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Sustainable refurbishment describes working on existing buildings to improve their environmental performance using sustainable methods and materials. A refurbishment or retrofit is defined as: "any work to a building over and above maintenance to change its capacity, function or performance' in other words, any intervention to adjust, reuse, or upgrade a building to suit new conditions or ...
Ellen Dunham-Jones and June Williamson, professors of urban planning and architecture at Georgia Tech and CUNY, respectively, wrote the book on this phenomenon.Much of their work is captured in their book, "Retrofitting Suburbia: Urban Design Solutions for Redesigning Suburbs which discusses the phenomena of urban sprawl, economic development, climate change mitigation, and environmental justice.
The Zero Carbon House (Birmingham, UK): The Zero Carbon House, also known as the 'Balsall Heath House,' is an innovative example of sustainable retrofitting. Originally a Victorian terraced house, it was transformed into a zero-carbon dwelling through extensive renovation and the integration of energy-efficient technologies.
Officials have estimated that the typical retrofit of a soft-story building in L.A. costs from $80,000 to $160,000, although costs can vary depending on the size of the building.
Governments, local housing authorities, and other interested parties can either begin new affordable housing projects with sustainable design, or retrofit the existing stock. While new projects require a larger upfront cost, these projects provide a greater return on investment than retrofitting.
BIA systems may be integrated into commercial, educational, and residential buildings of varying sizes. Feasibility varies based on building size, climate, availability of light, and new build vs. retrofit. BIA farms are located on the building's envelope to make maximum use of normal light.
Adaptive reuse is defined as the aesthetic process that adapts buildings for new uses while retaining their historic features. Using an adaptive reuse model can prolong a building's life, from cradle-to-grave, by retaining all or most of the building system, including the structure, the shell and even the interior materials. [6]
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