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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Showing 8 Results for Carbon storage & sequestration
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2011
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.
2010
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
2009
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.
2008
Benefits
Water conservation
Energy use & emissions
Air quality
Carbon storage & sequestration
Green waste
O&M savings
Other economicExcel Recycling and Reusing Landscape Waste Cost Calculator
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
2008This calculator estimates the cost and environmental benefits of four scenarios for handling hardscape and landscape wastes (concrete and asphalt, brick, lumber, and yard waste): (1) Reusing all waste possible on-site, recycling all waste possible that cannot be reused, and disposing of waste remaining; (2) Reusing all waste possible and disposing of waste remaining (3) Recycling all waste possible and disposing of waste remaining; (4) Disposing of all waste materials. The calculator returns the one, three, six, and ten year costs associated with each of the four disposition methods. Users have the option to input their own cost information. The calculator also estimates the environmental impacts avoided by reusing and recycling landscape materials instead of landfilling them as waste.
http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/rrr/greenscapes/tools/reuse.xls
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