Floods and consequential life cycle assessment: Integrating flood damage into the environmental assessment of stormwater Best Management Practices. (20th September 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Petit-Boix, Anna; Sevigné-Itoiz, Eva; Rojas-Gutierrez, Lorena A.; Barbassa, Ademir P.; Josa, Alejandro; Rieradevall, Joan; Gabarrell, Xavier
• Is Part Of: Journal of cleaner production. Volume 162(2017)
• Page Start: 601
• Page End: 608
• Publication Date: 2017-09-20
• Subjects: Flood -- BMP -- CLCA -- Urban infrastructure -- Water -- City; Factory and trade waste -- Management -- Periodicals; Manufactures -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Déchets industriels -- Gestion -- Périodiques; Usines -- Aspect de l'environnement -- Périodiques; 628.5
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.06.047
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0959-6526

Abstract

Abstract: Stormwater management is essential to reducing the occurrence of flooding events in urban areas and to adapting to climate change. The construction of stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs) entails a series of life cycle environmental impacts but also implies avoided burdens, such as replacing urban infrastructure after flooding. The aim of this paper is to integrate flood damage prevention into the life cycle assessment (LCA) of BMPs for quantifying their net environmental impact (NEI) and environmental payback (EP) from a consequential LCA standpoint. As a case study, the application of a filter, swale and infiltration trench (FST) in a Brazilian neighborhood was assessed considering a high-intensity rainfall event. The potential avoided impacts were related to cars and sidewalks that were not destroyed due to flooding. In terms of CO2 eq. emissions, the environmental investment related to the FST was recovered when the destruction of one car or 84 m 2 of sidewalk was prevented. The NEI of the FSTs resulted in significant impact reductions (up to 700%) with respect to not accounting for the avoided products. This approach can be implemented to any type of BMP, and more accurate estimations can be made with data for different events and different types of material damage. Graphical abstract: Highlights: This study integrates damage prevention into the LCA of flood prevention systems. Indirect environmental effects of BMPs provide insightful data to decision-makers. From this standpoint, the net environmental impact and payback of a BMP might be low.