Computer Tools to Facilitate Brownfield Development

Abstract

Brownfields are both a resource and a liability. Brownfield sites represent an opportunity to build the tax base and to rejuvenate decaying infrastructure and depressed communities. With ever-increasing pressures on existing infrastructure from both development and age, and the opportunities for more rational approaches to site remediation, brownfields and their associated infrastructure offer an attractive alternative to greenfield sites. These close links between site development and the provision of physical infrastructure emphasize one aspect of brownfield development as public works. This article focuses on the role of computer tools in facilitating the brownfield development process. It draws on examples of tools currently under development, existing research, and commercially available software to illustrate the application of the tools, their strengths and limitations, and issues related to data, comparative analysis, and interpretation of results.