Green Infrastructure: Issues and Recommendations

Abstract

The provision of urban services, such as potable water supply and safe sewage disposal, is often energy intensive and contributes to overall carbon emissions. Though the prime objective is to improve public health and environmental quality, poorly conceptualized and implemented projects often require, among others, significant amounts of energy, thus negatively affecting the environment. Besides, the high energy-intensive systems become unsustainable and fail to provide the intended benefits. Pumping installations consume large amounts of energy, often determining the overall cost of service provision. Wastage of water in the system further adds to the energy usage and thus carbon emissions. A high proportion of non-revenue water is common in almost all towns across India and other developing countries.

The term “green infrastructure” is thus coined signifying the environmental friendliness. Given the large-scale development the urban sector in India is witnessing, enhancing environmental sustainability is essential. One of the main criteria that determine environmental sustainability is carbon emissions. Going beyond the routine techno-economic studies and integrating green concerns such as potential carbon emissions are essential. This chapter examines energy consumption vis-à-vis carbon emissions from urban water and sewerage infrastructure facilities in three case study towns with diverse characters.