Life Cycle Impacts of Public Housing Renewal In Victoria - Briefing Paper

LIFE-CYCLEIMPACTSOFPUBLIC HOUSINGRENEWALINVICTORIA

The Life-Cycle Impacts of Public Housing Renewal in Victoria reportisintendedtostrengthentheevidence-baseforalife-cycle approach topublichousing renewal strategies inVictoria. Public housing renewal decisions cannot be made in isolation from other social, environmental and economic objectives. Victorian publichousingstockisextremelyvariedinqualityandcondition, undermaintained,andthemajorityofbuildingsaremorethan30 years old. Thereportpromotes a life-cycleapproach toVictorian publichousingwhichengageswithkeyconsiderations(LifeCycle Assessment, Circular Economy, Climate Resilience, and Community Health and Wellbeing) and analyses three basic models of renewal of public housing approaches (Demolish and Rebuild,Retrofit,andRetrofitandInfill).

A Life-Cycle approach to public housing renewal can provide a comprehensive assessment of the longer-term impacts and benefits of different renewal options beyond the immediate imperative to increase housing supply and performance. Life cycle assessment is a tool which accounts for environmental impactsthroughouteach phaseofa building'slifei.e.extraction, processing, manufacturing, transportation, assembly, maintenance, repair, replacement, refurbishment, deconstruction and disposal of the building. It also quantifies embodiedcarbonemissions,importantforinforminglongerterm andoftenhiddencostsofrenewaldecisions.

Aclimateresilienceframework,bysimultaneouslymitigating emissionsthroughoutassetlifecyclesandadaptingtoclimate impacts,caninformdecisionstofutureproof public housingassetsandcommunities. Futureproofingthecurrent andfuturehousingstockcanrequiresignificantamountsof emissionsandenvironmentalharm,aclimateresilientapproach considersthetrade-offswithmitigationandadaptationto climatechange.Importantmeasurestoincreaseenergy

efficiency,electrify,creatematerialloops,reducewholelife emissions,andadaptingassetstodealwithclimateimpactscan increaseVictoria’sclimateresilience.

Acirculareconomyapproachtopublichousingassetrenewalcan reduce material, emissions, and waste throughout the life cycle of renewal projects, leading sustainable housing development and promoting change across the wider construction industry. This can provide the Victorian construction industry opportunities to develop circular material and service supply chains, skills and capacities, and digitalisation for sustainability, whichinturnincreasesVictoria'sclimateresilience.

Renewal decisions should comprehensively consider the health and wellbeing of residents, empower communities, and avoid displacement. Housing is an important social determinant of health. Existing studies recognise a variety of ways in which lack of housing or poor-quality or performing housing can negatively affect a person’s mental and physical health, numerous case studies have documented the lasting community bonds and social networks which develop in public housing, in the context of relative adversity. These lasting bonds and networks, key to community health and wellbeing, areat risk if renewal decisions mean displacing residents. Involving residents in the design of replacement housing has a long history in community planning and development. The benefits are extensive, not least through theresultantcommunityownershipoftheprocess.

Retrofit,andRetrofitandInfillaretwoalternativestoaDemolition and Rebuild approach to public housing, which have differing environmentalandsociallifecyclebenefitsandcosts. Demolition and Rebuild can increase the number and quality of public housing dwellings, but at the cost of high embodied emission, increased waste and material usage, and negatively impacting communities through displacement. Retrofit does not significantly increase the number of dwellings of public housing butcanimprovedwellingqualityandperformance,reducewaste and material impacts, increase resilience, and retain existing communities. Retrofit and Infill can increase dwellings, improve quality and resilience, retain existing communities, with an significant reduction in materials, embodied emissions, and waste compared to demolition and rebuild. These benefits and costs are listed in thetablebelow.

Clickhereforthefullreport: Life-Cycle Impacts of Public HousingRenewalinVictoria-Full Report

LIFE-CYCLE IMPACTSOFPUBLIC HOUSINGRENEWALINVICTORIA

Image:CitéduGrandParc,Bordeaux,France. Lacaton&Vassal.ViaPhilippeRuault

TABLE1:PUBLICHOUSINGRENEWALLIFECYCLEBENEFITSANDCOSTS

Renewal Approach

BUILTOUTCOME

DEMOLITIONANDREBUILD

Existingestateisdemolished,andreplaced byprivate,publicandcommunity dwellings.

RETROFIT

Existingestateisretainedandbroughtup tocontemporarylivingstandards

LIFE-CYCLE IMPACTSOFPUBLIC HOUSINGRENEWALIN

RETROFITANDINFILL

Existingestateisretained,orpartially retained,andadditionalnewhousingis constructedonthesite. BENEFITS

Meetingcontemporary spatialrequirements, Provisionofspecialist disabilityapartments, incorporatingageingin placeprinciples, Meetinguniversal accessrequirements, Increasednumberof apartments(Wiesel 2020,HomesVictoria 2023,DFFH2021)

Lossofarchitectural andsocialhistory, Lossofmature landscaping, vegetation,and otherbiodiversity, Reductionin numberofsocial housingbedrooms, increased resourceuse(Opoku 2019,Mazzarella 2015, Arthursonet al.2014,Parliament ofVictoria2018, UKGBC2019)

Retainpublicland andpublichousing, Customdesignfor individualresidents inexistinghomes, potentialreplicable circulardesign process,retained architectural and socialhistory, Potentialtoincrease bedroomnumbers withinexisting buildingfootprint (Brownetal2019, PorterandKelly2019, Mazzarella2015, Bakeretal.2014)

Nosignificant increasein dwellings,Limited densityincrease, Spatialand infrastructural limitationswith existingbuildings.

Increaseinnumber dwellings(new build)andstandard ofdwellings(retrofit andnew build), Customdesignfor individualresidents (retrofit),Retained architecturaland socialhistory (Mazzarella2015, UKGBC2019)

Spatialand infrastructural limitationswith existing buildings,Lossofgreen openspace.

CLIMATE RESILIENCE

Potentiallyimproved communityfacilities–parks,playgrounds, gardening,recreation. (HomesVictoria 2023, Achievegreenenergy ratingssuchas natHERSEnergy efficientbuildings, decreasedoperational costs,electrification, climateadaptation strategiesanddisaster riskreduction (Sayceet al.2022,COAG2019, Chandrashekeranetal. 2023,deVetetal.2019)

Highupfrontenergy requirements, Increasing embodied emissions,Eexisting hazardousmaterials (contaminatedsite), Increasedmaterial extractionand biodiversitylossoffsite(Opoku2019, Patonetal.2022, VictoriaState Government2020, UCL2014)

Improvedthermal comfortandreduced billsforresidents throughimproved energyefficiency, Abilitytomeet environmental standardsthrough retrofit,Retentionof maturelandscaping, vegetationandother biodiversity, Embodiedcarbon savings, electrification, climateadaptation strategiesand disasterrisk reduction(Moncaster andSymons2013, SustainabilityVictoria 2019,Opoku2019, LCLCRC2020, Grynning,S.etal. 2020, Chandrashekeranet al.2023,UKGBC2019, deVetetal.2019)

Existinghazardous materials(Patonet al.2022,UKGBC 2019,VictoriaState Government2020)

Improveddurability toextremeweather events,improved thermalcomfortand reducedbillsfor residentsthrough improvedenergy efficiency,Abilityto meetenvironmental standards, Embodiedcarbon savings, electrification, climateadaptation strategiesand disasterrisk reduction(Grynning, S.etal.2020,AHURI 2023,Bryant2022, LCLCRC2020, Moncasterand Symons2013, Chandrashekeranet al.2023,Dorretal 2022,deVetetal. 2019)

Existinghazardous materials(existing buildings)(Patonetal. 2022,UKGBC2019, VictoriaState Government2020)

LIFE-CYCLE IMPACTSOFPUBLIC HOUSINGRENEWALINVICTORIA

HEALTH, WELLBEING AND COMMUNITY

Potentiallyimproved communityfacilitiesparks,playgrounds, gardening,recreation, improvedthermal comfortandhealth implications,reduced energystress(Rao 2021,HomesVictoria 2023,Brotherhoodof St.Laurence2022)

Lowreturnratesfor relocatedresidents, removalofhouses fromthepublic sectorduring construction, Impacton wellbeing,health andcommunity connectionsfrom displacement, Increasedrental paymentsfor tenantsinthe transitionfrom publictosocial housing(Porteretal. 2023,Atkinsonetal. 2011, Levinetal. 2014,Parliamentof Victoria2018,ACT Auditor-General 2017,Arthursonet al.2014,Parliament ofVictoria2018)

Improvedresident well-beingbybeing abletostayintheir homes,avoiding displacement impacts,improved thermalcomfortand healthimplications, reducedenergy stress(Sendra etal. 2020,Atkinsonetal. 2011,Brotherhoodof St.Laurence2022)

Disruptionduring constructiononsite. (UKGBC2019)

Residentsstayin homesthrough stagingofbuilding works,improved thermalcomfortand healthimplications, reducedenergy stress(Sendra etal. 2020,Brotherhood ofSt.Laurence 2022)

Changestopatternsof movementandactivity withintheestate, Disruptionduring constructiononsite. (UKGBC2019)

ECONOMIC

IMPACTS

Jobcreationinthe buildingindustry, alignedwithpublicprivatepartnership deliverymodel, reducedbillsfor tenants,avoiding obsolescence,disaster riskreduction (Homes Victoria2023,SGS2020, Buitelaaretal.2021,de Vetetal.2019)

Potentiallossof publiclandand assets,financialcost torelocateand houseresidents, Constructiontime lengthanddelays, Gentrification effects,and tendencytowards unaffordable housingmarket, (Pawsonand Pinnegar2018, Atkinsonetal.2011, PorterandKelly 2019,UCL2014)

Retainpublicland andpublichousing, Reduced constructiontime, Reduceongoing maintenancecosts, Jobcreationandskill developmentin retrofit,reducedbills fortenants,avoiding obsolescence, continuedoperation byphased refurbishment, disasterrisk reduction(Pageetal. 2022,LCLCRC2020, Buitelaaretal.2021, UCL2014UKGBC 2019,deVetetal. 2019)

Potentialtoreduce demandfor constructionlabour duringtimesof labourshortage, Infrastructural upgradecosts(fire, HVAC),unforeseen constructioncosts. (UCL2014)

Jobcreationinthe buildingindustry, shorterconstruction timelength, maintainingpublic landandpublic housing,Job creationandskill developmentin retrofit,reducedbills fortenants,avoiding obsolescence, disasterrisk reduction(Brownet al.2019,Buitelaaret al.2021,deVetetal. 2019)

Limitondensity increase,Infrastructural upgradesforexisting buildings.

CASESTUDIES

RETROFITCASESTUDY:CITÉDUGRANDPARC, BORDEAUX,FRANCE

Architect: Lacaton and Vassal, Frédéric Druot, 2017

The project at the 'Cité du Grand Parc' in Bordeaux involves the retrofit of three modernist social housing buildings containing 530 dwellings constructed in the early 1960s. The renovation strategy centred on preserving existing attributes while introducing new features such as wintergardens and balconies, bathroom upgrades, and lifts. A crucial advantage of this approach was thatresidents could remainin theirhomes during therenovation, eliminatingtheneedfordisruptiverelocations. Each of the 530 apartments underwent refurbishment in just 12 to 16 days. With a cost of approximately €50,000 per unit, the renovation proved to be significantly more cost-effective than constructingentirelynewbuildingsandallowedforreinvestment of the savings back into other state-owned housing. Half of the budget was allocated to facades, with the remainder dedicated tomorecomprehensiveupgrades

DEMOLITIONANDREBUILDCASESTUDY:HEYGATE ESTATE,LONDON,ENGLAND

Developer:Lendlease,Demolished2014

The 'slum demolition’ (Lees and Ferreti, 2016) of Heygate Estate in Elephant and Castle (South London) was part of a 2004 masterplandevelopedbytheSouthwarkCouncil.TheEstatewas sold to Australian developer LendLease for £50 million to establish a ‘mixed income community’, after the council spent £44 million in relocating the 3,000 council tenants and leaseholders from the site, and £22 million in redevelopment plans (Lees, 2014). The existing 1,200 dwellings on the site were demolished, after council housing residents were relocated and owner-occupiers had their properties compulsorily purchased. Lendlease's plans delivered only 82 social housing dwellings, resulting in a loss of over 350 social-rented homes. Additionally, the private units which were promoted in plans as for local families and essential workers, were primarily purchased by international investors, and weremadeavailableinSingaporeto speculators before being advertised to London families. This ‘state-ledgentrificationofcouncil estates’resultedinonlyonein five council tenants living in the local postcode after being relocatedforthedemolition(LeesandWhite,2019).

RETROFITANDINFILLCASESTUDY:ELLEBOGARDEN ROOM,COPENHAGEN,DENMARK

Architect:AdamKhanArchitects,2018

TheElleboGardenRoom,north ofCopenhagen,isa regenerationprojectofa1950spublichousingestate.The squareblocksof284dwellingswereoriginallydesignedaround opengreenspaceandhavebeenupgradedwithwintergardens andbalconiesonthegarden-facingsideoftheblocks.The sustainableretrofitmodelhasretainedtheexistingstructure andintroducedminorinterventionsforenergyefficiency throughpassiveenergystrategiesandventilationsolutionswith heatrecovery.Studioflatshavebeenreplacedbyamixed typologyofdwellings,includinglargerflatstoencouragefamily livingandgenerationalstability.Theretrofithasalsobeen designedtominimiseimpactsonresidentsthroughavoiding rehousingduringrenovations.Inadditiontoretrofittingthe existingdwellings,thearchitectshaveextendedoneofthe blockstocreateanenclosedandprotectedinteriorgarden,as wellasaddedapenthouseleveltoprovideadditionalhousing. Theretrofittingprojecthasbeendesignedwithalow-embodied energyfocusandprojectedlifespanof80-100yearsforthe concretepanelsystem.Additionally,thegardenspacehasbeen transformedintoaproductiveandecologicallydiverseshared communalspace.

Before Retrofit (Top)andAfter(Bottom) Retrofit -CitéduGrandParc,Bordeaux, France.

IMPACTSOFPUBLIC HOUSINGRENEWALIN

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