Hilde Remøy
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98 records found
1
The concept of value has been central to economic thought for centuries; the idea of what makes something valuable shapes how we exchange, produce, invest, and measure well-being. Neoclassical traditions have dominated the contemporary economic framework, privileging financial value as the primary metric of worth. This emphasis on quantifiability, reinforced by positivist methodologies, has marginalised broader considerations of multiple values and incommensurability. Real estate valuation perfectly embodies and exemplifies these tensions. This disjuncture between theory and practice reflects a broader issue within economics: the persistence of an overly narrow understanding of value. In response to these challenges–ranging from sustainability commitments to shifting societal priorities–we turn to a historical narrative of value theories to examine how foundational assumptions about value shape economic thought, resource allocation, and societal priorities. Recent studies point to a growing dissatisfaction with existing valuation models along with a shifting value paradigm: one that increasingly recognises multiple forms of values, the limits of commensurability, and the influence of social and ecological considerations on the practice of appraisal.
Reusing for tomorrow
Essential prerequisites for circular and adaptable design in building reuse projects
This paper investigates how new EU sustainability regulations, specifically the EU Taxonomy, Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR), and Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), are reshaping highest and best use (HBU) valuation in real estate. A literature review on HBU, sustainable real estate valuation, and real options theory is conducted. A theoretical model is developed for HBU analysis under regulatory constraints, with formal stochastic calculus derivations illustrating how real options can be valued. Investors must account for regulatory uncertainty and technological change, which elevate the value of flexible strategies. A real options approach enables the quantification of the value of waiting to retrofit, expanding green features, switching asset use, or abandoning projects in response to stochastic factors, such as energy prices or carbon costs. This study integrates the impacts of EU sustainability policy with real estate valuation principles and real options financial theory. A mathematical derivation for real estate valuation under regulatory uncertainty is presented. The results inform appraisers, investors, and policymakers on aligning valuation methods with sustainability objectives.
Abandoned industrial heritage
From waste to resource. Which evaluation tools to evaluate this circular process?
The abandonment of industrial buildings, driven by global economic changes and deindustrialization, has led to a growing interest in their adaptive reuse as a strategy for sustainable regeneration. This paper explores how disused industrial heritage can be transformed from waste into a valuable resource, aligning with circular economy principles. The main objective of the research is to propose an evaluation framework capable of assessing the multidimensional impacts (environmental, economic/financial, and socio-cultural) of adaptive reuse projects for industrial heritage across various project phases. To achieve this, a systematic literature review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines, identifying key criteria and indicators used in previous evaluations. The review highlighted the complexity of balancing heritage conservation, community needs, and sustainability goals. While numerous studies propose multicriteria evaluation frameworks, few explicitly address the circular economy perspective. In this context, the European Commission’s Level(s) tool (currently the only officially recognized framework for assessing building sustainability in a circular economy perspective) was selected as the basis for this research. The Level(s) tool was integrated and expanded to account for the unique characteristics of industrial heritage, including historical significance and socio-cultural values. The resulting evaluation framework consists of six thematic-areas, nine macro-objectives and a comprehensive set of 48 criteria and 100+ indicators. Indicators are categorized by evaluation phase (ex-ante, ongoing, ex-post) and lifecycle status (renovation activity, in-use, future adaptation potential), ensuring relevance across the building lifecycle. They also distinguish between impacts on the building/site itself and those on its urban context. The framework allows stakeholders, including designers, investors, policymakers, and communities, to evaluate the sustainability of adaptive reuse projects in a structured, transparent, and comparable way. It supports decision-making through multicriteria analysis and encourages stakeholder collaboration. Moreover, it emphasizes the integration of qualitative and quantitative data and accommodates varying levels of technical expertise. This study provides a replicable, flexible, and interdisciplinary tool for evaluating the circular regeneration of industrial heritage. Future research will focus on applying this framework to real-world projects to validate and refine its components.
Institutional investors play a critical role in adapting the built environment to the unavoidable impacts of climate change. However, little is known about their decision-making behaviours and the factors driving climate adaptation (CA) investments. Drawing on institutional theory, this study aims to examine how organisational and institutional contexts influence CA decision-making.
Design/methodology/approach
This study employs a qualitative approach, drawing on nine semi-structured interviews with senior managers at different management levels in Dutch real estate investment organisations.
Findings
Although coercive, normative and mimetic pressures drive CA, their capacity to generate action remains limited by low legitimacy perceptions for taking CA actions, lack of prioritisation of CA goals, partial enforcement of regulatory or policy frameworks, divergent views on climate uncertainty and low environmental interconnectedness. These limitations point to a prevailing institutional pattern of sustainable finance 2.0 that positions CA as a risk management tool rather than a systemic response.
Practical implications
This study highlights structural institutional constraints that can limit stronger CA adaptation approaches and provides insights for policymakers and industry practitioners seeking to promote or engage in more coordinated, collective and systemic adaptation responses in real estate investment.
Originality/value
The study contributes to a limited but growing body of knowledge on CA in institutional real estate investment by empirically enquiring about the drivers and institutional factors shaping CA decision-making. Grounded in theory, it contributes to the sustainable finance debate by providing new explanatory insights into why growing awareness does not consistently translate into CA actions, pointing to a structural lock-in that constrains CA. ...
Institutional investors play a critical role in adapting the built environment to the unavoidable impacts of climate change. However, little is known about their decision-making behaviours and the factors driving climate adaptation (CA) investments. Drawing on institutional theory, this study aims to examine how organisational and institutional contexts influence CA decision-making.
Design/methodology/approach
This study employs a qualitative approach, drawing on nine semi-structured interviews with senior managers at different management levels in Dutch real estate investment organisations.
Findings
Although coercive, normative and mimetic pressures drive CA, their capacity to generate action remains limited by low legitimacy perceptions for taking CA actions, lack of prioritisation of CA goals, partial enforcement of regulatory or policy frameworks, divergent views on climate uncertainty and low environmental interconnectedness. These limitations point to a prevailing institutional pattern of sustainable finance 2.0 that positions CA as a risk management tool rather than a systemic response.
Practical implications
This study highlights structural institutional constraints that can limit stronger CA adaptation approaches and provides insights for policymakers and industry practitioners seeking to promote or engage in more coordinated, collective and systemic adaptation responses in real estate investment.
Originality/value
The study contributes to a limited but growing body of knowledge on CA in institutional real estate investment by empirically enquiring about the drivers and institutional factors shaping CA decision-making. Grounded in theory, it contributes to the sustainable finance debate by providing new explanatory insights into why growing awareness does not consistently translate into CA actions, pointing to a structural lock-in that constrains CA.
Beyond Experimentation
Temporary Use as a Social Circular Strategy
Methods and Data. This research employs a qualitative analysis, first defining a framework from literature and then analysing specific temporary use projects through a retrospective case analysis of three cases by Plateau Urbain (France), communa (Belgium), and Stad in de Maak (Netherlands). Data collection included interviews, project documentation, and field observations, allowing an in-depth exploration of the enabling conditions for successful hybrid approaches in creating social value.
Findings. This study makes three key contributions. First, it conceptualizes collaborative temporary use as a social circular strategy, clearly defining the evolution of the concept and its potential in temporary real estate adaptive reuse. Second, by drawing on the literature on organizational hybridity and case study analysis, it identifies key enabling conditions, such as tweaking the balance between social value and market logic over time to recalibrate impact—that underpin temporary use projects as social circular economy strategies. Third, it offers a framework to determine whether a temporary real estate reuse initiative can function as a social circular economy strategy.
Theoretical / Practical / Societal implications. This study offers theoretical insights into hybrid organizing for urban development and practical recommendations for integrating temporary reuse of real estate into social circular economy frameworks. Societally, it underscores the potential for collaborative temporary use to foster circular urban transformation by balancing economic goals with community-driven social value creation. ...
Methods and Data. This research employs a qualitative analysis, first defining a framework from literature and then analysing specific temporary use projects through a retrospective case analysis of three cases by Plateau Urbain (France), communa (Belgium), and Stad in de Maak (Netherlands). Data collection included interviews, project documentation, and field observations, allowing an in-depth exploration of the enabling conditions for successful hybrid approaches in creating social value.
Findings. This study makes three key contributions. First, it conceptualizes collaborative temporary use as a social circular strategy, clearly defining the evolution of the concept and its potential in temporary real estate adaptive reuse. Second, by drawing on the literature on organizational hybridity and case study analysis, it identifies key enabling conditions, such as tweaking the balance between social value and market logic over time to recalibrate impact—that underpin temporary use projects as social circular economy strategies. Third, it offers a framework to determine whether a temporary real estate reuse initiative can function as a social circular economy strategy.
Theoretical / Practical / Societal implications. This study offers theoretical insights into hybrid organizing for urban development and practical recommendations for integrating temporary reuse of real estate into social circular economy frameworks. Societally, it underscores the potential for collaborative temporary use to foster circular urban transformation by balancing economic goals with community-driven social value creation.
Making Circular Strategies Work
Advancing an Adaptable Building Framework through Action Design Research
From theory to practice
Evaluating success factors of adaptive reuse through a case study
Purpose: This study assesses the success of a real project in practice, using identified success factors from recent systematic literature. It investigates how theoretical insights translate into real-world outcomes by answering the question: “How do success factors identified in existing literature contribute to the success of a real-world adaptive reuse project?”. Design/methodology/approach: This research utilizes a case study methodology to explore the adaptive reuse phenomenon through the lens of the Fenix I in the Netherlands. Three comprehensive semi-structured interviews with key decision-makers provide insights into experiences, challenges, and ultimately the evaluation of success factors in practice. Data analysis involves deductive coding, systematically organizing success factors into ten categories derived from the literature, to implement the analysis and align with the research objectives. Findings: The results demonstrate the application of a majority of success factors identified in literature within the case study. This study reveals differences in the levels of significance among these factors, their categorization and their existence, particularly between listed and non-listed heritage buildings. Moreover, it shows the remarkable impact of public-private collaboration from the early stages of decision-making through project implementation. The study confirms that a successful real-world project addresses a significant proportion of the success factors identified in the literature. Originality/value: This research facilitates the decision-making process for stakeholders and practitioners in adaptive reuse projects, aiming to foster the development of more successful initiatives in this field.
Methods and Data. A mixed-method approach integrates CIB for scenario development, AHP for stakeholder-driven prioritization, and Fuzzy-TOPSIS for ranking reuse scenarios. A hypothetical case study demonstrates the framework’s applicability.
Findings. The integration of CIB, AHP, and Fuzzy-TOPSIS provides a structured decision-making approach that enhances scenario coherence, aligns decisions with stakeholder priorities, and improves scenario ranking robustness. The framework enables systematic exploration of adaptive reuse scenarios, ensuring alignment with stakeholder objectives.
Theoretical / Practical / Societal implications. Theoretically, this study advances scenario-based decision-making by integrating scenario development and decision-making approaches, addressing gaps in adaptive reuse decision frameworks. Practically, it provides policymakers, urban planners, and developers with a structured tool to navigate complex decision-making in adaptive reuse projects. Societally, it supports sustainable and inclusive urban development by fostering consistent, long-term strategies that balance environmental, economic, and social considerations. ...
Methods and Data. A mixed-method approach integrates CIB for scenario development, AHP for stakeholder-driven prioritization, and Fuzzy-TOPSIS for ranking reuse scenarios. A hypothetical case study demonstrates the framework’s applicability.
Findings. The integration of CIB, AHP, and Fuzzy-TOPSIS provides a structured decision-making approach that enhances scenario coherence, aligns decisions with stakeholder priorities, and improves scenario ranking robustness. The framework enables systematic exploration of adaptive reuse scenarios, ensuring alignment with stakeholder objectives.
Theoretical / Practical / Societal implications. Theoretically, this study advances scenario-based decision-making by integrating scenario development and decision-making approaches, addressing gaps in adaptive reuse decision frameworks. Practically, it provides policymakers, urban planners, and developers with a structured tool to navigate complex decision-making in adaptive reuse projects. Societally, it supports sustainable and inclusive urban development by fostering consistent, long-term strategies that balance environmental, economic, and social considerations.
Towards desirable futures for the circular adaptive reuse of buildings
A participatory approach
Towards promoting circular building adaptability in adaptive reuse projects
A co-developed framework
Circular building adaptability (CBA) in adaptive reuse – building transformation – projects can facilitate a resource-efficient and futureproof redevelopment of the built environment. However, there has been a lack of practical tools that guide practitioners on how to foster CBA in adaptive reuse. Therefore, this study aims to collaboratively develop a guiding framework for CBA in adaptive reuse (CBA-AR) projects in general. The CBA-AR framework is a descriptive and content-oriented synthesis mapping a series of strategies to the CBA determinants alongside their enablers and inhibitors.
Design/methodology/approach
A participatory research-oriented approach was followed. First, an archival research was conducted to develop the CBA-AR framework based on literature review and case studies. Second, two co-creation workshops, triangulated with structured interviews, were conducted to validate and expand the framework.
Findings
The first version of the CBA-AR framework comprises 30 CBA strategies. It also brings seven enablers and six inhibitors together with the 30 CBA strategies. The outcomes of the participatory approach contributed to refining and expanding the framework. The final of the CBA-AR framework version comprises CBA 33 strategies. This version brings 10 enablers and 7 inhibitors together with the 33 strategies.
Practical implications
This framework can be used as a guiding and reporting instrument by designers and property developers while transforming vacant or obsolete properties in the Netherlands. Policy makers can refer to this framework and amend adaptive reuse legislation.
Originality/value
The CBA-AR framework can introduce a transformative change in theory and practice, as it is based on theoretical, empirical and participatory research. ...
Circular building adaptability (CBA) in adaptive reuse – building transformation – projects can facilitate a resource-efficient and futureproof redevelopment of the built environment. However, there has been a lack of practical tools that guide practitioners on how to foster CBA in adaptive reuse. Therefore, this study aims to collaboratively develop a guiding framework for CBA in adaptive reuse (CBA-AR) projects in general. The CBA-AR framework is a descriptive and content-oriented synthesis mapping a series of strategies to the CBA determinants alongside their enablers and inhibitors.
Design/methodology/approach
A participatory research-oriented approach was followed. First, an archival research was conducted to develop the CBA-AR framework based on literature review and case studies. Second, two co-creation workshops, triangulated with structured interviews, were conducted to validate and expand the framework.
Findings
The first version of the CBA-AR framework comprises 30 CBA strategies. It also brings seven enablers and six inhibitors together with the 30 CBA strategies. The outcomes of the participatory approach contributed to refining and expanding the framework. The final of the CBA-AR framework version comprises CBA 33 strategies. This version brings 10 enablers and 7 inhibitors together with the 33 strategies.
Practical implications
This framework can be used as a guiding and reporting instrument by designers and property developers while transforming vacant or obsolete properties in the Netherlands. Policy makers can refer to this framework and amend adaptive reuse legislation.
Originality/value
The CBA-AR framework can introduce a transformative change in theory and practice, as it is based on theoretical, empirical and participatory research.
Accelerating circularity systemically
Three directions for impactful research