Under the Lens: Brownfields with Raphael Thiessen

We sat down with Raphael Thiessen, CEO of Brownfield24, to learn more about the changing role of brownfields in Europe’s development landscape and the challenges and opportunities that they bring.

Can you tell us more about your company, Brownfield24?

Brownfield24 is Germany’s leading digital platform focused exclusively on brownfield redevelopment. Since 2017, we work to connect stakeholders from across the industry—investors, developers, municipalities, consultants, and service providers—and help them to identify and realise brownfield opportunities more efficiently and transparently.

We started in 2017 with the mission to turn overlooked or underused land into viable, sustainable projects. The name Brownfield24 reflects both our 24/7 availability as a digital platform and our core focus: brownfields. These properties are often complex, but they also hold huge potential for urban development, resource efficiency, and climate-conscious planning.

What sets us apart is our specialisation. While there are other real estate and redevelopment platforms in Europe, very few focus exclusively on brownfields the way we do. This niche focus allows us to build deep expertise, targeted tools, and a strong community of professionals dealing specifically with the challenges and opportunities of brownfield sites.

I come from the real estate sector and have a background in geography. Over the years, we realised how fragmented and inefficient the brownfield redevelopment process often is—especially when it comes to finding the right partners and information early in a project. That’s what inspired us to launch Brownfield24: to bring more clarity, collaboration, and digital support into this space.

While urban renewal is nothing new—is the term “brownfield” new to Europe?

The term is not new to Europe. What is new is that since the introduction of the EU’s new land policy (to reduce net land use to zero by 2050), developers and local administrations are paying more attention to the topic. And not only because current and coming regulations require them, but mostly because greenfield land is scarce and there are no other options.

This is the case in Germany and other places in Europe, like the UK, the Netherlands and France, where the word “brownfield” is well known. Previously in Germany, most people knew the concept before under different names, like Brachfläche, Konversionsfläche, or Altlastenflächen, but in recent years the English word is commonly used.

What are the hotspots in Europe for brownfields?

There are several hot spots in Europe—often where there was (heavy) industry beforehand, where (sub-)urbanism is a topic, and where developers are looking for space for new projects. Where greenfields are still available, these remain preferred by developers, which is understandable from their perspective. Where not available, people are going for brownfields. The UK, the Netherlands, France and Germany all have good brownfield locations and development history. Also places like the Czech Republic and Poland—if you look to Central and Eastern European markets.

There are a sufficient number of brownfield plots across Europe. Often, they just need to be identified, the owner needs to sell, and the political side needs to prioritise such developments. This is still not the case everywhere.

What is the status of brownfield development in Germany?

The brownfield scene in Germany has been extremely professionalised in recent years. When we started Brownfield24 eight years ago, there was not really a cohesive brownfield community. Nowadays, most of the players know each other or at least know who to ask to solve a problem. We try to show that brownfield development is not rocket science: you just need to work together with the right people.

It helps that in Germany there is already a well-established concept of “Innenentwicklung vor Außenentwicklung”—inner development before outer development. I am a big supporter of this idea, which says that you should develop an urban area first before going to green suburban areas.

And where are the most attractive brownfields? In urban areas. These locations already have all the connections you need, such as electricity, streets, sewage, and local transport. We also say that the idea of “inner development before outer” needs to be extended by the principle of brownfield before greenfield.

And this brings us back to an earlier point: there is essentially no further greenfield space available in Germany, so people have to do brownfields. Sometimes it is the investor who wants developers to invest in brownfields, in line with their overall sustainability strategy. Moreover—this is not only a German trend. We see the same developments in Austria, France and other European countries.

What about state support for site remediation?

There are some funds available at the EU level but honestly speaking, I do not know if private companies are directly benefiting from them. I know that the French are good at receiving EU funds for brownfields. Like anywhere, the mechanism of receiving such support is often difficult and can require the support of specialised professionals. Some good initiatives are the Brownfield Covenant Act in Belgium or the German AAV, an inter-municipal association supporting brownfield development in North Rhine-Westphalia.

I would love to see the political sphere give more support for brownfield development. I am not talking solely about subsidies—but within politics we need more of a “brownfield before greenfield” mentality.

It is sometimes the case that it is not the brownfield site itself that needs time for development, but rather it is efforts to protect habitats that slow down developments. Don’t get me wrong! The topic is absolutely important, but current requirements and expectations are not on a normal level anymore, and this must be stated!

We need to come back to more pragmatic approaches. We have too many regulations in Germany, and too many stakeholders think that their opinions need to be taken into consideration at the expense project development, and at the end we run the risk that developers will decide not to invest in Germany, as everything takes too long. Like everywhere, there are good and not-so-good administrations. But overall, a more pragmatic approach would help to speed up the development of brownfield sites.

What are some interesting brownfield projects in Germany, ongoing or planned?

There are numerous brownfield projects currently ongoing in Germany. CTP has some very big and interesting ones, such as in Mülheim, Düsseldorf, and Rostock. These are real brownfields with real challenges! While there are brownfield sites everywhere in Germany, the majority are in North Rhine-Westfalia, which is also an interesting area due to its large skilled workforce.

What is the important first step when approaching a brownfield project?

The most important thing to consider is that there are professionals in the industry out there and you need to work together. Sit with them and the city authorities as early as possible to discuss your development and identify the pain points at a very early stage. Because if you are losing money in a brownfield, it is most likely at the beginning, as people don’t do their due diligence properly.

The most important thing is communication! True communication! It does not make sense to hide anything, as each party is dependent on the other side. Developers want fast development, and municipalities want that a former brownfield comes back into use. The earlier both talk with—and not about—each other, the smoother the process becomes!

That is what we are seeing across Germany. For sure there are points that needs to be discussed and to be changed—but this is normal. I understand that not everyone wants a logistics park in their backyard, and this is often a point of discussion in Germany! But logistics is not what it was 30 years ago. Just look at CTP’s parks! They can be integrated into an area without disrupting—and in fact they enhance—the local area.

We often hear that more cross-sector cooperation is needed. Is the focus on brownfields leading to new standards for public-private partnerships for property development more broadly?

If investors think they can earn a profit, they generally prefer to do brownfields on their own. PPPs are already common, especially when the public sector is the owner, but these projects tend to last longer—time that most developers don’t have or are not willing to invest. I support this kind of cooperation, especially for sites where no investor would normally go.

Read more insights about brownfields and explore CTP’s brownfields

Banner image: Brownfield24