Reconstruction in its many forms—tenant improvements, retail fitouts, adaptive reuse, historic preservation, gut rehab, and so on—is keeping many design and construction firms solvent.
The collapse of the U.S. housing market in 2007-2008 precipitated a nearly commensurate downturn in new nonresidential construction in the United States. Filling the gap, at least to some extent, has been reconstruction.
Architecture, engineering, and construction firms that once realized less than 20% of their revenues from renovation work are now performing 30-40% of their work in reconstruction. Another telling metric: LEED for Existing Buildings has now surpassed LEED for New Construction in total floor space. It is no exaggeration to say that reconstruction is keeping many AEC firms afloat.
This chain of events has created an excellent opportunity for the design and construction industry to seek ways to take reconstruction to the next highest level: from 20-30% energy and water savings, for example, to 40-60%—what those in the field are calling “deep energy retrofits.”
This White Paper details the obstacles to achieving high-performance reconstructed buildings and describes the promising opportunities available to AEC firms in this sector of the green building market.
The editors argue the case that existing and reused buildings represent “the 99% solution” for reducing energy, water, and materials waste in buildings and cutting the share of greenhouse gases produced by nonresidential buildings.
As in our eight previous White Papers, we conclude with a set of specific recommendations—an 18-point Action Plan—for stakeholders in the built environment to consider.
The editors welcome your feedback. Please contact Robert Cassidy, Editorial Director, at 847-391-1040; rcassidy@sgcmail.com.
Click here to download a PDF of High-Performance Reconstructed Buildings: The 99% Solution, the 9th in a Series of White Papers on the Green Building Movement
Chapter 1 Reconstruction: ‘The 99% Solution’ for Energy Savings in Buildings
Chapter 2 Exemplary High-Performance Reconstruction Projects
Chapter 3 How Building Technologies Contribute to Reconstruction Advances
Chapter 4 Business Case for High-Performance Reconstructed Buildings
Chapter 5 LEED-EB and Green Globes CIEB: Rating Sustainable Reconstruction
Chapter 6 Energy Codes + Reconstructed Buildings: 2012 and Beyond
Chapter 7 When Modern Becomes Historic: Preserving the Modernist Building Envelope
Chapter 8 High-Performance Reconstruction and Historic Preservation: Conflict and Opportunity
Chapter 9 The Key to Commissioning That Works? It Never Stops
Chapter 10 Action Plan: 18 Recommendations for Advancing Sustainability in Reconstructed Buildings
DIRECTORY OF SPONSORS
Associations
Construction Specifications Institute
North American Insulation Manufacturers Association
The Vinyl Institute
Government
U.S. General Services Administration Public Buildings Service
Manufacturers
Duro-Last Roofing, Inc.
SAGE Electrochromics, Inc.
Sika Sarnafil
Related Stories
Architects | Mar 5, 2019
Arata Isozaki named 2019 Pritzker Architecture Prize Laureate
The Japanese architect, city planner, and theorist is known for his deep commitment to the “art of space” and transnational methodology.
Education Facilities | Feb 25, 2019
Fallingwater Institute’s summer residency programs have a new educational hub
Bohlin Cywinski Jackson designed the project.
Architects | Feb 14, 2019
Amazon will not build HQ2 in New York City
The tech giant walks away from a deal, succumbing to opposition over huge tax breaks.
Architects | Feb 12, 2019
The basics of building commissioning
As building system technology increases in complexity and sustainability remains at the forefront of design, the need for commissioning continues to rise. This is the first post in our series examining the basics, benefits and boundaries of building commissioning.
Architects | Jan 28, 2019
9 tech trends to track in 2019
Innovations in voice recognition, cognitive neuroscience, and biometrics are among the trending tech topics for 2019, according to CallisonRTKL's Kristin Tilley.
AEC Tech | Jan 9, 2019
Our robotic future: Assessing AI's impact on the AEC profession and the built environment
This is the first in a series by Lance Hosey, FAIA, on how automation is disrupting design and construction.
Architects | Dec 17, 2018
New toolkit helps architect achieve high-performance buildings
Architects can download a copy of the toolkit online.
Architects | Dec 13, 2018
Social media synergy: Revving up your AEC firm’s content engine
Design firms know that just having a website and a blog aren’t enough, but social media complicates how they communicate.
Architects | Dec 10, 2018
The art and science of drawing: Humanizing the design process with a bit of controlled mayhem
Hand drawing reveals a dimension beyond those available in a CAD drawing or digital rendering.
Architects | Dec 7, 2018
2019 AIA Gold Medal awarded to Lord Richard Rogers, Hon. FAIA
The Gold Medal honors an individual whose significant body of work has had a lasting influence on the theory and practice of architecture.