Megasites

In Europe, there are over 20,000 large and complex contaminated sites. These so-called Megasites threaten scarce soil and water resources and cause environmental and health risks as well as economic and social costs. Their effective and sustainable regeneration requires innovative investigation and remediation technologies and integrated evaluation approaches for optimised reuse options.

Megasites are such sites as understood to one or more of the following characteristics:

  1. There is large-scale contamination by contaminants in the soil and/or groundwater caused by commercial, industrial and/or military activities.
  2. Complex pollutant mixtures occur, whose composition and spatial and temporal concentration varies greatly. 
  3. There are several highly stressed areas in the soil and/or ground water (sources of damage), which with regard to their geographical extent are not precisely determined and sometimes extend beyond the boundaries of the property (site external impacts).
  4. A wide range of stakeholders and interested parties (stakeholders) are concerned in the regeneration process, so that different interests and objectives must be involved in decision-making. 
  5. In general, supra-regional impacts (both in economic and planning terms) have to be considered, some of which require an inter-municipal concern and cooperation.
  6. Given the surface area, often scope for integrated optimisation of re-use options exists.
  7. Under certain circumstances, a regeneration for residential, commercial or industrial subsequent uses is not possible due to a peripheral and infrastructural weakness. Alternative temporary usage, energetic usage or renaturation can be indicated.

Due to these Megasites' characteristics, a sustainable and effective revitalisation requires an integrated and holistic approach. timbre supports the regeneration of Megasites by providing customised problem- and target-oriented packages of approaches, technologies and tools for assessment, investigation, remediation and integrated planning offering a targeted and comprehensive support for those interested in the regeneration of Megasites.