Building on the Past to Sustain the Future

From Sonya at Heritage Standing ...

Read the CAHP Green Paper

"Building on the Past to Sustain the Future: Recommendations and observations from the Canadian Association of Heritage Professionals Workroom series (2021) on building reuse for climate action."

It is a great advocacy and communication tool that provides clear information on why old buildings are necessary for fighting climate change.  The paper also contains excellent resources should you wish to delve into this topic further.

it takes between 10 and 80 years

Here is just one of many important notes to take away from the green paper:

"[…] it takes between 10 and 80 years for a new building that is 30% more efficient than an average-performing existing building to overcome, through efficient operations, the negative climate change impacts related to the construction process. (Preservation Leadership Forum, 2016)"

We need positive climate action now, not in 10-80 years.  The next question also becomes clear... is the lifespan of a new material or building long enough to overcome the negative climate impacts of production and construction (embodied carbon)?

We hope you find the paper thought-provoking and encouraging.  If you have any questions or would like to discuss this topic further, please feel free to get in touch.

Warm regards,

Sonya
Heritage Standing Inc

Learning Resources at CAHP