307
© The Author(s) 2015
G. Sonnemann, M. Margni (eds.), Life Cycle Management,
LCA Compendium – The Complete World of Life Cycle Assessment,
DOI 10.1007/978-94-017-7221-1_22
Chapter 22
Life Cycle Management Applied to Urban
Fabric Planning
Xavier Gabarrell , Joan Rieradevall , Alejandro Josa , Jordi Oliver-Solà ,
Joan Manuel F. Mendoza , David Sanjuan-Delmás , Anna Petit-Boix ,
and Esther Sanyé-Mengual
Abstract Due to the rapid urbanization and the large contribution of cities to the
global environmental impact, urban policies integrate sustainability in the public
space design. Current literature has accounted for the environmental impact of the
main elements of the urban fabric, although studies have dealt with them individually.
This chapter aims to optimize the environmental performance of the urban fabric
for supporting planning processes, based on existing life cycle assessment (LCA)
data of the main elements of urban fabric: sidewalks, pavements, and the gas, water
and wastewater networks. Material selection and lifespan are key issues in the
X. Gabarrell (*) • J. Rieradevall
Sostenipra (ICTA-IRTA-Inèdit; 2014 SGR 1412)-Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals
(ICTA) , Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) , Bellaterra , Spain
Department of Chemical Engineering , Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona , Bellaterra , Spain
e-mail: Xavier.Gabarrell@uab.cat
A. Josa
Department of Geotechnical Engineering and Geosciences, School of Civil Engineering ,
Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya-Barcelona Tech (UPC) , Barcelona , Spain
Institute of Sustainability , UPC , Barcelona , Spain
J. Oliver-Solà
Sostenipra (ICTA-IRTA-Inèdit; 2014 SGR 1412)-Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals
(ICTA) , Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) , Bellaterra , Spain
Inèdit. Inèdit Innovació , S.L. UAB Research Park , Cabrils , Spain
J. M. F. Mendoza
Sostenipra (ICTA-IRTA-Inèdit; 2014 SGR 1412)-Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals
(ICTA) , Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) , Bellaterra , Spain
Sustainable Industrial Systems (SIS) Group, School of Chemical Engineering and Analytical
Science , University of Manchester , Manchester , UK
D. Sanjuan-Delmás • A. Petit-Boix • E. Sanyé-Mengual
Sostenipra (ICTA-IRTA-Inèdit; 2014 SGR 1412)-Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals
(ICTA) , Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) , Bellaterra , Spain
© The Author(s) 2015
G. Sonnemann, M. Margni (eds.), Life Cycle Management,
LCA Compendium – The Complete World of Life Cycle Assessment,
DOI 10.1007/978-94-017-7221-1_22
Chapter 22
Life Cycle Management Applied to Urban
Fabric Planning
Xavier Gabarrell , Joan Rieradevall , Alejandro Josa , Jordi Oliver-Solà ,
Joan Manuel F. Mendoza , David Sanjuan-Delmás , Anna Petit-Boix ,
and Esther Sanyé-Mengual
Abstract Due to the rapid urbanization and the large contribution of cities to the
global environmental impact, urban policies integrate sustainability in the public
space design. Current literature has accounted for the environmental impact of the
main elements of the urban fabric, although studies have dealt with them individually.
This chapter aims to optimize the environmental performance of the urban fabric
for supporting planning processes, based on existing life cycle assessment (LCA)
data of the main elements of urban fabric: sidewalks, pavements, and the gas, water
and wastewater networks. Material selection and lifespan are key issues in the
X. Gabarrell (*) • J. Rieradevall
Sostenipra (ICTA-IRTA-Inèdit; 2014 SGR 1412)-Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals
(ICTA) , Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) , Bellaterra , Spain
Department of Chemical Engineering , Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona , Bellaterra , Spain
e-mail: Xavier.Gabarrell@uab.cat
A. Josa
Department of Geotechnical Engineering and Geosciences, School of Civil Engineering ,
Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya-Barcelona Tech (UPC) , Barcelona , Spain
Institute of Sustainability , UPC , Barcelona , Spain
J. Oliver-Solà
Sostenipra (ICTA-IRTA-Inèdit; 2014 SGR 1412)-Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals
(ICTA) , Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) , Bellaterra , Spain
Inèdit. Inèdit Innovació , S.L. UAB Research Park , Cabrils , Spain
J. M. F. Mendoza
Sostenipra (ICTA-IRTA-Inèdit; 2014 SGR 1412)-Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals
(ICTA) , Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) , Bellaterra , Spain
Sustainable Industrial Systems (SIS) Group, School of Chemical Engineering and Analytical
Science , University of Manchester , Manchester , UK
D. Sanjuan-Delmás • A. Petit-Boix • E. Sanyé-Mengual
Sostenipra (ICTA-IRTA-Inèdit; 2014 SGR 1412)-Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals
(ICTA) , Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) , Bellaterra , Spain