Energy efficiency of existing buildings through reuse and upgrade

When considering the energy efficiency of existing buildings, sympathetic reuse and upgrade may often be the most energy efficient option, particularly taking into account embodied energy and the energy required to demolish and build new. The council therefore encourages the responsible reuse, reappropriation and upgrade of existing buildings with any new interventions being sympathetic to the buildings age, character and construction. Cases may exist where it would be deemed appropriate to demolish the existing building, however these should be treated as the exception and not the norm and supplemented by appropriate justification.