Quantitative approaches for including equity in risk and resilience infrastructure planning analyses

Area of Science:

• Engineering
• Environmental Science
• Social Science

Background:

• Critical infrastructure risk and resilience assessments traditionally focus on objectives like natural hazard evaluation and investment optimization.
• While research has begun to address externalities, integrating equity priorities early in project planning is crucial but lacks a standardized methodology.
• Existing approaches often fail to incorporate specific community needs and priorities into quantitative risk assessments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel logic model for developing equity-informed quantitative approaches in infrastructure planning.
• To provide a standardized methodology for incorporating diverse community priorities and geographical nuances into risk assessments.
• To demonstrate the framework's applicability across various critical infrastructure sectors.

Main Methods:

• Development of a logic model employing a graded, iterative approach to define equity objectives.
• Tailoring the logic model to specific geographies and community priorities for integration into mathematical risk assessment approaches.
• Application and demonstration of the framework through case studies involving aviation fuel, produced water, and microgrid electricity infrastructures.

Main Results:

• The logic model effectively clarifies how local priorities and infrastructure needs inform data selection and quantitative methodologies.
• Case studies illustrate the framework's utility in integrating community nuances, such as asset ownership, into infrastructure assessments.
• Explicit consideration of methodological limitations and stakeholder engagement enhanced transparency and integration of local context.

Conclusions:

• The proposed logic model offers a standardized approach for equity-informed quantitative infrastructure risk assessment.
• Integrating community priorities and nuances leads to more transparent, equitable, and effective infrastructure planning.
• This framework supports the development of long-lasting solutions aligned with energy and sustainable development goals.