Preserving Our Common Ground: Designing for the Future by Honoring the Past
We are often asked whether it makes more sense to repurpose an existing building or to build new. The answer is - it’s complicated. But when it comes to environmental responsibility, the greenest building is often the one that already exists. From Philadelphia’s historic neighborhoods to the academic campuses in our region, older buildings that have fallen out of use offer tremendous opportunities to support a sustainable future.
The global building sector accounts for roughly 39% of worldwide carbon emissions. While operational energy gets most of the spotlight, embodied carbon—the upfront emissions from raw material extraction, manufacturing, and transport—plays a massive role. In fact, it can take 10 to 80 years for a new, ultra-efficient building to pay back the initial "carbon debt" accrued during construction, represented as embodied emissions below.
For educational institutions and housing partners aiming for true sustainability, adaptive reuse is a game-changer. By choosing to preserve and reimagine existing structures, we lock structural carbon in place, protect community history, and eliminate unnecessary upfront emissions from day one. Best of all, reusing what's already standing can unlock powerful financial incentives—including Federal Historic Tax Credits and expanded energy efficiency tax deductions—making sustainability a clear win on the financial side as well.
