Adaptive reuse refers to the repurposing of old buildings for modern needs, reducing demolition waste and preserving historical structures.

• The construction sector contributes 42% of global CO₂ emissions, making adaptive reuse a key strategy for sustainable development.
• There is a growing trend of converting unused office spaces into residential or mixed-use buildings, meeting urban demands and promoting sustainability.
• Adaptive reuse supports economic growth, community revitalization, and environmental preservation by transforming existing structures into dynamic, multifunctional spaces.
• It gives new life to old buildings and transforms the architecture, engineering, construction, and operations (AECO) industry.

Instead of demolishing, buildings are adapted to modern needs—preserving history, reducing waste, and minimizing environmental impact.

Since the construction sector causes around 42% of carbon dioxide emissions, adaptive reuse is becoming a key sustainability strategy.
Trends such as converting unused office spaces into apartments or mixed-use facilities are gaining significance.
The RentCafe Adaptive Reuse report shows that office conversions account for 38% of 147,000 adaptive housing projects in the U.S., demonstrating this approach's potential to address urban challenges and achieve ecological and economic sustainability goals.

What is Adaptive Reuse?

Adaptive reuse is the process of adapting existing buildings for new purposes, reducing waste and carbon emissions while preserving historical value. It is a sustainable alternative to demolition, supported by tools like BIM and reality capture technologies for efficient planning and design. This approach reduces embodied carbon, lowers costs, and helps meet climate and housing goals.

Types of Adaptive Reuse in Architecture

Historic Preservation
The goal of historic preservation is to maintain a building’s original appearance and materials. Adaptive reuse can take many forms.
In architecture, it means converting an existing structure for a new function—such as transforming abandoned buildings into schools, parks, offices, or apartments.

Adaptive reuse and historic preservation both aim to preserve historic buildings, but they use different approaches.
Adaptive reuse gives old buildings a new purpose, often as a compromise between preservation and demolition.
Historic preservation focuses on maintaining the existing form, integrity, and materials, with minimal changes to mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems to meet new codes.

One advantage of adaptive reuse over historic preservation is the opportunity to use newer, more efficient materials while maintaining historic character.
This improves building performance and reduces the carbon footprint.

Renovation
Adaptive reuse includes renovation, but unlike traditional renovation—which retains the original purpose—reuse involves changing the building’s function.

Integration
This involves building around the original structure, preserving and incorporating it into the new design.
An example is the Jægersborg Water Tower in Denmark, which was converted into student housing.

Facadism
Facadism is the practice of preserving the façade of a building while demolishing and replacing the rest with a modern structure.
Although it maintains the streetscape, it’s very costly due to the need to preserve fragile historical materials during construction.
Historians often consider this approach inferior to full preservation, while others see it as a compromise between old and new.

Infrastructure
Some of the most innovative adaptive reuse projects convert outdated infrastructure into useful public spaces.
An example is the High Line in New York City—a former railway line transformed into a 2.4 km-long park.

Benefits of Adaptive Reuse

Adaptive reuse enables the implementation of energy-efficient technologies like solar panels.

• Cultural Preservation: Preserves historical buildings and the architectural identity of cities, encourages tourism, and strengthens community identity.

• Unique Spaces: Creates interesting, character-rich spaces that stand out from uniform new developments.

• Community Engagement: Revitalizing old buildings often involves local communities and boosts civic pride.

• Energy Efficiency: Enables the integration of insulation, solar panels, and smart systems into older structures.

New Technologies in Adaptive Architecture

• BIM (Building Information Modeling): Accurate modeling for improved planning and collaboration.

• 3D Scanning and Printing: Documentation and creation of replicas of historical elements.

• IoT and Smart Systems: Automatic adjustment of heating, lighting, and maintenance based on usage.

• Sustainable Materials: Reuse of wood and brick; installation of green roofs and solar panels.

Sustainability and Adaptive Reuse

• Environmental Impact: Reduces the need for new materials and construction waste.

• LEED Certification: Easily integrates with sustainable building standards.

• Circular Economy: Extends the lifespan of buildings and recycles materials back into use.

Best Practices

• Planning: Assess structure, legal requirements, budget, and sustainability goals.

• Collaboration: Ensure efficient communication between architects, engineers, and local communities.

• Community Involvement: Transparently communicate both benefits and challenges.

The Future of Adaptive Reuse

• Office-to-Residential Conversions: Driven by remote work and the housing crisis.

• Mixed-Use Developments: Combine residential, work, and recreational spaces.

• Government Support: Tax incentives, grants, and tailored regulations.

• Smart Cities and IoT: Energy-efficient buildings and urban mobility.

• Transit-Oriented Development (TOD): Urban planning around transit stations to reduce car dependency.

Source: Autodesk.com

Adaptation: Hristina Antić, Marko Kozlica

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