Research | Landscape Performance Series
Benefits Toolkit
The Landscape Performance Series Benefits Toolkit is a searchable collection of online tools and calculators to estimate landscape performance.
The tools can be used to estimate specific landscape benefits for completed projects when actual measurements are not available, or they can be used in the design phase to compare projected benefits among various options. Many tools also allow the user to compare life-cycle costs for conventional and sustainable design features.
Know of additional tools to calculate landscape performance benefits? Help build the database by sending your suggestions to lps@lafoundation.org.
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Browse All Benefits Toolkit SourcesGoBrowse All Benefits Toolkit Title by Alphabet
i-Tree Eco (v 4.0)
i-Tree Eco (originally the Urban Forest Effects or UFORE model) uses detailed field data from complete inventories or randomly sampled plots to quantify urban forest structure, environmental effects, and value to communities. The study area can range from a single tree to a park to an entire county’s urban forest. Eco provides accurate estimates of air pollutant removal, carbon storage and sequestration, effects of trees on building energy use and emissions, and compensatory value of the urban forest. In version 4.0, the air quality model has been refined to include improved simulations, updated monetary values, and charts and tables that now display yearly, monthly, or hourly results. Users must register to download and install the free iTree software suite.
0 View/Leave CommentsBenefits
Stormwater management
Water conservation
Water quality
Flood protection
Energy use & emissions
Air quality
Temperature & urban heat island
Carbon storage & sequestration
Property values
Other economic
Recreational & social value
Educational valueThe Value of Green Infrastructure: A Guide to Recognizing Its Economic, Social and Environmental Benefits
American Rivers, Center for Neighborhood Technology
2011This broad analysis attempts to place an economic value on the numerous benefits provided by green infrastructure (defined here as a network of decentralized stormwater management practices). The report brings together current research on green infrastructure performance and presents methods for calculating related benefits. It offers simple equations to quantify water, energy, air quality, climate change benefits for green roofs, tree planting, bioretention and infiltration, permeable pavement, and water harvesting. To estimate the dollar value of each of these quantified benefits, examples and, when possible, simple equations are provided. The report also offers information and examples of benefits related to green infrastructure’s impact on the urban heat island effect, aspects of community livability, habitat improvement, and public education.
GBRL Green Roof Energy Calculator (v 2.0)
Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, Portland State University, University of Toronto
2010This calculator compares the annual energy performance of a building with a green roof to the same building with either a conventional dark roof or a highly-reflective white roof. The results are based on simulations run for new construction (ASHRAE 90.1-2004) apartment or office buildings and use typical weather data for 100 major cities in the U.S. and Canada. Inputs include nearest major city, total roof area, percent green roof cover, growing media depth, and leaf area index of plants. With version 2.0, users can now specify whether construction is new or older and whether the green roof is irrigated or not. The calculator uses default utility rates for each city, or the user can enter his own. Results are the electrical, gas, and energy cost savings for a green roof compared to a dark roof and a white roof. Additional outputs with version 2.0 include heat exchange between the roof and the urban environment and an estimate of the annual roof water balance, including net runoff.
http://greenbuilding.pdx.edu/GR_CALC_v2/grcalc_v2.php#retain
2 View/Leave Comments
May 21st, 2012 10:26am
Landscape Architecture Foundation said:The tool has been upgraded from v 1.1 to v 2.0 -- we fixed the link and updated the description. Note that the new version has some added functionality. From Dr. Sailor at Portland State:
What is new in version 2?
* user can now specify new or older construction for both commercial and residential buildings
* user can specify whether the green roof is irrigated or not
* model output for sensible and latent heat exchange between the roof and the urban environment is now given
* the model now outputs an estimate of the annual roof water balance.
Recycled Content (ReCon) Tool
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
2010This tool estimates the greenhouse gas (GHG) emission and energy benefits associated with increasing the recycled content of materials purchased or manufactured. The tool compares baseline recycled content for common materials — including glass, wood, metals, plastics, paper, PVC, and fiberboard — to an alternate recycled content scenario. Inputs are material type, weight, and percent recycled content. (Includes a Unit Converter to convert from common units of measure to weight.) Results are 30-year total and life-cycle GHG emissions, reduction in GHG emissions, energy consumption and reduction in energy consumption. These estimates include upstream manufacturing, carbon sequestration, and avoided disposal impacts.
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/wycd/waste/calculators/ReCon_Online.html
ICLEI Active Transport Quantification Tool
Australian Government Department of the Environmental and Water Resources, ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability - Oceania, Victorian Health Promotion Foundation
2007This online assessment tool estimates public health, community, and environmental benefits of walking or riding bikes as alternate forms of transportation. The user adds actions such as walking or riding to school or work, along with the distance and frequency of these trips. The tool then quantifies the financial benefits associated with less driving, congestion, pollution, heart disease, and other health and community benefits, as well as the reduction in carbon dioxide emissions. The tool is free, but requires users to register and login in order to use it.
3 View/Leave Comments- Dec 7th, 2011 4:31pm
Landscape Architecture Foundation said:Thanks for the heads up. I'm trying to track down whether the tool has been moved or taken down...
GBRL Green Roof Energy Calculator (v 2.0)
Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, Portland State University, University of Toronto
2010This calculator compares the annual energy performance of a building with a green roof to the same building with either a conventional dark roof or a highly-reflective white roof. The results are based on simulations run for new construction (ASHRAE 90.1-2004) apartment or office buildings and use typical weather data for 100 major cities in the U.S. and Canada. Inputs include nearest major city, total roof area, percent green roof cover, growing media depth, and leaf area index of plants. With version 2.0, users can now specify whether construction is new or older and whether the green roof is irrigated or not. The calculator uses default utility rates for each city, or the user can enter his own. Results are the electrical, gas, and energy cost savings for a green roof compared to a dark roof and a white roof. Additional outputs with version 2.0 include heat exchange between the roof and the urban environment and an estimate of the annual roof water balance, including net runoff.
http://greenbuilding.pdx.edu/GR_CALC_v2/grcalc_v2.php#retain
2 View/Leave Comments- May 21st, 2012 10:26am
Landscape Architecture Foundation said:The tool has been upgraded from v 1.1 to v 2.0 -- we fixed the link and updated the description. Note that the new version has some added functionality. From Dr. Sailor at Portland State:
What is new in version 2?
* user can now specify new or older construction for both commercial and residential buildings
* user can specify whether the green roof is irrigated or not
* model output for sensible and latent heat exchange between the roof and the urban environment is now given
* the model now outputs an estimate of the annual roof water balance.
Benefits
Stormwater managementStorm Water Retention Calculator
Green Paks
2010This Excel-based calculator estimates the amount of water a green roof can retain. Inputs are: green roof area, inches of rain for local 10-year storm, and parameters for the green roof growth media, moisture retention fabric, and drainage core. The calculator yields total gallons of water retained, gallons per square foot, weight of water retained, and the runoff coefficient.
http://www.greenpaks.com/images/Storm_Water_Management_Tool_II.xls
1 View/Leave Comments
Oct 10th, 2011 12:16am
Peter said:This tool link needs to be updated. Currently it goes to an advertisement, not the calculator. This is their tool webpage:
http://greenroofblocks.com/index.php/page/storm-water-management-tool
Environmental Benefits Calculator
Northeast Recycling Council, Inc. (NERC)
2009This Microsoft Excel-based assessment tool estimates the environmental benefits of a study area or project, based on the tonnages of materials that are source reduced, reused, recycled, landfilled, or incinerated. Materials include lumber, construction and demolition materials, bricks, aggregate, and various household items. The calculator can also estimate the benefits of recycling or composting landscape waste (trimmings, grass, leaves, branches). Inputs for each material include tons recycled, tons reduced/reused, tons disposed. The user must follow instructions to look up and input state-specific greenhouse gas (GHG) and CO2 emission and energy consumption, expenditure, and generation data. Results are a number of tables and graphs showing emission reductions, energy use reductions, and natural resource savings.
http://www.nerc.org/documents/environmental_benefits_calculator.html
1 View/Leave Comments
Jan 17th, 2011 6:02pm
datanumen said:Thanks for the link. That answered a lot of my questions down to the specifics. The tables coupled with the charts are nicely defined.
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