DETECTING URBAN BROWNFIELDS BY MEANS OF 
HIGH RESOLUTION SATELLITE IMAGERY 
E. Banzhaf?" M. Netzband* 
? ASU, Center for Environmental Studies, Tempe, AZ, 85281, USA - Ellen.Banzhaf@asu.edu , Maik.Netzband@asu.edu 
b UFZ — Centre for Environmental Research, 04318 Leipzig, Permoserstr. 15, Germany — Ellen.Banzhaf@ufz.de 
Commission VII, WG VII/4 
KEY WORDS: Remote Sensing, Human Settlement, Analysis, Detection, Imagery, Resolution, Object, High resolution 
ABSTRACT: 
The international urban environmental partnerships focus on brownfields redevelopment, smart growth, sustainable transportation 
and land use, urban watershed management, green buildings, and solid waste recycling (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency = 
EPA - http://Www.epa.gov/swerosps/bf/accomp2.htm). The emphasis of this project is a kick-off to detect this specific land use, i.e. 
brownfields, and by expanding upon object-oriented classification methods. On the global level brownfields first need to be 
characterized within their specific urban regions in different geographical latitudes and climates. Focussing on the local level 
brownfields sites in their certain urban environment can be described as a specifically defined class consisting of diverse objects that 
need to B® characterized by their form, their position and their spatial context. As they may consist of different objects such as 
buildings, roads and vegetation an object-oriented classification approach is applied. The brownfields sites investigated upon are 
located in the City of Baltimore, Maryland, as EPA selected the City of Baltimore as one of 16 federal Brownfields Showcase 
Communities (http://www.epa. gov/brownfields/showcase.htm). 
1. GOAL 
1.1 Introduction 
An interdisciplinary approach is essential for the 
successful regeneration of brownfield sites. A brownfield 
is a property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of 
which may be complicated by the presence or potential 
presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or con- 
taminant. It is estimated that there are more than 400,000 
brownfields in the U.S. Cleaning up and reinvesting in 
these properties increases local tax bases, facilitates job 
growth, utilizes existing infrastructure, takes 
development pressures off of undeveloped, open land, 
and both improves and protects the environment. 
(http://Www.epa.gov/brownfields/about.htm). Such deve- 
lopment embraces a wide range of issues including clean- 
up and economic redevelopment, legislation and the 
prominent roles of ownership and investment, the latter 
points being complicated by varying national, regional, 
or local approaches. Strong community participation is 
also involved. 
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is 
running a program to help states, tribes, communities, 
and other organizations to assess existing sites, prevent 
further contamination, safely clean up sites, and design 
plans to re-use brownfields. Abandoned industrial 
properties should be turned into thriving economic 
centers, useful recreational areas and beneficial open 
spaces. Once a source of jobs and economic benefits to 
the community, these properties frequently lie abandoned 
for fear of the contamination and the liability it implies 
(Howland, 2000). Through partnerships with OECD 
(Organization for Economic Cooperation and 
Development) member countries, EPA works to share 
best practices and national and sub-national 
environmental policies to help U.S. cities, As a 
consequence the Brownfields Land Recycling Program 
(http://phoenix.gov/BROWNFLD/brownfld.html#A) was 
initiated in the United States to stimulate reinvestment in 
one of the city's greatest assets: the available commercial 
land base in the inner city. The ecological advantages 
may be obvious to all, as the cleanup of urban 
brownfields reduces potential environmental hazards. But 
the benefits of reintegration of land into the economic 
cycle of the community need to be promoted strongly to 
take effect, as do the economic and social dimensions for 
the reinvigoration of cities. 
Metropolitan areas underlie an enormously rapid change 
coming along with urban sprawl where new houses and 
commercial sites are being built at the fringe and the 
inner city is partly neglected with abandoned sites now 
left for redevelopment. 
One of the objectives of the Brownfields Land Recycling 
Program was to create a Brownfields Sites Inventory 
database listing environmentally-impaired vacant and 
abandoned or under-used land. Program representatives 
have been working with various city departments and 
other governmental agencies in an attempt to develop this 
listing. Based upon the challenges associated with 
privately-owned properties and the limited resources 
available, compilation of an inventory has not been 
feasible for many communities 
(http://www.ci.phoenix.az.us/BROWNFLD/brownfld ht 
ml£A). 
460 
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