The Socio-Ecological Factors that Influence the Adoption of Green Infrastructure
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
3. Results
4. Discussion
5. Conclusions
Acknowledgments
Author Contributions
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Number | Citation | Study Objectives | Location(s) | Type(s) of Green Infrastructure | Summary of Results and Conclusions | Socio-Ecological Factor(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Connolly et al., 2013 | Investigate the role of stewardship groups as bridges between public agencies and other civic organizations working to manage urban ecosystems | New York, NY, USA | Sites that provide ecosystem services | The best way to reach the common goal of providing more ecosystem services to the city is to encourage different organizations to work together | Provision of Ecosystem Services, Coordination Among Actors |
2 | Ellis, 2013 | Develop alternative approaches to sustainable surface water management | United Kingdom | Riparian corridors, green roofs, street greening | The inclusion of green infrastructure in planning is needed | Planning Recommendations |
3 | Newell et al., 2013 | Analyze alley greening programs to determine their environmental benefits | USA: Chicago, IL, Baltimore, MD, Los Angeles, CA, Dubuque, IA, Richmond, VA, Seattle, WA, Washington, D.C. | Green alleys | Most programs are not administered by the government, which could be an explanation for the lack of funding; stormwater management is a common project focus because funding is available to address this issue | Provision of Ecosystem Services, Laws and Policies, Financial Incentives |
4 | Solecki et al., 2013 | Examine the components of urbanization that place stress on the environment and their interrelationships in order to identify solutions to environmental issues | Unspecified | All | Policy-makers at multiple levels of governance must have similar goals in order to reduce the negative effects of urbanization on the environment | Laws and Policies, Coordination Among Actors |
5 | Talberth et al., 2013 | Develop a methodology for green-gray analysis | USA: Oregon, Maine, Pennsylvania | All | Higher initial cost of green infrastructure precludes its use, particularly when funding is limited; project portfolios that highlight the benefits of green infrastructure are needed because the benefits of green infrastructure are not as widely known as those of gray infrastructure | Financial Incentives, Provision of Ecosystem Services, Education |
6 | Young & McPherson, 2013 | Explore whether stakeholders believe efforts to expand urban ecosystem services through tree planting initiatives are planned and executed as a component of municipal governance or represent new transdisciplinary strategies in metropolitan regions | USA: New York, NY, Sacramento, CA, Denver, CO, Houston, TX, Salt Lake Country, NV, Los Angeles, CA | Urban forests | Tree planting initiatives are largely driven by the public, not the private, sector | Laws and Policies |
7 | Allen, 2012 | Construct a multi-scale operational framework for green infrastructure | United States | All | A seamless quilt of planning and implementation is needed across scales; the involvement of a variety of actors in planning is also needed | Coordination Among Actors, Planning Recommendations |
8 | Bianchini & Hewage, 2012 | Determine the economic and environmental benefits of green roofs using a lifecycle net cost-benefit analysis | Canada | Green roofs | Green technology research and development is needed to improve performance, as well as to demonstrate the benefits that green roofs can provide and familiarize people with these benefits | Provision of Ecosystem Services, Education |
9 | Kim et al., 2012 | Determine the effectiveness of roadside bioretention facilities at reducing runoff and pollution | Texas, USA | Bioretention facilities | Bioretention facilities are a cost-effective method to mitigate pollution and runoff; knowledge of the benefits provided by bioretention facilities will help encourage their use | Provision of Ecosystem Services, Financial Incentives, Education |
10 | Ezeah & Roberts, 2012 | Identify the failures and successes of a newly-implemented solid waste program | Abuja, Nigeria | Sustainable waste management | A sustained public education program on waste prevention and reuse is needed; four main categories of barriers were found: natural/physical (physical site characteristics), socio-economic (availability of funding), operational (lack of properly functioning equipment), and institutional/regulatory (public or private requirements) | Education, Provision of Ecosystem Services, Financial Incentives, Laws and Policies |
11 | Gauthier & Wooldridge, 2012 | Compare alternative hypotheses of the reasons why firms choose sustainable building design | United States | Green building techniques | Green building is positively influenced by a political leadership that is committed to environmental protection; uncertain financial benefits may limit adoption | Laws and Policies, Financial Incentives |
12 | Ksiazek et al., 2012 | Determine whether pollination services on green roofs are sufficient to support green roof plant populations | Chicago, IL, USA | Green roofs | Awareness of the pollination services on green roofs is important because it will foster the identification and commercialization of plant species that are low-maintenance because they are supported by the pollinator community that is present | Education |
13 | Markard et al., 2012 | Review conceptual frameworks for sustainability transitions and assess the emergence of the field | International | All | Educating a variety of different groups about the benefits of green infrastructure will positively influence adoption | Education |
14 | Schäffler & Swilling, 2013 | Determine the importance of planning to the use of green infrastructure | Johannesburg, South Africa | Urban forests | Knowledge of the ecosystem services provided by green infrastructure is critical to designing sustainable cities; city officials, environmental groups, and citizens need to work together to successfully implement green infrastructure; it is imperative that municipal budgeting, accounting, and asset management processes be redesigned to better accommodate green infrastructure projects | Education, Coordination Among Actors, Financial Incentives |
15 | Veugelers, 2012 | Determine how private clean innovation can be stimulated by green mission-oriented government policy | Japan, Germany, Korea, France, United States, United Kingdom | All | Government intervention is needed to provide private actors with incentives and funding; lack of a single definition of clean technology hinders innovation | Laws and Policies, Financial Incentives |
16 | Zhang et al., 2012 | Evaluate the economic benefits of runoff reduction by urban greenspaces | Beijing, China | Greenspace | The lack of information on the magnitude and economic value of ecosystem services has hindered recognition of the environmental benefits that greenspaces provide; policies could be used to encourage optimal design | Provision of Ecosystem Services, Education, Financial Incentives, Laws and Policies |
17 | Chapple et al., 2011 | Assess the application of traditional economic development models to innovation in the green economy | California, USA | All | Firms that are not environmentally conscious are the most likely to innovate (because of the need to change); research and development results in innovation and eventually widespread implementation | Provision of Ecosystem Services |
18 | Johansson, 2011 | Assess the spatial diffusion of green building techniques | United States | Practices that contribute LEED points | The Pacific Coast and New England are the epicenters of green building; techniques can be expected to spread inland; awareness and familiarity due to proximity to epicenters play a large role in green infrastructure adoption | Education |
19 | Rowe, 2011 | Review pollution mitigation by green roofs | USA: Illinois, Michigan, North Carolina, California, Pennsylvania; Sweden; Estonia; Canada | Green roofs | Interdisciplinary coordination during the design and construction phases is necessary to ensure the provision of multiple ecosystem services; the valuation of services, particularly public health benefits and water quality improvement, will reduce the cost gap between green and conventional roofs | Coordination Among Actors, Provision of Ecosystem Services, Financial Incentives |
20 | Van Shaack & BenDor, 2011 | Analyze factors that influence the adoption of green building techniques in rural, transitioning, and urban counties | North Carolina, USA | LEED-certified buildings and green building techniques | Active local governments, forward-thinking educational institutions, active advocacy groups, and knowledgeable industry leaders are main factors that contribute to the adoption of green infrastructure; factors are more likely to be found in urban centers, and therefore nearby transitioning counties are more likely to adopt green infrastructure than more isolated rural counties | Education, Coordination Among Actors |
21 | Vandermeulen et al., 2011 | Develop an economic valuation model for green infrastructure investments | Belgium | Greenways | Economic valuation can be used to convince stakeholders from a variety of disciplines to work towards the adoption of green infrastructure; investing in green infrastructure creates greater public support for policy actions to promote its use | Financial Incentives, Coordination Among Actors, Education, Laws and Policies |
22 | Dapolito Dunn, 2010 | Demonstrate the benefits of green infrastructure for the urban poor and delineate strategies to promote the use of green infrastructure in lower income areas in order to provide utility cost savings and aesthetic improvement | USA: Seattle, WA, New York, NY, Stamford, CT, Portland, OR, Philadelphia, PA, Columbus, OH, Chicago, IL, California, Michigan, North Carolina, New Jersey | Permeable pavement, rain barrels, green roofs | The exceptional environmental benefits of green infrastructure are not highlighted frequently enough; decision-makers are possibly unaware of benefits; legal structures must be put in place to increase use | Provision of Ecosystem Services, Education, Laws and Policies |
23 | Smith et al., 2010 | Review innovation studies and their multi-level perspectives on socio-technological transitions | International | All | A broad, interdisciplinary approach is needed to tackle sustainability issues | Coordination Among Actors |
24 | Thomas & Littlewood, 2010 | Track progress of green infrastructure in relation to emerging strategies for spatial and economic planning to determine if green infrastructure can provide positive benefits to communities | England | All | Green infrastructure should be incorporated into local plans | Planning Recommendations |
25 | Carter & Fowler, 2008 | Evaluate existing international and national green roof policies at a range of administrative levels | USA: Portland, OR, Chicago, IL, Minneapolis, MN, Athens, GA, Tennessee, North Carolina, Michigan, Iowa, Idaho, Washington, D.C.; Toronto, Canada; Linz, Austria; Tokyo, Japan; Basel, Switzerland; Berlin, Germany; Malmo, Sweden | Green roofs | Federal policies will positively influence the availability of funding; the incorporation of locally-gathered data on green roof performance into policy recommendations is needed because it will help decision-makers understand the benefits that green infrastructure can provide | Laws and Policies, Financial Incentives, Provision of Ecosystem Services, Planning Recommendations, Education |
26 | Schilling & Logan, 2008 | Develop strategies to convert vacant areas to green infrastructure in shrinking cities | USA: Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New York, Maryland; Toronto, Canada | Greenspace | The conversion to green infrastructure requires the collaboration of academics, practitioners, and policy-makers; research and data on the benefits of green infrastructure are needed by policy-makers to familiarize various groups about the benefits green infrastructure can provide | Coordination Among Actors, Provision of Ecosystem Services, Education |
27 | Yang et al., 2008 | Quantify air pollution reduction by green roofs | Chicago, IL, USA | Green roofs | Green roofs are often not considered as viable alternatives to conventional roofs because their long-term benefits are not widely known; industry standardization and a procedural guide for installation would reduce initial construction costs | Education, Provision of Ecosystem Services, Financial Incentives |
28 | Kosareo & Ries, 2007 | Compare the lifecycle costs and benefits of green and conventional roofs | Pittsburgh, PA | Green roofs | Energy cost savings and a longer lifespan make green roofs the environmentally preferable choice and a better long-term financial investment compared to conventional roofs | Provision of Ecosystem Services, Financial Incentives |
29 | May & Koski, 2007 | Examine state choices to adopt green building mandates and the form of their policy statements | USA: New York, New Jersey, Maine, California, Arizona, Michigan, Colorado, Rhode Island, New Mexico, Oregon, Washington, Maryland, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Arkansas | LEED-certified buildings and green building techniques | Bureaucratic presence is especially important because the use of green building practices is an issue of low salience | Laws and Policies |
30 | Tzoulas et al., 2007 | Formulate a conceptual framework of associations between human and ecosystem health and urban greenspaces | International | All | Various groups, such as urban nature conservationists, environmental psychologists, and public health specialists should work together to encourage the adoption of green infrastructure and improve urban environments | Coordination Among Actors |
31 | Wong et al., 2003 | Compare the lifecycle costs and benefits of green and conventional roofs | Singapore | Green roofs | Energy cost savings and runoff reduction provided by green roofs make them a better financial and environmental investment over time than conventional roofs | Provision of Ecosystem Services, Financial Incentives |
32 | Basiago, 1995 | Define the term ‘sustainability’ and examine the principles underlying it | International | All | Coordination among government agencies, private parties, and environmental decision-makers is necessary to enable sustainable practices to become more commonplace | Coordination Among Actors |
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Tayouga, S.J.; Gagné, S.A. The Socio-Ecological Factors that Influence the Adoption of Green Infrastructure. Sustainability 2016, 8, 1277. https://doi.org/10.3390/su8121277
Tayouga SJ, Gagné SA. The Socio-Ecological Factors that Influence the Adoption of Green Infrastructure. Sustainability. 2016; 8(12):1277. https://doi.org/10.3390/su8121277
Chicago/Turabian StyleTayouga, Sarah J., and Sara A. Gagné. 2016. "The Socio-Ecological Factors that Influence the Adoption of Green Infrastructure" Sustainability 8, no. 12: 1277. https://doi.org/10.3390/su8121277
APA StyleTayouga, S. J., & Gagné, S. A. (2016). The Socio-Ecological Factors that Influence the Adoption of Green Infrastructure. Sustainability, 8(12), 1277. https://doi.org/10.3390/su8121277