Modeling the Effects of Low Impact Development on Runoff and Pollutant Loads from an Apartment Complex

Abstract

The effects of low impact development (LID) techniques, such as green roofs and porous pavements, on the runoff and pollutant load from an apartment complex were simulated using the Site Evaluation Tool (SET). The study site was the Olympic Village, a preexisting apartment complex in Seoul, South Korea, which has a high percentage of impervious surfaces (approximately 72% of the total area). Using the SET, the effects of replacing parking lots, sidewalks and driveways (37.5% of the total area) having porous pavements and rooftops (14.5% of the total area) with green roofs were simulated. The simulation results indicated that LID techniques reduced the surface runoff, and peak flow and pollutant load, and increased the evapotranspiration and soil infiltration of precipitation. Per unit area, the green roofs were better than the porous pavements at reducing the surface runoff and pollutant loads, while the porous pavements were better than green roofs at enhancing the infiltration to soil. This study showed that LID methods can be useful for urban stormwater management and that the SET is a useful tool for evaluating the effects of LID on urban hydrology and pollutant loads from various land covers.