SMARTe: An MCDA Approach to Revitalize Communities and Restore the Environment

SMARTe (Sustainable Management Approaches and Revitalization Tools – electronic) is a free, open-source, web-based, decision-support system that helps revitalization stakeholders (communities, developers, regulators, etc.) overcome obstacles to revitalization and allows them to develop and evaluate future reuse scenarios for potentially contaminated sites (e.g., brownfields). SMARTe currently has four primary components: eDocument: Through a series of menus (i.e., table of contents), SMARTe provides information, resources, links and case studies for all aspects of revitalization including visioning/planning, environmental risk management, social acceptance, and economic viability. Tool Box: SMARTe contains stand-alone analysis tools and checklists for many aspects of revitalization including human health risk, site characterization and monitoring data analysis, net revenues, public involvement, and selecting a lawyer, environmental consultant, and developer. My Project: A project-specific, password protected portion of SMARTe contains an integrated decision support system that helps users evaluate and assess both market and non-market costs and benefits of potential reuse options (i.e., future alternatives). This part of SMARTe also enables users to develop a revitalization plan. Search Engine: A search bar available on the SMARTe banner enables users to directly search for specific information within the system.