Work

Culture, capital or carbon? Understanding priorities in adaptive reuse

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Purpose Adaptive reuse is a key strategy in the transition towards a circular built environment, offering social, financial, cultural and environmental benefits. The abundance of vacant buildings found in our cities demonstrates that this strategy is not yet used to its maximum potential. A systematic overview and categorisation of the drivers and barriers influencing the adoption of adaptive reuse is necessary and it can contribute to better decision-making. Design/methodology/approach A systematic literature review was conducted to identify the drivers and barriers of adaptive reuse. From the initial database of 13,495 publications, 45 were included in the final analysis. A thematic analysis revealed recurring concepts, which were classified into seven categories: regulatory, financial, environmental, cultural, social, building-related and stakeholders-related factors. Findings The most significant barriers to adaptive reuse are building codes, the building's physical limitations to adaptation and a lack of skilled workers. The most critical drivers are instead the desire for heritage conservation, the opportunity to revitalise the larger surrounding area, favourable legislations and regulations, and fundings and financial incentives. Despite increasing awareness of the environmental benefits of adaptive reuse, environmental factors are found to be less compelling than cultural and financial factors. Originality/value This article provides a systematic synthesis of the drivers and barriers of adaptive reuse and introduces the “stakeholders-related factors” category. This addition highlights how the complexity of adaptive reuse projects is amplified by the involvement of multiple actors with diverse values and priorities. Further research on stakeholder dynamics could offer valuable insights into how these interactions shape adaptive reuse outcomes.

Source: International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation

Authors: Bianca Chiusi, Vitalija Danivska, Hilde Remøy, Vincent Gruis

Institution: Delft University of Technology

Language: English

Topic: Cultural Heritage Management and Preservation

Subfield: Archeology

Field: Arts and Humanities

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Sustainable cities and communities, Responsible consumption and production, Climate action

Open Access status: hybrid

Funder: European Research Executive Agency

Award: G8745070936