Short answer

Designers and engineers should actively incorporate life cycle thinking and sustainable solutions into transportation infrastructure projects, focusing on reducing the use-phase impacts and leveraging green technologies.

Field: Sustainability
Source: Environmental Impact Assessment Review (2025)
Method: Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
Evidence: Strong effect

A comprehensive life cycle assessment of Indian highways indicates that implementing sustainable measures, particularly in the use phase and through green infrastructure, can significantly reduce environmental impacts. This sustainability research insight is drawn from a 2025 study published in Environmental Impact Assessment Review. Using Life cycle assessment (lca), researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Designers and engineers should actively incorporate life cycle thinking and sustainable solutions into transportation infrastructure projects, focusing on reducing the use-phase impacts and leveraging green technologies.

Study

SustainabilityNew This WeekStrong effect

Life Cycle Assessment Reveals 19-152% Impact Reduction Potential for Indian Highways Through Sustainable Interventions

Environmental Impact Assessment Review · 2025

Key Findings

01National Highways (NH) exhibit higher environmental impacts than State Highways (SH).
02Flexible pavements show 20–61% higher impacts than rigid pavements, while rigid pavements show a 5–9% increase in specific scenarios.
03The use phase (50–67%) is the dominant contributor to environmental impacts, primarily due to street lighting and fuel consumption.
04Materials extraction and construction phases contribute 27–46%, and the end-of-life phase contributes 2–3%.
05Suggested sustainable measures demonstrated impact reduction potential ranging from 19% to 152% for flexible pavements and 24% to 44% for rigid pavements across various impact categories.

Application

Design takeaway

How to apply

When designing or specifying materials for road projects, conduct a life cycle assessment to identify the most impactful stages and select interventions that offer the greatest environmental benefits, such as energy-efficient lighting, recycled materials, and integration of green spaces.

Project actions

01When researching materials for a design project, consider their entire life cycle impact, not just their initial cost or performance.
02Explore how different design choices can influence the 'use phase' of a product or system, as this often has the largest environmental impact.

Method & Evidence

AimTo assess the environmental impacts of state and national highways in India across their life cycle and evaluate the potential for impact reduction through sustainable interventions.

MethodLife Cycle Assessment (LCA)

ProcedureThe study utilized LCA for Experts software to perform a life cycle impact analysis for 1 km of road pavement (7.0 m wide), adhering to ISO 14040, ISO 14044, and ISO 21931-2 standards. Both flexible and rigid pavement types were analyzed, considering materials extraction, construction, use phase (including street lighting and fuel consumption), and end-of-life phases. Improvement scenarios incorporating sustainable measures were then evaluated.

ContextTransportation infrastructure, specifically state and national highways in India.

Variables

IV["Type of highway (State Highway vs. National Highway)","Pavement type (Flexible vs. Rigid)","Inclusion of sustainable measures (e.g., tree plantations, green hydrogen vehicles, solar-powered electric vehicles)"]

DV["Environmental impact categories (e.g., CO2 emissions, resource depletion, pollution)"]

CV["Functional unit (1 km of road pavement, 7.0 m wide)","Life cycle stages considered (materials extraction, construction, use, end-of-life)","LCA methodology and software"]

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

+Comprehensive life cycle approach, covering all stages from extraction to end-of-life.
+Quantification of impact reduction potential for specific sustainable measures.
+Contextualized for Indian highways, providing relevant data for that region.

Limitations

The specific percentages of impact reduction may be highly dependent on the exact technologies and materials used in the Indian context. Replicating these exact figures elsewhere would require a similar detailed analysis for that specific region and set of technologies.

Reliability & validity

The study's reliability is supported by adherence to established ISO standards for LCA. Validity is enhanced by the comprehensive scope of the life cycle assessment and the inclusion of specific, quantifiable sustainable interventions. However, the specific numerical results are context-dependent on Indian highway conditions.

Think critically

How might the 'use phase' impacts of a product differ significantly based on cultural usage patterns or technological adoption rates in different regions?

Design Principles

"Minimize the environmental footprint of infrastructure by optimizing material selection, construction processes, and operational energy consumption throughout the entire life cycle."

This research provides crucial data for infrastructure development, highlighting specific interventions that can mitigate the environmental footprint of road construction and maintenance. Designers and engineers can leverage these findings to advocate for and implement more sustainable practices in transportation projects.

What This Means for Your Design

This study shows that building roads can harm the environment a lot, especially when the roads are being used. But, if we use greener methods like planting trees, using solar power for lights, and encouraging electric cars, we can make the environmental damage much, much smaller.

How to use in your project

1.Reference this study when discussing the environmental impact of materials or systems in your design project, particularly if your project involves transportation or infrastructure.

Add to My Project

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

This research highlights the significant environmental impacts associated with infrastructure development, particularly during the use phase. By employing life cycle assessment, it was found that implementing sustainable interventions such as green highways and advanced vehicle technologies can lead to substantial reductions in environmental burdens, offering a clear pathway for more eco-conscious design and policy in transportation.

Source

Environmental Impact Assessment Review

Life cycle environmental assessment of state and national highways in India: Evaluating impact reduction potential of sustainable measures

journal · 2025

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about life cycle assessment reveals 19-152% impact reduction potential for indian highways through sustainable interventions?: Designers and engineers should actively incorporate life cycle thinking and sustainable solutions into transportation infrastructure projects, focusing on reducing the use-phase impacts and leveraging green technologies. Evidence: Environmental Impact Assessment Review (2025).
Why does "Life Cycle Assessment Reveals 19-152% Impact Reduction Potential for Indian Highways Through Sustainable Interventions" matter for design?: This research provides crucial data for infrastructure development, highlighting specific interventions that can mitigate the environmental footprint of road construction and maintenance. Designers and engineers can leverage these findings to advocate for and implement more sustainable practices in transportation projects.
How can designers apply this research?: Designers and engineers should actively incorporate life cycle thinking and sustainable solutions into transportation infrastructure projects, focusing on reducing the use-phase impacts and leveraging green technologies.
What were the main findings?: National Highways (NH) exhibit higher environmental impacts than State Highways (SH).. Flexible pavements show 20–61% higher impacts than rigid pavements, while rigid pavements show a 5–9% increase in specific scenarios.. The use phase (50–67%) is the dominant contributor to environmental impacts, primarily due to street lighting and fuel consumption.. Materials extraction and construction phases contribute 27–46%, and the end-of-life phase contributes 2–3%.
What research method was used?: Life Cycle Assessment (LCA).
How strong is the evidence?: Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2025 journal from Environmental Impact Assessment Review.
What should I do differently in my next project?: When designing or specifying materials for road projects, conduct a life cycle assessment to identify the most impactful stages and select interventions that offer the greatest environmental benefits, such as energy-efficient lighting, recycled materials, and integration of green spaces.
What are the limitations?: The study's findings are specific to the Indian context and may vary based on regional factors, material availability, and specific implementation details of sustainable measures.