&EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency EPA/600/R-16/308 | October 2016 | www.epa.gov Multi-Sector Sustainability Browser (MSSB) User Manual: A Decision Support Tool (DST) for Supporting Sustainability Efforts in Four Areas - Land Use Transportation, Buildings and Infrastructure, and Materials Management - Technical Report Eric S. Hall (EPA/ORD) Author Office of Research and Development National Exposure Research Laboratory ------- ------- vyEPA EPA/600/R-16/308 | October 2016 | www.epa.gov United States Environmental Protection Agency Multi-Sector Sustainability Browser (MSSB) User Manual: A Decision Support Tool (DST) for Supporting Sustainability Efforts in Four Areas - Land Use, Transportation, Buildings and Infrastructure, and Materials Management - Technical Report Author: Eric S. Hall (EPA/ORD) Office of Research and Development National Exposure Research Laboratory ------- Disclaimer The research project described in this document has been by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. This document has been subjected to the Agency's peer and administrative review and has been approved for publication as an EPA document. Mention of products, companies or trade names does not indicate endorsement or recommendation for use by the Agency. Acknowledgements The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) wishes to thank the following individuals and organizations for their contributions in developing the four research reports that this decision support tool is based on - Land Use: (Authors) - Llael Cox, Verle Hansen, James Andrews, John Thomas, Ingrid Heilke, Nick Flanders, Claudia Walters, Scott A. Jacobs, Yongping Yuan, Anthony Zimmer, Jim Weaver, Rebecca Daniels, Tanya Moore, Tina Yuen, Devon C. Payne-Sturges, Melissa W. McCullough, Brenda Rashleigh, Marilyn TenBrink, Barbara Walton; (Contributors) - Kathryn Saterson, Bob McKane, Jane Gallagher, Joseph Fiksel, Gary Foley, Sally Darney, Melissa Kramer, Betsy Smith, Andrew Geller, Bill Russo, Susan Forbes, Laura Jackson, Iris Goodman, Michael Slimak, Alisha Goldstein, Laura Bachle, Jeff Yang, Gregg Furie; Transportation: (Authors) - Nick Flanders; (Contributors) - Nick Flanders, Rich Baldauf, Jeff Yang, Rebecca Dodder, Gregg Furie, Laura Bachle, Andrew Bostrum, Laura Berry, Claudia Walters, Jane Bare, Tim Barzyk, Randy Bruins, Ellen Cooter, Francesca DiCosmo, Tarsha Eason, Tom Fontaine, Laura Jackson, Nathan Schumaker, Jim Weaver; Buildings and Infrastructure: (Authors) - Anthony Zimmer, HakSoo Ha; (Contributors) - James Andrews, William Barrett, Chris Choi, Gordon Evans, David Ferguson, Verle Hansen, Mark Mason, Michael Schock, Bob Thompson, Jim Weaver, Scott A. Jacobs, David Kozlowski, John McCready; Materials Management: (Authors) - Anthony Zimmer, Brian Dyson; (Contributors) - Research Triangle Institute (RTI), Innovative Waste Consulting Services. Citation The proper citation for anyone using this report is provided below: Hall, E. S., "Multi-Sector Sustainability Browser (MSSB) User Manual: A Decision Support Tool (DST) for Supporting Sustainability Efforts in Four Areas - Land Use, Transportation, Buildings and Infrastructure, and Materials Management", EPA Technical Report, EPA/600/R-16/308, October 2016, pp 38. ------- Table of Contents Acronyms/Abbreviations (in MS SB) 1.0 Introduction 2.0 Multi-Sector Sustainability Browser (MSSB) Description 3.0 Use of Multi-Sector Sustainability Browser (MSSB) - Disclaimer 4.0 Summary 5.0 References: Appendix: Operation of the Multi-Sector Sustainability Browser (MSSB) A- ------- List of Figures Figure 1. The MSSB Main Screen (Sustainability) shown with text labels pointing to the topics in the graphical display elements and the drop-down menu selection list A-l Figure 2. The Buildings and Infrastructure Main Screen with text labels identifying a green outline on a topic 'bubble' and a gray outline on a topic 'bubble' A-2 Figure 3. Buildings and Infrastructure: Research and Development sub-topic gray 'bubble' A-3 Figure 4. Buildings and Infrastructure: Health and Demographics sub-topics linked to the Society topic green 'bubble'. A-4 Figure 5. The MSSB main screen with a text label pointing to the Bibliography Button A-5 Figure 6. Result of selecting the Bibliography Button A-6 Figure 7. Expanded Text Box with Information on the Relationship between Residential (Land Use) and Residential Segregation when the "+" sign is selected A-7 Figure 8. The Land Use Main Screen displaying the Land Use primary topics A-8 Figure 9. The lower-level topics shown when the 'How do Different land Use Types Impact Sustainability' topic is selected A-9 Figure 10. The display shown when the 'Residential' sub-topic under How do Different Land Use Types Impact Sustainability is selected A-10 Figure 11. The Transportation Main Screen illustrating the primary Transportation topics A-11 Figure 12. The display shown when the 'Energy Use and Climate Change Issues' sub-topic under Transportation is selected A-12 Figure 13. The display shown when the 'Integrated Tools, Resources, and Indicators' sub-topic under Transportation is selected A-13 Figure 14. The Materials Management Main Screen primary topics A-14 Figure 15. The lower-level topics shown when the 'Anaerobic Digestion' topic is selected A-15 Figure 16. The display shown when the 'Technology Description' sub-topic under Anaerobic Digestion is selected. . . .A-16 Figure 17. The Buildings and Infrastructure primary topics A-17 Figure 18. When the 'Economic' topic is selected from the Buildings and Infrastructure display, the result is shown in Figure 18 A-18 Figure 19. The display shown when the 'GDP' sub-topic under Economic is selected A-19 ------- Acronyms/Abbreviations (in MSSB) 3D+R Destinations, Distance, Density, and Route ACE Air, Climate and Energy Research Program BC Black Carbon (soot) BMI Body Mass Index BMP Best Municipal Practices CAFO Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation CCAT Community Cumulative Assessment Tool CEHII Cumulative Environmental Hazard Inequality Index C-FERST Community-Focused Exposure and Risk Screening Tool CFR Code of Federal Regulations CH4 Methane Cl2 Chlorine CO Carbon Monoxide C02 Carbon Dioxide CSO Combined Sewer Overflow CSS Chemical Safety and Sustainability Research Program DASEES Decision Analysis for a Sustainable Environment, Economy, and Society DOSII Database of Sustainability Indicators and Indices DOT Department of Transportation DSS Decision Support System DST Decision Support Tool EGS Ecosystem Goods and Services EPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency EQI Environmental Quality Index FEGS-CS Final Ecosystem Goods and Services Classification System FR Federal Register GAR Green Area Ratio GDP Gross Domestic Product GHG Greenhouse Gas GI Green Infrastructure GIS Geographic Information System GlWiz Green Infrastructure Wizard GPI Genuine Progress Indicator H2 Hydrogen Gas H20 Water H2S Hydrogen Sulfide Hg Mercury HIA Health Impact Assessment HOT High-Occupancy Toll Lanes HUD Housing and Urban Development HWBI Human Well-Being Index IBI Indices of Biotic Integrity ICLEI International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives ICLUS Integrated Climate and Land Use Scenarios IPM Integrated Planning Model km Kilometer KWh Kilowatt Hour LIDAR Light Detection and Ranging m Meter MSSB Multi-Sector Sustainability Browser MSW Municipal Solid Waste NAAQS National Ambient Air Quality Standard NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration NCORE National Core Air Pollution Monitoring Network NERL National Exposure Research Laboratory NLCD National Land Cover Database NNIP National Neighborhood Indicators Partnership nm Nanometer ------- NO Nitric Oxide no2 Nitrogen Dioxide NOx Oxides of Nitrogen NPDES National Pollutant Discharge System NSF National Science Foundation NVI Neighborhood Vitality Index °2 Oxygen O3 Ozone OD Outer Diameter ORD Office of Research and Development OTAQ Office of Transportation Air Quality PAH Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Pb Lead PM Particulate Matter POTW Publically Owned Treatment Works ppm Parts Per Million PPb Part Per Billion R2 Coefficient of Determination RH Relative Humidity ROE Report On the Environment RTI Research Triangle Institute RTP Research Triangle Park SHC Sustainable and Healthy Communities Research Program S02 Sulfur Dioxide SoVI Social Vulnerability Index SSO Sanitary Sewer Overflow SSW Safe and Sustainable Waters Research Program SVI Social Vulnerability Index SWMM Storm Water Management Model T-FERST Tribal-Focused Exposure and Risk Screening Tool TOD Transit-Oriented Development UEQ (indices of) Urban Environmental Quality USDA United States Department of Agriculture V Volts VMT Vehicle Miles Travelled VOC Volatile Organic Compounds WEPP USDA Water Erosion Prediction Project Add-On Tool WWTP Waste Water Treatment Plant 2 ------- 1.0 Introduction EPA's Sustainable and Healthy Communities (SHC) Research Program is developing methodologies, resources, and tools to assist community members and local decision makers in implementing policy choices that facilitate sustainable approaches in managing their resources affecting the built environment, natural enviromnent, and human health. In order to assist communities and decision makers in implementing sustainable practices, EPA is developing computer-based systems including models, databases, web tools, and web browsers to help communities decide upon approaches that support their desired outcomes. Communities need access to resources that will allow them to achieve their sustainability objectives through intelligent decisions in four key sustainability areas: Land Use Buildings and Infrastructure Transportation Materials Management (i.e.. Municipal Solid Waste [MSW] processing and disposal) The Multi-Sector Sustainability Browser (MSSB) is designed to support sustainable decision-making for communities, local and regional planners, and policy and decision makers. ------- ------- 2.0 Multi-Sector Sustainability Browser (MSSB) Description The MSSB is an interactive decision support tool (DST) containing information from the scientific literature and technical reports that must be considered when making decisions to support sustainability objectives in the key sustainability areas (Land Use, Buildings and Infrastructure, Transportation, and Materials Management). The MSSB is designed to assist communities in understanding the impacts that sustainable decision alternatives and actions made in the key sustainability areas can have on human health, the economy and the environment (ecosystem services). The MSSB lias the following capabilities: Generates and displays appropriate linkages between major concepts in four key sustainability decision areas and subordinate concepts related to these areas; Displays literature references that provide information about each major concept, the associated subordinate concepts, and weblinks as applicable; Displays quantitative data and system parameters related to each major concept and the associated subordinate concepts. The MSSB can be found on EPA's EnviroAtlas Platform on the following website: (https ://www.epa.gov/enviroatlas). The MSSB behaves in a similar manner to EPA's Eco-Health Relationship Browser (https://www.epa. gov/enviroatlas/ enviroatlas-eco-health-relationship-browser). The Eco- Health Relationship Browser is documented in the literature (Jackson, L. E Daniel, J., McCorkle, B Sears, A., Bush, K. E, "Linking ecosystem services and human health: the Eco- Health Relationship Browser", October 2013, International Journal of Public Health Volume 58, Issue, 5, pp 747 - 755: DOI 10.1007/s00038-013-0482-l). This browser is also located on the EPA's EnviroAtlas website (https://www. epa.gov/enviroatlas). The MSSB provides a new capability integrated into EPA's EnviroAtlas platform, and can be thought of as a 'visual database' of sustainability knowledge in the four key sustainability areas. 5 ------- ------- 3.0 Use of Multi-Sector Sustainability Browser (MSSB) - Disclaimer The MSSB is not a Ml Decision Support System (DSS), which would provide a range of alternative decision choices or pathways based on the nature of the input data. Instead, this tool is designed for the user to investigate one or more of the four key sustainability areas, explore the available scientific literature references, and from the information, assess the potential impact of planned sustainability initiatives on desired decision objectives. Note, the references presented in the MSSB represent an extensive, but not comprehensive, bibliography of sustainability science, engineering, and policy. The MSSB reduces the amount of time and effort that a user interested in understanding the current scientific knowledge in sustainability science and engineering, as applied in the context of Land Use, Buildings and Infrastructure, Transportation, and Materials Management, is required to spend collecting the initial information to determine the important considerations required for decision-making. The MSSB should be used for the following activities: Exploring the linkages between the four key sustainability areas; Obtaining information on a specific sub-discipline/ question area in one or more of the four key sustainability areas; Assessing the number of relevant references that should be read by subject-matter experts in one or more of the four key sustainability areas; Determining if there are important system parameters or variables (including their values and/or ranges) that can influence a decision in one or more of the four key sustainability areas; Learning about the influence of sustainability, practices, activities and/or metrics on human health, the natural enviromnent, and the economy; Developing a plan for a scientific literature review in one or more of the four key sustainability areas; Creating a framework for an approach to develop a structured approach to decision-making in the context of one or more of the four key sustainability areas; Examining the importance of Land Use in all sustainability-related activities and decisions; Building a database of available resources in the scientific literature related to sustainability; Investigating the tools, databases, models, libraries, and browsers that are available for providing information and data for planned sustainability initiatives and decisions; Initiating a literature review in one or more of the four key sustainability areas. The quality assurance approach used in developing the MSSB software is documented in the SED Software Development QA Guidance Document. The design of the MSSB is documented in the Workplan/Design and Software Development Quality Assurance Project Plan, QAPP- 1J16-010.R1. Any questions or comments on the operation of the MSSB should be directed to Eric S. Hall, hall.erics@epa. gov. ------- 8 ------- 4.0 Summary The MSSB is not a Ml Decision Support System (DSS), but this tool is designed for the user to investigate one or more of the four key sustainability areas, explore the available scientific literature references, and assess the potential impact of planned sustainability initiatives on desired decision objectives. The MSSB reduces the amount of time and effort required to find information on sustainability science and engineering in the context of Land Use, Buildings and Infrastructure, Transportation, and Materials Management. 9 ------- ------- 5.0 References: 1. SED Software Development QA Guidance Document (SED_Software_Development_QA_Guidance_2a. pdf), US EPA, National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL), Systems Exposure Division (SED), 22 April 2016, pp 6 2. Workplan/Design and Software Development Quality Assurance Project Plan, QAPP-1J16-010.R1, 11 July 2016, pp 35 3. Jackson, L. E Daniel, J., McCorkle, B Sears, A., Bush, K. E, "Linking ecosystem services and human health: the Eco-Health Relationship Browser", October 2013, International Journal of Public Health, Volume 58, Issue, 5, pp 747 - 755: DOI 10.1007/ S0003 8-013-0482-1 ------- ------- Appendix: Operation of the Multi-Sector Sustainability Browser (MSSB) The MSSB displays can be viewed on a desktop computer using a computer mouse, page up and page down keys, and arrow keys on the computer keyboard. The MSSB was designed to be accessible by laptop computers, tablets, and smartphones. No special software is required to use the MSSB, and any standard browser can be used with the MSSB. When using a desktop computer, displays can be selected either by use of the drop-down list menu or through direct selection of the displays using a mouse (as indicated in Figure 1). Figure 1 illustrates the default display screen that is shown when the MSSB is initially selected. The MSSB has multiple levels of displays, with top-level displays representing primary sustainability concepts, and subordinate displays representing supporting concepts, questions, or relationships between different concepts. The displays are outlined either in green or in gray. Green outlines indicate that selecting the display will reveal additional lower levels of displays (and related concepts). Gray outlines indicate that there are no lower level displays under the selected display, although additional information is provided. This is illustrated in Figure 2. Each display that is selected has a text box with information explaining or defining the major concept in the selected display. Important resources, such as technical reports, scientific journal articles, and websites containing tools, models, databases, and calculators, can be accessed in the MSSB through the weblinks that are provided in the applicable display text boxes. Multi-Sector Sustainability Browser (MSSB) Bibliography Sustainability Click on the topic bubble or choose a topic from the dropdown list above. Click on the linkages (+) to view the relationship between elements. Dropdown list for selecting specific topics (nodes) Sustainability Sector Nodes Land Use Sustainability Transportation Sustainability Sector Nodes Buildings , . and Infrastructure W Welcome to the Sustainability Browser The Sustainability Browser is a community Decision Support Tool developed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency to help communities understand the interrelationship among four key sectors of a community crucial to sustainability. The browser illustrates how changes to one sector can impact another. The four decision sectors are Land Use. Buildings and Infrastructure. Transportation, and Materials Management, which includes municipal solid waste processing and disposal. Each of the four sectors is designed to visualize linkages between selected elements, provide simple descriptions of these linkages, plus a detailed bibliography of citations from the published literature to document the text. Figure 1. The MSSB Main Screen (Sustainability) shown with text labels pointing to the topics in the graphical display elements and the drop-down menu selection list. ------- Multi-Sector Sustainability Browser (MSSB) Bibliography Buildings and Infrastructure Click on the topic bubble or choose a topic from the dropdown list above. Click on the linkages (+) to view the relationship between elements. Sustainability Research and Development Society Buildings and Infrastructure Environment Economic Gray bubble indicates that there are no subtopics under this category, but clicking the bubble will show the information about this topic. Green topic bubble indicates that there are subtopics that can be viewed by clicking on the bubble. The text and data shown are distillations of the document: Zimmer, A. and Ha H. Buildings and Infrastructure from a Sustainability Perspective US Environmental Protection Agency, National Risk Management Research Laboratory. EPA/600/X-14/369,2014. Which can be accessed here: Buildings & Infrastructure Synthesis Document (PDF)(30 pp, 1.58MB)About_PD£ Buildings and Infrastructure Buildings and Infrastructure include all of the man-made, built environment components that are essential to a functioning society, including residential homes, commercial buildings, roads, bridges and railways, wastewater treatment facilities, power generating stations and power transmission lines, and storm drainage and sewer systems. In the United States, Buildings and Infrastructure are responsible for 37% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and 41% of energy consumption. It is apparent that proper planning and management of Buildings and Infrastructure can have a significant positive impact on sustainability activities. Your previous »> current displays: Sustainability »> Buildings and Infrastructure Figure 2. The Buildings and Infrastructure Main Screen with text labels identifying a green outline on a topic 'bubble' and a gray outline on a topic 'bubble'. Figure 3 illustrates what is shown when the gray outlined topic in Figure 2 is selected. The Research and Development topic area appears with information on the research and development being conducted on Buildings and Infrastructure.. ------- Multi-Sector Sustainability Browser (MSSB) Bibliography Research and Development Click on the topic bubble or choose a topic from the dropdown list above. Click on the linkages (+) to view the relationship between elements. Buildings and Infrastructure Research and Development Research and Development Research and development on buildings only constitutes 0.2% of all federally funded research in the United States. One area where more research funding could be directed includes building materials. The literature on the health impact of building materials is slowly increasing, but the legacy of the use of materials such as asbestos for fire suppression and lead for paints and pigments reminds us of the importance of research in this area. The fact that only 1 % of the building stock in the United States can be labelled as 'green' buildings, suggests that we need to understand the impact that having more green buildings will have on energy consumption patterns and human health. Another area requiring more research is the state of development of decision support tools capable of presenting the range of options and decisions, which should be considered by communities when developing sustainable buildings and infrastructure. Your previous »> current displays: Buildings and Infrastructure »> Research and Development Sources & Related Reading USGBC.i2006jE.it Alter. L (201 IB Herrera. T.. (20121 Ex'i Marcacci. S.. (2012)' Figure 3. Buildings and Infrastructure: Research and Development sub-topic gray 'bubble'. Figure 4 illustrates what is shown when a green outlined topic in Figure 2 is selected. Links to the Society topic area appear along with links to the Health and Demographics sub- topic areas that provide information on the interplay between populations, health, and buildings. ------- Multi-Sector Sustainability Browser (MSSB) Bibliography Society Click on the topic bubble or choose a topic from the dropdown list above. Click on the linkages (+) to view the relationship between elements. Buildings and Infrastructure Society Health Demographics Society Understanding the trends in population growth, where people are located, and what features people expect in their residential and work environments is important in understanding how to implement sustainability principles in Buildings and Infrastructure. The population of the United States is aging, with 13% of the population being over age 65. The fact that most senior citizens (81%) own their own home and wish to remain there, indicates that public education campaigns on the benefits of incorporating sustainability features into Buildings and Infrastructure can reduce their expenses while contributing to a cleaner environment. Your previous »> current displays: Research and Development »> Society Figure 4. Buildings and Infrastructure: Health and Demographics sub-topics linked to the Society topic green 'bubble'. The bibliography button reveals references for each of the four sustainability areas. Land Use, Transportation, Buildings and Infrastructure, and Materials Management. The references in the bibliography are arranged in the order in which they were cited in each of the technical reports associated with the four key sustainability areas (Land Use, Transportation. Buildings and Infrastructure, and Materials Management) which were used to develop the MSSB. Selecting the 'Bibliography' button, located in the upper left-hand corner of the MSSB will di splay the bibliography webpage. ------- Multi-Sector Sustainability Browser (MSSB) Bibliography Sustainability Click on the topic bubble or choose a topic from the dropdown list above. Click on the linkages (+) to view the relationship between elements. Clicking on the Bibliography button will show the list of references from the Sustainability Sector documents used. Land Use Materials Sustainability rvOH Transportation Buildings and Infrastructure Welcome to the Sustainability Browser The Sustainability Browser is a community Decision Support Tool developed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency to help communities understand the interrelationship among four key sectors of a community crucial to sustainability. The browser illustrates how changes to one sector can impact another. The four decision sectors are Land Use. Buildings and Infrastructure. Transportation, and Materials Management, which includes municipal solid waste processing and disposal. Each of the four sectors is designed to visualize linkages between selected elements, provide simple descriptions of these linkages, plus a detailed bibliography of citations from the published literature to document the text. Your previous »> current displays: Sustainability Figure 5. The MSSB main screen with a text label pointing to the Bibliography Button. When the 'Bibliography' button is selected, the bibliography webpage is displayed in Figure 6. This webpage contains the citation information for the references, and provides weblinks to the references for those users who wish to learn more information and possibly download the reference(s), as applicable. Note that some of the references may be obtained at no cost, while others may have a cost associated with them based on the individual journal. EPA is not responsible for the potential cost of the references linked to in the MSSB. ------- Citations and Further Reading Land Use 1. American Planning Association, Planning communities for the 21st century. 1999, Washinton D.C.: APA. 2. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Land-Use Scenarios: National-Scale Housing-Density Scenarios Consistent with Climate Change Storylines, N.C.f.E.A. Office of Research and Development, Global Change Research Program. Editor. 2009: Washington, DC. 3. Kramer, M., Our Built and Natural Environments, O.o.S. Communities, Editor. 2013, US Environmental Protection Agency. 4. Shaw, R.P.. The impact of population growth on environment: the debate heats up. Environmental impact assessment review, 1992. 12. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0195-9255(92)90003-g 5. Agudelo-Vera, C.M., et al.. Resource management as a key factor for sustainable urban planning. Journal of Environmental Management, 2011. 92(10). http://dx.doi.ora/10.I016/i.ienvman.2011.05.016 6. Goldstein, J.H., et al.. Integrating ecosystem-service tradeoffs into land-use decisions. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2012. 109(19): p. 7565-7570. http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas. 1201040109 7. Radeloff V.C., et al.. Economic-based projections of future land use in the conterminous United States under alternative policy scenarios. Fcological Applications. 2012. 22(3): p. 1036-1049. http://dx.doi.org/10.1890/11 -0306.1 8. Francis, C.A., et al.. Farmland conversion to non-agricultural uses in the US and Canada: current impacts and concerns for the future. International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability, 2012. 10(1): p. 8-24. http://dx.doi.orp/10.1080/14735903.2012.649588 9. Duany, A., E. Plater-Zyberk, and J. Speck, Suburban nation : the rise of sprawl and the decline of the American Dream. 2000, New York: North Point Press. 10. Knaap, G.-J., Y. Song, and Z. Nedovic-Budic, Measuring Patterns of Urban Development: New Intelligence for the War on Sprawl. Local Environment: The International Journal of Justice and Sustainability, 2007. 12(3): p. 239-257. 11. Manning, W.J., Plants in urban ecosystems: Essential role of urban forests in urban metabolism and succession toward sustainability. International Journal of Sustainable Development and World Ecology, 2008. 15(4): p. 362-370. http://dx.doi.org/10.3843 /SusDev.l5.4:l2 12. Faeth, S.H., C. Bang, and S. Saari, Urban biodiversity: patterns and mechanisms, in Year in Ecology and Conservation Biology, RS. Ostfeld and W.H. Schlesinger, Editors. 2011, Blackwell Science Publ: Oxford, p. 69-81. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111 /i. 1749-6632.2010.05925.x 13. Tewksbury. J.J., et al.. Corridors affect plants, animals, and their interactions in fragmented landscapes. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 2002.99(20). hltp://dx. doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2Q2242699 Figure 6. Result of selecting the Bibliography Button. The MSSB uses a display element that is shown as a 'plus sign' surrounded by a circle to indicate some type of relationship, linkage, or connection between the topics that are connected by them. When the 'plus sign' is selected, a text box is displayed that provides information on the relationship between the two connected topics. Figure 7 illustrates the text box that provides information on the relationship between residential land use and residential segregation. ------- Multi-Sector Sustainability Browser (MSSB) Bibliography Residential Click on the topic bubble or choose a topic from the dropdown list above. Click on the linkages (+) to view the relationship between elements. Residential Residential land use is specifically developed to provide housing for people to live in. Housing consumes land, energy, water, and produces greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Housing is also an important contributor to human well-being by providing shelter and protection from the weather and other experiences that can negatively impact human health. The location of a person's residence determines their personal accessibility to a host of services, amenities, education, jobs, entertainment, etc. Sources & Related Reading VandeWeahe. J.R.. et al.. (2007)61 Kenwav. S.J.. et al.. (2011 Holden. E.. et al.. (2005)^ Sahelv. H.R.. et al.. f20Q3W How Do Different Land Use Types Impact Sustainability? Residential Resource Consumption Community Budget Impacts of Residential Land Use Reside Housing Affordability Quantitative Relationships for Residential Uses Residential Land Consumption Linkages Residential Land Use Impacts on Water Quality and Quantity The spatial segregation of neighborhoods by socio- economic divisions is increasingly common and a major concern for community public health advocates. In 1990, about 18% of poor metropolitan residents lived in areas with at least a 40% poverty rate, uesi practices and Unintended Consequences Your previous >» current displays: Society »> Residential Figure 7. Expanded Text Box with Information on the Relationship between Residential (Land Use) and Residential Segregation when the "+" sign is selected. The most extensive component of the MSSB is the Land Use component. This is the most extensive component because the other three sustainability components (Transportation, Buildings and Infrastructure, and Materials Management) are dependent on how land is used in implementing them. Each of the key Land Use topics shown in the main screen have lower levels of topics with additional information, as shown in Figure 8. ------- Multi-Sector Sustainability Browser (MSSB) Bibliography Land Use Click on the topic bubble or choose a topic from the dropdown list above. Click on the linkages (+) to view the relationship between elements. Sustainability What Regional Scale Land Use Qualities Are Most Important For Advancing Sustainability? How Do Different Land Use Types Impact Sustainability? How Does Land Use Form and Development Influence Sustainability? Indices of Sustainable Development Land Use What Neighborhood Scale Land Use Qualities Are Most Important For Advancing Sustainability? How Does Population Change Impact Land and Land Use? What are the Relevant Sustainability Metrics of Development Form and Pattern? ORD Recent and Planned Products Relevant to Land Use Decisions and Sustainability What Practices Best Support These Land Use Qualities? The text and data shown are distillations of the document: L. Cox, V. Hansen, J. Andrews, J. Thomas, I. Heilke, N. Flanders, C. Waters, S.A. Jacobs, Y. Yuan, A. Zimmer, J. Weaver, R. Daniels, T. Moor, T. Yuen, D.C. Payne-Sturges, M.W. McCullough, B. Rashleigh, M. TenBrink and B.T. Walton. Land Use: A Powerful Determinant of Sustainable & Healthy Communities. US Environmental Protection Agency, Internal Technical Report. 2013. which can be accessed here: Land Use Synthesis Document (PDFK225 pp, 4.11 MB)About_PDF Land Use Land Use is a critical factor in achieving community sustainability goals. Land is critically important as the source of natural capital that supplies materials (biomass, fuels, food, and water) to the agricultural, industrial, commercial, and residential sectors. Land conservation and land preservation represented the first systematic federal strategy to protect the environment for future generations. This 19th century approach was manifested in the Your previous »> current displays: Sustainability »> Land Use Figure 8. The Land Use Main Screen displaying the Land Use primary topics. When one of the Land Use topics is selected, it displays its subordinate (lower-level) topics containing additional information. Weblinks to the applicable references are displayed in the lower portion of the text box area. An example is shown in Figure 9 ------- Roads Residential How Do Different Land Use Types Impact Sustainability? Parkland and Open Space Commercial Agriculture Industrial How Do Different Land Use Types Impact Sustainability Land Use approaches and methodologies, linked in an integrated framework to manage the natural capital that provides materials (biomass, fuels, food, and water), locations for residences, employment, education, retail, entertainment, along with associated transportation infrastructure, agricultural development, building infrastructure, and solid waste and wastewater management to the economy and for the general population, is a critical factor in achieving community sustainability goals. Land must be available for residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural, parks and open space, and roads. These land use types are required to maintain society while meeting its needs. Communities face difficult decisions when the demand for available land conflicts with the need to sustain ecosystem services, maintain the beauty of natural landscapes, and provide healthy living conditions. Communities making land use decisions need to understand that land use changes are long lasting and cumulative, and Sources & Related Reading VandeWeahe. J.R.. et al.. (20071&it Kenwav. S.J.. et al.. (2011H Holden. E.. et al.. (2005)Sjj Sahelv. H.R.. et al.. (2003V"- Multi-Sector Sustainability Browser (MSSB) Bibliography How Do Different Land Use Types Impact Sustainability? Click on the topic bubble or choose a topic from the dropdown list above. Click on the linkages (+) to view the relationship between elements. Your previous »> current displays: Land Use >» How Do Different Land Use Types Impact Sustainability? Figure 9. The lower-level topics shown when the 'How do Different land Use Types Impact Sustainability' topic is selected. When one of the 'How do Different Land Use Types Impact Sustainability' topics is selected, it shows a lower-level topic containing additional information. Figure 10 shows the result when the lower-level 'Residential' topic is selected. Weblinks to the applicable references are displayed in the lower portion of the text box area. ------- Multi-Sector Sustainability Browser (MSSB) Bibliography Residential Land Use Impacts on Water Quality and Quantity Click on the topic bubble or choose a topic from the dropdown list above. Click on the linkages (+) to view the relationship between elements. Residential Land Use Impacts on Water Quality and Quantity Residential uses also consume a large portion of the nation's land, increasing impervious (non-porous) surface cover. Residential land use significantly contributes to urban heat island formation and surface water pollution and runoff. Surprisingly, low-density, single- family style housing, despite providing more lawns and trees, results in more impervious (non-porous) surface cover for the same occupancy capacity than higher density housing. Lawns exact a price in water quantity and quality. Lawns require irrigation, which increases water usage, increases runoff, and reduces the community's capacity to manage flooding. Researchers estimate that the projected rate of urbanization in the US Corn Belt cities is causing an expansion of turf grass in residential areas that leads to an increase in runoff of 15% - 48%. In addition, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions produced are significantly lower in residential areas in the city center than in suburban areas. When accounting for per-person transportation emissions and Sources & Related Reading Schneider. A., et al.. (20121ii VandeWeohe. J.R.. et al.. (2007U»l« Colford, J.M.. Jr.. et al.. (20121a Heanev. C.D.. et al.. (20121H Your previous »> current displays: How Do Different Land Use Types Impact Sustainability? »> Residential Land Use Impacts on Water Quality and Quantity Figure 10. The display shown when the 'Residential' sub-topic under How do Different Land Use Types Impact Sustainability is selected. The Transportation main display screen is shown in Figure 11. Each of the key Transportation displays shown in the main screen, with the exception of the 'Integrated Tools, Resources, and Indicators' display, have lower levels of displays with additional information, as shown in Figure 11. A-10 Residential Residential Land Use Impacts on Water Quality and Quantity ------- Multi-Sector Sustainability Browser (MSSB) Bibliography Transportation Click on the topic bubble or choose a topic from the dropdown list above. Click on the linkages (+) to view the relationship between elements. Sustainability Energy Use and Climate Change Issues Integrated Tools Resources, and Indicators Transportation Behavior Transportation Economic Issues Human Well-Being Air Quality Water Issues The text and data shown are distillations of the document: Flanders, N., J. Yang, R. Dodder, G. Furie, Rich Baldauf, L. Bachle, A. Bostrom, L. Berry, C. Walters, J. Bare, T. Barzyk, Randy Bruins, E. Cooter, F. DiCosmo, T. Eason, Tom Fontaine, L. Jackson, N. Schumaker, and J. Weaver. Synthesis Paper on Sustainable Transportation. US Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, OH, EPA/600/R-14/278, 2015. Which can be accessed here: Transportation Synthesis Document CPPFIfl 30 pp, 1.62MB)About PDF Transportation Transportatiom can be defined as the use of vehicles, conveyances, and modes to move goods, animals, information, and people from one physical/spatial location to another physical/spatial location. The main modes of transportation include land-based (trail, road, railroad, pipeline, cable), water-based (marine navigation [ship, boat, hovercraft, submarine], r i *__! LI_ r I *__1\ i Your previous >» current displays: Residential Land Use Impacts on Water Quality and Quantity »> Transportation Figure 11. The Transportation Main Screen illustrating the primary Transportation topics. When one of the Transportation topics is selected, it displays its subordinate (lower-level) topics containing additional information. When the 'Energy Use and Climate Change Issues' topic is selected, the result is shown in Figure 12. Weblinks to the applicable references are displayed in the lower portion of the text box area. A-ll ------- Multi-Sector Sustainability Browser (MSSB) Bibliography Energy Use and Climate Change Issues Click on the topic bubble or choose a topic from the dropdown list above. Click on the linkages (+) to view the relationship between elements. Transportation Transportation Demand Energy Use and Climate Change Issues Vehicle Electrification and Related Infrastructure Travel Mode Choice and Public Transit Fuel Economy and GHG Standards Alternative and Renewable Fuels Operational Considerations Affecting Energy Use and Emissions Your previous >» current displays: Transportation »> Energy Use and Climate Change Issues Energy Use and Climate Change Issues Energy use in the transportation system, including both passenger and freight transportation, is of key interest at the global, national, state, and local levels. At the national level, approximately 28% of total energy consumption in the U.S. is for transportation, including light and heavy duty vehicles, airplanes, buses, trains, barges, and ships. Personal transportation in light-duty vehicles (including cars, minivans, light-duty trucks, SUVs, motorcycles, etc.) accounted for the majority (59%) of total transportation energy use (highway and non-highway) and 72% of highway transportation energy use in 2010. Energy use is also closely coupled to a number of other environmental outcomes, particularly air quality and climate change. Economic factors also play an important role in assessing transportation energy production and use. Climate change is closely interrelated with transportation energy use due to the combustion of petroleum-based fuels. As a major consumer of fossil fuels, the U.S. Sources & Related Reading Pacala. S et al (2004Y3 Balbus. J.M.. et al.. i?014V ¦" Samaras. C.. et al.. (2uQ8V ''* Maieau-Bettez. G.. et al.. f201lV'iB Figure 12. The display shown when the 'Energy Use and Climate Change Issues' sub-topic under Transportation is selected. When the 'Integrated Tools, Resources, and Indicators' topic is selected from the Transportation main display screen, the result is shown below in Figure 13. Weblinks to the applicable references are displayed in the lower portion of the text box area. A-12 ------- Multi-Sector Sustainability Browser (MSSB) Bibliography Integrated Tools, Resources, and Indicators Click on the topic bubble or choose a topic from the dropdown list above. Click on the linkages (+) to view the relationship between elements. Transportation Integrated Tools Resources, and Indicators Your previous »> current displays: Energy Use and Climate Change Issues »> Integrated Tools, Resources, and Indicators Integrated Tools, Resources, and Indicators The three major interrelated elements of sustainability are the environment, the economy, and society (human well-being). These elements include a variety of additional relevant factors including natural and human ecology, political concerns, technological limitations, regulatory frameworks, resource conservation, human health, and demographic, socioeconomic, geographic, and intergenerational equity. In assessing how well a given community's transportation decisions are in supporting the various elements of sustainability, a hierarchy of goals, objectives, subobjectives, and performance measures should be established. Major categories of decisions that performance measures can be utilized to support include future system capacity, predicting future levels of demand, selecting construction materials and methods, amounts of land to use, and what future upgrades and rehabilitations require investment. Sustainability assessment tools should be incorporated into existing planning Sources & Related Reading Koo. D.-H.. et al.. (2009}e*' Wallbaum. H.. et al.. (20111EgS Black. J.A..etal..(2002Va Sinha. K.C.. (2003)a Figure 13. The display shown when the 'Integrated Tools, Resources, and Indicators' sub-topic under Transportation is selected. The Materials Management main display screen is shown in Figure 14. Each of the key Materials Management topics shown in the main screen has lower levels of topics with additional information, as shown in Figure 14. ------- Multi-Sector Sustainability Browser (MSSB) Bibliography Materials Management Click on the topic bubble or choose a topic from the dropdown list above. Click on the linkages (+) to view the relationship between elements. Sustainability Pyrolysis Landfilling Materials Management Anaerobic Digestion Gasification Aerobic Composting Combustion The text and data shown are distillations of the document: Industrial Economics Inc. 2015. A Systems Approach to Sustainable Materials Management Prepared for: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Sustainable and Healthy Communities Research Program This document can be accessed here: Materials Management Synthesis Document (PDFK66 pp, 2.35MB)About_PDF Materials Management The Materials Management system is composed of a number of processes which are used to address the disposal of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW). Waste generation is a continual process in communities, and sustainable approaches to managing this issue include reuse, recovery, and recycling of waste materials. Each of the Materials Management processes provides a path for either reuse, recovery, or recycling of the output products. Your previous »> current displays: Integrated Tools, Resources, and Indicators: Materials Management Figure 14. The Materials Management Main Screen primary topics. When one of the Materials Management topics is selected, it displays its subordinate (lower-level) topics containing additional information. When the "Anaerobic Digestion' topic is selected, the result is shown in Figure 15. ------- Multi-Sector Sustainability Browser (MSSB) Bibliography Anaerobic Digestion Click on the topic bubble or choose a topic from the dropdown list above. Click on the linkages (+) to view the relationship between elements. Technology Description Economic Considerations Anaerobic Digestion Environmental Concerns Commercialization Status Materials and Energy Recovery Anaerobic Digestion Anaerobic digestion is a process where organic matter (e.g., food waste) is biodegraded by microorganisms in the absence of oxygen, to produce methane (CH4) and a biosolid that can be used to enrich soil used to grow food crops and plants. Most commercial anaerobic digesters use sludge from wastewater treatment plants and livestock waste products as the starting organic matter for the process. The organic waste in municipal solid waste (MSW) is another source of organic matter for anaerobic digesters. Nearly 3500 wastewater treatment facilities and 190 commercial livestock farms use anaerobic digesters to generate methane and biosolids. Your previous »> current displays: Materials Management »> Anaerobic Digestion Figure 15. The lower-level topics shown when the 'Anaerobic Digestion' topic is selected. When the 'Technology Description' topic is selected from the Anaerobic Digestion display screen, the result is shown below in Figure 16. Weblinks to the applicable references are displayed in the lower portion of the text box area. A-15 ------- Multi-Sector Sustainability Browser (MSSBi Bibliography | Technology Description Click on the topic bubble or choose a topic from the dropdown list above. Click on the linkages (+) to view the relationship between elements. Anaerobic Digestion Technology Description Your previous »> current displays: Anaerobic Digestion »> Technology Description Technology Description The anaerobic digestion process for converting organic matter to methane (biogas) can be divided into four distinct and sequential phases: conversion of complex molecules and compounds into simple sugars; conversion of the simple sugars into acetic acid, CO2, and hydrogen (H2) gas via fermentation; generation of additional acetic acid, CO2. and hydrogen (H2} gas; production of methane (CH-) using the acetic acid or CO2 and Hi gas produced from previous phases. The amount of methane and biosolids generated in anaerobic digestion is dependent on the starting organic matter, its moisture content, temperature, acidity, and availability of the appropriate microorganisms. There are a number of anaerobic digestion systems, and the majority of them are manufactured in Europe. Heat is required from an external source to begin the process, but once that occurs, anaerobic digestion proceeds without further assistance. Sources & Related Reading Heo et al. <20D4)B Gerardi <20Q3)gj Lietal. (2011VH Gavala etal. I20031B Figure 16. The display shown when the 'Technology Description' sub-topic under Anaerobic Digestion is selected. The Buildings and Infrastructure main display screen is illustrated below. Each of the key Buildings and Infrastructure topics shown in the main screen, with the exception of the 'Research and Development' topic, has lower levels of displays with additional information, as shown in Figure 17. ------- Multi-Sector Sustainability Browser (MSSB) Bibliography Buildings and Infrastructure Click on the topic bubble or choose a topic from the dropdown list above. Click on the linkages (+) to view the relationship between elements. Sustainability Research and Development Society Buildings and Infrastructure Environment Economic The text and data shown are distillations of the document: Zimmer, A. and Ha H. Buildings and Infrastructure from a Sustainability Perspective US Environmental Protection Agency, National Risk Management Research Laboratory. EPA/600/X-14/369, 2014. Which can be accessed here: Buildings & Infrastructure Synthesis Document fPDQ(30 pp, 1,58MB)About PDF Buildings and Infrastructure Buildings and Infrastructure include all of the man-made, built environment components that are essential to a functioning society, including residential homes, commercial buildings, roads, bridges and railways, wastewater treatment facilities, power generating stations and power transmission lines, and storm drainage and sewer systems. In the United States, Buildings and Infrastructure are responsible for 37% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and 41% of energy consumption. It is apparent that proper planning and management of Buildings and Infrastructure can have a significant positive impact on sustainability activities. Your previous >» current displays: Building Demographics »> Buildings and Infrastructure Figure 17. The Buildings and Infrastructure primary topics. When one of the Buildings and Infrastructure topics is selected, it displays its subordinate (lower-level) topics containing additional information. When the 'Economic' topic is selected, the result is shown in Figure 18. A-17 ------- Multi-Sector Sustainability Browser (MSSB) Bibliography Economic Click on the topic bubble or choose a topic from the dropdown list above. Click on the linkages (+) to view the relationship between elements. Buildings and Infrastructure Green Project Impacts GDP Economic Building Demographics Recent Trends New Market Potential Economic The construction industry is used as an economic indicator in assessing the health of the economy. As of 2007, there were approximately 730,000 construction-related companies in the United States, which employed more than 7 million employees. The utility industry, including power generation and wastewater treatment, had more than 16,600 companies employing over 635,000 employees by 2007. Sustainability efforts in these two areas can have a huge impact on reduced energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Your previous »> current displays: Buildings and Infrastructure »> Economic Figure 18. When the 'Economic' topic is selected from the Buildings and Infrastructure display, the result is shown in Figure 18. When the 'GDP' topic is selected from the Economic sub- topic under the Buildings and Infrastructure display, the result is shown in Figure 19. A-18 ------- Multi-Sector Sustainability Browser (MSSB) Bibliography GDP Click on the topic bubble or choose a topic from the dropdown list above. Click on the linkages (+) to view the relationship between elements. Economic GDP In the United States, Buildings and Infrastructure represent approximately 16% of the nation's gross domestic product (GDP). The total impact of Buildings and Infrastructure on the economy of the United States represents more than $2.3 billion in economic value, which is 1 /6th of the total gross domestic product (GDP). Your previous »> current displays: New Market Potential »> GDP Figure 19. The display shown when the 'GDP' sub-topic under Economic is selected. A-19 ------- Recycled/Recyclable Printed on paper that contains a minimum of 50% post-consumer fiber content processed chlorine free SERA United States Environmental Protection Agency PRESORTED STANDARD POSTAGE & FEES PAID EPA PERMIT NO.G-35 Office of Research and Development (8101R) Washington, DC 20460 Official Business Penalty for Private Use $300 ------- |