Integrating Green Infrastructure For Eco-Innovation

 Green infrastructure is one of the commonly adopted strategies by leading cities in the  United States primarily for reducing the urban runoff and providing social and ecological  benefits to the community. Despite being promoted for their multifunctionality, Green  infrastructure strategies are typically implemented based on their economic benefits and  stormwater abatement. (Newell, 2013) (Kremer P. H., 2016) Hence, there is a need to  develop a framework to integrate the social and ecological benefits of green  infrastructure in the planning process.  

This research document demonstrates a scenario-based workflow to implement Green  Infrastructure strategies in the Uptown neighborhood in the city of Pittsburgh. The GIS based assessment aims to identify the key equity indicators based on the environmental,  urban and social attributes specific to the city and the neighborhood and implement  strategies for maximizing the multifunctional benefits of Green Infrastructure. The  workflow further identifies opportunities to engage stakeholders and property owners in  the planning process. The assessment of sites, stakeholder opinions, and green  infrastructure technologies are then combined to identify the synergies and trade-offs  between them.   

As a tool to prioritize or invest in green infrastructure, this document provides a unified  framework and strategies to support the decision-making process. Green infrastructure  implemented using this methodology can allow a data-informed and stakeholder informed planning process and can enhance socio-environmental equity at a  neighborhood scale.