brownfield
BROWN-feeld
/ˈbraʊn.fiːld/
An abandoned or underutilized industrial or commercial property where expansion or redevelopment is complicated by real or perceived environmental contamination.
Differs from clean abandoned sites due to the presence of hazardous chemical pollutants that require environmental remediation.
The story behind the word. Coined by urban planners in contrast to 'greenfield' (untouched green farmland) to designate disused industrial plots stained by grease, coal, and chemicals.
Word relationships
- contaminated site: 'Contaminated site' is a generic term, whereas 'brownfield' specifically refers to real estate targeted for reuse.
- greenfield: 'Greenfield' refers to completely undeveloped or agricultural land with no industrial contamination history.
Commonly confused with
- greyfield: 'Greyfield' refers to economically obsolete properties like dying shopping malls without environmental contamination, unlike brownfields.
Collocations
- brownfield site
- brownfield redevelopment
- brownfield remediation
- clean up a brownfield
Example sentences
- "The government provided financial incentives to clean up the polluted brownfield and turn it into a public park." Environmental protection grant report
- "Converting former brownfield sites into high-density apartments saves green open space at the city fringe." Industrial site redevelopment
Memory hook
BROWN field = Polluted dirt from old factories, needing cleanup before building. Dirty, old factory land brought back to life.
When not to use
Do not use 'brownfield' for pristine agricultural fields or untouched forests; those are known as 'greenfields'.
Fun facts
- London's Olympic Park for the 2012 Games was constructed almost entirely on cleaned-up East London brownfields.
Related words
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