Online Toolkit
Use our Online Toolkit to find out more about Northern Ireland’s historic environment and to learn about the processes which will you help you better understand, protect, conserve, regenerate, and highlight our significant historic buildings and monuments
Reuse Heritage
Climate change is posing an existential threat to our way of life, and it is also threatening the long-term sustainability of our historic built environment.
We must also take into consideration the environmental impact of the construction, upkeep, and demolition of buildings. These processes are the third biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the United Kingdom.
Therefore, when assessing the impact of the climate crisis on our built heritage, there are two factors to consider. First, the substantial carbon footprint inherent in the demolition of older buildings and construction of newer ones in their place. Second, the negative impact of our changing climate on the fragile and finite resource that is our historic built environment.
Many of our historic buildings become redundant over time; this is a normal part of a building’s life cycle in a modernising world. Some think that disused assets should be replaced with new buildings which, at least in the short-term appear cleaner and more modern. But not only is this substantially less sustainable, it also severs important connections to our past, to the events
and processes which have shaped the society we live in.
We must take action now. The best way to do this is through the sympathetic REUSE of our existing historic building stock.
What does climate change have to do with built heritage?
Throughout its history, the Earth’s climate has always been changing. However, the term ‘climate change’ refers to the rapid changes we have seen in global climate patterns during the last 50 to 100 years. Scientific evidence shows that this is not being driven by the planet’s natural, long-term climate cycles, but as a result of the human activities which produce greenhouse gases and cause global warming.
We are now experiencing, or can expect to experience:
- Rising sea levels
- Rising sea temperatures
- Increased rainfall
- Increased acid rain
- Coastal erosion
More frequent extreme weather events
You can read more about the effects of climate change HERE
Because of climate change, buildings are experiencing increased environmental stresses and strains. Those that have typically withstood the elements are becoming less able to cope. This is an additional challenge to consider in addition to typical maintenance and repair; a challenge that is likely to worsen in the short- to medium-term future.
Our buildings will be increasingly affected by:
- Accelerated material degradation
- Increased material stress
- Higher likelihood of rainwater goods failure]
- Increased water ingress and damp
- Greater material staining
UAH have released a report outlining, in greater detail, the effects of climate change on our historic environment, which can be accessed HERE
You can also carry out a risk assessment to investigate the impact of climate change on your property. Access this HERE
What is embodied carbon?
Embodied carbon refers to the total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with the entire life cycle of a product or material, including its extraction, manufacturing, transportation, use, and disposal. It represents the carbon footprint of the material or product from cradle to grave.
In the context of buildings, embodied carbon primarily refers to the emissions associated with the construction materials used and the construction process itself. This includes the extraction or production of raw materials, such as cement, steel, wood, and glass, as well as the energy used during manufacturing, transportation, and assembly.
Embodied carbon is measured in terms of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e), which takes into account the different global warming potentials of various greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O).
The concept of embodied carbon has gained attention in recent years due to its significant contribution to the overall carbon footprint of the built environment. Traditional focus on operational carbon (emissions from energy use during the building’s operational phase) is being expanded to consider embodied carbon as well, as it can constitute a substantial portion of a building’s lifetime emissions.
Reducing embodied carbon is crucial for mitigating climate change. Strategies to minimise embodied carbon include using materials with lower carbon intensity, optimising material use to reduce waste, and considering alternative construction methods or materials that have lower environmental impacts.
Of course, the best way to reduce embodied carbon is to reuse our existing building stock, rather than building new structures.
According to Historic England, when compared to refurbishing a traditional Victorian terrace, constructing a new building of the same size produces up to 13 times more embodied carbon. This equates to around 16.4 tonnes of CO₂, which is the equivalent of the emissions released by driving 60,000km, or from Belfast to Enniskillen and back over 200 times, in a large petrol car.
You can read more about embodied carbon HERE
Reuse: Responding to Climate Change
The ever-changing demands of our constantly evolving and modernising society mean that, over the years, certain buildings eventually become redundant in their original use. When a building is viewed as redundant, it is in danger of falling into disrepair, abandonment and, eventually, ruin. This is something we see all too frequently in Northern Ireland. But these buildings present opportunities to consider creative reuse, allowing us to preserve and sustain our heritage, as well as confront and mitigate the contribution of unnecessary demolition to climate change.
Whilst it may be tempting to try and preserve an asset’s original use, throughout our history our buildings have always had to adapt to changing demands, and it is simply part of a building’s life cycle to be modernised and reused to meet contemporary needs. This can be seen with the addition of extensions, upper levels added to single story dwellings, dormers added to increase light, the advent of indoor plumbing and the decline of outside toilets, and the modern expectation of central heating. Even the layout of houses has changed, with a desire for open plan living in place of traditionally smaller compartmentalised rooms.
The process of reusing historic buildings involves careful and sensitive adaptation for uses that meet modern-day needs. This may result in the inclusion of a sensitive extension, internal reconfiguration, or the addition of new fixtures and fittings, all of which will need to complement the existing historic fabric. Sensitive reuse and/or adaptation is likely to contribute positively to a building’s story. At the same time, inappropriate reuse can significantly detract from a building’s special interest.
A building in use not only provides an incentive for regular repair and maintenance, but also deters unwanted behaviours. Heritage crimes, such as vandalism and arson, are more prevalent in buildings that are not occupied or properly secured and monitored. While full, permanent occupancy of a building is desirable, it is not always possible. In cases where it is not, owners are encouraged to explore options of partial and/or temporary (meanwhile) use. Whilst meanwhile use is only a temporary fix it can, in conjunction with the arrangement of adequate security measures, afford a building greater protection. Furthermore, the presence of users and the appearance of occupancy can prevent further deterioration of the surrounding street or area.
Historic building reuse does not only include large scale interventions. Small steps can go a long way towards a sustainable future.
Sustainable improvements to make our historic buildings more energy efficient include:
• Increasing insulation to prevent unnecessary heat loss. This can include the addition
of boards or wool under the floor or between ceiling joists, or the inclusion of
sympathetic double glazing where possible
• Using non-invasive solar panels on adjoining land and curtilage
• Using energy efficient appliances and eco-friendly light bulbs
• Draught proofing windows and doors
• Choosing low-impact or sustainably sourced natural materials and finishes
• Adding rainwater/greywater harvesting systems
Reasons for reusing buildings:
• More environmentally sustainable than the construction of new buildings
• Can limit construction costs as most of the building fabric is already in place
• Reuse bolsters historic building and monument longevity
• Maintains character of surrounding area
• Reinforces our cultural identity and our connection to the historic past
• Acts as catalyst for regeneration and (re)growth
• Reuses existing (and often high quality) building materials