Analysis of Equivalent CO 2 Emissions of the Irrigation System—A Case Study

Daniel Benalcázar-Murillo, Silvia Vilcekova and Miguel Ángel Pardo ()
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Daniel Benalcázar-Murillo: Department of Civil Engineering, University of Alicante, Carretera de San Vicent del Raspeig s/n, 03690 Alicante, Spain
Silvia Vilcekova: Institute of Sustainable and Circular Construction, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Technical University of Košice, Vysokoškolská 4, 04200 Košice, Slovakia
Miguel Ángel Pardo: Department of Civil Engineering, University of Alicante, Carretera de San Vicent del Raspeig s/n, 03690 Alicante, Spain

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 23, 1-14

Abstract: This work aims to assess the emissions related to the useful life of the irrigation network on the campus of the University of Alicante (Spain). A life cycle assessment has been developed employing the One Click LCA software to calculate material proportion, repair rate, energy consumption, water volume, transport, and irrigation surface. This has been used in a real pressurised irrigation network, such as the one at the University of Alicante delivering water to the grass. Two potential cases which consider the pipelines made of polyvinyl chloride (variant 1) and high-density polyethene (variant 2) have also been analysed. Energy consumption had the most influence on emissions discharges (42%), followed by materials (37%) and repairs (18%) in the current water irrigation network. Variant 1 shows higher emissions produced in network materials (47%), energy consumption (27%), and repairs (24%). Variant 2 has high emissions because of energy consumption (47%), materials manufacturing and transport (34%), and repairs (17%). It has been determined that a network of disposed polyethene pipes will reduce the total Global Warming Potential emitted into the atmosphere. Materials (127.9 Tn CO 2e ) and energy (145.5 Tn CO 2e ) are the stages where the highest Global Warming Potential is produced. Other stages that also stand out are repairs (62 Tn CO 2e ), construction (6.3 Tn CO 2e ), and transport of materials (3.5 Tn CO 2 e). Renewable energy sources could reduce energy consumption. Variant 2 has 11% lower emissions than the current network (variant 0), making it a workable choice for infrastructure design.

Keywords: life cycle analysis; global warming potential; university irrigation system; operational energy; pipe materials (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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