Search Results (57)

The necessity of brownfield remediation has drawn more attention to scholarly literature in recent years. This review aims to understand the application of brownfield regeneration to sustainable housing and infrastructure development. With an emphasis on deciding the obstacles to regeneration, success factors, and their effects on outcomes, including the environmental, social, and economic aspects of housing and infrastructure development, this paper employs a systematic literature review approach to analyse current perspectives on brownfield regeneration for housing and infrastructure. This paper employs the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) approach and frequency based meta-synthesis to systematically quantify how often specific teams, variables, barriers, or concepts appear in body of literature. This investigation thoroughly examined 88 publications from the Scopus database. The research also classified and highlighted institutional and legal, financial and economic, socio-political, and environmental challenges to brownfield regeneration. The main success criteria for brownfield regeneration are mature policy alignment, approval processes, grants, and access to financial incentives. The developing gap found in this study should be the focus of future research. To address financial obstacles, a strong business case model for brownfield sites that provide investors or stakeholders with a financial forecast is needed. Finally, it is essential to develop a sustainable framework for brownfield site regeneration that encompasses all sustainable dimensions related to housing and infrastructure development. Finally, the review contributes to theory and practice by giving a comprehensive overview of brownfield barriers, success factors, and their impact on academics and industry. Full article

Adaptive reuse of post-industrial heritage is often studied through technical performance, formal intervention strategies, or decision-support models. While these approaches clarify important aspects of reuse, they give limited attention to how projects evolve through the combined effects of architectural decisions, governance arrangements, financing mechanisms, policy instruments, social programs, and inherited fabric. This paper examines adaptive reuse as a time-structured project trajectory. It applies a hybrid methodology combining within-case reconstruction and comparative cross-case analysis to seven European projects in Brussels, Essen, Rotterdam, San Sebastián, Florence, Vienna, and Barcelona. The cases are analyzed across six dimensions: Asset & Context, Governance & Finance, Circularity, Social & Cultural, Policy & Design, and Outcomes & Transfer. The comparison shows that adaptive capacity depends on the alignment of governance, project time, and intervention strategy. Governance determines who can revise decisions and under what conditions; adaptation time is produced through funding horizons, approval procedures, institutional continuity, and civic or public stewardship; and strategies of retention, replacement, reversible insertion, and incremental occupation distribute future risk differently across project phases. From this synthesis, the paper extracts ten conditional lessons that frame adaptive reuse as configuration knowledge: transferable insights whose relevance depends on the interaction among governance capacity, temporal sequencing, inherited fabric, financing, policy support, and social objectives. The paper argues that knowledge transfer in adaptive reuse should be understood as disciplined translation across comparable constraints, not as the replication of models, rankings, or best-practice templates. Full article

Industrial areas, which represent a specific type of urbanised area with an extremely high concentration of material reserves, can be considered key anthropogenic raw material reservoirs in the context of urban mining. Industrial areas, characterised by a high material density and a specific composition of structural systems, show extraordinary potential for providing secondary raw materials with high material and energy value. This increases the need for their systematic evaluation. The aim of the present study was to define the role of the selected industrial area as a strategic node for secondary raw material extraction, to identify the structure and quality of “urban deposits” in the selected location of the Ostrava–Karviná region (CZ), and to provide an analytical framework for its integration into circular planning processes. The methodological approach is based on a combination of pre-demolition audit, material flow mapping, spatial analysis, and structural element characterisation. It is becoming apparent that industrial areas have a high material density and contain significant amounts of recyclable metals, reinforced concrete elements, etc. These stocks are often concentrated in structural systems with predictable geometries, such as serial assembly prefabricated and steel frames, allowing for more accurate estimates of recoverable volumes. The results show that the incorporation of industrial areas into the process of urban mining can significantly reduce the consumption of primary raw materials, mitigate the environmental impacts associated with the extraction of raw materials, and, at the same time, promote the regeneration of industrial areas (or brownfields) through the planned decomposition of structures. The inclusion of urban mining in urban development strategies and the regeneration of industrial sites leads to the prediction that urban mining is one of the key elements for achieving a material-efficient and low-carbon urban environment. Full article

Waterfront brownfield urban public parks (WBUPPs) are complex regeneration projects that require comprehensive assessment of environmental remediation, climate resilience, urban connectivity, and social well-being. This study proposes a structured GIS-based spatial analysis protocol that operationalizes key attributes of brownfields, waterfronts, public parks, and sustainability, with the aim of examining how digital tools can support WBUPP planning processes. Using free and open source resources and datasets (QGIS and OpenStreetMap), the approach produces eight core thematic maps that spatially organize 39 of 50 criteria identified from the literature and classified under economic, environmental, and social sustainability dimensions. This mapping protocol streamlines navigation for planners through complex datasets and offers researchers a foundation for thematic spatial analyses aligned with these literature-based criteria. The protocol is illustrated with Brooklyn Bridge Park in New York City—an 85-acre waterfront redevelopment that demonstrates heritage conservation, ecological restoration, and financial viability. The results highlight identifiable spatial patterns such as dual zones (urban buffer and recreation), winding pathways, and clustered amenities. At the same time, the analysis underscores the importance of data validation, as inconsistencies in volunteered geographic information require cross-referencing with multiple sources and field verification. The analysis shows that WBUPPs require tailored approaches that integrate land–water mobility, heritage adaptation, nature-based solutions, and equitable service distribution. This criteria-driven protocol offers adaptable guidance for future waterfront brownfield regeneration, while emphasizing that digitalization enhances the process, but it cannot replace hybrid analytical methods that combine quantitative spatial analysis with qualitative evaluations. Full article

Urban overheating poses major challenges in Mediterranean cities, affecting public health and well-being. This study comparatively evaluates how alternative greening configurations influence urban microclimate and outdoor thermal comfort in a brownfield regeneration site in Imola, Italy, using ENVI-met simulations under a representative extreme summer condition. Eight scenarios with varying vegetation density, structure, and spatial arrangement were modelled on the hottest day of the year, and the Physiological Equivalent Temperature (PET) was evaluated at representative times. Results show that greening reduces heat stress, though its effectiveness varies over time and across configurations. No meaningful cooling occurred at 5:00 a.m., confirming that vegetation has a limited impact during nocturnal radiative processes. At 9:00 a.m., the medium-density scenario (S2b) achieved the greatest PET reduction (~2 °C), suggesting favorable evapotranspiration conditions under moderate radiation. At 4:00 p.m., the distributed high-density scenario (S3.2b) provided the strongest mitigation (~1.8–2 °C). Distributed layouts outperformed clustered ones, highlighting the non-linear nature of vegetation cooling. Zonal analysis showed the largest cooling in public green areas, followed by parking, building, and path zones, demonstrating the influence of surface type and shading geometry. Greening also produced modest improvements in surrounding neighborhoods (up to 0.8 °C in the morning), although impacts remained localized. Overall, results highlight how vegetation quantity, structure, and spatial distribution influence cooling performance under critical summer conditions, supporting climate-responsive urban regeneration design. These findings contribute to sustainable urban planning by supporting nature-based strategies for climate adaptation and improved environmental quality in regenerating urban districts. Future work should consider seasonal vegetation dynamics and multi-objective design optimization. Full article

Currently, many industrial cities in Northeast China are grappling with a surge in brownfields, population loss, and environmental degradation, largely driven by industrial decline. Consequently, brownfield regeneration has emerged as a critical pathway for exploring sustainable development in shrinking cities. This study investigates the regeneration potential of urban brownfields against the backdrop of population shrinkage and aging. Under the framework of Ecosystem Service Theory, this study adopts the Fulaerji District of Qiqihar City as a representative case, integrating its four key categories of ecosystem services into a three-dimensional “economic–social–environmental” evaluation framework. This approach facilitates the transformation of Ecosystem Service Theory from a conventional post-regeneration evaluation tool into a pre-regeneration framework for assessing potential and determining site prioritization. A tripartite evaluation system was constructed, integrating economic vitality (e.g., the population shrinkage index, the proportion of the elderly population, and transportation accessibility), social culture (e.g., the industrial heritage proximity index), and ecological regulation functions (e.g., proximity of green spaces and importance of ecosystem services). Leveraging multi-source geospatial data, land surveys, and field inspections, 12 candidate brownfield sites were identified. GIS spatial analysis and the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) were employed to decipher their spatial distribution patterns and comprehensive potential grades. The findings reveal the following: (1) The evaluation results exhibit distinct spatial characteristics: high-potential sites, clustered near transport hubs and policy-supported zones, demonstrate multi-dimensional advantages, while low-potential sites, constrained by aging demographics, poor accessibility, and ecological vulnerability, are predominantly located on the urban periphery. (2) Correlation analysis between potential grades and various evaluation indicators, combined with a cross-comparison of population shrinkage levels and average values of other evaluation indicators across different potential grades, reveals that neither the population shrinkage index nor the elderly population proportion exerts a systematic negative impact on industrial brownfield regeneration potential. This finding indicates that within specific urban development contexts, brownfield regeneration potential is influenced more by structural factors such as locational conditions, policy support, and ecological service functions than by singular demographic trends. This research provides both theoretical foundation and decision-making support for differentiated brownfield regeneration and spatial governance in population-shrinking cities. Full article

This study proposes “Prosuming-Parks,” spatial models that integrate industrial activities with green infrastructure to revitalize South Korea’s border regions. A dataset of 2126 brownfields—including aging industrial sites, military facilities, water infrastructure, public buildings, schools, and railways—was compiled and evaluated through a Prosuming-Park Typology Index linking brownfield types with eight industrial sectors. Six models are derived and applied to fifteen municipalities, suggesting tailored strategies for industrial restructuring and ecological restoration. The framework demonstrates how brownfields can seed scalable green networks and, with future inter-Korean cooperation, evolve into transboundary ecological systems. Full article

In the face of mounting challenges related to limited availability of urban land and ecological degradation, emerging novel ecosystems offer unique opportunities for ecological regeneration, social redefinition of space, and alternative urban visions. This study presents the multi-layer analysis of the Goccia Forest in Milan (Italy), a wild urban woodland that has developed over sealed and polluted post-industrial land, aiming to investigate the potential of this novel ecosystem to sustain Nature-based Solutions (NbSs). Using an integrated approach (surveys on fauna, vascular flora, lichens, analysis of forest evolution, mapping of sealed surfaces, and soil characterization) the research looks at the novel ecosystem as a whole, highlighting its ecological dynamics and Ecosystem Services (ES). La Goccia Forest serves as a prime example of how the implementation of NbSs is intricately intertwined with the spontaneous regeneration of urban brownfields. The present study offers the opportunity to rethink urban policies, ensuring their alignment with the demands of the population and the latest scientific knowledge. Full article

The article examines the role of art in the successful revitalisation of brownfield sites in Nantes. The city’s deindustrialization in the 1960s–80s caused a severe economic and social crisis. Significant areas were left behind by the abandoned factories, which were rapidly degrading, negatively affecting the entire city. Many of these were located on a river island in the city centre. Since the early 1990s, the Nantes authorities initiated a process of revitalising brownfield sites. They implemented several culture-led regeneration strategies. Nantes opened up to temporary events: street theatre shows and art festivals. The flagship project and symbol of renewal became Les Machines de Île, mobile, interactive machines that took over the previously degraded island and hark back to its industrial past. Site-specific art installations filled the city. The municipal authorities also started to implement the concept of a creative cluster, concentrating art colleges, cultural facilities, and creativity-related businesses on former wasteland. The use of a variety of strategies brought success, and the results went beyond the revitalised area. Cultural activities became an accelerator of change and contributed to the regeneration process of the city. Full article

Brownfields are abundant, widely dispersed, and subject to complex contamination, resulting in waste land, ecological degradation, and barriers to economic growth. The accurate identification of brownfield sites is key to formulating effective remediation and reuse strategies. However, the heterogeneity of surface features poses significant challenges for identifying various types of brownfields across entire urban areas. To address these challenges, this study proposes a “Target–Classification–Modification” (TCM) method for brownfield identification, which was applied to Tangshan City, China. This method consists of a three-stage process: target area localization, visual interpretation and classification, and site-level modification. It leverages integrated multi-source open-access data and clear rules for subtype classification and the determination of spatial boundaries and abandonment status. The results for Tangshan show that (1) the overall accuracy of the TCM method reached 84.9%; (2) a total of 1706 brownfield sites were identified, including 422 raw-material mining sites, 576 raw-material manufacturing sites, and 708 non-raw-material manufacturing sites; (3) subtype analysis revealed distinct spatial distribution and morphological patterns, driven by resource endowments, transportation networks, and industrial space organization. The TCM method improved the identification efficiency by 34.7% through precise target-area localization. It offers well-defined criteria to distinguish different brownfield subtypes. In addition, it employs a multi-approach strategy to determine the abandonment status, further enhancing accuracy. This method is scalable and widely applicable, providing support for urban-scale brownfield research and practice. Full article

Urban sprawl and brownfields are recognized as the main challenges for sustainable land use in post-industrial cities. Using a mixed methodology (GIS and interviews), this research aimed to examine the relationship between the redevelopment process of former Soviet military brownfields and urban sprawl in Hungary. Research findings highlighted the overall importance of the regeneration of military brownfields in urban development; however, not all the assessed projects appeared to be beneficial to densification objectives. We could identify two groups of brownfields lying within the boundaries of the compact city and outside the boundaries. The regeneration of military brownfields embedded in the built-up areas of cities can contribute to densification objectives and attract new functions and residents to abandoned areas. They can also support wider regeneration strategies of local governments, especially in run-down neighborhoods. However, a large number of military brownfields are located on the peripheries of metropolitan areas. The regeneration of such sites, as demonstrated by the case studies, can play a catalyst role in urban sprawl. Therefore, it is important to emphasize that local municipalities should make a careful strategic selection of military brownfield sites for redevelopment based upon their characteristics and location, as supported by the typology presented in this study, together with locally perceived socio-economic and risk factors. Full article

To remedy ecological damage and soil contamination in mining brownfields, this research focuses on the Gumi Mountain mining area in Wuhan. It proposes restoration strategies based on Nature-based Solutions (NbSs). Besides terrain restoration and soil enhancement, it also involves the redesigning of water systems, hydrological management, and the stratified planting of native species to restore plant communities. As China’s inaugural quartz optical fiber was born here, we need to consider its history when making reclamation strategy for the Optics Valley City. This research took the Pulsed High Magnetic Field Facility (PHMFF) as the prototype to build a model that integrates “mountain, river, forest, farmland and flower” ecosystems. Based on NbS, we divided the brownfield by functions and redesigned the tourist routes. This research offers new methodologies for similar efforts in mine rehabilitation. Full article

Consideration of the future fate of brownfields in urban environments has driven a complex ‘season’ of decisions, planning, and implementation that has seen the emergence of different approaches and actions for their reuse. Among the various experiences of brownfield redevelopment, some projects have also promoted the partial renaturalisation of areas through soil desealing and demolition of existing buildings. These greening initiatives have provided new public facilities, e.g., parks and green areas, helping to improve the conditions of urban environments both from ecological and social perspectives. This article adopts ex ante and ex post methods to analyse two Italian case studies of brownfield regeneration involving desealing interventions and investigates two key aspects: (i) the planning process and tools that were put in place to implement the projects and (ii) the impacts for human wellbeing that were produced in terms of cooling effects. The analyses conducted show the real effectiveness of renaturation interventions especially related to reforestation measures in terms of temperature reduction. The examination of the two case studies also revealed the importance and potential success of traditional planning and implementation tools in promoting interventions that can now be considered innovative in terms of their actual contribution to current urban challenges. The results therefore allow us to emphasize the fundamental importance of the philosophy and basic principles of a transformation process, even guided by traditional planning tools, for the improvement of the environmental conditions of an urban context and the successful implementation of nature-based solutions. Full article

At the end of the 20th century, most industrial cities faced a massive phase of de-industrialisation, resulting in abandoned areas. However, these areas, rich in history and heritage, can represent significant resources for the regeneration of entire territories. Adaptive Reuse (AR) is one of the most appropriate strategies for the sustainable regeneration of brownfield sites: it gives new life to a ‘dead’ land, extending its use value so that it can continue to be enjoyed both by present and future generations. Decision-making processes concerning Industrial Heritage Adaptive Reuse (IHAR) cannot ignore the role that ‘intrinsic value’ plays in orienting development choices in such areas. Adopting participatory decision-making processes enables the inclusion of different values and interests of the stakeholders and, at the same time, increasing their awareness about the decision-making problem, thus reducing conflicts. This contribution intends to propose an evaluation framework to assess the multidimensional impacts of IHAR, considering the different values characterising them, and to support decision-making processes for the identification of the ‘preferable’ transformation scenario. This evaluation framework is applied, through the use of the TOPSIS multi-criteria evaluation method, in the case study of the ex-Italsider area in Bagnoli district (Naples, Italy), an industrial steel plant decommissioned in the early 1990s. Full article

In the post-industrial era, many cities have experienced the decline of heavy industry and traditional manufacturing, leading to the widespread emergence of brownfields. These often cluster geographically, forming “brownfield clusters” characterized by shared spatial and functional traits. Our research examined these phenomena within 10 resource-exhausted cities in China, employing kernel density analysis to explore the spatial dynamics within and among these clusters and their urban contexts. We identified three distinct spatial relationships between brownfield clusters and their host cities (coupling, juxtaposition, and encircling), with a detailed case study in Huangshi City further classifying the clusters into five categories based on their dominant factors, spatial morphologies, types of brownfields, and internal dynamics. The study reveals that the spatial configurations of brownfield clusters are significantly influenced by geographic features, transportation infrastructure, and policy frameworks. Based on these findings, we propose targeted regeneration strategies for each cluster type. This research not only enhances our understanding of brownfield challenges and opportunities in China’s resource-exhausted cities but also serves as a valuable reference for other cities and regions worldwide facing similar challenges. Full article