EUKN - European Urban Knowledge Network - RESCUE – Best Practice Guidance for Sustainable Brownfield Regeneration

RESCUE – Best Practice Guidance for Sustainable Brownfield Regeneration

Introduction

The RESCUE system approach for sustainable brownfield regeneration is presented in the Manual “Best Practice Guidance for Sustainable Brownfield Regeneration” as a clear, non-scientific, useful and significant guidance to support sustainable urban regeneration.

Description

The RESCUE Manual gives a flavour of all substantial outcomes the research project has produced:

Definition of sustainable brownfield regeneration;
Best practice examples in brownfield regeneration;
End-user tools for the management of soil and contamination, the management of existing buildings and infrastructures, sustainable land use and urban design, sustainable planning processes and methods for citizen participation, the sustainable management of brownfield regeneration projects;
Administrative tools and incentives for sustainable brownfield regeneration;
Virtual Training Centre (VTC) which provides web based training resources for sustainable brownfield regeneration

RESCUE Sustainability Assessment Tool (RESCUE-SAT) which provides a methodology to consider variable parameters and conflicting priorities to assess future brownfield regeneration projects in terms of site / locale specific sustainability and thus to provide support for funding and/or permission decisions.

Background information

In the past, brownfield regeneration was predominantly discussed within the boundaries of the various disciplines involved, often with a focus on technical aspects. It was the explicit objective of RESCUE to integrate the concept of sustainability into brownfield regeneration in order to overcome these boundaries and discuss the widespread economic, social, environmental and institutional facets of the topic in an integrated and equal way.

Montan-Grundstücksgesellschaft mbH, Essen,
UBA Umweltbundesamt, Berlin,
ZEFIR, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum,
Projektgruppe Stadt + Entwicklung, Leipzig,
BRGM, Orléans,
Mission Bassin Minier Nord-Pas de Calais,
Université des Sciences et Technologies de Lille, Lille,
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Lille,
exSite Research, Leeds,
University of Nottingham, Nottingham,
University of Wales, Cardiff,
Central Mining Institute, Katowice,
Municipality of Bytom, Bytom,
Municipality of Sosnowiec, Sosnowiec.

Methodology

On the basis of an analytical sustainability framework which discussed various concepts of sustainability and defined the term “sustainable brownfield regeneration”, the project analysed the current practice in brownfield regeneration in six industrial core regions of Europe in terms of sustainability. From the findings of this analysis, the project results have been derived.

Conclusions

Sustainability cannot be defined generally for all brownfield regeneration projects since a land use, design or methodology that proved to be suitable at one site is not necessarily appropriate for another site, another context, another time or another mix of stakeholders with a different set of priorities. To strive for sustainability, brownfield regeneration projects need a holistic approach which comprises economic, environmental, social and also institutional aspects. In particular, sustainable brownfield regeneration needs:

creativity and vision;
a well structured development process with clearly defined project milestones;
the involvement of a wide range of different experts’ opinions in the development processes;
good communication and citizen participation;
comprehensive spatial strategies and collaboration on the regional level;
to be embedded into regional or local economic strategies that target to develop economic clusters and growth sectors;
integration into the specific regional, local and neighbourhood contexts;
an integrated view on planning and remediation activities.

Contact info

Montan-Grundstücksgesellschaft mbH
Germany
http://www.mgg.de
Gernot Pahlen, tel. +49 2011771751

Publication date

11/05/2005

Article info
ISBN: 0-9547474-0-2

Links

RESCUE

Document type

research

Themes

Urban Policy > Urban environment > Urban renewal

Keywords

Brownfield development