Where industry insiders share news, updates and ideas.

Technical – The Sustainability Connection
Property Owners – ‘X’ Marks the Spot
Federal – Second Shift: Industrial Reuse and Sustainable Communities
Guest – Toward Regenerative Design: The Sustainable Development of Brownfields
Industrial – The Future Looks Bright for Industrial Markets
City – Chicago Plays Matchmaker for Material Recycling

Technical – The Sustainability Connection
by Ken Kastman
Brownfield development can provide numerous opportunities for embracing sustainability. But, “sustainability” is such a broad concept that it is sometimes difficult to know how brownfields fit in. As a colleague once put it, “the sustainability tree is so big you can’t get your arms all the way around it. Sustainability means something different to each person.”

This article is the first in a series that will look at where some of the technical aspects of brownfields and sustainability dovetail, and identify opportunities for sustainability in developments.

Property Owners – ‘X’ Marks the Spot
by Chris Olson
Every teenager probably was well aware that the third release of “Pirates of the Caribbean” was due out over this Memorial Day weekend. But clueless parent I am, I had planned a family camping trip that weekend. Surely, bonding as a family would far outweigh a movie that would be out on DVD within six months.

“But dad,” protested my 13 year-old daughter, “ALL of my friends are going to the midnight premiere.” I wasn’t sure if it was the lure of high seas adventure that she was looking forward to, or Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom. (Editor’s note: Get a clue, Chris.) But it started me thinking about the other types of treasures being sought in the world of brownfield development.

Federal – Second Shift: Industrial Reuse and Sustainable Communities
by Philip Dales
As the mantra of sustainability becomes increasingly prevalent in popular culture, it may be presumed by many that successful brownfield redevelopment means the transformation of once noisy, bustling industrial properties from rusty shells of their former selves into places of less torrid activity. Over the past 10 years, the goal of sustainable development has also permeated the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Brownfields Program. We have moved beyond the simple objective of helping communities reuse polluted land to the point where sustainable future use is an important component in any brownfield grant application.

It is not necessarily true, however, that sustainable reuse equates to non-industrial reuse. In fact, in recent years, many contaminated industrial sites have been restored to vibrant industrial reuse. Since 2006, roughly 60 percent of EPA-funded brownfield projects have been former industrial sites. Of those, almost one third have been returned to industrial reuse.

Guest – Toward Regenerative Design: The Sustainable Development of Brownfields
by Jennifer A. Senick, M.A., Anthony Sblendorio, CLA, and Clinton J. Andrews, Ph.D.
In recent years, the developer community has taken a huge step toward acceptance of sustainable development. The concept of sustainability is becoming integral in changing development patterns, personal habits and government regulations, as well as in raising awareness about the effects that our behaviors have on the natural environment. Concurrently, the Bruntland Report’s definition of sustainability has become widely accepted, if not very operational.

As a result, change agents worldwide have defined sustainable development in various more specific terms. These include: 1) the three-prong social-economic-environmental balancing act popularized by Agenda 21 (United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, 1992); 2) the science-based Natural Step definition, resulting from expert consideration of the requirements for the preserving habitat function; 3) the 10 Melbourne Principles emphasizing self-determination and empowerment; 4) the 23 Ahwahnee Principles emphasizing New Urbanist design preferences; 5) the nine Hanover Principles guiding biocompatible building design; and several others.

Industrial – The Future Looks Bright for Industrial Markets
by Jim Dieter
The industrial real estate landscape shifts as quickly as global trade and the world economies that drive it, suggesting that the trends and markets may not last into next week. But whether they are fleeting or have some staying power, one certainty is that, through the cycle of global trade, those trends find their way to North America and, specifically, to the six largest industrial markets—Los Angeles, Chicago, New Jersey, Toronto, Atlanta, and Dallas.

These “big six” account for almost 6 billion square feet of an industrial base. The “big six” are just that because of their close proximity to major rail centers, seaports and inland ports, large labor pools, and population bases, to name just a few common characteristics that drive growth. They are traditional markets with large and active international airports and a large composite of the air cargo business.

City – Chicago Plays Matchmaker for Material Recycling
by Sadhu Johnston
In 2005, the City of Chicago developed its Environmental Action Agenda to demonstrate its commitment to creating a healthy, smart, green city. Recently, the City of Chicago’s Department of Environment (DOE) lobbied successfully for the passage of an ordinance requiring the recycling of construction and demolition debris (C&D) from construction sites generating waste within city limits.

As of Jan 1, 2007, contractors must recycle 50 percent of the C&D debris generated at a job site. To further the goals of the Environment Action Agenda and this recent ordinance, the DOE is developing a material exchange Web site to facilitate the responsible reuse of C&D materials within the city.

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