Benefits of Green Infrastructure

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Benefits of GI

EPA Wet Weather Workshop

Charleston, WV, July 21 , 2009

Paula Estornell, EPA Brownfields Program Manager

[email protected]

Outline

Wet Weather and Water Quality

Benefits of GI

Financial, Public Health, Environmental

GI BMP Performance BMP, Site Level, Watershed Level

Copyright Center for Neighborhood

Technology 1


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Water Quality Problems in the 1960s

Cuyahoga River, 1960sCuyahoga River, 1960s

Water Quality Problems Today


Technology 2


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US Water Quality SnapshotAssessed water not meeting WQS (1)

RiversOver 40%

LakesOver 45%

EstuariesOver 51%

Coastal

Over 75%

(1) National Water Quality Inventory Report,(1) National Water Quality Inventory Report,2000; Statistically Valid Surveys of the Nations2000; Statistically Valid Surveys of the NationsWaters, 2005, 2006Waters, 2005, 2006


Technology 3


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Urbanized Areas in West Virginia

Charleston Urbanized AreaEncompasses Montgomery to Hurricane


Technology 4


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Thinking Outside the Pipe

Back to Nature


Technology 5


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Benefits of GI Financial Lower costs

Higher tax base

Active commercial districts

Jobs

Public Health Wellness

Cooler cities

Recreation

Stronger communities

Crime reduction

Environmental Habitat

Cleaner air Cleaner water

EPA Reducing Stormwater Costs through LID Strategies and Practices

EPA GI Cost-effectiveness Study, 2007


Technology 6


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vegetated strips, nocurbs = 11% reduction in

impermeable surface

25% cost savings

compared to

conventional design

90+% runoff reduction

Cost-Effectiveness: Seattle SEA Streets

EPA GI Cost Analysis, 2009

Modeled Capital Costs for 4 Sites

4 to 27 acres

40% to 95% imperviousness

3 Climate Conditions

3 Design Storms

GI vs. LID costs competitive


Technology 7


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Site A: Single Family Residential Development(40% imperviousness)

Grey Design

Green DesignCapital costs for entire site

Note: All sites use traditional

development patterns and do not

represent innovative green designs

InletsYellow Pipes

Off-site Storage

Bioretention

$0

$20,000

$40,000

$60,000

$80,000

$100,000

$120,000

$140,000

$160,000

$180,000

$200,000

Humid

(48.9"/ yr)

Humid

(41.9"/ yr)

Semi Arid

(15.2"/ yr)

90% Design 95% Design Traditional

Site B: Commercial Development(55% imperviousness)

Grey Design

Capital costs for entire site

Green Design

Bio

rete

ntion Surface Drainage

$0

$100,000

$200,000

$300,000

$400,000

$500,000

$600,000

$700,000

$800,000

Humid(48.9"/ yr)

Humid(41.9 / yr)

Semi Arid(15.2"/ yr)



Technology 8


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Site C: High Density Residential Development(70% imperviousness)

Grey Design


22 acre site

Green Design

Bioretention Surface Drainage

Porous Pavement

$0

$100,000

$200,000

$300,000

$400,000

$500,000

$600,000

$700,000

$800,000

Humid

(48.9"/ yr)

Humid

(41.9"/ yr)

Semi Arid

(15.2"/ yr)


Site D: Industrial Development(95% imperviousness)


27 acre site

Green Design

Cisterns

SurfaceDrainage

Porous Pavement

Green

Roof

Grey Design

$0

$500,000$1,000,000

$1,500,000

$2,000,000

$2,500,000

$3,000,000

$3,500,000

$4,000,000

Humid (48 .9"/

yr)

Humid (41.9 /

yr)

Semi Arid

(15.2"/ yr)



Technology 9


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Energy SavingsGreen Roof at WVU, Monongalia River

Real Estate Value:A Philadelphia Story

Vacant land improvements

increased surrounding

housing values by as much

as 30%

New tree plantings

increased surrounding

housing values by

approximately 10%

Before

After(University of PA data)

(Philadelphia Watersheds Office photos))


Technology 10


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Increases Commercial District

Revenue

More frequent/longer shopping

Shoppers spend more

for parking

Shoppers spend 12% more

for goods

http://www.ccurbangreen.org/Benefits.html

Green Jobs

Entry level landscaping

Certified permeable

pavement installers

High skilled engineering,landscape architecture,

monitoring

Chicago GreenCorps at Our Lady Gate of Heaven project site


Technology 11


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Higher tax base


Jobs


Cooler cities

Recreation


Crime reduction



Public HealthBenefits

Views of nature reduce the stress response (Parsons et.al., 1998).

Trees (along with other plants) absorb high-frequencynoise which is the most distressing frequency range forhumans (Miller, 1997).

Hospital patients that see trees need less medicationand have faster recovery times following surgery (Ulrich,1985).

http://www.ccurbangreen.org/Benefits.html


Technology 12


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Urban Cooling

Trees:

10% canopy increase

5-10% energy savings

from shading, wind blocking

Green Roof:

15% green roof coverage

5-9 degree heat island reduction

Permeable pavements:

reduce heat island

Crime Reduction

Compared with areas that had little or no vegetation,

buildings with high levels of greenery had 52% fewer

crimes

Landscape and Human Health Laboratory

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign


Technology 13


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Community Connection

Recreation


Technology 14


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Higher tax base


Jobs


Cooler cities

Recreation


Crime reduction



Habitat


Technology 15


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Air Quality

10 ft2 roof removes pound

particulate per year

Chicago2 million square feet built, 4 million planned

~ annual particulate capture from

74,322 cars

Surface Water Protection Aquatic Life

Fish Consumption

Swimming

Drinking Water


Technology 16


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Monitored Demonstrations

Typical Pollutant Removal

International BMP Database Bay Runoff Reduction Report

(October 2007) (April 2008)

BMP Type TSS TP TN TP TN

(influent/effluent (mg/l)) (% Removal)

Detention Pond 72/31 .19/.19 1.3/2.7 15 10

Wet Pond 34/13 .21/.12 1.6/1.4 50-75 30-40

Constructed Wetlands 38/18 .27/.14 2.1/1.2 50-75 25-55

Biofilter (biofiltration) 52/24 .25/.34 .9/.8 25-50 40-60

Media Filter 43/16 .2/.14 1.3/.76 60-65 30-45

Porous Pavement NA/17 NA/.09 NA 25 25


Technology 17


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Bioretentionl

TSS TPH D NO3 Zn

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Raingarden Performance

Infiltration reduces peakdischarge rate

Vegetative uptake of

stormwater pollutants

Pretreatment for

suspended solids

plus

Groundwater recharge

Aesthetic Improvement

0.06mg/

0.38m g/l

774ug/l37 mg/l

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

-

RemovalEfficiency

Summer

W inter

Annual

Performance Efficiencies Filtration/Infiltration

University ofNew HampshireStormwater Center

Sediment Hydrocarbons Nitrogen Zinc

Raingardens (Bioretention)


Technology 18


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Porous Asphalt

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Porous Pavement Performance

16 year old porouspavement in Philadelphia

reported zero discharge

during Hurricane Floyd in

1999 (10 rain/24 hours)

Functions in cold weather

75% reduction in salt use

(Toronto & NH) from

reduced surface freezing

37 mg/l

774ug/l0.06mg/l

0%10%20%30%40%50%

60%70%80%90%

100%

RemovalEfficiency

SummerWinterAnnual




Porous Asphalt


Technology 19


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Stormwater Wetlands

Shallow marsh

Extended detention

wetland

Gravel based

wetland

Gravel Wetland

0.06mg/

0.38mg/l

774ug/l37 mg/l

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

RemovalEfficiency

Summer

Winter

Annual





Technology 20


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Conservation

Open

Drainage

Rain

Gardens

Amended

Soils

Rain

Barrel

Porous

Pavement

Create a Hydrologically Functional Lot

GI at Site Level(Whiteman, EPA)

Cincinnati,

OhioEPALaboratory

0.68Runoff for 95th Percentile Rainfall Event (in)

0.8 to 1.3Bioretention estimated runoff capture (inches)

1.4595th Percentile Rainfall Event (in)

51%Estimated Imperviousness (%)

19Total Area (acres)


Technology 21


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GI at Watershed LevelSmart Growth (Richards, EPA)

10,000 houses on

10,000 acres

Site: 20% impervious

Watershed: 20%impervious

10,000 houses on

2,500 acres


Watershed: 9.5%impervious

10,000 houses on

1,250 acres


Watershed: 8.1%impervious

The lower density scenario creates more run-off and consumes 2/3

more land than the higher density scenario.

(1 unit/acre) (4 units/acre) (8 units/acre)

Preserve Critical Land Areas

Preserve large, continuous areas of open space;

Preserve sensitive ecological areas


Technology 22


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Washington DC Greening Analysis

Casey Trees Study

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M

M

M

M

M

Lower Density ZoningLowerDensityZoning

Arlington, VA-- Smart growth preserves green space

Low-End High-EndResult Scenario Scenario

Runoff Reduction 10% 26%


Technology 23


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Ecological Impacts

Total Impervious Area and Trees vs IBI

M.Alberti , et al, (October 2007), The impact of urban patterns on aquatic ecosystems:

An empirical analysis in Puget lowland sub-basins , Landscape and Urban Planning,

Before: Stream RestorationSpring Creek, Spencer, WV


Technology 24


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After: Stream RestorationSpring Creek, Spencer, WV

Rain Garden, Martinsburg, WV

AcknowledgementsSteve Wise, Center for Neighborhood Development

Jenny Molloy and Lynn Richards, EPA

Benefits of Green Infrastructure

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