Short answer
When designing water resource recovery facilities, especially smaller ones, conduct a full life cycle assessment that gives significant weight to the construction phase's environmental impact, not just the operational phase.
- Field
- Resource Management
- Source
- Lincoln (University of Nebraska) (2019)
- Method
- Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
- Sample
- 12 facilities
- Evidence
- Strong effect
The environmental burden of constructing small water resource recovery facilities can be substantial, often exceeding 5% of the total life cycle impact across multiple categories, and must be considered alongside operational impacts. This resource management research insight is drawn from a 2019 study published in Lincoln (University of Nebraska). Using Life cycle assessment (lca) with 12 facilities, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: When designing water resource recovery facilities, especially smaller ones, conduct a full life cycle assessment that gives significant weight to the construction phase's environmental impact, not just the operational phase.
Construction phase impacts significantly influence the environmental footprint of small water resource recovery facilities.
The environmental burden of constructing small water resource recovery facilities can be substantial, often exceeding 5% of the total life cycle impact across multiple categories, and must be considered alongside operational impacts.
Lincoln (University of Nebraska) · 2019
Key Findings
- 01Both construction and operational phases contribute significantly to the overall environmental burden of small WRRFs, often exceeding 5% in many impact categories.
- 02Variability in environmental profiles is influenced by operational energy, construction materials, and facility overdesign.
- 03Overdesigned facilities tend to have higher environmental impacts due to increased operational energy use and/or excessive infrastructure.
Application
Design takeaway
When designing water resource recovery facilities, especially smaller ones, conduct a full life cycle assessment that gives significant weight to the construction phase's environmental impact, not just the operational phase.
How to apply
For any new infrastructure design project, especially those with a significant physical footprint, perform a comparative LCA of different material choices and construction methods to identify the most environmentally sustainable option.
Project actions
- 01When researching materials for your design, look for studies that analyze their environmental impact across their entire life cycle.
- 02Consider the embodied energy and emissions associated with the manufacturing and transportation of your chosen materials.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Comprehensive LCA methodology applied.
- +Inclusion of both construction and operational phases.
Limitations
It can be difficult to accurately quantify all construction impacts without detailed site-specific data and access to proprietary manufacturing processes.
Reliability & validity
The use of a standardized LCA methodology (TRACI) and a database like Ecoinvent enhances reliability. Validity is supported by the detailed data collection from multiple sources, though site-specific variations could introduce some limitations.
Think critically
If the construction phase has such a significant impact, how can designers effectively balance the need for robust infrastructure with the imperative to reduce embodied environmental costs, especially when budget constraints are a factor?
Design Principles
"Holistic Life Cycle Assessment: Evaluate the environmental impact of a design project across its entire life cycle, from raw material extraction and manufacturing through construction, operation, and end-of-life."
Designers and engineers involved in infrastructure projects, particularly those for smaller communities, need to recognize that the initial construction phase is not a minor contributor to environmental impact. A holistic assessment, encompassing both build and operation, is crucial for developing truly sustainable solutions.
What This Means for Your Design
When you build something like a water treatment plant, the impact of actually building it (using materials, energy for construction) is a big deal for the environment, not just how much energy it uses when it's running. So, think about the building part too!
How to use in your project
- 1.Reference this study when discussing the importance of considering the construction phase in your design's environmental impact assessment.
- 2.Use the findings to justify your material choices if you prioritize lower construction-phase impacts.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
The environmental sustainability of infrastructure projects, particularly smaller facilities like water resource recovery plants, is significantly influenced by the construction phase, not solely by operational efficiency. Research indicates that construction impacts can represent a substantial portion of the total life cycle environmental burden, underscoring the need for designers to meticulously evaluate material choices and construction methodologies to minimize upfront environmental costs.
Source
Lincoln (University of Nebraska)
Environmental Sustainability Assessment of Small Nebraska Mechanical Water Resource Recovery Facilities: Impacts of Construction and Operations
journal · 2019
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about construction phase impacts significantly influence the environmental footprint of small water resource recovery facilities?
- When designing water resource recovery facilities, especially smaller ones, conduct a full life cycle assessment that gives significant weight to the construction phase's environmental impact, not just the operational phase. Evidence: Lincoln (University of Nebraska) (2019).
- Why does "Construction phase impacts significantly influence the environmental footprint of small water resource recovery facilities." matter for design?
- Designers and engineers involved in infrastructure projects, particularly those for smaller communities, need to recognize that the initial construction phase is not a minor contributor to environmental impact. A holistic assessment, encompassing both build and operation, is crucial for developing truly sustainable solutions.
- How can designers apply this research?
- When designing water resource recovery facilities, especially smaller ones, conduct a full life cycle assessment that gives significant weight to the construction phase's environmental impact, not just the operational phase.
- What were the main findings?
- Both construction and operational phases contribute significantly to the overall environmental burden of small WRRFs, often exceeding 5% in many impact categories.. Variability in environmental profiles is influenced by operational energy, construction materials, and facility overdesign.. Overdesigned facilities tend to have higher environmental impacts due to increased operational energy use and/or excessive infrastructure.
- What research method was used?
- Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) with 12 facilities.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2019 journal from Lincoln (University of Nebraska).
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- For any new infrastructure design project, especially those with a significant physical footprint, perform a comparative LCA of different material choices and construction methods to identify the most environmentally sustainable option.
- What are the limitations?
- The study focused on mechanical WRRFs in Nebraska, which may limit the generalizability of findings to facilities with different technologies or in different geographical regions.