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Renovation is often overlooked as a sustainability strategy, yet reusing existing buildings can preserve greenfield land, reduce embodied carbon, and avoid the emissions associated with producing new construction materials.

In this session, Mark Smith will share the ongoing journey of renovating MI-HQ East and the decisions involved in adapting an existing structure to support Michigan’s life sciences and innovation community. In addition to reusing the building itself, MI-HQ salvages and reuses equipment and materials from other sites, reducing project costs while limiting the carbon footprint associated with manufacturing new goods. The conversation will focus on the tradeoffs and practical choices that arise when sustainability becomes a core part of the renovation process, and how adaptive reuse and material salvage can meaningfully reduce emissions compared to new construction.