Green adaptive reuse: Issues and strategies for the built environment

Adaptive reuse is a powerful alternative to building demolition or destruction and can deliver a range of economic, social and environmental benefits to society that represent good value for money. It can extend the useful life of a facility through a change in function or purpose from that which previously applied and take advantage of the remaining physical life embedded in its materials and systems. When done well, the resultant projects are very successful, and much admired. This paper explores the issues that surround adaptive reuse intervention and proposes a number of strategies that can enhance the possible benefits that flow from adoption of this approach. Adaptive reuse is important to our future in an era of climate change where maximizing wealth and utility must be tempered against minimizing resources and environmental impact. It is argued that the concept of ‘green adaptive reuse’ is a valid strategy to both extend a facility’s life and reduce its carbon footprint, while helping to preserve important heritage values that define our cultural development over time. Coordinating adaptive reuse intervention with ‘greening’ initiatives can deliver opportunities for cost efficiency.