ZEMCH 2015 - International Conference Proceedings | Page 766

Introduction
In total, the built environment contributes 40 % to global greenhouse gas( GHG) emissions and in order to achieve international agreed aims of sustainable development, building related GHG emissions must be reduced( UNEP, 2009). Construction of new, sustainable buildings is most commonly perceived as the best way of achieving these aims, however as 87 % of the buildings we will need in 2050 are already built, adaptive reuse is essential( Kelly, 2008). Adaptive reuse is an intrinsically sustainable option, which reduces the amount of waste going to landfill, and focuses development in the existing built environment, thereby reducing land take for new buildings and infrastructure. Furthermore with population growth and increasing rates of urbanisation, reusing existing buildings is pragmatic and allows a faster build time compared to demolition and new build( Bullen 2007). Globally, demographic and economic changes drive alterations in urban settlements, where land uses become obsolete and buildings vacant. In some regions demographic and economic decline causes obsolescence and vacancy, whereas in other regions a spatial shift occurs, with high demands in specific markets and changes of land use resulting. At this stage the possibilities for managing existing real estate are demolition or conversion to another use. In city centres outside of Australia there is a long history of office to residential conversion, for example in the UK and the Netherlands. In the Sydney central business district( CBD), to date very few residential conversions have taken place, but this situation may be set to change. Office supply is increasing and an increasing demand for housing in Sydney has led to withdrawals of non-CBD office stock for residential conversion( CBRE, 2015). In 2014 102,000m2 of Sydney office space was earmarked for residential conversion as demand for central residential property grows( City of Sydney, 2010) and low interest rates create good conditions. In addition, the CBD population is projected to increase by 4 % to 2031 requiring 45000 new homes and, this increase coincides with a stock of ageing offices( City of Sydney, 2010). A further factor is that the Sydney office market is set to be flooded with Barangaroo office supply in 2016 and 2017; thus conditions for residential conversion are better than ever. This paper investigates sustainability in the context of conversion adaptation in Sydney, based on literature, initial interviews with Sydney real estate experts and developers, using case study examples.
Research Question, aims and objectives
Former studies show the potential of delivering sustainability in urban areas by building adaptation, upgrading the environmental performance of existing office buildings( Wilkinson, 2014), and the potential of adaptive reuse to enhance social sustainability in urban areas blighted by vacancy by introducing new functions( Heath, 2001; Remøy, Schalekamp & Hobma, 2008). This paper explores the potential of conversion in Sydney, based on the political, economic, social, environmental and technological drivers and barriers to successful conversion. This research aims to answer the following questions( a) what is the level of sustainability in these office conversion adaptation projects? And( b), are developers cognisant of the sustainability issues in these projects?
Factors which impact on sustainability in conversion adaptation
The literature focuses on the factors which impact on sustainability in conversion adaptation. At the political level, Federal, State and Local Governments are able to enact policies and legislation to impact on the level of sustainability. In Sydney the Building Code of Australia mandates from minimum standards of energy efficiency and water conservation in the Building Code of Austral-
764 ZEMCH 2015 | International Conference | Bari- Lecce, Italy