How do we comprehensively measure all of the benefits of green infrastructure? How can we not only put these green options on par with traditional gray infrastructure in terms of reliability and safety; but also show other significant benefits such as increased quality of life, improved public health, reduced energy requirements, resiliency to climate change, and enhanced natural environment? This Sidebar Conversation will discuss how a systems approach can be used in order to show the interconnections and interrelationships of our water resources, as well as measure the benefits of green infrastructure. This approach can facilitate new partnerships between utilities, park departments, schools, transportation agencies, redevelopment agencies and private interests. It can also leverage scarce resources (time and money) to implement projects with greater public support.

1. Parkway Infiltration Swale
11th St & Hope St – Los Angeles
Measuring the Benefits of Green Infrastructure
Using a Systems Approach
Adel Hagekhalil, P.E., BCEE
Wing Tam, P.E.
Dan Rodrigo
October 16, 2012

3. As urban communities consider green infrastructure as
an option to meeting regulatory requirements and
environmental goals, it is important to fully measure all
of the potential benefits using triple-bottom-line.
Urban communities are systems of many systems
(water, energy, transportation, environment), which are
all interconnected.
Using a systems approach, all of the
benefits of green infrastructure
can be measured more accurately,
which will help foster greater
partnerships and increase
funding opportunities!

4. Institutional Measures
Public Outreach
Public Education
Municipal Ordinances
Green Building Ordinance
Low Impact Development
(LID) Ordinance
Local (on-site) Projects
Rain Barrels
Bioswales
Regional Projects
Wetland Parks
Green Streets
Regional GW Recharge

6. Examples Benefits
Bioswales Improved water quality
Local water supply
Cisterns/Rain Local flood control
Barrels Energy reduction
GHG reduction
Green Roofs Increased open space
Increased recreation
Constructed Increased/improved
Wetlands habitats
Deferment of grey
Green Streets infrastructure
Green jobs
Regional GW Public education
recharge

7. Examples Benefits
Bioswales Improved water quality
Local water supply
Cisterns/Rain Local flood control
Barrels Energy reduction
GHG reduction
Green Roofs Increased open space
Increased recreation
Constructed Increased/improved
Wetlands habitats
Deferment of grey
Green Streets infrastructure
Green jobs
Regional GW Public education
recharge

8. Examples Benefits
Bioswales Improved water quality
Local water supply
Cisterns/Rain Local flood control
Barrels Energy reduction
GHG reduction
Green Roofs Increased open space
Increased recreation
Constructed Increased/improved
Wetlands habitats
Deferment of grey
Green Streets infrastructure
Green jobs
Regional GW Public education
recharge

9. Examples Benefits
Bioswales Improved water quality
Local water supply
Cisterns/Rain Local flood control
Barrels Energy reduction
GHG reduction
Green Roofs Increased open space
Increased recreation
Constructed Increased/improved
Wetlands habitats
Deferment of grey
Green Streets infrastructure
Green jobs
Regional GW Public education
recharge

11. Systems thinking is the process of understanding how things
influence one another within a whole.
Systems thinking illustrates that
events are separated spatially and
temporally; and can demonstrate
that an improvement in one area
of a system can impact another area.
Systems thinking promotes
communication and understanding
at all levels so that silo approaches
to solving problems are avoided.
Systems thinking may be used to
study any kind of system — natural, engineered, human,
conceptual, or combinations of systems.

12. Simple System for Water
Pumping Storage
Rainwater
Pumping Treatment Storage
Rooftop Runoff Greywater Discharge
Demands
Recycled Water • Indoor Potable
Rain Capture • Indoor Non-potable
Municipal WWTP
• Cooling
Municipal Supply • Irrigation
Storage Treatment
Rainwater
infiltration Losses Consumption
Groundwater Pumping
Municipal WTP

13. Why Do We Need an Urban Systems Model?
Complexity of Urban Sustainability
Reduce Energy
Footprint
Reduce Water
Footprint
Zero Waste
Overall:
Achieve Urban
Sustainability
Carbon Neutral
City

14. CDM Smith’s Urban Systems Model
System Map
Urban
Simulation Model
Sectors Water
Resource Utilization
Financial Analysis
Greenhouse Gases
Solid
Energy
Waste
Urban Form
Activities
Infrastructure/Facilities
Transportation Ecosystems
Buildings
Green Technology

15. Model Components and Relationships

16. Model Components and Relationships
Model Simulates:
• Rainfall rates, infiltration and hydrology
• Water and wastewater demands, flows through treatment and
distribution and system storage
• Stormwater system flows
• Transportation demands
• Solid waste production
• Energy demand and energy sources
• Receiving water quality
• Impacts to ecosystem habitats

17. Model Components and Relationships
Model Tracks Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
• Total lifecycle costs of alternatives such as gray and green
infrastructure
• TMDLs and other water quality metrics
• Water shortages/surpluses
• Greenhouse gas emissions
• Resiliency to extreme climate events
• Groundwater storage
• Solid waste production and reuse
• Renewable energy production
• Heat island effects

18. Buildings Sector: ‘Building Types’ and ‘Building Groupings’
Urban Form
Total Area
Location Library of
Elevation Building Types
Building Types:
Building types are pre-defined as
appropriate to local project. Each
will include parameters relevant to
resource calculations and energy
modeling.
Building Groupings: Composition
Building groupings will be specified
Percent makeup, each
spatially and then described by their
percent composition of local, building type
‘generic’ building types.
Occupancy
Area per person Roof Construction
Building usage Material
Gender ratio Color/Reflectivity
Daily patterns Insulation
Resources (unit) Envelope Construction
Energy demand Material
Water demand Glazing
Waste generated Insulation
Location Information Building Geometry
Elevation Shape
N-S, E-W location Footprint, roof area(s)
Orientation Number stories
Energy zone Height

19. Infrastructure
Water Sector
Municipal
Water Treatment
Plant All Sectors Included
• Stormwater
• Energy
• Solid Waste
• Transportation
Legend
Municipal Centralized • Ecosystem
Water Recycling
Plant Decentralized

20. Features of the Urban Systems Model
Water Sector
Rain
Rooftop Rain Capture
Water Sector Technologies & Storage
• Rain Harvesting
Indoor Building
• Green Roofs System Supplies
- Potable Reuse (graywater)
• Rain Gardens - New Water
• Bioswales and Bio-Retention Irrigation Reuse
• Graywater
• Recycled Water
• Conservation
Onsite Water
• Desalination Onsite Reuse
Stormwater Used Water
• Groundwater
Management
GHG

21. Contents of Urban Systems Model
Greenhouse Gas Layer Greenhouse Gas Layer
Wastewater
Emissions Energy Use Vehicles
GHG Layer Energy Power Plant
• Detailed GHG Accounting Use Emissions
•
- Network Description
Custom User-Input and Setup
- Demand Factors
- Demand Factors
- Trips/destinations
- Solar Series
- Wind Series
- Rain Series
- Vehicle types
- Grid Type
- ET Series
Inputs
Inputs
Grid Requirement
Renewable Energy
Reduced Demand
Peak Power
- Modes
Reliability
Total Energy Use
Onsite Capture
Emissions
Reduction
GHG
Reliability
Demand
Inputs
Vehicle Miles, Hours Traveled
Shaved
and Reuse
Proximity Metrics
Quality of Life
• Flexible Pivot-Chart Output Air Emissions
Eco Intrusion Index
Air Emissions
GHG
• Linked to GIS Mapping Water
Water
Energy Demand
(process)
Energy Site Wind Waste-to Energy
Building Solar PV
Transportation Origin/Destination
Population
Trips
Sector Site/City Solar PV Building Hydro Power
Energy
Pumping Storage
Demand Fuel Cells Transportation
Demand
Biogas Energy Biogas (WW) Grid Power
Rainwater
Pumping Treatment Storage
Electricity Fuel
Demand Fuel Demand Transport Modes
Co-Generation
Greywater Discharge
Demands
Bicycle
Recycled Water • Indoor Potable
Rain Capture • Indoor Nonpotable Municipal WWTP Water Demand Other Solar Evaporative
Cooling
• Cooling (cooling) Lighting Sector Auto
Municipal Supply Demands
Rooftop Runoff
Storage Treatment • Irrigation Ground Source
Heat Pump
Water Air
Solar Heating Plug Water Cooling Rainwater Bus
Heat Exchange Loads Pumps Cooling Exchange
Sewer Electric Power Demands Surface Water Light Rail
Losses Consumption Heat Exchange Cooling Exchange Electric Vehicle
Demand
Municipal WTP Pumping
Other Sectors/Layers Impervious Surface, Runoff
Energy Generated
Demand
Energy
(Waste to Energy)
• All Sectors Report Emissions
Flood Mitigation
Water Available
Pollution
Energy Demand
Water Attenuation
Water Demand, Wastewater Generation
Water Demand, Wastewater Generated
Transportation Demand
Roof Area for Rain Capture Energy Produced
• Include Cost of Carbon Ecosystems Buildings
Angle of
Sunlight
Water
Sector
Energy Sector
Solid Waste Water
Sector
Energy
Sector
Urban Heat Island
Area Summary Index
Built Areas
Waste Generated
Natural Area Solid Waste Landfill
Generation
Eco Index Shading Tree
Surface Water Area Shading
Area Waste
Generation
Open Area
Quality of Life
Height
Infrastructure
Process Process Process
Ambient Building
Temperature Orientation Compost Recycle Waste-to-Energy
- Per capita demands
bio characteristics
Material Fate
- Routing options
Urban Heat Island
- Watershed and
- Building design
- Building usage
Temperature
- Urban design
- Topography
Air Emissions
- Population
- Site layout
Quality of
- Climate
Inputs
Inputs
Life
Inputs
C02 Energy Energy
Sequestered Use Use
Atmosphere Refrigerants Process
Emissions (landfill, incineration)

22. Applying the Urban Systems Model
Public Agency / Urban Planners, Facility
Utility Managers Designers, and Architects
Iterative Input and Feedback in Design and Planning
Process
Community Interests Staff from Public
and Individuals Agencies / Developers
Envision and draw urban plans to Dynamic, integrated simulation in Urban Output, Analytics,
‘feed’ into model Systems Model and Decisions
Urban Plan
“Maps”
Alternative A
Output Metric
Alternative C
Target
Alternative B
Decision Variable
GIS Model Input Systems Dynamics Output
Application Application Simulator Tools

23. Output from EPA Total Water Management
Study (Using Los Angeles as Case Study)
Baseline Integrated Integrated
Performance Measure
(Status Quo) Alt 1 Alt 2
Water Demand in 2030 (acre-feet/year) 680 585 635
Maximum Supply Deficit During a
70 0 11
Drought (mgd)
Average Use of Imported Water (mgd) 121 29 56
Additional Groundwater Storage in 2030
0 147 174
(million gallons)
Zinc Loading at Downstream End of Los
26,569 23,788 22,089
Angeles River (kg/year)
Cumulative CO2 Emissions
26.1 22.6 24.2
(million metric tons)
Average Monthly Wastewater Flows into
375 270 335
Hyperion Plant (mgd)
Present Value Cost ($ billions) $6.7 $5.7 $6.4

25. Construction Before After
Community Partnership
25 25

26.  Leveraging Funding Resources
Multiple Sources of Funding:
• U.S. Bureau of Reclamation $0.33 M
• State Water Resources $0.86 M
• City LA Sanitation $0.08 M
• City LA Stormwater $0.30 M
• Local Water Agencies $0.81 M
(LA Water & Power, Metropolitan Water
District of Southern California, Water
Replenishment District of Southern
California, City of Santa Monica)
• LA Street Services Doing Construction
Many Project Supporters:
• Council for Water Health (NGO)
• Tree People (NGO)
• Urban Semillas (NGO)
• Local Neighborhood Council
• Area Residents & Businesses

27. Community Opening During Construction
After
27 27

28.  Leveraging Funding Resources
Multiple Sources of Funding:
• State Water Resources $1.00 M
• City LA Sanitation (SEP) $2.55 M
• City LA Stormwater $0.10 M
• LA Water & Power $0.24 M
Many Project Supporters:
• USEPA
• Los Angeles Regional Water Quality
Control Board
• North East Trees (NGO)
• Local Neighborhood Schools
• Local Neighborhood Council
• Area Residents & Businesses

29. Before After
Community Opening
29

30.  Leveraging Funding Resources
Means Multiple Sources of Funding:
• U.S. EPA Brownfield $ 0.20 M
• State Water Resources $ 6.60 M
• Metropolitan
Transportation Agency $ 0.97 M
• City LA Sanitation (SEP) $ 3.74 M
• City LA Clean Water Bond $13.36 M
• City LA Park Bond $ 1.50 M
And Many Project Supporters:
• USEPA
• Los Angeles Regional Water Quality
Control Board
• Local Neighborhood Schools
• Local Neighborhood Council
• Area Residents & Businesses

31. Green infrastructure has
multiple benefits
It is part of an integrated
water resources solution
and urban sustainability
A systems approach can
help measure the benefits
more accurately
This leads to increased
partnerships and
expanded funding

32. For more information, contact:
Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation:
Adel Hagekhalil, Assistant Director
213-485-2210
Adel.Hagekhalil@lacity.org
Wing Tam, Assistant Division Manager
Watershed Protection
213-485-3985
Wing.Tam@lacity.org
CDM Smith:
Dan Rodrigo, Vice President
Water Resources Practice Leader
213-798-6142
rodrigod@cdmsmith.com