Lifecycle Sustainability Tool

Summary

This research proposes a Sustainability Lifecycle Tool for integrating infrastructure sustainability assessment with the lifecycle assessment for transportation projects. The tool development is based on research review of Lifecycle Assessment (LCA) of infrastructure in terms of the triple bottom line (TBL); three widely used Sustainability Assessment systems for the lifecycle of a project (Envision. CEEQUAL and ISCA); and the analysis of a transportation infrastructure project.

The research findings were summarized and formulated into a sustainability assessment based LCA tool to enhance the lifecycle sustainability of transportation infrastructure projects. Project sustainability is defined as a balance of social, economic, and environmental trade-offs, considering the project’s lifecycle performance.

For the Sustainability Lifecycle Tool, a sustainability assessment-based system was chosen as methodology since:
● A sustainability assessment framework, by definition, considers the environmental,
● social, and economic aspects of a project.
● In contrast, LCA, as explained in the analysis, accounts only for either environmental
● or economic impacts.
● A sustainability assessment considers the entire Lifecycle of a project.
● LCA follows a highly technical and labor- and data-intensive process. Capacity building is necessary for agencies to perform LCAs in-house, which has been a constraint for LCA’s use.

Among the three analyzed sustainability assessment systems, the Envision® framework was selected to address lifecycle sustainability and the needs of transportation. The tool prioritizes strategies on the triple bottom line impacts and potential trade-offs. The Sustainability Lifecycle Tool, can be used for the self-assessment of transportation projects (roadways, bridges, and transit) within the Envision® framework. It incorporates input from: (1) The literature review on infrastructure LCA and transportation infrastructure LCA; (2) Analysis of the three Sustainability Assessment frameworks; (3) Input from Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation West Region Bridge Office for the replacement of a typical bridge. The Sustainability Lifecycle Tool highlights Envision-based indicators specific to the lifecycle stages and the Triple Bottom Line, and works together with the Envision Guidance manual. The criteria contains greater detail than the Envision Pre-assessment Checklist YES/NObased criteria, but contains less detail than the Envision Online Scoresheet, which constitutes a full Envision assessment.

The Sustainability Lifecycle Tool is presented with its manual, and the replacement of the bridge by the MTO West Region Bridge Office is used as a case study of how to use the tool. This application should be considered as a first step to eventually lead to a general tool for all types of infrastructure projects, consistent with Envision and its philosophy.