified co-benefits can be an effective component of public outreach and support stakeholder buy in

Green infrastructure widely assumed to provide co-benefits

Mechanisms exist to evaluate and quantify specific co-benefits provided

Quantified co-benefits can be an effective component of public outreach and support stakeholder buy in

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Green Infrastructure Co-BenefitsStudy and Calculator

Matthew Jones, PhD, [email protected]

Baltimore Urban Waters PartnershipJune 9, 2015

mailto:[email protected]

Hazen & Sawyer NYC Green Infrastructure Co-Benefits Study and Calculator

Environment

Transcript of Hazen & Sawyer NYC Green Infrastructure Co-Benefits Study and Calculator