Contaminated Sites: A Guide for Urban Planners and Non-Engineers
This course introduces contaminated site (Altlasten) assessment and remediation for urban planning contexts. Learn the basics of soil contamination, when it requires intervention, and how Germany's regulatory framework (BBodSchG/BBodSchV) structures investigation and cleanup decisions. Content covers contaminant types, pollutant behaviour, risk assessment models, investigation procedures, and remediation technologies. Suitable for planners, developers, environmental professionals, and anyone interested in brownfield redevelopment.
Go to courseWhat to expect
Contaminated sites are everywhere in industrialized regions: former factories, old gas stations, closed military bases. Understanding what happens to these polluted areas matters for planners, developers, community advocates, and concerned citizens alike. This course introduces the fundamentals of contaminated site assessment and remediation:
- How contamination moves through soil and groundwater;
- When it poses actual health or environmental risks;
- What options exist for cleaning up or managing polluted land.
Germany provides the primary case study, demonstrating how systematic regulatory frameworks can transform environmental problems into redevelopment opportunities.
The material serves urban planning students, real estate professionals, environmental advocates, and anyone seeking to understand brownfield redevelopment processes. By the final module, you will be able to ask informed questions, interpret site assessment reports, and participate meaningfully in discussions about transforming contaminated land into productive urban space.
Learning objectives
- Distinguish major contaminant types and understand contamination patterns from different industrial sectors
- Apply the CSM Framework to determine when contamination creates actionable risk through source-pathway-receptor linkages
- Navigate Germany's tiered investigation system and its phases
- Evaluate remediation approaches (decontamination, containment, restriction measures) and understand technology selection factors
- Learn about the real case studies from Hamburg and beyond.
Learning method
This course is organized sequentially: each module contains several lessons. Later modules build on earlier concepts and work best when completed in sequence. You can jump to specific lessons for a quick reference or a revision. Navigate through the content using the buttons at the end of each content page.
For the optimal experience we recommend to access the course via HOOU account. In case you prefer the guest mode, you lesson progress will not be saved.
More info
Related courses
Go to course
Go to course
Go to course
Go to course
Go to course
Go to course
Go to course
Go to course
Go to course
Go to course
Go to course
Go to course
Go to course
