Carbon Footprint Estimation in Road Construction: La Abundancia–Florencia Case Study

Marianela Espinoza,Noelia Campos,Alejandra Baldi,Hasan Ozer,Luis G Loría-Salazar,Rebekah Yang,Imad L Al-Qadi,José P Aguiar-Moya

doi:10.3390/su11082276

Marianela Espinoza, Noelia Campos + Show 6 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/su11082276

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Abstract

The environmental impact of road construction and rehabilitation can be associated with the increase of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, which are highly related to climate change. Consequently, departments of transportation have recently focused on the development and implementation of tools to evaluate the performance of projects and minimize GHG emissions. An example is the use of life cycle assessment (LCA) to analyze and quantify the environmental impact of a product, system, or process, from cradle to grave. In this regard, the present case study quantifies the carbon footprint associated with the construction of the La Abundancia–Florencia highway, located in the province of San Carlos in Costa Rica. The analysis is also intended to generate consciousness both in the public and private sectors on the environmental impacts of road construction. After an LCA study, it was determined that the construction of the hot mix asphalt (HMA) layer generates a carbon footprint of 65.8 kg of CO2e per km of road. In addition, it was evident that HMA production generates the greatest environmental impact, among all the considered LCA production and construction stages, with a GHG contribution of 38% to 39% from bitumen only. Consequently, special attention to HMA production is required in order to minimize GHG emissions.

Highlights

Costa Rica has historically concerned itself with the environmental impact that is generated in the development of different activities, from the extraction of raw materials to the final disposal of finished products, and their contribution to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
The country has approved 117 energy laws since the 1950s. Most of this legislation focuses on hydrocarbons and hydroelectricity [3], leaving aside the road infrastructure sector, which is affected by fuel consumption and the corresponding GHG emissions
In this study we assumed that all products exported to Costa Rica came from PADD3 (Gulf Coast), because over the last five years, out of the five Petroleum Administration for Defense Districts (PADD), PADD3 has consistently exported the greatest volume of crude oil and petroleum products internationally [35]

Summary

Introduction

Costa Rica has historically concerned itself with the environmental impact that is generated in the development of different activities, from the extraction of raw materials to the final disposal of finished products, and their contribution to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. To exemplify such considerations, the country is part of several international agreements, such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), signed on 13 June 1992 and in effect since July 1994 under Law No 7414 [1]. Costa Rica uses renewably energy to supply electricity, so it is justified that, a large percentage (23%) of energy is required to operate the plant components, the GHGs of the plant components are very small (1%)

Overlay with asphalt

Results and Discussion

Conclusions