Comprehensive emergent assessment of ecosystem services and economic efficiency of urban green structures

• Date: 2025
• Main Authors: Shumbar, Kostiantyn, Kravchenko, Мaryna, Vasylenko, Lesya, Tkachenko, Tetiana, Voloshkina, Olena, Shcherbak, Andrii
• Format: Article
• Language: Ukrainian
• Published: Kyiv National University of Construction and Architecture 2025
• Subjects: urban green infrastructure; green structures; ecosystem services; emergy accounting; cost-effectiveness; noise protection function
• Online Access: https://es-journal.in.ua/article/view/351641
• Journal Title: Environmental safety and natural resources

Rapid urbanisation in recent years has led to the deterioration of urban ecosystems and the emergence of numerous environmental and socio-economic problems. In response to these challenges, the implementation of green structures has gained considerable popularity as a sustainable approach to urban planning. This paper presents a comprehensive assessment of the costs, benefits (ecosystem services) and impacts (ecosystem disservices) associated with the use of green structures in the urban environment, using the emergy accounting approach, which allows for the quantitative assessment of resource costs in biophysical units through the prism of energy transformations. To achieve this goal, a new integrated assessment system is proposed, covering key components: assessment of the costs of implementing and operating green structures, assessment of ecosystem services, determination of environmental costs to compensate for damage to public health and biodiversity, and identification of ecosystem disservices. In particular, the economic efficiency of green walls in reducing noise pollution is investigated using the example of typical urban configurations of apartment buildings. The results show that green roofs provide greater benefits to the ecosystem compared to other types of green structures, but they are accompanied by high initial construction costs and require more intensive maintenance. Green walls demonstrated the highest emergent costs for noise pollution reduction (5.77×1012 sej/m2·year), indicating their potential effectiveness in improving the city's acoustic environment. Cost-benefit calculations are presented for two simulated architectural configurations, reflecting the impact of green walls on noise reduction and aesthetic benefits for residents; the results show that in both cases the benefits significantly outweigh the costs. The data obtained provides valuable information for urban planners, policymakers and other stakeholders, facilitating informed decisions on the development of sustainable cities to ensure the well-being of current and future generations.