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Sustainability Assessment in Infrastructure Projects

Author

Listed:
  • María Isabel Más-López

    (Departamento de Matemática e Informática Aplicadas a las Ingenierías Civil y Naval ETSICCP, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Alfonso XII, 3, 28014 Madrid, Spain)

  • Eva M. García-del-Toro

    (Departamento de Ingeniería Civil: Hidráulica Energía y Medio Ambiente ETSICCP, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Alfonso XII, 3, 28014 Madrid, Spain)

  • Daniel Alcala-Gonzalez

    (Departamento de Ingeniería Civil: Hidráulica Energía y Medio Ambiente ETSICCP, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Alfonso XII, 3, 28014 Madrid, Spain)

  • Sara García-Salgado

    (Departamento de Ingeniería Civil: Hidráulica Energía y Medio Ambiente ETSICCP, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Alfonso XII, 3, 28014 Madrid, Spain)

Abstract

We present an easy-to-apply method for assessing the sustainability of infrastructure projects. The proposed methodology consists of determining the evaluation criteria to be applied to the projected infrastructure, considering the three fundamental pillars of sustainability (economic, environmental, and social), quantified according to impact values, in a range from zero to five. Once these were determined and assessed according to the range of impact, we established the sustainability limits or admissible impact limits for each type of infrastructure. The interaction between the sustainability limits assessed for each of the sustainability pillars and the evaluation criteria gives rise to the total influence factor (TIF), which is a value that represents the level of sustainability of the project analysed, according to which it can be classified into one of the five categories included, ranging from minor impact to unfeasible. It also allows for the local identification of criteria to which corrective actions can be applied, with corresponding scores calculated based on a rubric system. The result of the assessment of these corrective measures is the average of the scores of these three aspects. The corrective measures applied to the affected criteria will reduce the TIF and, therefore, increase the sustainability of the evaluated infrastructure.

Suggested Citation

  • María Isabel Más-López & Eva M. García-del-Toro & Daniel Alcala-Gonzalez & Sara García-Salgado, 2023. "Sustainability Assessment in Infrastructure Projects," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(20), pages 1-17, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:20:p:14909-:d:1260566
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Tai-Yi Liu & Po-Han Chen & Nelson N. S. Chou, 2019. "Comparison of Assessment Systems for Green Building and Green Civil Infrastructure," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-22, April.
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