In many cities, formerly lively business districts are eerily quiet. For years, office vacancies have been increasing. And since the pandemic, more offices are empty than ever before. Meanwhile …
Hoskins: “There is a massive shortage of residential units across the United States.”
Diane Hoskins is co-CEO of Gensler, the world’s largest architecture firm, and co-author of a new book, “Design for a Radically Changing World.”
She says turning some of those vacant office buildings into apartments could create much-needed housing — and help the climate.
Hoskins: “Anytime we reuse an existing building, instead of building a new building, we are reducing carbon emissions on planet Earth.”
That’s because repurposing a building dramatically reduces the need for new concrete and steel, which create a lot of carbon pollution.
Many office buildings are not suitable for apartments — for example, because they have large interior areas with no windows.
But Gensler estimates that perhaps a quarter are candidates for conversion. And with hundreds of millions of square feet of vacant office space across the country, that could add up to a lot of housing, without a lot more carbon pollution.
Reporting credit: Sarah Kennedy/ChavoBart Digital Media