Article

A comparative life cycle assessment of rain garden and green roof systems using the OpenLCA software platform

Maryna Kravchenko, Tetiana Tkachenko, Lesya Vasylenko
Abstract

Global climate change and increasing urbanisation are intensifying pressure on urban infrastructure and natural resources, highlighting the importance of implementing green infrastructure to enhance urban resilience and reduce environmental impacts. The purpose of the study was to conduct a comparative life cycle assessment of a rain garden and a green roof using OpenLCA software (version 2.6, 2025) by modelling their environmental indicators, which made it possible to identify the key climate-related and resource-related parameters of their performance. For the modelling, data were collected at all stages of the life cycle of the structures and normalised per square metre over a 15-year operational period. The main environmental impact categories selected were global warming potential, eutrophication potential, acidification potential and abiotic resource depletion. The results demonstrated a different balance of environmental impacts across the various life cycle stages. The green roof was characterised by a lower impact during the construction phase, for example, a global warming potential of 50 kg CO₂-eq/m², due to the use of prefabricated modular blocks. By contrast, rain gardens demonstrated a lower impact during the operational phase, with 130 kg CO₂-eq/m² compared with 320 kg CO₂-eq/m² for green roofs over 15 years, due to passive stormwater runoff filtration and minimal maintenance requirements. A significant share of the construction-stage impact was associated with the use of quartz sand as a soil additive for rain gardens and bark mulch as a ground cover, which suppresses unwanted vegetation and supports the establishment of target vegetation. At the end-of-life stage, both systems demonstrated minimal overall environmental impact, with most indicators remaining negligible. The results confirmed that none of the green infrastructure systems studied is universally optimal; their effectiveness depends on the specific life cycle stage and local conditions, highlighting the need to consider local objectives and priorities when selecting a system

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Received 13.01.2026

Revised 21.04.2026

Accepted 12.06.2026

Published 30.06.2026

https://doi.org/10.63341/esbur/1.2026.129
Retrieved from Vol. 17, No. 1, 2026
Pages 129-143

Suggested citation

Kravchenko, M., Tkachenko, T., & Vasylenko, L. (2026). A comparative life cycle assessment of rain garden and green roof systems using the OpenLCA software platform. Ecological Safety and Balanced Use of Resources, 17(1), 129-143. https://doi.org/10.63341/esbur/1.2026.129

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