Brownfields IV

Book excerpt: Rehabilitation of brownfields, particularly those which are contaminated can be an expensive undertaking and requires not only technical solutions but the involvement of financial, regulatory and community stakeholders. Fundamental to this process is the analysis of the risks involved and the development of the appropriate strategies. Those need to be weighted against the economic and social benefits of brownfield development, to assess the general viability of the redevelopment. In most cases the demand for development land drives the process forward, while sometimes the rehabilitation is grounded on the wish to restore the landscape and the ecology of a region. This volume contains the proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Prevention, Assessment, Rehabilitation and Development of Brownfield Sites that was held in Cephalonia (Greece) in May 2008. Brownfield development is in most cases essential to attract new business to the locality and for the creation of healthy communities. Therefore, there is a great need for deeper research and study of all aspects of the problem - technical, institutional, financial, social - and an exchange of ideas, know-how and experience among experts and scientists. The proceedings have been arranged into the following sections: Rehabilitation of Brownfields; Development Issues; Remediation Studies and Technologies; Case Studies; Risk Assessment and Management; Community and Public Involvement.