The  Golder Sustainability Evaluation Tool, GoldSET© is a state-of-the-art multi-criteria analytical tool, designed to include the imperatives of sustainable development; the environmental, social and economic dimensions into engineering projects.  This tool was used at a former petroleum products depot located in Victoriaville, QC.

GoldSET© demonstrates leadership in the evaluation and management of contaminated land through the application of sustainable concepts in remedial designs. This tool provides a much broader view of the full impacts and risks when assessing what remedial activities can provide benefits to the environment and society, in addition to the economic benefits of recovering the value of underutilized land. Furthermore, this tool is intertwined with multiple sustainability metrics pertaining to remediation activities.  The GoldSET© assessment showed that excavation was a short-term option that would quickly reclaim the property for other uses. However, this option required high capital cost on a site where the property value outweighed the cost of excavation work.  This assessment also showed that bioremediation/pumping is the optimal solution from a sustainable development perspective. It is better for the environment as it consumes less energy, thus reducing contaminant releases and greenhouse gas emissions, while enhancing protection of the natural ecosystem altogether. Application of this solution for over a year has efficiently removed the impacts on downstream sewer system, generating an optimal remediation.