In the heart of Quebec, a historic convent stands as a testament to time, but it’s also becoming a beacon for modern sustainability practices. A groundbreaking study led by Étienne Berthold, a geographer from Laval University, is challenging conventional wisdom in the construction and energy sectors by applying life-cycle assessment (LCA) to a century-old religious building. The research, published in Energies, could reshape how we approach the preservation and adaptive reuse of historic structures, with significant implications for the energy industry.
Berthold’s work focuses on a monastery-type building constructed in 1907, now under consideration for rehabilitation. The study doesn’t just look at the building’s past; it scrutinizes its entire life cycle, from construction to potential future use, measuring embodied and operational energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions along the way. “We’re not just looking at the energy it takes to heat and cool the building today,” Berthold explains. “We’re considering the energy embedded in the materials used to build it, the energy it will consume in the future, and the emissions associated with all of that.”
The research compares the environmental impact of rehabilitating the historic convent with building anew. This isn’t just about preserving a piece of history; it’s about understanding the true environmental cost of our choices. The findings could influence not just the fate of this particular convent, but also the approach to countless other historic buildings worldwide.
The study is a significant step forward in the application of circular economy principles to religious built heritage. While previous studies have focused on the adaptive reuse of buildings, Berthold’s work goes further by integrating LCA. This approach could revolutionize how we think about energy efficiency and sustainability in the construction sector.
For the energy industry, the implications are profound. As buildings account for a significant portion of global energy consumption and emissions, understanding the life-cycle impacts of different approaches to construction and rehabilitation is crucial. This research could inform policy decisions, influence building codes, and drive innovation in energy-efficient materials and technologies.
Moreover, Berthold’s call to integrate qualitative factors into LCA—such as occupant behavior and coping strategies—adds another layer of complexity and realism to the assessment. It’s not just about the bricks and mortar; it’s about the people who inhabit these spaces and how they interact with them.
As we grapple with climate change and strive for sustainability, studies like Berthold’s offer a roadmap for the future. They challenge us to think beyond the immediate and consider the long-term impacts of our actions. They push us to innovate, to adapt, and to preserve—not just our buildings, but our planet.
In the quiet halls of a Quebec convent, a revolution is brewing. And it’s one that could echo through the energy sector and beyond, shaping a more sustainable future for us all. The research, published in the journal Energies, is a call to action for the industry to embrace LCA and circular economy principles in the preservation and adaptive reuse of historic buildings.