Abstract
A sustainable roadway rating system (SR2S) consists of a set of indicators to comprehensively measure the sustainability performance of roadway projects. The sustainability level of the systems can be improved by implementing appropriate strategies pertaining to materials and energy. In the peer-reviewed literature, some studies have conducted shallow comparisons of different SR2Ss and no studies have compared the significance of material and energy indicators in existing SR2Ss. To bridge this research gap, five existing SR2Ss were considered. These five SR2Ss described overlapping categories of indicators. Material and energy-related indicators (MEIs) were identified from the representative SR2Ss by conducting content analysis. Similar indicators were regrouped into six different material and energy-related features (MEFs), corresponding to six categories of indicators: local materials; long-life designs; materials obtained using the reduce, reuse, and recycle (3Rs) concept; energy efficiency; earthwork; and hazardous materials. Based on the relative significance index (RSI), the weightings of the selected SR2Ss and the significance of MEIs according to six MEFs were explored. In terms of the aforementioned criteria, the Illinois Livable and Sustainable Transportation gives the greatest weight to material and energy (34.7% of the total points), whereas GreenLITES gives the least weight to material and energy (i.e., 26.8% of total points). Regarding MEFs, SR2Ss focus more on materials obtained by using the 3Rs concept and energy efficiency. This means that indicators pertaining to these two features were considered to contribute significantly to evaluations of roadway sustainability. Aside from 3Rs and energy efficiency, hazardous materials were deemed to be not highly relevant to SR2Ss. Discussion on the indicator requirements related to material and energy are further provided based on different MEFs.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
J. Lee, T. B. Edil, C. H. Benson, J. M. Tmjum, Building Environmentally and Economically Sustainable Transportation Infrastructure: Green Highway Rating System, J. Constr. Eng. Manag. 139 (12) (2013) A4013006 https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)CO. 1943-7862.0000742
Y. Zhang, J. P. Mohsen, A Project-Based Sustainability Rating Tool for Pavement Maintenance, Eng. 4 (2) (2018) 200–208. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eng.2018.03.001
J. A. Gambatese, S. Rajendran, Sustainable roadway construction: Energy consumption and material waste generation of roadways, Construction Research Congress, San Diego, California, USA, 2005. https://doi.org/10.1061/40754(183)21
F. Li, D. Chen, X. Song, Y. Chen Y, LEDs: a Promising Energy-Saving Light Source for Road Lighting, 2009 Asia-Pacific Power Energy Engineering Conference, Wuhan, China, 2009. https://doi.org/10.1109/APPEEC.2009.4918460
W. Qiao, A. Sharma, J. L. Hudgins, E. G. Jones, Wind/Solar Hybrid Generation-Based Roadway Microgrids, 2011 JEEE Power and Energy Society General Meeting, Detroit, MI, USA, USA, 2011. https://doi.org/10.1109/PES.2011.6039884
C. L. Peng, D. E. Scorpio, C. J. Kibert, Strategies for successful construction and demolition waste recycling operations, Constr. Manag. Econ. 15 (1) (1997) 49–58. https://doi.org/10.1080/014461997373105
S. P. Singh, D. P. Tripathy, P. G. Ranjith, Performance evaluation of cement stabilized fly ash-GBFS mixes as a highway construction material, Waste. Manag. 28 (8) (2008) 1331–1337. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2007.09.017
M. M. Disfani, A. Arulrajah, M. W. Bo, N. Sivakugan, Environmental risks of using recycled crushed glass in road applications, J. Clean. Prod. 20 (1) (2012) 170–179. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2011.07.020
C. Robinette, J. Epps, Energy, emissions, material conservation, and prices associated with construction, rehabilitation, and material alternatives for flexible pavement, Transp. Res. Rec. 2179 (1) (2010) 10–22. https://doi.org/10.3141/2179-02
S. H. Yang, J. Y. H. Liu, N. H. Tran, Multi-criteria life cycle approach to develop weighting of sustainability indicators for pavement, Sustain. 10 (7) (2018) 2325. https://doi.org/10.3390/sul0072325
J. Anderson, S. Muench, J. Holter, J. Lew, C. Weiland, A. Botha, Greenroads Rating System Version 2.0 (Greenroads International, 2015). https://www.greenroads.org. Accessed 20 May 2019
S. Simpson, M. Ozbek, C. Clevenger, R. Atadero, A Framework for Assessing Transportation Sustainability Rating Systems for Implementation in U.S. State Departments of Transportation. Report number MPC-14-268. Colorado State University, Fort Collins, 2014.
C. Clevenger, M. Ozbek, S. Simpson, Review of sustainability rating systems used for infrastructure projects, 49th ASC Annual International Conference Proceedings, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA, 2013.
R. Curz, J. L. Kim, H. S. Cha, Using a thematic framework to compare sustainability rating, Construction Research Congress 2012: Construction Challenges in a Flat World, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA, 2012.
J. M. Diaz-Sarachaga, D. Jato-Espino, B. Alsulami, D. Castro-Fresno, Evaluation of existing sustainable infrastructure rating systems for their application in developing countries, Ecol. Indie. 71 (2016) 491–502. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolmd.2016.07.033
J. W. Park, Y. H. Ahn, Development of a green road rating system for South Korea, Int. J. Sustain. Build. Technol. Urban. Dev. 6 (4) (2015) 249–263. https://doi.org/10.1080/2093761X.2015.1117404
S. I. Sarsam, Sustainable and Green Roadway Rating System, Int. J. Sci. Res. Environ. Sci. 3 (3) (2015) 99–106. https://doi.org/10.12983/ijsres-2015-p0099-0106
J. Bryce, S. Brodie, T. Parry, D. L. Presti, A systematic assessment of road pavement sustainability through a review of rating tools, Resour. Conserv. Recycl. 120 (2017) 108–119. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2016.11.002
L. Y. Shen, O. J. Jorge, M. N. Shah, X. Zhang, The application of urban sustainability indicators - A comparison between various practices, Habitat. Int. 35 (1) (2011) 17–29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.habitatint.2010.03.006
P. C. Bueno, J. M. Vassallo, K. Cheung, Sustainability Assessment of Transport Infrastructure Projects: A Review of Existing Tools and Methods, Transp. Rev. 35 (5) (2015) 622–649. https://doi.org/10.1080/01441647.2015.1041435
J. Lee, T. Edil, C. Benson, J. Tinjum, Evaluation of variable affecting sustainable highway design using the BEST2ST-in-Highways system, Transp. Res. Rec. J. Transp. Res. Board. 2233 (1) (2011) 178–186. https://doi.org/10.1061/41148(389)39
H. Naganathan, W. K. Chong, Evaluation of state sustainable transportation performances (SSTP) using sustainable indicators, Sustain. Cities. Soc. 35 (2017) 799–815. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2017.06.011
E. Barrella, K. Lineburg, P. Hurley, Applying a transportation rating system to advance sustainability evaluation, planning, and partnerships, Int. J. Sustain. High. Educ. (2017) https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-05-2015-0087
Z. Wu, L. Shen, A. Yu, X. Zhang, A comparative analysis of waste management requirements between five green building rating systems for new residential buildings, J. Clean. Prod. 112 (2016) 895–902. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2015.05.073
M. Clark, C. Paulli, Z. Tetreault, J. Thomas, Green Guide for Roads Rating System, (Master Thesis), Worcester Polytechnical Institute, Worcester, MA, USA, 2009.
New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT). (GreenLITES Project Design Certification Program, 2010), https://www.dot.ny.gov/programs/greenlites/repository/Gre en LITES Certification Program Document - April 2010.pdf. Accessed 1 June 2019
K. Douglas, F. John, D. Abdul, W. Rick, A. Mchelle, H. Dave, C. W. Tanyu, (Illinois Livable and Sustainable Transportation Rating System and Guide (I-LAST), 2012), https://idot.illinois.gov/Assets/uploads/files/Transportation-System/Reports/Desenv/Enviromental/I-LAST%20V%202%2002.pdf. Accessed 05 June 2019
L. Reid, T. Bevan, A. Davis, T. Neuman, K. Penney, S. Seskin, J. Schulz, Infrastructure Voluntary Evaluation Sustainability Tool (INVEST)_Version 1.2. (Sustainablehighway, 2015), https://www.sustainablehighway.org. Accessed 10 June 2019
L. Reid, T. Bevan, A. Davis, T. Neuman, K. Penney, S. Seskin, J. Schulz, Infrastructure Voluntary Evaluation Sustainability Tool (INVEST)_Version 1.2_Cntena Modifications Matrix, (Sustainablehighway, 2018, https://www.sustainablehighways.org/files/3316.pdf. Accessed 06 October 2019
H. F. Hsieh, S. E. Shannon, Three approaches to qualitative content analysis, Qual. Health. Res. 15 (9) (2005) 1277–1288. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049732305276687
X. Huo, A. T. W. Yu, Z. Wu, A comparative analysis of site planning and design among green building rating tools, J. Clean. Prod. 147 (2017) 352–359. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.01.099
N.H. Tran, S.H. Yang, T. Huang, Comparative analysis of traffic-and-transportation-planning-related indicators in sustainable transportation infrastructure rating systems, Int. J. Sustain. Transp. (2020) https://doi.org/10.1080/15568318.2020.1722868
H. Yuan, L. Shen, Trend of the research on construction and demolition waste management, Waste, Manag. 31 (4) (2011) 670–679. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2010.10.030
P. R. Fleming, M. W. Frost, J. P. Lambert, Sustainable Earthworks Specifications for Transport Infrastructure, Transp. Res. Rec. J. Transp. Res. Board. 1975 (1) (2006) 73–80. https://doi.org/10.1177/0361198106197500108
A. Capony, B. Muresan, M. Dauvergne, J. C. Auriol, V. Ferber, A. Jullien, Monitoring and environmental modeling of earthwork impacts: A road construction case study, Resour. Conserv. Recycl. 74 (2013) 124–133. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2013.03.007.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Peer review under responsibility of Chinese Society of Pavement Engineering.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Tran, N.H., Yang, SH. Comparative analysis of materials and energy between sustainable roadway rating systems. Int. J. Pavement Res. Technol. 14, 1–12 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42947-020-0032-1
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42947-020-0032-1