A brownfield investment is an investment in an existing production or transport facility, such as a plant or a railway line. Brownfield investments are made when compared to greenfield investments, the latter of which involve constructing new property, plant, and equipment in order to launch a new production activity.

The advantages of making a brownfield investment are evident. Firstly, the buildings and infrastructure are already constructed, meaning that no time is wasted on building from the ground up. This also reduces the amount of money spent on the entire project, with no need to purchase or lease land separately. Additionally, since the facilities have already been approved for use and are up to modern safety and environmental standards, any associated costs won't be a factor.

For many governments, investments in brownfield sites are especially attractive because they deal with two of the most critical economic issues: job creation and environmental protection. By revitalizing existing brownfield sites, investors not only bring much-needed jobs to creative local economies, but they can also help to transform the local landscape while reducing the environmental damage that abandoned brownfield sites can bring.

Brownfield investments can involve complex negotiations and costly clean-up activities. On the other hand, they also offer some of the most promising opportunities to economically transform a given area. Governments sometimes provide incentives to businesses, in the form of grants, tax credits, low-interest loans, or even discounted fees for similar applications, to offset the costs associated with investing in brownfield sites.

Overall, brownfield investments offer many advantages for both businesses and governments. They involve initial costs, yes, but the long-term returns make it a worthwhile investment in the end.