The debate on demolition and new building has been intensified since 2003, with government proposals for large-scale clearance and new construction. This paper and its presentation by the author summarises the evidence and debate on whether demolition would reduce greenhouse gas emissions from buildings. It examines whether a more achievable and socially beneficial route to reducing energy use in the built environment exists, based on the fact that buildings account for half of the UK’s carbon emissions.
This paper argues that large-scale and accelerated demolition would neither help with meeting energy and climate change targets, nor would it address social needs. Refurbishment offers clear advantages in time, cost, community impact, prevention of building sprawl, reuse of existing infrastructure and protection of
existing communities. It can also lead to significantly reduced energy use in buildings in both the short and long term.
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Housing and sustainability: demolition or refurbishment?
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