The Built Environment

By Julia Koslow. Project Advisors: Andrew J. Hoffman and Peter Allen.

Abstract: The premise of this project is that the most sustainable type of real estate development is the adaptive reuse of an existing building. Adaptive reuse of inner city buildings is an opportunity to return underutilized, close-in land for housing and other uses, to improve the environmental impact of buildings, and to provide robust rates of return which compensate developers for the higher risk inherent in this type of development. Buildings and the built environment have considerable deleterious effects on the natural environment, largely attributable to the energy consumed to operate them. The fossil fuels used to satisfy that energy demand contribute to global climate change, localized climate change, and damaging health effects. However, the built environment has considerable opportunities for positive contribution, and chief among them is the opportunity for re-use of existing buildings. It is imperative, for social, environmental, and economic reasons, that building re-use become more common practice. Part I of this paper explores the existing framework for adaptive building-reuse in the United States. The industry analysis includes the current state of land use impacts, building impacts, life-cycle analysis of buildings, brownfield redevelopment, and preservation. Then, existing writing about the topic is reviewed. Part II reviews the landscape as faced by a real estate developer, and highlights the opportunities and challenges. The development cycle is analyzed in each stage to understand the decision-making process, stakeholders, and benefits to an adaptive reuse project. Part III is a case study in the Cass Corridor neighborhood of Detroit, Michigan, an area ripe with existing building stock with incredible architectural character. A site overview is proceeded by a financial analysis of four development options for a typical apartment and retail building in the neighborhood: 1) Demolish and rebuild conventional; 2) Demolish and rebuild a LEED-NC 3.1 Gold building; 3) Renovate as a conventional building; and 4) Renovate as a LEED-NC 3.1 Gold building. Although several incentives are offered to developers to encourage adaptive reuse development, the most profitable option proves to be to demolish the existing building and build a conventional new building. Based on the analysis, recommendations for streamlining the adaptive reuse process include the creation of a national database of existing buildings, restructuring of existing incentives for better alignment with developer needs, and education about financial benefits of energy efficiency projects. In the case of Detroit, the city should focus on economic stimulation on top of the above recommendations, since the city already offers many incentives for redevelopment beyond what is offered by other municipalities. By first exploring the impact of the built environment on the natural environment, then by exploring the real estate development cycle with regards to adaptive reuse, and lastly by applying these lessons to a case in Detroit, this project aims to clarify the opportunities and constraints for adaptive reuse of existing buildings as a means for sustainable development.

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By Michele L. Diener, Amisha Parekh, Jaclyn Pitera
With a Foreword by Andrew J. Hoffman

Buy the Book (Royalties go to the Erb Institute and Sustainable Conservation.
Download the original report (3.5 Megabyte pdf).

Brian Swett ’08, Doug Wein ’07, Jeffrey Martin ’07

The purpose of this master’s project is to investigate and advance the foremost thinking in the residential green building industry. The project¿s objective is to develop a strategic Market Engagement Framework (MEF) for examining a real estate market, so that a developer considering a local project can gauge consumer demand, understand the existing landscape, form partnerships for green building, and devise a marketing and sales strategy appropriate to the locale.

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By Bryan Magnus ’05, Aaron Harris ’06 (with Zeb Acuff, Larissa Larsen and Allyson Pumphrey)

A study of the status of Green and Sustainable Development throughout the state focusing on 11 different case studies of commercial, residential, educational and institutional buildings. In addition to the case studies, the report contains information on; the market for and benefits of green buildings as well as specific information on the integrated design process and perceptions and realities of green building practices.

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By Rebecca Nadel ’05

Abstract: Parks, rivers, trails, and greenways are traditionally recognized for their environmental protection, recreation opportunities, and aesthetic values, but they also provide economic benefits. Such areas have the potential to attract visitors, create jobs, enhance property values, expand local businesses, attract new or relocating businesses and residents, increase local tax revenues, decrease local government expenditures, improve health and enhance alocal community.

This practicum was a joint effort with the National Park Service to update and expand an earlier resource book. It is meant to help planners, park and recreation administrators, citizen activists, and non-profit groups understand and communicate the potential economic benefits of their proposed or existing projects. The aims of this publication are to:
• Encourage professionals and citizens to use economic concepts as part of their effort to protect and promote parks and trails

• Provide examples of how parks and trails have benefited local and regional economies

• Demonstrate how to determine the potential economic impacts of such projects

• Suggest other sources of information.

This document represents the basis for an updated publication by NPS titled “Economic Impacts of Parks, Rivers, Trails and Greenways” that will be published both in hard copy and on the internet. The final publication will contain chapters on eleven aspects of economic impacts. This document provides seven of those chapters, each with an introduction for the novice reader, an explanation of how to use the rationales in a community as well as considerations to keep in mind when doing so. Each section also lists additional sources of information and references for the more advanced reader. Finally, a preview is provided of how these concepts could be applied at Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

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