Adaptive Reuse: the Greenest Solution to Today’s Market Demands

Preservation of Existing Structures Maximizes the Use of Materials and Infrastructure

This article is contributed by Ali Sahabi, Optimum Seismic, Inc.

Talking with prospective tenants can tell you how outdated your apartment building has become in today’s market. Tenants want open floorplans, upgraded fixtures and appliances, sleek design, and lifestyle amenities such as courtyards, pools, and workout facilities. But the news isn’t all bad: Owners of older apartment buildings can capitalize on the historic character of their buildings through adaptive reuse. It’s the greenest solution to staying relevant in a market that places sustainability as one of tenants’ top social concerns. This is especially true for structures built before the 1960s, which when reimagined and renovated take on an eco-chic character popular among younger renters.

Greener Than Rebuilding

“Preservation maximizes the use of existing materials and infrastructure, reduces waste, and preserves the historic character of older towns and cities,” the Whole Building Design Guide Historic Preservation Subcommittee wrote in an analysis of the benefits of adaptive reuse. Reusing resources and averting the negative environmental impacts of breaking down, transporting and dumping debris in a landfill reduces the building’s carbon footprint, researchers determined in a report produced by the National Trust of Historic Preservation.  That report, titled, “The Greenest Building: Quantifying the Environmental Value of Building Reuse,” summarizes that the reuse of buildings with an average level of energy performance consistently offers immediate climate-change impact reductions compared to more energy-efficient new construction.

“It is often assumed that the C0₂ reduction benefits gained by a new, energy efficient building outweigh any negative climate change impacts associated with the construction of that building,” the study found, noting that it takes between 10 and 80 years for a new building that is 30% more efficient than average to make up for the greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the demolition, disposal and construction of the new building. These findings support the attitudes of many building professionals and professional organizations, including the U.S. Green Building Council, which list building reuse and adaptive reuse as positive criteria toward achieving LEED certification for a building. Adapting historic buildings for new uses provides a unique opportunity to stitch the past together with the future and create vibrant places that are socially and culturally connected, and responsive to the needs of the communities they serve. (Editor’s Note: “LEED” stands for “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design,” and is a green building certification program used worldwide.)

Another aspect of the green benefits of building reuse is the fact that many older, historic structures were built with climate in mind. Buildings constructed before 1920 are generally more efficient than those built between 1920 and 2000, according to data from the Energy Information Agency. Why? Structures that predate HVAC systems and other modern technological conveniences make the best use of natural means of heating, cooling and ventilation – making them overall more efficient than structures that were dependent on technology to keep them comfortable.

Reducing Waste

Our nation generated 600 million tons of construction and demolition debris in 2018, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.  Demolition debris accounted for 90% of this total.  The construction industry erects and demolishes hundreds of new buildings and homes all over the world every day. And, although many structures contain non-renewable resources and materials that people can easily recycle or reuse, most are simply tossed into dumpsters and landfills. In fact, the average building demolition produces 155 pounds of waste per square foot. That adds up incredibly quickly, resulting in overflowing landfills, deteriorating ecosystems and the loss of valuable resources. New buildings also produce waste, according to Buildings Magazine:

• The average new construction project yields 3.9 pounds of waste per square foot of building area. Example: A 50,000-square-foot building = 97.5 tons of waste.
• The average building demolition yields 155 pounds of waste per square foot. Example: A 50,000-square-foot building = 3,875 tons of waste.

There are many hazardous or toxic materials resulting from demolition that must be disposed of properly to minimize impact to public health and the environment. These include asbestos and lead, fluorescent light bulbs, mercury thermostats, lighting ballasts and exit signs, which may contain dangerous chemicals. When a fluorescent bulb is crushed, mercury vapor dissipates into the surrounding air. Too often, these hazardous substances make their way into communities and the environment during the demolition process.

The Sustainable Choice

There are many times when a building outlives its usefulness and will need to be replaced. But whenever possible, the reuse of buildings is the greenest option. Adaptive reuse preserves the historic character of a community for future generations. These renovations avoid the costly and negative environmental impacts of demolition, disposal and new construction.  Greater value can be added to the renovation projects in many instances because of the enhanced interest younger generations place on this sustainable practice and the more unique buildings that result.

Adaptive reuse of buildings has brought significant positive changes to downtown communities throughout the nation.  The Gaslamp Quarter in San Diego, Santa Monica’s Third Street Promenade and the Arts District in Los Angeles are just a few notable examples. The Optimum Seismic team has performed many successful adaptive reuse and renovation projects over the years, including the conversion of a historic hotel in downtown San Luis Obispo into a mixed-use project of 48 apartments and retail; a similar conversion at the Mayfair Hotel in downtown Pomona; and the conversion of some several Victorian homes into student housing for my alma mater, the University of Southern California. These examples completely reinvented neighborhoods into transformational cultural and commercial centers that draw in tourism and bring significant income not only to the cities and communities, but to the building owners as well.

If you’re thinking of replacing a historic structure with new construction, think twice – and contact Optimum Seismic to discuss your options and the potential benefits of reinventing the existing structure instead.

Ali Sahabi, a licensed General Engineering Contractor (GEC), is an expert in building resilience and sustainability. He is Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Optimum Seismic, Inc., which has completed more than 3,500 seismic retrofit engineering and construction projects, including adaptive reuse and renovation projects for multifamily residential, commercial, and industrial buildings throughout California.  For more information, go to www.optimumseismic.com.