Characterizing Sustainability of Green Stormwater Infrastructure Systems using Life Cycle Assessment and Life Cycle Costing: A Systematic Review

Abstract Submission: Green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) has increasingly been adopted to manage urban stormwater; however, the traditional design process overlooks a holistic consideration of the functional, environmental, and economic aspects of GSI. Life cycle assessment (LCA) and life cycle costing (LCC) are essential for comprehensive GSI evaluation, but the variation in GSI practice application has limited generalizable conclusions from LCA and LCC analyses to inform GSI design, deployment, and operation. This systematic review analyzed 114 papers from Scopus and Web of Science databases that applied LCA and/or LCC to GSI. Three research questions are addressed: (i) How have LCA and LCC been applied across GSI? (ii) How do design decisions impact environmental and economic performance? and (iii) How can LCA and LCC better inform decision-making? Extracted data from various system types, designs, and sustainability indicators, were normalized to metrics such as water quality volume to generate new insights for novel comparisons and analysis. Bioretention systems, porous pavements, and green roofs were the most studied. Preliminary findings revealed variability in bioretention systems' eutrophication impacts (-0.03 to 0.01 kg N eq/m³ WQV), with some systems contributing to eutrophication and others reducing nitrogen pollution. Global warming potential also varied widely, from 0 to 120 kg CO₂ eq/m³ WQV. The impact variability is influenced by factors like design, operational conditions, and geographic context. These findings highlight the need for careful consideration of sustainability indicators and underscore the importance of integrated LCA and LCC, uncertainty, and sensitivity analyses to inform decision-making in GSI design, deployment, and operation.

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