Life cycle sustainability assessment of a light rail transit system: Integration of environmental, economic, and social impacts

The authors conducted a life cycle assessment (LCA) of the sustainability of a light rail transit (LRT) system in Kayseri, Turkey, combining environmental and socioeconomic aspects. The sustainability of the LRT system is evaluated using an LCA to assess three aspects of sustainability. For the environmental evaluation, an LCA was applied using SimaPro 8.4.1 PhD version based on ISO 14040 and 14044. The method, which includes nine environmental impact categories, assessed the environmental performance of the LRT system with a functional unit of 1 passenger per kilometer (km). For the economic assessment, life cycle costing was utilized with the functional unit of 1 United States Dollar (USD) per passenger-km. A social LCA assessed the social performance of the LRT system. For assessment of social impacts, eleven subcategories and eighteen social indicators were used. The results showed that the global warming potential and abiotic depletion potential of the LRT system per passenger-km were 2.4E − 02 kg CO₂ equivalent and 2.7E − 01 MJ, respectively, with a service life of 50 years. The total life cycle cost of the LRT system was calculated as 0.046 USD for 1 passenger-km. The results also discovered that the main contributor to the total life cycle cost is energy cost, with 92% of the total cost. For social performance, the LRT system performs well for society, the local community, and workers.

• Record URL:
  https://doi.org/10.1002/ieam.4428
• Authors:
  • Gulcimen, Sedat
  • Aydogan, Emel K
  • Uzal, Nigmet
  • 0000-0002-0912-3459
• Publication Date: 2021-9

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Features: Figures; Maps; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 1070-1082
• Serial:
  • Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management
  • Volume: 17
  • Issue Number: 5
  • Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated
  • EISSN: 1551-3777
  • Serial URL: https://setac.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/15513793

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Economic impacts; Environmental impacts; Life cycle analysis; Light rail transit; Social impacts; Sustainable transportation
• Geographic Terms: Kayseri (Turkey)
• Subject Areas: Environment; Public Transportation; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01789746
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Nov 30 2021 10:23AM