Brownfield Redevelopment: Turning Contaminated Sites to Treasure

Rehabilitating damaged sites, known as brownfield redevelopment, is ideally suited for green building construction. These are the sites where the development is complicated by real or perceived environmental contamination. Using this land help reduce pressure on undeveloped land and also reduces environmental impact.

Brownfields are the redevelopment or reuse of land which may be complicated by the presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant or contaminant. Cleaning up, reinvesting in and redeveloping these properties shifts developmental pressures away from undeveloped land, thereby improving and protecting the environment. Moreover, brownfields redevelopment returns non-productive real estate assets to productive use. It helps to promote economic development of many of the nation's most economically distressed areas and regions.

Brownfields helps to improve social, economic and environmental conditions and provides opportunity to restore degraded urban land while promoting infill and reducing sprawl. Environmental and economic concerns are key issues when evaluating brownfield redevelopment as the remediation cost for site contamination could prove a costly affair.

Environmental concern

Hazardous materials will be removed from brownfield soil and ground water as its a threat to human and wildlife health. Redevelopment of brownfield sites helps to preserve greenfield/urban development for future generations as it reduces environmental impact.

Economic concern

Brownfields are inexpensive when compared to clean/uncontaminated property. The cleanup costs for brownfield have to be evaluated as they need to be economically viable for redevelopment. Remediation technologies could sometimes prove expensive and time consuming to evaluate and perform cleanup activities. The appropriate remediation technologies depend on the local site condition, region, contaminants present and other site factors.

Community concern

Cleaning up contaminated property can create a sense of pride in local community by turning waste land into an asset.

Design concern

Remediation technologies have to be established to develop a master plan, which helps in minimal disruption on natural site features both above and below ground levels. The remediation process should not damage the neighboring property or cause problems elsewhere in and around the site.

Advantages:

• Increases real estate/property value
• Reduces pressure on urban/undeveloped land
• Provides incentive to improve nearby properties
• Inexpensive when compared to uncontaminated property
• Attractive location as existing infrastructure like roads, utilities, transportation can be utilized

Disadvantages:

• Test for toxicity of soil and water could be expensive
• Brownfields could be purchased at below market price
• Remediation costs could be expensive and time consuming
• Quality of water and soil could be damaged during remediation process
• Site remediation cost to clean up contamination will be added along with land prices
• Contamination problems, indoor air quality and occupants health needs to be assessed before selecting a remediation strategy
• Building occupants could be concerned about health risks from breathing contaminated air or coming in contact with contaminated soil