The built environment is responsible for 42% of global greenhouse gas emissions, produces over 60% of the UK’s waste and consumes around 50% of all extracted materials. Radical change is therefore urgently required to reduce these environmental impacts. Making better use of existing buildings is an essential strategy to achieve this. However, we need to address changing societal needs and ensure buildings are fit for purpose in a changing climate.

This project will develop a novel framework for rapidly assessing the potential of different buildings to be repurposed for alternative uses and extended (adaptive reuse). In these sorts of projects, understanding the existing building is vital for success. However, investigative works can be costly, time consuming and disruptive, and lead to an increased perceived risk on projects. So it is important that tools are available to rapidly assess potential for adaptive reuse of an existing building and ensure informed decisions are made.

Therefore, this PhD aims to develop a novel framework and associated tools to assess the adaptive reuse potential of existing buildings. The first element of the study will be to develop an adaptability assessment for each building layer, e.g. structure, facade, services, and establish how these combine into an overall adaptive reuse assessment framework for the whole building. This framework will incorporate consideration of change of use potential, vertical and horizontal extension potential, interdependencies of building layers and climate adaptation potential.

The framework will combine data-driven approaches and classical mathematical analysis methods to inform the design process. Working from an initial archetype basis (e.g. 1960’s steel frame, office building), easily accessible information can first be added, such as basic building geometry, observations of exposed materials, known historical data, plans etc. This will be used to produce a first assessment of adaptive reuse potential that can be used by local authorities. This assessment would include likely excess structural capacity considering existing frame and proposed building use and thus vertical extension potential. An assessment will also be made of the uncertainty of these predictions. The framework will further show how predictions could be improved, including an expected value of information to help in prioritising further inspections or investigations.

This further data, e.g. building specific structural grid dimensions, floor to ceiling height, facade performance, Display Energy Certificate can then be input to produce a second, more accurate assessment across building layers. The framework will exploit data-driven/AI techniques, including transfer learning, which will be required as every building is typically unique, and explainable AI approaches to ensure transparency and trustworthiness. Privacy focused AI techniques will allow for industry wide collaboration whilst protecting potentially commercially sensitive data.

We envision the tool being used by: 1) building designers and consultants to quickly assess the adaptive reuse opportunities of their projects. 2) urban planners to rapidly assess a building where demolition is proposed to ascertain whether adaptive reuse might be possible, enabling them to target requests for redevelopment audits. We will work with local authorities to ensure the tool is fit for use and can interact with the existing tools, e.g. Westminster’s PACER tool.

This project is being delivered in collaboration with Elliott Wood, an engineering consultancy with over 30 years experience, specialising in structural, civil and digital engineering and sustainability. In addition to co-supervising the project, Elliott Wood will support the successful candidate to test the developed adaptive reuse framework during a placement at their offices so they are surrounded by practitioners with a wealth of practical knowledge, and direct access to projects that could be influenced by application of the framework.

Interested candidates are strongly encouraged to contact the project supervisors to discuss your interest in and suitability for the project prior to submitting your application.

Please refer to the EPSRC DLA webpage for detailed information about the EPSRC DLA and how to apply.