HOMBRE

Period:	12/2010-11/2014
Client:	FP7-Coordination-Environment- Collaborative project (Small Medium Scale)- ENV.2010.3.1.5-2

assignment/short description

Brownfield (BF) regeneration needs to be addressed through a paradigm shift. Urban sprawl creates an expensive infrastructure and ever increasing commuting population; prevention and re-use of BF’s is paramount to reducing our carbon footprint while at the same time enhancing the well being of the population. BF regeneration should not be considered as a stand-alone negative issue, but as part of a more positive perspective on a closed land use cycle.

The projects’ vision is to develop a HOlistic Management of Brownfield REgeneration (HOMBRE) to accomplish ‘Zero Brownfield’ development. The BF Navigator is developed to guide in the process, where better understanding of the urban life cycle will aid in early recognition and prevention of upcoming BF’s, and better implementation of ‘hard’ technologies and more creative solutions based on ‘soft’ technologies will facilitate cost-effective, timely, and sustainable BF regeneration.

BF innovative Technology Trains will optimally combine existing hard technologies, not just from the in situ or ex situ remediation technology point of view, but in combination with subsurface heterogeneity, energy efficiency, aquifer thermal energy storage, waste and process water management, and re-use of construction and bulk materials. Where economic drive for ‘hard’ solutions is weak or technologies still need to be developed, alternative or interim ‘soft’ re-use of BF’s is explored. Such measures are focussed on a sustainable environment, and create societal assets from the services offered by the regenerated BF’s.

The BF Navigator will explore different scenarios, taking into account land use, biodiversity, historical, cultural and social context. The BF Navigator and ‘hard and soft’ technologies are developed and tested in cooperation with stakeholders, in case studies in three main areas: urban, industrial and mining, to ensure social, economical and environmental cohesion and sustainability of the results of the HOMBRE project.