Communities are establishing greater sustainability goals at the same time as weather events are greater in scope and intensity. We expect our buildings to address these challenges, our evolving needs, as well as the existing hazards associated with the built environment. One might assume that only new buildings can address all of these parameters. However, with the right changes, existing buildings can also meet all these demands while still achieving resiliency and sustainability targets.
Enter adaptive reuse, a term used to describe the alteration of existing buildings that have outlived their original purpose to be used for a new generation. This increasingly popular solution is actively shaping the future of design and construction. When executed safely and in alignment with modern building safety codes, reuse and adaptation brings several benefits including cost savings and can also help to maintain a community’s unique architectural history.
Sustainability at the Core
Depending on the needs of the property, adaptive reuse can be the greenest solution, as it eliminates the need for additional construction when looking to transition parts of a building. In this case, the vast majority of the building can remain, thereby reducing construction waste and preventing the emissions necessary to transport core building materials to the construction site.
Rehabilitation of an existing building also eliminates the need to utilize new materials that have a considerable environmental impact in their fabrication, such as concrete, structural steel, lumber, and masonry. This method extends the lifecycle of materials that have already been manufactured. Reuse can also help mitigate rising construction material costs, labor shortages, and supply chain challenges that can make new construction more expensive and less predictable.
Many municipalities are streamlining the permitting process, incentivizing reuse and offering zoning flexibility for conversion projects as a way to address housing shortages, revitalize commercial space, and reimagine older, underutilized areas of the community.
Resiliency for Long-Term Success
In all areas of the country, extreme weather events continue to increase in severity and frequency each year. Resilience has taken on a new level of importance in the built environment, given these climatic conditions. Wind, snow, rain, hurricanes, and earthquakes impact buildings based on their location. New construction is designed in accordance with the latest building codes and standards to withstand these effects.
Existing buildings have a history of performance that is well-established, especially where these buildings are in good condition and assessed to confirm they are free of structural vulnerabilities or other challenges. The International Code Council has resources to support existing building construction and assessment of buildings, including the G7-2004, the Guideline on Existing Building Condition Assessment.
States like Florida are also testing stronger resiliency standards. For example, Florida requires recertification and safety inspections for aging buildings, providing a framework for adaptive reuse projects to ensure structural integrity before conversion. This approach demonstrates how proactive policy can safeguard occupants and first responders while extending the useful life of existing structures.
Building Codes and Safety Considerations
For adaptive reuse projects to be successful, not only do they need to be functional for their new use, but they also must be safely altered to fit their new purpose. While some considerations remain consistent no matter the building, such as structural integrity, there are specific considerations that arise depending on the building’s intended use. A key factor is building occupants, especially when a building is transitioned for permanent residency purposes, supporting health and wellness of building occupants in daily life. Improvements such as modern ventilation, better air quality, natural light, and efficient heating and cooling systems can help protect occupants during events like heat waves or poor air quality days.
The International Existing Building Code® (IEBC) is an essential tool to determine how to cost-effectively repurpose an existing building while ensuring a safe-built environment for the new use and occupancy. The IEBC is adopted and used in 45 states, encouraged by the General Services Administration (GSA) and required by the Department of Defense and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
The IEBC provides the necessary tools to successfully mitigate hazards relevant to the new use and transition the building to a new occupancy and has three compliance paths that can be employed to address the needs for each unique project. These compliance paths include the prescriptive method, the work area method, and the performance method. The IEBC provides a pathway for an appropriate level of safety in existing buildings without full compliance with new construction code requirements. For those looking to implement the IBC in their adaptive reuse project, the International Code Council has technical expertise for building safety professionals and skilled tradespeople when navigating the challenges of reuse, alteration and rehabilitation of existing buildings.
Looking Ahead
As communities manage increased housing demand, aging infrastructure, and extreme weather, reimagining what already exists is one of the most sustainable, resilient, and innovative paths forward. The International Code Council remains committed to supporting adaptive reuse efforts with modern building safety codes, standards, and guidelines, as well as other products and services that assist with code compliance and safety in the built environment. By prioritizing sustainability, resiliency, and occupant safety in reuse, we can transform yesterday’s structures into tomorrow’s solutions.
