Simulation and Comprehensive Evaluation of the Multidimensional Environmental Benefits of Sponge Cities

Abstract

The implementation of grey and green infrastructure is an effective means to address urban flooding and nonpoint source pollution, but due to the complexity of the process and the diversity of benefits, there is a lack of measurement of the comprehensive benefits. Adopting a typical university in Beijing as an example, this paper simulated the multidimensional benefits of the water quantity, water quality, and ecology of grey and green facility renovation by coupling the storm water management model (SWMM) and InfoWorks Integrated Catchment Management (ICM). Monetization methods and economical means were employed to characterize the comprehensive benefits. The results showed that grey and green infrastructure retrofitting reduced the number of severe overflow nodes in the study area by 54.35%, the total overflow volume by 22.17%, and the nonpoint source pollution level by approximately 80% under the heavy rain scenario and 60% under the rainstorm scenario. The annual benefits of grey and green infrastructure renovation reached CNY764,691/year: of this amount, CNY275,726/year was from hydrological regulation, CNY270,895/year was from nonpoint source pollution reduction, and CNY218,070/year was from ecological improvement. The benefits of green facilities were higher than those of grey facilities, and the combined benefits were negatively correlated with the rainfall level, with a total benefit–cost ratio of 1.19. The results provide methodological and data support for grey and green infrastructure retrofitting within the context of sponge cities.

Study on Suburban Land Use Optimization from the Perspective of Flood Mitigation—A Case Study of Pujiang Country Park in Shanghai

“…While Scenario P demonstrates superior performance in flood regulation functions compared to scenarios N and U across equivalent stormwater scenarios, its effectiveness could be further optimized through the integration of green infrastructure with grey infrastructure. This combined approach has the potential to mitigate the adverse impacts of infrequent yet intense rainfall events more effectively [39][40][41][42]. However, it is pertinent to note that this study primarily focused on self-draining in simulation analysis due to the lack of available drainage data, thereby omitting consideration of the grey infrastructure component of drainage facilities.…”

Can "sponge city" pilots enhance ecological livability: Evidence from China

“…As for whether the "sponge city" pilot can reduce the environmental pressure of human activities and effectively improve ecological livability, and what are its action paths and characteristics, Han Youting (2023) believes that "sponge city" can improve the ecological environment quality of the city by using the force of nature to drain water and reduce pollution [ 18 ]. Jingyu Wang et al (2023) believe that the construction of "sponge city" can significantly promote the improvement of ecological environment by solving urban waterlogging and non-point source pollution [ 19 ]. Ma Jing et al (2023) used the system dynamics model to study and found that the construction of "sponge city" has achieved good results in the green and sustainable development of cities [ 20 ].…”