INDICADORES DE LA SOSTENIBILIDAD DE LAS INFRAESTRUCTURAS

Abstract

The new paradigm of sustainability, framed in a sustainable development in its three dimension, economic, social and environmental, demands joint efforts in planning, construction and management of infrastructure to optimize their sustainability. Sustainable development optimum offers a balanced combination of economic growth, progress and social cohesion with respect the environment. In this way, dimensions of sustainability to be considered, as a basic principle, in an integrated manner. At all stages of the cascade of decisions, from planning, on a macro level to the management at a micro level (specific project) is strongly recommended to define indicators in order to quantify, based in measures, trends and achievements on the path towards sustainability. This definition is also essential to set targets and introduce rationality in the decision process. At the macro level, sustainability indicators will contribute, in some way, to facilitate the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), integrating sustainability considerations to evaluate plans and programs. In the other way, measuring the levels of sustainability of projects (more "micro"), are close to the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of projects. This work present a proposed of sustainability indicators to assess a generic infrastructure, both for use in an assessment of strategic level and to assess a given infrastructure, in a more local level. Keywords: indicators, sustainability, infrastructures