Changing values : Motivations for adaptive reuse in the built environment

Sammanfattning

The construction industry is one of the largest global emitters of greenhouse gases and a significant producer of waste. Adaptive reuse – making use of the existing buildings on site – could be a tool to mitigate its impact. This study draws on sociology with a combination of framing theory and valuation studies to examine actors’ motivations for choosing adaptive reuse in urban development. Given the increasing urgency of the climate crisis, is the motivation changing with time? What are the implications for sustainable development? An ongoing development project in central Stockholm is examined through interviews with decision-making actors. The proposed plan includes two adjacent plots with similar conditions but two different developers where one has chosen to demolish to build new and the other to retain the existing buildings, inserting new volumes around. The project has been subject to previous studies and received public attention, which were initially thought to have affected the pivoting decision by one developer to retain. The results show that demolitions were initially motivated by the perceived production of urban qualities such as accessibility and housing provision. The subsequent decision to retain was prompted by changing economic conditions in combination with opportunities arising from a new awareness of sustainability. A new financial reality, caused by geopolitical uncertainty, challenged previous models of profitability. This subsequently led to the revaluation of the site by one developer, opening for positive articulations of the existing buildings’ qualities. While several factors aligned at the time of the decision, including the valuation by individuals’ of the organisation, its sustainability ambition and a new, general awareness around retention and climate impact, the study points to the importance of economic viability and business incentive models for sustainable development. The study has identified conflicts following the decision to retain, such as compliance with building regulations and expectations of urban qualities, however, compromises and negotiations have enforced actors to align multiple frameworks of values leading to new knowledge of adaptive reuse practices. Ultimately, this thesis argues for the potential of crises – under the right conditions – as an opportunity to challenge conventional practices and open for new valuations and configurations in the built environment. It also presents an argument for focussing on reward structures and business models to better understand the preconditions for moving towards sustainable urban development.