Adaptive reuse is a construction trend that breathes new life into old buildings. It can transform historic structures like the High Line, a former elevated railway, into a vibrant public park.
It can also revive infrastructure like roads or bridges that have outlived their usefulness. Repurposing these structures can save money, time and resources.
Recycled Materials
Construction accounts for 11% of the world’s carbon footprint, and reducing that figure is a vital part of overall sustainability. Using recycled materials can reduce the amount of new material needed and help to lower a project’s embodied energy.
Using recycled building materials can save construction companies money, help them to comply with environmental regulations and may even lead to a green certification for the finished project. It is important to understand local waste and recycling rules before beginning a construction project, as the list of what can and cannot be recycled can vary by city.
Recycled materials are gathered together from diverted waste and used to make new products. The process involves a combination of pre-consumer and post-consumer materials, like returning metal to a manufacturer for reuse or turning wood scraps into particle board.
Some materials are recycled into the same product, like turning old tin cans into new tin cans or steel into new steel, but others need to be turned into something completely different. For example, reusing concrete aggregate can be used to produce a similar but different material, such as sand or granular fill.
Reusing timber in a project is another way to reduce embodied energy, as it can last over a hundred years. However, timber is not a cheap option, so it’s important to research the cost and availability of recycled materials when planning a project.
Repurposed Buildings
Buildings consume large amounts of water throughout their life cycle – from the initial water needed for extraction and manufacturing building materials, through to on-site construction and operational use (for cooling, cleaning, etc). The high embodied energy in new buildings also releases substantial quantities of carbon into the atmosphere. Selecting adaptive reuse over brand new construction can reduce these environmental impacts and conserve water.
Adaptive reuse involves transforming an existing structure into something new while maintaining the original architectural character. Oftentimes, this type of design is used to breathe life into historic or architecturally significant buildings that would otherwise be demolished and replaced with a modern office block or retail centre.
The benefits of adaptive reuse include cost savings, environmental benefits and the ability to quickly adapt a building to meet its new purpose. Reusing an existing building also saves on the cost of new construction, as well as the disposal costs associated with the demolition of the old structure.
Additionally, the use of adaptive reuse in building construction can also reduce reliance on non-sustainable materials like cement and concrete. Adaptive reuse strategies that incorporate recycled materials and/or renewable resources, such as using bamboo trim and tiling, rammed earth or straw as insulation, timbercrete or ferrock, help reduce the environmental impact of a building throughout its lifecycle.
Repurposed Building Materials
The terms “repurposed,” “recycled” and “reclaimed” are often used interchangeably, but it’s important to understand the difference between them. Repurposed refers to the use of an existing item for a different purpose, such as reusing old barn doors as headboards or using salvaged wood from shipping crates for terraces and decking. Recycling, on the other hand, refers to processing raw materials into a new material for use in construction. For example, recycling a glass bottle into a building material can yield a stronger, more durable product than using virgin glass.
Adaptive reuse can be a great way to add unique spaces to your project without the expense of new construction. For example, converting a decommissioned power station into an art gallery is both a form of historic preservation and creates a new cultural beacon in the community.
Other examples of adaptive reuse include turning a warehouse into offices, or repurposing a school into apartments. This approach not only cuts costs, but it also reduces the need to buy and transport new materials and significantly decreases a project’s embodied carbon – the carbon dioxide that’s generated during the entire life cycle of a building, from raw material extraction to demolition and construction.
Adaptive reuse also saves time by avoiding the need to build from the ground up, and it may qualify for local or federal tax credits. This can allow projects to open for business much sooner than constructing a new structure.
Adaptive Reuse
Construction companies that embrace adaptive reuse can bring modern architectural design to old buildings without the cost of a new build. They can preserve our country’s architectural history while addressing the needs of today’s world by turning churches into low-income housing, industrial warehouses into restaurants and retail, or parking garages into living spaces. The High Line in NYC is a popular example of adaptive reuse that has become an iconic urban space.
Adaptive reuse can reduce environmental impacts by limiting resource consumption and energy use. Reusing existing structures rather than demolishing them can also help lessen landfill waste. Additionally, many older buildings were designed to regulate temperature naturally and make use of natural sunlight, reducing the amount of resources needed to heat, cool and illuminate them.
When a building is converted from one type of use to another, it must be carefully assessed for structural integrity and compliance with local codes and regulations. A thorough building assessment can help ensure that the finished product will be a functional, durable and visually appealing addition to the community.
In addition, construction teams can incorporate eco-friendly elements into the design of a repurposed building, such as solar panels, green roofs and energy-efficient windows. These sustainable solutions can help the final project achieve a lower carbon footprint, save on energy costs, and help the building comply with local zoning and historic preservation laws.