Brownfield to Brightfield: Influences on Attitude
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to analyze what factors influence a person's attitude towards a brownfield site converted into a future solar energy farm through the RE-Power America's Land Initiative to help increase the success of implementing solar energy farms in cities. Five different factors, including: spatial, public participation, local context, personal values, and socio-demographic factors are analyzed and tested using descriptive statistics and measures of association. Among other tests, measures of association were used to determine that egalitarian viewpoint, education and income had statistically significant relationships with acceptance towards the potential solar energy development. However, all of these influences are considered inherent characteristics and are not easily changed. Other factors such as familiarity and aesthetics also had a strong relationships with acceptance towards the potential solar energy development and are considered modifiable characteristics. Consequently, future policies and procedures in the RE-Power America's Land Initiative for Brisbane, California and Lackawanna, New York should focus on designing a cohesive aesthetic for the development and increase familiarity of the potential project by providing more information to the public.