Benefits Toolkit

[Temporarily offline as of spring 2021] This straightforward calculator uses the inputs of produce type and planted area to determine the total pounds grown and market value of individual or multiple crops. Over 50 kinds of vegetables, fruits, and herbs are available in the drop-down menu. Calculations are based on…

Topics

Food production, Other economic, Food garden

Water Harvesting Calculator

Water Harvesting Solutions (Wahaso)

This tool estimates the volume of water required for toilet flushing in a building and compares it to the amount of water that a rainwater harvesting system could capture from roofs and parking lots. Inputs include: information on building occupancy, average rainfall, and roof and parking lot catchment areas. Results…

Topics

Water conservation, Rainwater harvesting

National Stormwater Management Calculator

Center for Neighborhood Technology

This online tool compares predevelopment, conventional development, and development with Green Stormwater BMPs for a single site. Results include changes in total runoff volume, pervious area, and life cycle costs. Inputs include: site size, predevelopment land cover, post development land cover, and parameters for…

Topics

Stormwater management, Operations & maintenance savings, Trees, Rainwater harvesting, Permeable paving, Bioretention, Native plants, Green roof

eBird

Cornell Lab of Ornithology

eBird is a database of citizen science bird observations that allows for tracking of bird species distribution and abundance worldwide. The online database is freely accessible and made possible by millions of bird observers across the world uploading information from field observations. The only required input is…

Topics

Populations & species richness, Biodiversity

Recycling and Reusing Landscape Waste Cost Calculator

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

This Microsoft Excel-based calculator estimates the cost and environmental benefits of four scenarios for handling hardscape and landscape wastes (concrete and asphalt, brick, lumber, and yard waste): (1) Reusing all waste possible on-site, recycling all waste possible that cannot be reused, and disposing of waste…

Topics

Water conservation, Energy use, Air quality, Carbon sequestration & avoidance, Waste reduction, Operations & maintenance savings, Other economic, Reused/recycled materials

Construction Carbon Calculator

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center and Mithun

This tool estimates the net embodied carbon of a project’s structures and site. The measurements account for building materials, processes and carbon released due to ecosystem degradation or sequestered through landscape installation or restoration. Landscape inputs are ecoregion, area and type of existing vegetation…

Topics

Carbon sequestration & avoidance

Resource Conserving Landscaping Cost Calculator

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

This Microsoft Excel-based calculator compares the cost of converting conventional landscapes to landscapes that require less irrigation and produce less waste. Inputs include: configuration of the current landscape (proportion that is comprised of flowers, turf, shrubs, and ground cover), configuration of landscape…

Topics

Water conservation, Operations & maintenance savings, Construction cost savings, Native plants

Decking Cost Calculator

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

This Microsoft Excel-based calculator compares the costs of building a new deck with recycled plastic, recycled wood/plastic composite lumber, cedar/redwood, and pressure-treated yellow pine. Based on the size of the project, the calculator estimates the initial, 3-year, 6-year, 10-year, lifetime, and average annual…

Topics

Operations & maintenance savings, Construction cost savings

System for Observing Play and Recreation in Communities (SOPARC)

Deborah A. Cohen and Thomas L. McKenzie

SOPARC is a direct observation tool for assessing use of parks and play areas. The tool provides protocols for observers to track users’ physical activity levels, activity types, genders, and estimated age and race/ethnicity groupings during a specified time frame using momentary time sampling. It can also be used to…

Topics

Recreational & social value, Health & well-being, Play equipment, Active living

Sub-Surface Drip Irrigation Cost Calculator

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

This Microsoft Excel-based calculator compares the water use and cost of a sub-surface drip irrigation system (with rain-shutoff device) to conventional sprinkler irrigation. The only inputs are: irrigated area, water rate cost, length of growing season, number of days per month with over 1/2” of rain, and frequency of…

Topics

Water conservation, Operations & maintenance savings, Construction cost savings, Efficient irrigation

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