Title: Brown to Green: Sustainable Redevelopment of Brownfield Sites in China
A brownfield is defined by the Environmental Protection Agency as real property, the expansion, redevelopment or reuse of which could be complicated by presence or potential existence of hazardous, contaminant or pollutant. The environmental site assessment (ESA) has to be undertaken to determine the real property’s actual existence (Wheeler 2013). There are various key factors that are essential to be considered when commencing or planning redevelopment of a brownfield. The following are examples of selected brownfields:
https://blog.nus.edu.sg/pollutionistheword/2015/02/10/brownfields-sites-of-abandonment-and-contamination/
The selected brownfield site in a town centre/city centre/built-up area chosen for this discussion is in China’s Tianjin Binhai New Area. Even though the government’s primary aim was to alleviate its urban air quality during Olympic Games in Beijing and World Expo in Shanghai when it decided as part of its strategy to move high-polluting factories, remnants from cities’ industrial pasts to new facilities in modern manufacturing hubs, the move was counterproductive (Prior 2016). China unknowingly created additional environmental problem: speaking to contaminated sites left behind by such moved factories called brownfields (Conejos, Langston and Smith 2013).
As the cities in China cope with fast urbanization, these brownfields, are presently receiving increased attention. It is upon this basis that this discussion is framed to help redevelop these sites to ensure sustainability in the built environment (Foster 2016). The focus here is to incorporate brownfield sites into city fabric and simultaneously pushing cities into conflict with declining amounts of land for agriculture. This has led to an extremely tight conflict between urban growth and arable land (Gadakari, Mushatat. and Newman 2014). One of the brownfield is shown below.
https://www.chinadialogue.net/article/show/single/en/4329-Confronting-China-s-industrial-ghosts
A rehabilitated brown field image can be given to illustrate the reason for redevelopment and remediation of brownfields.
https://blog.nus.edu.sg/pollutionistheword/2015/02/10/brownfields-sites-of-abandonment-and-contamination/
The development of these brownfield sites is the magic solution to alleviating this pressure on lands for arable activities while concurrently speaking to the need for floor space in China’s fast growing cities. Surprisingly, redevelopment of brownfield remains a complicated task. It is compounded by the high degrees of pollution in certain sites in China (Hooper, Giles-Corti and Knuiman 2014). It is believed that certain contaminated areas in China could be having soil pollution at depths to the tune of ten meters, with contaminants degrees being more than one hundred times acceptable boundaries. Despite such shocking contamination degrees, a unified policy for managing brownfield clean-up efforts in China is lacking (Imrie 2015).
Coming from the World Expo, Shanghai has created a soil pollution remediation centre for the development of capacity for cleaning contaminated Expo grounds. Beijing, Jiangsu, and Chongqing has also undertaken such efforts and have instituted individual management rules tying together planning, building as well as remediation. Nevertheless, some people have got poisoned, sick and concerned to building house and apartment in initially contaminated site which are non-sustainable in the built environment (Wilkinson 2013).
However, there are already two brownfield sites in China turned into lively centers of community life: central region of Tangshan in Hebei in north China has been transformed from coal pit and temporary landfill to a newfangled ecological as well as Community Park. This was done by eliminating rubble and contaminated soil to be substituted by new soil and clay, community functions as well as natural vegetation (McDonald 2016).
The current project aims at redeveloping Sino-Singapore Tianjin to Eco-City. It was intentionally sited on a polluted marshlands. It is not appropriate to develop a modern town or city on a fertile land. However, it is of significance to develop an eco-city on an unproductive alkaline land. Therefore, this redevelopment and remediation aims at removing the contaminated, alkaline soil, filtering and cleaning it, and subsequently replacing the topsoil (Sharifi 2016).
This brownfield site is intended to be a landmark bilateral project in the country based on the private sector development and investment. Upon completion of the project, the city is intended to be the global largest eco-city of its kind. It is located at the Tianjin Binhai New Area which is forty kilometers away from city center of Tianjin. The image below illustrates how the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City will look like upon completion.
https://www.tianjinecocity.gov.sg/theme/default/image/hme_bg_1.jpg
It is a thirty kilometer Eco-City that is envisioned to establish a harmonious as well as sustainable community which accomplishes the requirements of an urbanizing China. It is intended to be a modern township in which over 350,000 residents will work, live, learn and play. The master plan that is intended for this project will be organized in seven planning areas. Such planning will entail Lifescape, Solarscape, Windscape, Eco-corridors, Eco-Valley, Earthscape and Urbanscape. The 7 enclaves are meant to offer residents a unique landscape ranging from Urbanscape’s stepped and terraced greenly to more futuristic soil shaped Lifescape mounds.
Certain zones including Urbanscape will comparatively be compacted with extremely high densities. Other regions will offer smaller developments like Windscape region. This was initially industrial dumping ground for toxic affluent, barren salt flats which abut one of the global most contaminated seas but it will be turned to an unthinkable Eco-City. The site has been intentionally chosen for redevelopment and remediation for showcasing that even hard brownfield sites can be turned into eco-friendly with effective approach as well as technological prowess.
Description of the Background to the Guiding Principle
Before commencing any redevelopment of a brownfield, it is critical to have precise plan. Despite sounding obvious, sometimes it can be effortless to start a site remediation without fully comprehending what end result will appear like. Various first-time brownfield developers indicate that it is effortless to rush projects, particularly when funding remains time sensitive. They have emphasized the significance of not letting time dictate decision making as well as of making sure sufficient preparation for individual step prior to jumping into a given project.
It is feasible to view the bigger picture by thinking through the redevelopment of project from the beginning. Despite the fact that brownfield projects require flexibility as they are prone to changes, it is important that individual project have a story to avail. Having in place a precise picture of where a given project is as well as where it is headed shall assist to create a sound foundation for its future.
The six guiding principles that this development will adhere have also been listed. The following list gives guiding principles for redevelopment of a brownfield. Each guiding principle will detail various aspects. The following are the list of the six principles chosen for the redevelopment and remediation of this abandoned site.
Why this guiding principle is necessary to achieve a sustainable built environment;
This principle is very essential to the redevelopment of this abandoned site in China. First it is essential to accomplish a sustainable built environment. Since it focuses on optimization of abandoned or degraded brownfield, it will create additional space that can be put into beneficial economic and social uses by being the world’s largest eco-city. Unlike the current state where the land is highly contaminated, optimizing its use will improve its value and this will automatically enhance sustainability.
How the guiding principle meets key legislation, guidance and/or targets;
This guiding principle also meets the key legislation, guidance as well as target set by China especially in Shanghai and Beijing that already made rules guiding these redevelopment as mentioned above. It will align to the already laid down rules and regulations especially the soil pollution remediation center which is developing the capacity for cleaning contaminated Expo grounds. Also, the Beijing, Jiangsu and Chongqing already instituted management rules which tie together with planning, building as well as remediation will be adhered to in the process (Srebric and Heidarinejad 2015).
Practical examples of how this guiding principle could be achieved in your development;
This guiding principle will be achieved practically by removing the rubble as well as contaminated soil and replacing them with new soil as well as clay, natural vegetation as well as community function. Further, it will be achievable by turning it to eco-city by developing the Eco-City on an unproductive alkaline land. This will be done by the development group through the removal of the contaminated alkaline soil, filtering, cleaning it as well as replacing the topsoil. This will then be followed by having the private-sector developers being given land to develop it based on the master plan already explained above.
How your development could be measured or accredited to demonstrate that this guiding principle has been achieved;
This development can be measured or accredited to showcase that this guiding principle has been accomplished. It will be measured based on the number of community functions, reduction of contamination, number of housing and prices that have been developed in this initially useless and hazardous region. Since it has been showcased that sickness and even poisoning have resulted from individual who try to build their apartment and housing in these areas within consideration for sustainability, the new development will be measured based on the reduction rates of these poisoning and sickness or ailments. This is because the new Eco-City shall have been developed on an alkaline free soil and even contaminants free zone.
Any limitations to the inclusion of this guiding principle
This guiding principle is core to redevelopment and hence has a zero likelihood of being excluded in process of turning this brownfield into the world largest Eco-City in China. This is because it will help optimize the abandoned land into a more useful Eco-City.
Why this guiding principle is necessary to achieve a sustainable built environment;
This guiding principle is essential to attain a sustainable built environment. By considering the existing communities and local characters, this guiding principle will ensure that the best interest of these stakeholders are superior. For example, the local characters and communities in China who are affected by these contamination and pollution will be benefit when they are considered and help remove these affluent. They will not be poisoned and even become sick when the alkalinity is removed and unproductive land turned to the world largest Eco-City. Moreover, local characters and communities will benefit by having this brownfield shifted to Eco-City and hence community functions and amenities will increase. Further, increase in size of arable land will be available. This will give more opportunity for agricultural land use and harvest hence food security.
How the guiding principle meets key legislation, guidance and/or targets;
This guiding principle meets key legislation, guidance and/or targets. It meets the targets of having an Eco-City which requires that the community and local characters are not affected by being poisoned or sick due to the negative externalities of the factories.
Practical examples of how this guiding principle could be achieved in your development;
The practical instances of how this guiding principle could be achieved in this redevelopment are also apparent. For example, by considering the communities and local characters through bringing them together and take part in the discussion and development, they will feel part and parcel of the development. In this case, the development will be tailored to address problems facing them hence meeting the development.
How your development could be measured or accredited to demonstrate that this guiding principle has been achieved;
This development might be measured or accredited to establish that this guiding principle has been accomplished by getting the feedback from the local characters and communities about the increased community functions, amenities and other benefits including housing and arable land for agricultural production. Where these stakeholders are happy or satisfied by the redevelopment benefits, it will indicate that this development aligns to the guiding principle.
Any limitations to the inclusion of this guiding principle
There is no limitation to the inclusion of this guiding principle. This is because, the community and local characters will create resistance to change if they are not considered. Moreover, the developers will not be able to address the real problems facing local characters and communities without effective engagement.
Why this guiding principle is necessary to achieve a sustainable built environment;
This guiding principle is essential to attain a sustainable built environment. This is because preservation of active agricultural land is an environmentally-friendly practice. The alkalinity of this brownfield limited the arable land for the use by people. Therefore, by preserving the active agricultural land in this Eco-City, it will provide the community with more active land to undertake agricultural activities and hence food security for sustainable built environment.
How the guiding principle meets key legislation, guidance and/or targets;
This guiding principle meets important legislation, guidance and/or targets. The target is to have an Eco-City and hence by preserving active agricultural land, the ecosystem will be ensured. In this case, it will meet the guidance to have an eco-city which will provide better coexistence in the city.
Practical examples of how this guiding principle could be achieved in your development;
The practical examples of how this guiding principle might be attained in this development can also be detailed. For example, by having the Eco-City, it will mean that there will be part preserved for agricultural activities, housing and other social amenities. Therefore, the Eco-City will be portioned as indicated by the seven pillars including Urbanscape, Lifescape and Solarscape. People will then be able to trade and plant their crops in the preserved agricultural land (Reith and Orova 2015).
How your development could be measured or accredited to demonstrate that this guiding principle has been achieved;
This development might be measured and accredited to validate that this guiding principle has been realized. For example, currently this area is not safe for agricultural land since it is alkaline and hence not fit for agricultural activities. Therefore, the measurement will be based on the acreage of land that will be preserved for agriculture after the completion of the project (Eric et al. 2014).
Any limitations to the inclusion of this guiding principle;
There is no limitation to the inclusion of this guiding principle. This is because there is no way an Eco-City can be developed without the preservation of an agricultural land.
Why this guiding principle is necessary to achieve a sustainable built environment;
This guiding principle is needed to accomplish a sustainable built environment. Sustainability is focused on future or long term. Hence, by providing adequate infrastructure to cope with future as development and enhancing current rural development, this Eco-City will be sustainable (Alexander 2016).
How the guiding principle meets key legislation, guidance and/or targets;
This guiding principle meets important law, guidance and/or targets. For example, it is targeted that by turning this abandoned land into an Eco-City, the target of having sufficient infrastructure coping with futuristic development will be achieved. Moreover, improving current rural development in the area will meet the target of having a sustainable built environment from an initially life-threatening brownfield site (Keenan 2016).
Practical examples of how this guiding principle could be achieved in your development;
Practical cases of how this guiding principle could be realized in this Eco-City development can be recognized. For example, by having social amenities, housing, roads and even agricultural plantation in the Eco-City arising from the brownfield will show that Eco-City project is realized and hence sustainable built environment (Zhang 2014).
How your development could be measured or accredited to demonstrate that this guiding principle has been achieved;
This development might be measured and accredited to exhibit that this guiding principle has been realized. This can be done by comparing the number of infrastructural development in the area and the development projects being undertaken to improve existing rural environment.
Any limitations to the inclusion of this guiding principle;
There is no limitation to the inclusion of this guiding principle since there would not be any sustainable built environment without adequate infrastructure to cope with upcoming developments and improvements of current rural environment (Van der Heijden 2014).
Why this guiding principle is necessary to achieve a sustainable built environment;
This guiding principle is needed to accomplish a sustainable built environment. This is because the main objective of creating this Eco-City is to have a sustainable alongside livable neighborhood. Therefore, by turning this brownfield to a sustainable and livable neighborhood Eco-City, the sustainable built environment will be realized (Ren et al. 2015).
How the guiding principle meets key legislation, guidance and/or targets;
This guiding principle achieves key legislation, guidance and/or targets. The main target is to create a sustainable built environment. Therefore, by creating a sustainable and livable neighborhood, the key target is achieved (Zhang et al. 2016).
Practical examples of how this guiding principle could be achieved in your development;
Practical instances of how this guiding principle might be attained in this Eco-City project development. Creating an Eco-City from a contaminated brownfield will mean a sustainable and livable neighborhood. An Eco-City will be livable since it will entail both farmers and trades with such amenities like banks and other services for improved living standards and hence sustainability (Kumar and Imam 2013).
How your development could be measured or accredited to demonstrate that this guiding principle has been achieved;
This development can be measured and accredited to prove that this guiding principle has been realized. This will be done by the level of improved living standards in the Eco-City.
Any limitations to the inclusion of this guiding principle;
There is no limitation to the inclusion of this guiding principle. It is the core to ensuring sustainable built environment. This is because having an eco-city without sustainable and livable neighborhood would be of no importance (Liu at al. 2014).
Why this guiding principle is necessary to achieve a sustainable built environment;
This guiding principle is essential to attain a sustainable built environment. Integrating the new Eco-City created with the rest of surrounding will help in smooth transition and coexistence.
How the guiding principle meets key legislation, guidance and/or targets;
This guiding principle aligns with key legislation, guidance and/or targets. The integration of the new Eco-City will help meet the target of creating sustainable environment and hence peaceful coexistence.
Practical examples of how this guiding principle could be achieved in your development;
Practical examples of how this guiding principle could be attained in this development cane be acknowledged. This can be done by having people from surrounding to enter and live and work peacefully in the new Eco-City (Adams and Watkins 2008).
How your development could be measured or accredited to demonstrate that this guiding principle has been achieved;
This development can be measured or accredited to validate that this guiding principle has been attained. This can be done by measuring amount of new people incoming in the Eco-City and working and residing in the city.
Any limitations to the inclusion of this guiding principle;
There is no limitation to the inclusion of this guiding principle. This will be key last step to implementing sustainability in the new Eco-City created.
Conclusion
The above guiding principles if properly embraced, will lead to improved sustainable built environment. The turning of this brownfield into an Eco-City will be beneficial to the people of China.
References
Adams, D. and Watkins, C., 2008. Greenfields, brownfields and housing development. John Wiley & Sons.
Alexander, R., 2016. Institutional Network Management in Brownfield Cleanup and Redevelopment. Reclaiming Brownfields: A Comparative Analysis of Adaptive Reuse of Contaminated Properties, p.289.
Conejos, S., Langston, C. and Smith, J., 2013. AdaptSTAR model: A climate-friendly strategy to promote built environment sustainability. Habitat international, 37, pp.95-103.
Eric, M.M.N., Bailey, E., Martin, M.T., Abraham, C., Li, J. and Zhang, L., 2014. Ongoing Informal Settlements in Democratic Republic of Congo: Implementing New Urban Policy for Creating Sustainable Neighborhoods. Journal of Sustainable Development, 7(5), p.254.
Foster, S., 2016. New Greenfield Mega Townships of India: Perpetuating the Socio-economic Divide?. In The Towers of New Capital: Mega Townships in India (pp. 32-37). Palgrave Macmillan UK.
Gadakari, T., Mushatat, S. and Newman, R., 2014. Intelligent buildings: Key to achieving total sustainability in the built environment. Journal of Engineering, Project, and Production Management, 4(1), pp.2-16.
Hooper, P., Giles-Corti, B. and Knuiman, M., 2014. Evaluating the implementation and active living impacts of a state government planning policy designed to create walkable neighborhoods in Perth, Western Australia. American Journal of Health Promotion, 28(3_suppl), pp.S5-S18.
Imrie, R., 2015. Governance for Urban Sustainability and Resilience: Responding to Climate Change and the Relevance of the Built Environment.
Keenan, J.M., 2016. Private Mainstreaming: Using Contracts to Promote Organizational and Institutional Adaptation. Projections: The MIT Journal of Planning, 12, pp.119-139.
Kumar, P. and Imam, B., 2013. Footprints of air pollution and changing environment on the sustainability of built infrastructure. Science of the Total Environment, 444, pp.85-101.
Liu, Y., van Oort, F., Geertman, S. and Lin, Y., 2014. Institutional determinants of brownfield formation in Chinese cities and urban villages. Habitat International, 44, pp.72-78.
McDonald, S.S., 2016. Designing Sustainable Communities for Automated Transit Networks.
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Reith, A. and Orova, M., 2015. Do green neighbourhood ratings cover sustainability?. Ecological Indicators, 48, pp.660-672.
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Ren, W., Xue, B., Geng, Y., Sun, L., Ma, Z., Zhang, Y., Mitchell, B. and Zhang, L., 2014. Inventorying heavy metal pollution in redeveloped brownfield and its policy contribution: Case study from Tiexi District, Shenyang, China. Land Use Policy, 38, pp.138-146.
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