Adaptive Reuse, as a concept, is the process of repurposing buildings or spaces that have outlived their original function, transforming them into valuable and viable spaces for modern society. The philosophy is not only about preserving historical architecture, but also reducing waste, curbing urban sprawl, and creating sustainable communities. Adaptive Reuse is intrinsically linked with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations, which are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030. One specific goal, SDG 11, aims to make cities inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. This goal explicitly encourages the protection of cultural and natural heritage, which can be directly achieved through Adaptive Reuse. By repurposing and revitalizing existing buildings, cities can manage resources more efficiently, reducing their carbon footprint while also protecting their unique historical character. Further, SDG 12 promotes responsible consumption and production patterns. The "reuse" part of Adaptive Reuse plays a significant role in this. Repurposing buildings reduces the need for new construction materials, decreasing overall consumption. Additionally, it eliminates the waste generated by demolition, contributing to more sustainable production patterns. Therefore, the practice of Adaptive Reuse aligns with and advances several SDGs, aiding in the collective global stride towards sustainability. Its strategic implementation can pave the way for a greener, more responsible, and culturally rich urban landscape, bringing us closer to achieving the goals set for a better and more sustainable future for all.
Climate change is reshaping the comparative advantage of regions and hence driving migration flows, principally toward urban areas. Migration has multiple benefits and costs in both origin and destination regions. Coordinated policies that recognize how and why people move can reduce future costs and facilitate adaptation to climate change both within borders and internationally.
Circular economy strategies seek to reduce the total resources extracted from the environment and reduce the wastes that human activities generate in pursuit of human wellbeing. Circular Economy concepts are well suited to the building and construction sector in cities. For example, refurbishing and adaptively reusing underutilized or abandoned buildings can revitalize neighborhoods whilst achieving environmental benefits. Cultural heritage buildings hold a unique niche in the urban landscape.
Water reuse networks have been emerging globally for the last 50 years. This article reviews the economic, social and environmental issues related to implementing water reuse networks in cities. This is reflecting the fact that globally many cities are categorised as water scarce areas, where there is growing imbalance between water demand and availability. In this sense, there is a need for sustainable water supply solutions in the imminent future to provide and maintain service reliability, particularly in the face of climate change.
Increases in water treatment technology have made water recycling a viable engineering solution to water supply limitations. In spite of this, such water recycling schemes have often been halted by lack of public acceptance. Previous studies have captured the public's attitudes regarding planned reuse schemes, but here we focus on unplanned reuse (i.e. de facto reuse), present in many cities across the U.S.
