At its heart, preservation is about possibility, a practice that takes something old and creates something new, meeting the needs of communities, addressing challenges posed by a changing climate, and building affordable housing through the adaptive reuse of older and historic buildings. Think of an old office building turned into apartments, a historic church turned into a restaurant, or an abandoned hospital building turned into an art gallery. In the last couple of decades, adapting buildings—as opposed to tearing them down or preserving them in their original form—has become a popular strategy among housing advocates, environmentalists, and preservationists alike.

Here’s a look at four reasons for employing adaptive reuse strategies in your community.

Adaptive reuse reduces carbon emissions.

Architect Carl Elefante coined the phrase, “The greenest building is the one already built.” This sentiment can sound counter-intuitive: wouldn’t it be better to demolish an old building and construct something new with the latest energy-efficient systems instead of retrofitting a structure from another era?

According to a landmark study from 2011 published by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the answer is almost always no. That’s because of the carbon emissions that occur when materials are mined, harvested, manufactured, transported, and assembled to create a new structure. Compared to reusing and retrofitting an existing building, even highly energy-efficient replacement buildings will incur an upfront carbon “debt” from new construction that takes between 10 and 80 years to “pay off” through efficient operations.

Most older buildings still require some kind of retrofitting to make them more energy efficient, livable, and suited to the needs of the 21st century. That’s where adaptive reuse strategies come in.

In action: In Cambridge, Maryland, Cross Street Partners is adapting and restoring a 1920 factory building with the help of National Trust Community Investment Corporation's New Market Tax Credits. By reusing solid masonry walls, restoring the historic steel sash windows, and adding high-efficiency mechanical systems, the project earned LEED Gold certification and reduced both energy use and carbon emissions. It will also become home to Blue Oyster Environmental, a company dedicated to sustainable aquaculture, the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, and a workforce development incubator.

Even when a building can’t be saved, reusing its materials benefits the environment.

Even when older buildings can’t be saved in their entirety, reusing building materials can still bring environmental benefits. Retaining and reusing steel and concrete structural components of commercial buildings prevents the need for high-carbon new materials. Increasingly, preservationists and proponents of adaptive reuse are advocating for regulations that require the reuse of materials when buildings are torn down. These materials, many of which would require significant amounts of carbon to re-extract and re-make, can then be used to help rebuild and restore other buildings.

Reusing building materials also encourages other kinds of adaptive reuse. “Deconstruction policies divert waste from the landfill but also change the economic calculus associated with demolition and disposal versus preservation and adaptive reuse,” noted scholars Tina M. McCarthy and Eleni Evdokia Glekas.

In action: In 2016, Portland, Oregon passed an ordinance requiring deconstruction—as opposed to demolition–for houses and duplexes built before 1916. The resulting materials then become part of new construction and renovation projects. This regulation has had an important secondary effect: since it was passed, the city has seen demolition applications drop by almost 50 percent. In short, because there is now a higher hurdle to leap to destroy an old building, developers are forced to consider adaptation and reuse over demolition and reconstruction.

Maintaining older buildings improves neighborhood vitality.

If you’re reading this, you probably appreciate the character that historic buildings lend to a city, town, or neighborhood. Historic buildings add beauty and variety to the places we live and help us feel connected to our community’s past. But did you know that communities with older buildings are often more diverse and economically resilient?

Older buildings provide space for local businesses and diverse ownership. For example, National Trust research in Philadelphia and Chicago showed that older blocks have a higher proportion of jobs in small businesses when compared to areas with new structures, while similar blocks in Detroit include 25 percent more women- and minority-owned businesses.

In such cases, buildings also tend to be part of mixed-use neighborhoods, where businesses, homes, and community spaces sit side-by-side. Mixed-use neighborhoods make more efficient use of space, reduce reliance on cars, and improve walkability.

In action: The Findlay Parkside neighborhood in Cincinnati is reaping the economic and community benefits of this kind of adaptive reuse. With the help of New Market and Historic Tax Credits from NTCIC, the Model Group rehabilitated nine historic buildings in and around Findlay Market, creating 51 apartments and 16,000 square feet of retail space for local small businesses. Learn more about the impacts of the Findlay Parkside project.

Adaptive reuse can help mitigate the housing crisis.

While historic preservation can be seen as a tool that benefits the wealthy, many adaptive reuse projects have expanded housing options in communities, including affordable housing. At a time when more than 20 million Americans spend more than 30 percent of their income on housing, the American Planning Association notes that adapting a building can increase housing availability more quickly and cheaply than building something entirely new. A focus on improving existing older buildings—including already-existing housing units–can also ensure that those buildings are healthier and more livable.

In action: Under the Illinois Historic Tax Credit program, 369 new housing units have been created since 2019, more than 99 percent of which were affordable. In Granite City, the 100-year-old former home of a YMCA recently re-opened as a mixed-use building, featuring residential units at a range of prices along with community and art spaces. After standing vacant for 15 years, the city donated the building to Rise Community Development, who put significant work into renovating the building. Its 37 apartment units are available to people who make less than 60 percent of the region’s median income.

What’s next?

Ready to advocate? Proponents of adaptive reuse say that one of their biggest hurdles is local zoning laws. Parking requirements and restrictions on mixed-use buildings can stand in the way of adaptive reuse projects. Along with changing zoning laws, communities can also advocate for local adaptive reuse ordinances or tax credits that support adaptive reuse of older buildings even if they are not officially designated as “historic.”