Work

Key Performance Indicators for Sustainable Stormwater Management in Architectural and Urban Design: Assessment Framework and Application in the Urban Context of Rome

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Urban areas are increasingly exposed to water-related challenges, including flood risk and water scarcity, amplified by climate change, population growth, and extensive soil sealing. Addressing these pressures requires integrated stormwater management (SWM) strategies that balance hydraulic, environmental, and social objectives. This study introduces a novel, replicable Key Performance Indicator (KPI)-based assessment framework for 36 green–blue and grey sustainable stormwater management systems (SWMSs), designed to enable cross-typology, multiscale comparison. Six KPIs, encompassing flood regulation, water consumption, water quality, air quality, environmental amenity, and biodiversity potential, are derived through a critical synthesis and harmonisation of the literature and complemented with new parameters and sub-parameters to address existing methodological gaps. The framework structures evaluations into six analytical tables and one summary table, ensuring transparent, systematic, and comparative assessment of heterogeneous solutions. Application to a pilot project in Rome demonstrates how integrating KPI evaluation with parametric hydraulic modelling provides actionable insights for solution selection. It also facilitates identification of potential synergies between performance dimensions, enhancing its value as a decision-support tool in preliminary design. Overall, the study demonstrates the research value of multi-scalar, performance-based approaches for urban water planning, highlights the transferability of resilient stormwater strategies in climate-sensitive contexts, and identifies promising avenues for future research, including multi-sectoral integration, trade-off analysis, and cross-platform application.

Source: Applied Sciences

DOI: 10.3390/app16083762

Authors: Lidia Maria Giannini, Giada Romano, Fabrizio Tucci

Institution: Sapienza University of Rome

Language: English

Topic: Urban Stormwater Management Solutions

Subfield: Environmental Engineering

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Clean water and sanitation, Sustainable cities and communities, Climate action

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,896