UN Sustainable Development Goals

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  Decent work and economic growth

  Heritage conservation offers opportunities for cities such as Ottawa to diversify their economies. In this regard, historic buildings and neighborhoods become assets with their own extrinsic value. They can stimulate economic growth by boosting the tourist sector through the promotion of unique destinations that offer attractive experiences for tourists. Furthermore, other related sectors benefit from increased foot traffic including food and beverage, retail, entertainment, and cultural production. The growth in these service sectors also serves to broaden the skills base of local populations.

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  Sustainable cities and communities

  Historic buildings are climate friendly. First, they employ passive design techniques such as optimal solar orientation, compactness, and room layouts, as well as high insulation envelopes, right window sizing and locations, courtyards, and other perfected building practices. These techniques aim to improve building environmental performance, energy demand, and indoor air quality and personal health using natural daylighting, ventilation, and other naturally renewable resources. As a result, traditional architecture is low-impact and energy-efficient and retrofitting these buildings with new uses can better position cities to achieve sustainable urban environments. By abstaining from destroying neighborhoods, valuable resources are preserved. By retaining and retrofitting old buildings, the need for raw material extraction and associated energy consumption can be reduced. This also has multiplier effects on related and non-related downstream value chain manufacturing and transport processes that are also resource and energy intensive. Furthermore, as existing structures are salvaged, construction waste and debris traditionally destined to landfills will be mitigated. Thirdly, savings on costs of demolition and construction works can be potent contributors towards economic sustainability.

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  Other

  Other.