A new report is urging governments and developers to treat adaptive reuse as a core part of Canada’s housing and climate strategy, arguing that converting and upgrading existing buildings can deliver housing faster while significantly cutting carbon emissions.
The report, released by the Canadian Association of Heritage Professionals, examined retrofit and adaptive reuse projects in Halifax, Montréal and Vancouver. Researchers found that conserving and upgrading existing structures often reduced both emissions and overall project costs compared to demolition and rebuilding.
The study comes as Canada faces mounting pressure to accelerate housing construction while reducing emissions tied to the built environment.
Existing Buildings Could Play a Larger Role
According to the report, current building systems and financing models are still heavily geared towards new construction, often treating adaptive reuse projects as exceptions rather than viable mainstream development options.
Adam Hatch, president of the CAHP, said decisions about existing buildings have “profound and long-term impacts” when carbon and cost are measured over a building’s full lifecycle.
The report argues that retaining and retrofitting buildings preserves embodied carbon, referring to emissions already generated through the extraction, manufacturing, transportation and installation of construction materials. As electricity grids become cleaner, these upfront emissions are accounting for a larger share of a building’s total environmental impact.
Research cited in the broader study notes that buildings and construction account for roughly one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions. In Canada, the building sector represented 12 percent of national emissions in 2019, rising to 18 percent when indirect energy emissions are included.
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Faster Delivery and Less Waste
Beyond emissions reductions, the report says adaptive reuse projects can often be completed faster and with less disruption than entirely new developments. Researchers also found these projects help preserve community character while supporting local trades and economic activity.
The findings align with previous Canadian research showing construction and demolition activities generate roughly 35 percent of landfill waste nationwide. Earlier studies have also found that new “green” buildings can take anywhere from 10 to 80 years to offset the carbon generated during their construction.
The CAHP is calling for changes to building codes, zoning regulations and financing rules to better support reuse-focused projects. Recommendations include incorporating lifecycle carbon analysis into approvals and reducing structural barriers that discourage retrofit and conversion work.
Industry advocates say those changes could help Canada address multiple challenges simultaneously, including rising construction costs, slow housing delivery timelines and a growing inventory of underused commercial buildings.
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