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Brownfield redevelopment is happening all around. Michigan BF Program Strapped Nothing But Green for Orchard Garden Atlantic Station: The New Crown Jewel of the South Ontario Brownfields Get a Boost from Affordable Housing Program Opportunities Emerging in China’s Brownfield Market Industrial Reuse Boosts New Jersey’s Recycling Rate On April 25, 2007, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) issued its first Class C Recycling Center permit to allow for the recycling of food waste to Converted Organics of Woodbridge, LLC (Converted Organics). This permit will allow construction to begin on the first-of-its-kind food waste recycling facility in the United States. Converted Organics will build and operate a 500-ton-per-day food waste recycling facility that will produce a high-quality, all-natural soil amendment. In addition, the facility will generate local jobs, extend the life of landfills through the diversion of food waste, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It is important to note that all operations conducted by Converted Organics will be conducted indoors. There are tens of thousands of contaminated sites in Michigan, a product of both its industrial history and contemporary activities. But Michigan has emerged as a national leader in the successful redevelopment of contaminated sites, initiatives innovative ideas such as land use-based cleanup requirements, tools to protect new owners and developers from site cost liabilities, and financial incentives. So in state where the sources of contamination are plentiful and the track record for redevelopment is excellent, what’s the problem? Nothing But Green for Orchard Garden Twenty years ago, being green was something that most had little interest in, something better left to the hemp-wearing granola eaters of the world. But now, as citizens become aware of the threat surrounding our planet’s natural resources, businesses large and small are adopting more environmentally conscious policies. For some, the move is little more than a fashion statement. But for Stefan Muhle, general manager of Orchard Garden Hotel in San Francisco, California, it is a way of life. Muhle’s commitment to green doesn’t stop once he’s off the clock; he practices what he preaches at home as well, taking careful steps to make it energy efficient and eco-friendly. His unwavering dedication has put Orchard Garden on the map as the first hotel to be built to the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy in Energy & Environmental Design-New Construction (LEED-NC) standards. The story starts two years ago, when Muhle—then general manager of Orchard Garden’s predecessor, the Orchard Hotel—attended a budget meeting for the newly acquired land down the street. The hotel’s owner, S.C. Huang, had inherited the architectural plans and other preliminaries. When the two sat down with a project building manager from Swinerton Builders, Muhle noticed the green logo on his shirt and discovered he was on the green board. Muhle asked if the new hotel’s budget would allow for green building and was told the goal definitely would be within reach. Atlantic Station: The New Crown Jewel of the South From the beginning, Atlantic Station was an ambitious undertaking. Would people be willing to live, work, and play on land once riddled with contamination? Would those same people ditch their automobiles for public transportation and leisurely strolls in the park? AIG Global Real Estate Investment Corp. and Jacoby Development believed so and, 10 years later, the mixed-use development has become the new crown jewel of the South. The 138-acre site was formerly home to Atlantic Steel, a mill that employed over 2,000 workers who produced 750,000 tons of steel each year. As the largest customer of the state power company, it guzzled enough energy to supply a mid-sized city. It faced shutdown in the mid-70s, but the Atlantic Steel Co. believed remediation costs would be lower if they kept it in operation on a smaller scale. Ontario Brownfields Get a Boost from Affordable Housing Program Recent changes to the Canada-Ontario Affordable Housing (AHP) have created an incentive for brownfield redevelopment by ensuring a guaranteed allocation of residential development aimed at creating affordable housing on brownfield sites. The Ontario Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, John Gerretsen, announced the initiative on October 26, 2006. The AHP is a joint federal-provincial housing initiative that seeks to provide affordable housing for 20,000 Ontario households by 2010 through a commitment of at least $734 million in total expenditures. The total investment could change depending on early success of the program. Thus far, the federal and provincial governments have committed $300 million. Opportunities Emerging in China’s Brownfield Market On June 12, 2007, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao took up leadership of the National Climate Change, Energy Saving and Discharge Reduction Group, which includes over 10 Chinese ministers as members. From the year 2007, each province of China must meet a quota for energy savings and discharge reduction. Not only has the central government introduced environmental protection into government documents and political slogans, but it has taken serious measures within its administration to advance this agenda. While in the past, annual review standards for government officials were simply based mainly on economic growth rate and gross domestic product (GDP), numbers in achievements in the aforementioned quotas will now figure greatly in the review process. Public media is increasingly reporting environmental crisis issues as the public becomes more and more concerned about the quality of life, especially in developed areas and big cities. For example, in Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province, one of the most developed areas in China, the rapid growth of blue-green algae in Tai Lake this past May caused pollution to the drinking water source for several million people. |
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© 2007 Environomics Communications. 5440 North Cumberland Ave. Chicago, Illinois 60656
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