Construction and technical aspects of Brownfield Regeneration

Barbara Vojvodíková, Filip Khestl

„This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication [communication] reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the

information contained therein.“

Contents

• What kind of buildings can be found on brownfield sites.

• What information we should collect to get a complete view of a site.

• Construction types and their diagnostics.• Why it is important to consider ownership issues.

Types of buildings on brownfields

• Office buildings• Production plants and factory buildings• Special buildings - heating plant, waste water

treatment plant...• Towers and chimneys• Roads and railway siding• Networks - sewerage, electricity, water ...

Office building – coal mine Odra – Ostrava (CZ) 2004 2010

Photos by B. Vojvodíková

Production halls and buildings

Figure 2 – Ostrava – Přívoz, CZ - 2004

Figure 1Ostrava Trojice valley-2001

Figure 3- Volos, Greece - 2000

Photos by B. Vojvodíková

Towers and chimneysFigure 1- Bismarc. Gelsenkirchen Germany 2011

Figure 2 – Alexander, Ostrava. CZ- 2011

Figure 3 – Zlaté Hory - CZ2011

Photos by B. Vojvodíková

Pros and cons of keeping a dominant object on a site

Pros (+)• Object which is architectonically interesting can

serve as a symbol of the place• Tourist attraction• LandmarkCons (-)• Expensive maintenance• Difficult to find meaningful reuse

Roads and railway sidingFigure 1 – Třinec steelworks, CZ, 2011

Figure 2 - Vitkovice steelworks, CZ, 2009

Photos by B. Vojvodíková

Area of former railway

Area of former railway

Networks - sewerage, electricity, waterFigure 1 - Schwartze Pumpe, Germany - 2011

Figure 2 - Horní Suchá, CZ, 2008

Photo by B. Vojvodíková

Photos by J. Lipner

What should be assessed to get enough information about a site (1)

General maps• Historical maps• Town plan, local map• Plan of distribution networks and grids• Land-use limits scheme, Flood plans• GIS resources, Ortophoto maps• Cadastral map

Significance of cadastral map for identification of ownership

Owners of former coal mine Heřmanice

Picture by J. Novosák

What should be assessed to get enough information about a site (2)

Specific maps• Map of rainfall (rainfall – runoff relationships)• Culmination flow rates of nearby streams• Nearby boreholes and their interpretation• Environmental audits.

Information to seek about the objects (1)

General information – focused on construction• Details about the construction of the object• Project documentation• Foundation bearing capacity • Disposition, dimensions, spans – gaps• Materials used• Building services, distribution networks.

Cultural and historical technical heritage

Further information lowering the risk of unpleasant surprises

Record of usage• Ways of use, processes, modes of productions,

technologies used• Volumes, frequencies • Used substances• Changes in use, end of use (dates)• Accidents, emergencies, sudden deaths, fires, leaks.

Absolutely essential part of evaluation potential for future use

Information from the site• Walk over • Site visit – assessment of the situation• State of vegetation, animals, colours, smells• Every photograph available• Communication with (former) employees,

employers, neighbours, witnesses• Quality of water in nearby wells.

Assessment of building constructions

RULE NO. 1:

•Existing older building should always be supposed that its state is worse than it looks at first glance.

•This opinion we can change only on the basis of assessment results.

Diagnostic methods

Destructive methods • impact on construction• precise methods• (compactness

characteristics, cut probes, etc.)

Photos by F. Khestl

Diagnostics is carried out using destructive or non-destructive methods

Diagnostic methods• Non-destructive methods

• None or only minimal construction damage • Less precise methods, it is necessary to precise

them by destructive methods (correlation coefficient)

• Recommended for objects of historical value• (visual methods, firmness measuring, electric,

radiation or electromagnetic methods, tensometric tests)

Ultrasonic impulse method

Sound relay measurement on constructions (propagation speed is being measured)

Photo by F. Khestl

Demolition

Positive effects• it removes the stigma of past use;• it reduces the structural risks;• it reduces contamination risks;• it may help speed up the development process;• it may prove to be more cost effective (cheaper then

a complex reconstruction);• it may produce higher development values for the

site

Demolition

Negative effects:• it uproots the historical connections of the location;• it is a costly process, especially where there is a large

amount of material to be dumped;• it is a less sustainable option regarding material use or

reuse (material is carried away and new materials need to be brought on to the site);

• it is a less sustainable with regard to transport; • there are increased accident risks to workers and the

public.

Why it is necessary to pay attention to ownership

• Single ownership is usually the most favourable situation.

• Usually with an increased number of owners the chance for successful reclamation decreases.

• Shared development objectives are very difficult to realize in the case of a complicated ownership structure.

Conclusions

• Before start of the planning projects on brownfields an assessment has to be made.

• Various building types represent various risks for their future use

• It is necessary to take into account state of existing constructions and make rational decission about their eventual demolition

• Special attention has to be paid to ownership issues

Thank you for your attention

http://browntrans.vsb.cz

„This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication [communication] reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the

information contained therein.“