UPGRADE OR REPLACE? Obsolescence and its influence on demolition decisions from a sustainable viewpoint.

misbe2011 Tracking Number 125

What is better: improvement or replacement by new construction? The choice between life cycle extension or replacement of existing buildings is at itself a vital but very difficult decision, involving a wide range of different aspects and affecting several contrary and often conflicting interests. In the past decade we studied the decision making on demolition in the Netherlands. Based on the available literature and statistical data we analysed the actual practice in the Netherlands and built a conceptual framework for further comparative and case study research. In addition to this research we placed the choice between improvement and replacement in a sustainable context, made an inventory of existing literature about comparative findings, analysed the outcomes and compared them with our own findings. Overlooking the results so far we concluded that life cycle extension by renovation and reuse of existing stock is generally more sustainable, more effective and more efficient as replacement by new construction. As an often used demolition motive, obsolescence is a vital but complicated variable. Our paper describes its meaning, discusses its influence on the decision making about demolition from a sustainable viewpoint and concludes with recommendations for property management and the decision-making process. Since research references on demolition are scarce and empirical sources rare, the paper has inevitably an explorative character.