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MS Plan B: Net Carbon Impacts of Rapid Resilient Reefs for Coastal Defense (R3D): A Life Cycle Assessment Approach
MS Plan B: Net Carbon Impacts of Rapid Resilient Reefs for Coastal Defense (R3D): A Life Cycle Assessment Approach
December 5 @ 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm
Scott Hellinger
Masters Student
Department of Ocean & Resources Engineering
University of Hawai’i at Manoa
**This defense will be held in person (HOLM 400) and Zoom**
Meeting ID: 883 7020 7120
Passcode: ScottMS
Zoom link: https://hawaii.zoom.us/j/88370207120
Coastal communities face increasing vulnerability from sea-level rise and intensifying storms, prompting demand for sustainable, nature-based shoreline protection strategies. This Plan B project evaluates the Rapid Resilient Reefs for Coastal Defense (R3D) system—an engineered living breakwater that mimics the protective and ecological functions of natural coral reefs—through a comprehensive Life Cycle Carbon Assessment (LCCA). The study quantifies carbon emissions across material extraction, fabrication, transport, and installation, and assesses carbon sequestration potential driven by coral calcification, associated biological processes, and alternative materials. Using laboratory data, environmental datasets, and scenario-based modeling, it estimates changes in coral biomass, calcification rates, and biogeochemical fluxes over time. By integrating these components, the research examines whether R3D can transition from an initially carbon-positive system to carbon-neutral or net-negative performance at post-installation . Results aim to clarify the R3D system’s viability as a scalable, climate-mitigating coastal defense solution with potential economic co-benefits such as carbon credit generation and reduced infrastructure risk.