Predictive Methodology for the Quantification of Environmental Aspects in Urban Infrastructures

Abstract

The interest in sustainability in the construction industry arose in the 1990s, and current studies have created models to predict environmental aspects. Previous quantitative research to investigate environmental aspects was based on the perception of specialists. The present article proposes a methodology applicable to urban infrastructure activities in order to quantify environmental aspects by applying duration and severity criteria, using calculations founded in the scientific literature. The quantitative methodology to assess environmental aspects calculated ten aspects for six construction activities based on duration and severity criteria, eliminating the judgement of the latter criterion of earlier methodologies. The results revealed five significant environmental aspects: greenhouse gas emissions, energy use, noise pollution, water pollution, and soil pollution, due to the type of construction, which required a large amount of equipment that impacted the atmosphere, soil, and water. Possibly for the first time, urban projects can be objectively assessed based on a methodology that quantifies environmental aspects in the pre-construction phase.