Quality &Amp; Risk Management In Construction Industry
Ultimate Act Of Sustainability
1. SEALANT WATERPROOFING & RESTORATION INSTITUTE • FALL 2010 • 32.3
The Ultimate Act
of Sustainability
Restoring our past
can lead us into a more
responsible future
Garage Sealed for Success
pg. 18
2. The Ultimate Act
of Sustainability
Building a sustainable future begins with restoring our past
By Christopher Perego
f all the drivers in the construction industry, there is The Role of Building Restoration
none bigger than sustainability. From government What is building restoration? It’s big. It’s so big that it’s a
initiatives and major media outlets, from the little scary. Traditionally, we think of restoration in terms of
architect’s office to the job trailer, sustainability waterproofing, caulking, tuckpointing and concrete repair.
influences design decisions, material selection and Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary defines restoration as the act
construction methods. At present, the dialogue of preserving assets, returning them to their former position or an
around sustainability centers on new construction. improved condition. But it’s more than that—more than buckets
Often overlooked, however, is building restoration. and bags, trowels and caulk guns. Restoration is a value—a value
that has the power to transform our buildings, our communities,
Our buildings and their architecture are an our economy and our environment.
expression of our values. As you tour the great cities
of the world, you can read the story of these cities Most discussions of sustainability focus on the environmental
in their skylines—a rich story worth preserving. impacts of construction: resources, water use, air quality and
Building restoration is a sustainable, responsible use energy. These are important issues. However, the challenges we
of resources. After all, what is sustainable construction if face go beyond the lot line. Nothing happens in a vacuum. The
not preserving what we have already built? effects of construction touch not only the environment but also
6 APPLICATOR 32.3 FALL 2010
3. our economy and our communities. Building restoration is the
ultimate act of sustainability.
“We have to move beyond thinking about doing less harm to something
that is more regenerative, restorative, truly loving, adding value.”
—Bob Berkabile, principal, BNIM Architects (Kansas City)
Restoring Communities—a Start
The recent recession has had a devastating impact on many Restoration is a value – a value
industries, perhaps none more than construction. The economy’s that has the power to transform
impact has been felt far and wide in this industry, as well as our buildings, our communities, our
economy and our environment.
adjacent industries that rely on construction. The effects have
rippled through communities in the form of unemployment, home
foreclosures and businesses that have closed. But the recession
has allowed time for a frame reset, too. The boom-bust mentality
of development in North America has needed a change. Moving
forward, we need sustainable growth, social change that lasts and
construction solutions that go beyond doing no harm. We need
solutions that are restorative on all levels. Building restoration
can play a vital role in economic development, community
revitalization and softening our environmental footprint.
In the past, preservation was an intellectual issue—saving places
of historical significance. Today, it has become an environmental
issue, focusing on the need to preserve resources. However, as
our building stock ages, the volume of buildings constructed in
the recent past becomes clear; it is immense. Thus, the issue will
become one of economics, too. America cannot afford to throw
these buildings away. The answer is restoration.
The Economic Impact of Restoration
The economic impact of restoration is far and wide. Building
restoration projects can be mini-stimulus projects for communities.
Someone once remarked, “If you want to put people to work,
tuck point a building.” In the book “The Economics of Historic
Preservation,” author Donovan Rypkema lays out arguments for
historic preservation as an economic development tool. These
arguments are true not only for historic preservation but for
building restoration in general.
You’ve probably heard the expression, “All politics are local.” Here
is a new expression: “All restoration is local.” Building restoration
creates jobs. A major component of the cost of restoration is labor,
accounting for roughly 60 percent to 70 percent. Because most
WWW.SWRIONLINE.ORG APPLICATOR 7
4. All restoration is local. Building restoration creates
jobs accounting for roughly 60 percent to 70 percent
of all costs on a restoration project.
jobs hire local labor, wages paid to craftsmen tend to stay
within the local community. This results in additional
demand for goods and services.
“Our research showed that preservation was often a superior
economic catalyst compared to other investments.”
—David Listokin and Michael L. Lahr, “Economic Impacts of
Preservation in New Jersey and Texas,” Forum Journal (2000)
In fact, building restoration has a greater impact on
local suppliers than new construction. That’s because
most materials used to repair and restore buildings are
purchased from local businesses. That revenue, in turn,
cycles its way through the local economy to create wages,
demand for more services and neighborhood tax revenue.
Unlike large capital projects, such as sports stadiums
or bridges, building restoration projects tend to
be incremental. They are smaller in size and scope
and, therefore, more affordable to building owners.
Additionally, the sheer volume of buildings means
a continual supply of opportunity for the industry.
Because of these factors, building restoration provides the
opportunity to burst the boom-bust bubble of our existing
development paradigm.
Benefits That Go Beyond the Lot Line
As with most things in life, nothing happens in a vacuum.
You cannot restore a building on one side of the street
The sheer volume of buildings needing without having a profound impact on the building on the
restoration means a continual supply
other side of the street. In addition to economic benefits,
of opportunity for the industry.
8 APPLICATOR 32.3 FALL 2010
5. Restoration is an opportunity for us to
make an impact on our economy, our
communities and the environment.
building restoration yields many intangible benefits that are just as benefits of building restoration extend well beyond the lot
important in creating sustainable development. lines of buildings.
The past few decades have seen an exodus out of cities as people “Old one-shot or quick-fix formulas for attracting businesses or building
migrated to suburbia and even exburbia—the ring of low-density, sports stadiums or increasing tourist advertising typically fail to deal with
automobile-dependent sprawled cities on the edges of metropolitan the root causes of contemporary place predicaments.”—Philip Kotler,
areas. The reasons were many but, in a nutshell, as cities fell into Donald Haider and Irving Rein, “Marketing Places”
disrepair, people moved out in search of a higher quality of life.
Restoration, then, provides a catalyst for changes in city centers and Restoration3
urban neighborhoods. Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. This familiar phrase has become the mantra
of environmental responsibility. Building restoration fulfills these
Building restoration also leads to gentrification—the influx of goals and then some. When we restore a building, we keep waste
middle class into deteriorating areas. As people move back into out of landfills and make responsible use of existing resources. The
cities, neighborhoods stabilize. Homesteading of properties leads to environmental impact of restoration is profound. What could be
a reduction in crime and an increase in investment, yielding more more sustainable than restoring an existing building?
economic benefits.
Many have made strong arguments for the positive environmental
Improving existing buildings leads to increased property values, impact of restoration. Perhaps the most compelling stems from the
too. This means greater equity very definition of restoration:
for owners and more potential the act of preserving assets,
profit. It also results in more tax
revenue for local cities. Cities
The benefits of building restoration extend returning them to their former
position or an improved
can reinvest this revenue in local
projects and services, further well beyond the lot lines of buildings. condition. Inherent in its name,
restoration preserves existing
enhancing the quality of life in resources, extending their life
cities and urban neighborhoods. and allowing future generations to use and enjoy them.
Rising property values, increased traffic and more residents lead Statistics reveal that 44,000 commercial buildings are demolished
to the demand for more services. Together, they provide a ripe annually in the United States. The Deconstruction Institute reports
environment for investment on all levels: public, private and that the demolition of buildings in the U.S. produces about 124
individual. Job creation, tax revenues and reduction in crime—the tons of debris each year. In fact, construction debris accounts for
WWW.SWRIONLINE.ORG APPLICATOR 9
6. The Montgomery Plaza had been ravaged by flood and tornado By restoring buildings, we can make an
damage and abandoned. Unique restoration solutions brought the immediate and significant impact on the
1920s structure back to life in Fort Worth, Texas. volume of waste going to landfills.
one-third of all solid waste. Add to those numbers statistics from the
Environmental Protection Agency, which estimates that 27 percent
of all buildings will be replaced between 2000 and 2030. By restoring
buildings, we can make an immediate and significant impact on
the volume of waste going to landfills. We can no longer afford to
throw buildings away in the name of progress, development
or the environment.
“New construction is estimated to create 1.5 times more greenhouse
gas than building restoration.”—Carnegie Melon’s Green Design Institute
Another benefit to restoring buildings? Doing so utilizes existing
infrastructure. After all, the roads are already built, power and
Building restoration creates jobs because a major utilities already exist. By reusing existing buildings, we limit the need
component, about 60 percent to 70 percent, is labor. for additional resources and maximize the existing infrastructure
investment. This lessens the impact on resources, water and emissions
from the construction of roads and utilities.
Building restoration preserves embodied energy. Much of the
discussion around sustainable construction centers on the embodied
energy of building materials. What about the embodied energy of the
building being razed and replaced? Each time we replace a building,
we lose the embodied energy invested in that building. Building
restoration preserves not only embodied energy but the time, money
and emotion invested in that building.
Where Do We Go From Here?
Building restoration is a sustainable, responsible use of resources.
Restoration is an opportunity for us to make an impact on our
economy, our communities and the environment. In the discussion of
sustainable development, restoration has a strong value proposition.
After all, what is sustainable construction if not preserving what we
have already built?
About the Author
Improving existing buildings leads to increased Christopher Perego is market segment manager, building restoration,
property values. This means greater equity for for BASF Construction Chemicals, Building Systems (Shakopee, Minn.).
owners and more potential profit.
He can be reached at christopher.perego@basf.com or (612) 991-0095.
10 APPLICATOR 32.3 FALL 2010