Environmental and economic assessment of a pilot stormwater infiltration system for flood prevention in Brazil
Petit Boix, Anna (Petit Boix) (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals)
Sevigné Itoiz, Eva (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals)
Rojas-Gutierrez, Lorena Avelina (Universidade de São Paulo. Departamento de Hidráulica e Saneamento)
Barbassa, Ademir Paceli (Universidade Federal de São Carlos. Departamento de Engenharia Civil)
Josa Garcia-Tornel, Alejandro (Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. Departament d'Enginyeria del Terreny, Cartogràfica i Geofísica)
Rieradevall, Joan (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament d'Enginyeria Química, Biològica i Ambiental)
Gabarrell Durany, Xavier (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament d'Enginyeria Química, Biològica i Ambiental)

Date:	2015
Abstract:	Green and grey stormwater management infrastructures, such as the filter, swale and infiltration trench (FST), can be used to prevent flooding events. The aim of this paper was to determine the environmental and economic impacts of a pilot FST that was built in São Carlos (Brazil) using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Life Cycle Costing (LCC). As a result, the components with the greatest contributions to the total impacts of the FST were the infiltration trench and the grass cover. The system has a carbon footprint of 0. 13 kg CO₂ eq. /m³ of infiltrated stormwater and an eco-efficiency ratio of 0. 35 kg CO₂ eq. /USD. Moreover, the FST prevented up to 95% of the runoff in the area. Compared to a grey infrastructure, this system is a good solution with respect to PVC stormwater pipes, which require a long pipe length (1070 m) and have a shorter lifespan. In contrast, concrete pipes are a better solution, and their impacts are similar to those of the FST. Finally, a sensitivity analysis was conducted to assess the changes in the impacts with the varying lifespan of the system components. Thus, the proper management of the FST can reduce the economic and environmental impacts of the system by increasing its durability.
Grants:	Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte HBP-2012-0216
Rights:	Aquest document està subjecte a una llicència d'ús Creative Commons. Es permet la reproducció total o parcial i la comunicació pública de l'obra, sempre que no sigui amb finalitats comercials, i sempre que es reconegui l'autoria de l'obra original. No es permet la creació d'obres derivades.
Language:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió acceptada per publicar
Subject:	Life cycle assessment ; Life cycle costing ; Best management practices ; Climate change adaptation ; Urban flood ; Filter ; Swale and infiltration trench
Published in:	Ecological engineering, Vol. 84 (Nov. 2015) , p. 194-201, ISSN 0925-8574

DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoleng.2015.09.010

Post-print 25 p, 790.8 KB

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Research literature > UAB research groups literature > Research Centres and Groups (research output) > Experimental sciences > Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals (ICTA) > Sustainability and Environmental Protection (Sostenipra)
Articles > Research articles
Articles > Published articles