Coupled Human–Infrastructure Systems: Socio-Behavioral and Spatial Dynamics in Green Stormwater Infrastructure Adoption

Urban stormwater management faces unprecedented challenges as climate change and rapid urbanization intensify flood risks and overwhelm aging gray infrastructure. Green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) offers a sustainable, decentralized alternative; however, its household-level adoption is hindered by socio-behavioral barriers that remain less studied. Here, we address this gap where we integrate empirical survey data, structural equation modeling (SEM), and agent-based modeling (ABM) to investigate these dynamics. SEM analysis quantified how environmental attitudes, social capital, financial capacity, and spatial factors influence GSI adoption decisions. The resulting parameters informed an ABM that simulated neighborhood-scale diffusion, showing that strong pro-environmental attitude and cohesive community networks significantly boost adoption, whereas high costs and spatial limitations deter participation, generating spatial clusters of adoption. Our findings highlight the need for targeted policies and financial incentives to overcome behavioral and economic obstacles, thereby accelerating GSI diffusion and enhancing urban resilience against climate-driven stormwater impacts.