By Evelyn Long, editor-in-chief of Renovated
When a home no longer meets the needs of its occupants, the owner can either improve it or tear it down and start over. Both options can have significant environmental consequences, from landfill waste to carbon emissions.
There’s no single right decision. The best choice depends on various factors, including the structural integrity of the existing house, the project budget and long-term efficiency goals. Exploring the impact of redesigning and rebuilding can help homeowners and project managers make an informed decision.
The Case for Redesign — Honoring the Old
The most sustainable building material is one that already exists. Think of renovation as the ultimate application of the “reduce, reuse and recycle” mantra, but in the context of housing.
Reducing Waste and Embodied Carbon
Embodied carbon is the total footprint of a material, including its extraction, manufacturing and transportation. It’s the hidden environmental cost of every single component of a home. A standing house is like a massive bank of already-spent carbon. Tearing it down means getting rid of its entire initial carbon investment, which leads to a new bill from zero.
Waste is another concern in rebuilding that redesigning can minimize. America generated around 600 million tons of construction and demolition debris in 2018, the latest number available, accounting for a significant portion of landfill waste. Common materials discarded include concrete foundations, wood framing, drywall, asphalt shingles, bricks and insulation. Renovating directly keeps these components from being buried.
Sustainable Renovation in Action
People can go beyond simple repairs and explore creative upcycling. For example, instead of discarding an old dresser, they can refinish it to spruce it up and upgrade its hardware. Old, solid-core doors can be turned into desks or headboards, vintage light fixtures can be rewired and wall art can be created from ornate metal grates.
Cabinet refacing is another smart, sustainable renovation choice. It involves keeping the existing structure and replacing the visible doors and drawer fronts with brand-new materials. This keeps shelving out of landfills while reducing the amount of items needed to breathe new life into the space. It also saves money, as replacing kitchen cabinets can cost up to $24,600, while refacing may require spending only a few hundred dollars.
While renovations almost always require some new materials, homeowners can source them responsibly. They can work with companies that are committed to sustainability, like lumber mills that replant the trees they use.
The Case for Rebuilding — A Clean Slate
A rebuild is nonnegotiable if the old structure has too many significant problems — such as poor foundation, outdated wiring and widespread mold — to be saved efficiently. It’s also a good idea if the goal is to create a home that’s perfectly optimized for health, safety and decades of ultralow energy use.
Designing for Maximum Efficiency
While a rebuild has a high up-front embodied carbon cost, a high-performance home can pay back that debt over its lifetime by drastically reducing heating, cooling and electricity needs. It’s also much more feasible to achieve advanced green building standards like passive house or net-zero energy with a new build.
The building envelope is the protective shell of the house — walls, roof, windows and foundation — that separates the conditioned interior from the outdoors. A new build allows for a superinsulated, perfectly air-sealed envelope, which is a crucial factor in creating an energy-efficient home. This can be difficult and expensive to achieve in drafty, old houses.
A new build ensures homeowners have the most efficient and properly sized systems from the start. For example, an optimized ventilation system can help control humidity and temperature, reducing the energy needed for regulation.
Leveraging Sustainable Materials
Homeowners have complete control over every single material that goes into a new build, from the foundation to the roof and everything in between. They can choose greener components, such as recycled construction materials and all-natural supplies, over conventional options.
Consider using structural insulated panels or insulated concrete forms for walls, reclaimed wood for beams and flooring, and recycled steel framing for supplementary foundation. Sourcing materials locally whenever possible can also cut down on transportation’s carbon footprint.
Tips for a Greener Home Project
Here are powerful strategies that work for any home project, whether it’s a small kitchen remodel or a full teardown and rebuild.
Invest in Renewable Energy
Installing solar panels can slash a home’s carbon footprint. It can cut down electricity bills, and any excess energy can be sent back to the grid for later use. Tax credits and incentives can help lower the up-front cost.
Look beyond solar power, as well. Consider other on-site renewable options, such as geothermal heat pumps, which use the stable temperature of the Earth to heat and cool spaces efficiently.
Know the Market Value of Green
Shift from expense to investment. Green features save money on utility bills and increase a home’s appeal and resale value. Consider how over 80% of consumers are willing to pay more for sustainability, even while dealing with inflation and cost-of-living concerns. Having green building certifications — like LEED, Energy Star and Passive House — can make properties stand out in the real estate market.
Deconstruct, Don’t Demolish
Instead of a wrecking ball, a crew carefully disassembles the building piece by piece to maximize its reusable materials. Think of it as a responsible “third way” for those who have decided that rebuilding is necessary.
Some commonly salvaged items and materials include dense, old-growth lumber, hardwood flooring, unique architectural details, solid wood doors, windows and bricks. These can either be incorporated into the new build, sold or donated to a nonprofit for a tax deduction, which creates both environmental and financial wins.
Making the Right Choice for Future Projects
Redesigning is typically the champion for its lower up-front environmental impact, as it preserves embodied carbon and reduces landfill waste. On the other hand, rebuilding can be the more sustainable choice in the long run. It’s ideal if the preexisting house is beyond repair or if the goal is to create a top-performing, ultraefficient home for the next century. Ultimately, the best decision is an informed one that weighs the property’s current condition against long-term energy and resource goals.