Improving the implementation of adaptive reuse strategies for historic buildings

Abstract

Meeting the current needs of existing buildings and the designing of new buildings to ensure its sustainable adaptability in the future, supports global climate protection and emissions reduction. The sustainable preservation of any historic building requires the blending of sustainable design and historic preservation principles. Building adaptive reuse is a viable alternative to demolition and replacement as- it entails less energy and waste, and can offer social benefits by revitalizing familiar landmarks and giving them a new lease of life. This paper describes the development of a new design rating tool known as adaptSTAR, which offers holistic and unified design criteria for the successful implementation of adaptive reuse for historic buildings as well as for the measuring of embedded adaptive reuse potential of future buildings. The adaptive reuse design would be given an adaptSTAR star rating similar to the new building rating system. The findings show that criteria can be identified and weighted according to physical, economic, functional, technological, social, legal and political categories.