Towards Circular Economy in the Built Environment : Overcoming Obsolescence Via Building Adaptation

Every year, buildings undergo services of adaptation to account for changes in users’ needs, deterioration, code updates, among others. This process, also called building obsolescence, is inevitable and most of these buildings lack a proactive adaptation plan. New buildings, however, can be designed to be more resilient when dealing with obsolescence by leveraging circular economy principles. The understanding of building obsolescence is crucial since they are the triggers of a process of adaptation. Studies have investigated different types of building obsolescence but have not focused on specific causes. Through qualitative analysis of interviews, we identified challenges faced by Architecture, Engineering, and Construction professionals in the building adaptation process. Recommendations to tackle these challenges were given, including the selection of durable materials, overdesign of key elements, design for disassembly, and use of modular systems. The research findings can help planners avoid common issues that harm the building adaptation process