Green efforts to link the economy and infrastructure strategies in the context of sustainable development

• Published in: Energy (Oxford) 2020-02, Vol.193, p.116759, Article 116759
• Main Authors: Khoshnava, Seyed Meysam, Rostami, Raheleh, Zin, Rosli Mohamad, Kamyab, Hesam, Abd Majid, Muhd Zaimi, Yousefpour, Alireza, Mardani, Abbas
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference systems; Adaptive systems; Air quality; Analytical network process; Artificial neural networks; Clean energy; Criteria; Economic development; Economic growth; Economics; Energy efficiency; Environmental accounting; Environmental economics; Fuzzy logic; Fuzzy systems; Green economy; Green infrastructure; Indicators; Infrastructure; Power efficiency; Resource efficiency; Sustainable development
• ISSN: 0360-5442; 1873-6785
• DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2019.116759

Infrastructure is the backbone of economic growth, which should be resurrected through green competency to rethink the infrastructure strategy and economic prosperity in dealing with local and global issues. There are several linkages such as energy efficiency between Green Infrastructure (GI) and Green Economy (GE) which have absolutely delivered remarkable rewards and influences in environmental, social, economic pillar of sustainable development (SD). However, these influences have not been cleared and unknown in priors’ literature. This study proposes a methodological approach to deliberate: the Analytical Network Process (ANP) to prioritise GI criteria with considering their mutual influences, which would be primed to the enactment of GE in the context of SD; and the Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference Systems (ANFIS) to implement GE in SD context. The ANP results as inputs info for ANFIS method indicated that the majority of effectiveness belonged to four primary GI criteria (approximately more than 80%), namely, Affordability, Resource Efficiency, Energy Efficiency, and Air Quality. The ANFIS results for achieving each GE indicators showed that the most effective combination of upward interaction among GI criteria are belonged to: Affordability with Resource Efficiency (Eco-Environment indicator), Energy Efficiency with Resource Efficiency (Socio-Environment indicator), and Affordability with Energy Efficiency (Socio-Economic indicator). In conclusion, the best interaction for GE implementation belonged to Socio-Environment and Eco-Environment indicators through the greatest interface among Affordability, Energy Efficiency, and Resource Efficiency.