The Value of Green Infrastructure: A Guide to Recognizing Its Economic, Environmental and Social Benefits

From the Center for Neighborhood Technology, this guide outlines a framework for measuring and valuing the ecological, economic and social benefits of green infrastructure (GI). The value of Green Roofs, Tree Planting, Bioretention and Infiltration, Permeable Pavement, and Water Harvesting practices are detailed. The goals of the report are to inform decision-makers and planners about the multiple benefits green infrastructure offers communities; and to guide communities in quantifying the benefits of green infrastructure investments. 

The guide examines the steps necessary to calculate a variety of performance benefits gained by implementing these GI strategies, and provides some illustrative examples that estimate the value of these benefits. When analyzing GI practices, the guide follows a two-step framework that includes defining the unit of measurement of a chosen benefit, followed by applying values for each benefit. This analysis allows users to evaluate green infrastructure practices in categories including Water, Energy, Air Quality, and Climate Change. 

In the Water sector, for example, the guide illustrates a method of quantifying the benefits of reduced stormwater runoff, and further evaluates these measures. As detailed in the guide, the first step in valuing the water benefits from GI strategies is to determine the volume of rainfall (in gallons) retained on site; this volume becomes the resource unit for all water benefits. Green roofs, permeable pavement, bio-retention and infiltration, trees and water harvesting are all GI practices that provide water advantages. 

The valuation process in the Water section is then divided into four subsections and each are outlined separately for:

• Reduced Water Treatment Needs

• Reduced Grey Infrastructure Needs

• Improved Water Quality

• Reduced Flooding

The report’s Climate Change section is focused on the benefit of reduced atmospheric CO2 - as provided by green roofs, trees, and bio-infiltration. This section offers instructions on how to quantify and value direct (sequestration) and indirect (avoided emissions) climate benefits.  

The advantages of green infrastructure practices for Urban Heat Island, Community Livability (Aesthetics, Recreation, Reduced Noise Pollution, Community Cohesion); Habitat Improvement; and Public Education are also reviewed - without the detailed calculations around specific benefits.  

Brief Case Studies are included also, that illustrate the process of GI implementation and the results for the municipalities of:

- Aurora, Illinois

- Chicago, Illinois

- Milwaukee, Wisconsin

- New York, New York

- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

- Portland, Oregon

- Seattle, Washington

 

 

 

Publication Date: January 21, 2011

Related Organizations:

  • Center for Neighborhood Technology

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  • Planning guides

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