title: SCORE: a novel multi-criteria decision analysis approach to assessing the sustainability of contaminated land remediation.
abstract: The multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) method provides for a comprehensive and transparent basis for performing sustainability assessments. Development of a relevant MCDA-method requires consideration of a number of key issues, e.g. (a) definition of assessment boundaries, (b) definition of performance scales, both temporal and spatial, (c) selection of relevant criteria (indicators) that facilitate a comprehensive sustainability assessment while avoiding double-counting of effects, and (d) handling of uncertainties. Adding to the complexity is the typically wide variety of inputs, including quantifications based on existing data, expert judgements, and opinions expressed in interviews. The SCORE (Sustainable Choice Of REmediation) MCDA-method was developed to provide a transparent assessment of the sustainability of possible remediation alternatives for contaminated sites relative to a reference alternative, considering key criteria in the economic, environmental, and social sustainability domains. The criteria were identified based on literature studies, interviews and focus-group meetings. SCORE combines a linear additive model to rank the alternatives with a non-compensatory approach to identify alternatives regarded as non-sustainable. The key strengths of the SCORE method are as follows: a framework that at its core is designed to be flexible and transparent; the possibility to integrate both quantitative and qualitative estimations on criteria; its ability, unlike other sustainability assessment tools used in industry and academia, to allow for the alteration of boundary conditions where necessary; the inclusion of a full uncertainty analysis of the results, using Monte Carlo simulation; and a structure that allows preferences and opinions of involved stakeholders to be openly integrated into the analysis. A major insight from practical application of SCORE is that its most important contribution may be that it initiates a process where criteria otherwise likely ignored are addressed and openly discussed between stakeholders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden. Electronic address: lars.rosen@chalmers.se.
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rosén
authors.affiliation: Swedish Geotechnical Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Pär-Erik
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Back
authors.affiliation: Enveco Environmental Economics Consultancy, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Tore
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Söderqvist
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Norrman
authors.affiliation: NCC Construction, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brinkhoff
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematical Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology & University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Tommy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Norberg
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Yevheniya
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Volchko
authors.affiliation: NCC Construction, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Malin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Norin
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
authors.forename: Magnus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bergknut
authors.affiliation: Environment Agency Austria (EAA), Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Gernot
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Döberl
mesh_terms: D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources / Q000379:methods*; D003661:Decision Support Techniques; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D052918:Environmental Restoration and Remediation / Q000379:methods*; D035501:Uncertainty
keywords: Contaminated sites; Cost–benefit analysis; Multi-criteria decision analysis; Social sustainability; Sustainable remediation; Uncertainty analysis