'Stop the demolition reflex'

The Netherlands is too quick to demolish buildings that could easily last for decades to come. In doing so, we lose more than the buildings themselves. We also throw away vast amounts of materials and the energy that went into producing and constructing them, along with the carbon emissions already generated. That was the central argument made by Ronald Schleurholts, architect and partner at cepezed, in his inaugural lecture as Professor of Heritage & Design at TU Delft on Friday 9 October.

Taking a second look

“A building doesn't have to be a listed monument to be worth keeping,” says Schleurholts. “An office from the 1980s, a block of flats from the 1970s or a post-war school all deserve a second look before we decide to tear them down.”

According to Statistics Netherlands (CBS), more than 16,000 residential and non-residential buildings were demolished in the Netherlands in 2024. “That's roughly one building every half hour,” Schleurholts pointed out in his lecture.

At the same time, the construction industry faces enormous pressure to cut its carbon emissions. Just a few years ago, building a new home in the Netherlands generated around 300 kilograms of CO₂ per square metre. To meet the Paris climate goals, that figure needs to fall to just 50 kilograms by 2050. A reduction of more than 80 per cent. And there is good reason for urgency: the Netherlands has already warmed by more than two degrees since 1900, roughly twice the global average.

The overlooked cost

For Schleurholts, this exposes a fundamental contradiction. “We say we want to build sustainably. But sometimes the first thing we do is destroy what is already there.”

He points to the former Ministry of Social Affairs building in The Hague. The complex covers around 60,000 square metres and opened in 1990. Architect Herman Hertzberger specifically designed it to be adaptable, allowing it to accommodate different uses over time. Yet it is now scheduled for demolition to make way for residential towers.

“When we put up a new building, we calculate the environmental impact of the materials we use. Every tonne of concrete and every tonne of steel counts. But the building we demolish to make room for it? That doesn't count. The carbon emissions associated with the original structure, and the energy needed to demolish it, are simply left out of the equation.

“So a new development can score extremely well on sustainability, even when it is built on the rubble of its predecessor. On paper, demolition can appear cleaner, simpler and more sustainable than reuse. I call this our demolition habit,” says Schleurholts.

Recognising the value of what is already there

Schleurholts wants to apply the principles of heritage conservation far beyond listed buildings. The idea is simple: first examine what is already there, then decide what needs to change. Replace only what really needs replacing, and design new additions so they can be removed again in the future.

One example is Wega.punt in the Binckhorst district of The Hague, where the former Police Academy was transformed into a car park. Rather than demolishing the building, the existing concrete structure was retained and repurposed. The new additions can be removed at a later stage. As Schleurholts puts it: “The car park is temporary. The structure is not.”

Putting ideas into practice

Through his professorship, Schleurholts wants to work with students to investigate when reuse really saves materials and carbon emissions, what makes buildings easier to adapt, and how architects can design today for changes that may be needed tomorrow.

His students are currently studying the former headquarters of NAM, the Dutch oil and gas company, in Assen. Over the years, the complex grew considerably, with new wings added whenever more space was needed. Now that NAM has moved out, the question is what to do with a building that is much larger than the region needs. The students are exploring which parts should remain and which materials and components could be put to use elsewhere. “Perhaps a steel column that supported an office floor in Assen for forty years could one day become part of a school in Amsterdam,” says Schleurholts.

For him, good design therefore doesn't begin with a blank sheet of paper. It begins with the buildings we already have. “Before we demolish, we need to take a closer look.”

Professor and partner

Ronald delivered his inaugural lecture, Heritage as Resource: Re-using the Past to Design the Future, in the presence of university colleagues, researchers, family and his colleagues from cepezed. For cepezed, Ronald's appointment marks an important milestone. His professorship reflects an approach that has shaped our work for many years: taking a careful look at what already exists, making the most of a building's existing qualities, and designing buildings that can adapt over time. We are particularly pleased that Ronald will now be sharing this approach with a new generation of architects. We are proud of our colleague and partner, and look forward to the exchange of ideas between teaching, research and our everyday design practice.

Watch the lecture

Ronald's full inaugural lecture is available to watch on the TU Delft video platform.