Conservation and reuse of industrial steel buildings

The conservation and adaptive reuse of industrial steel buildings represent a strategic opportunity in sustainable architecture and structural engineering. This study investigates the feasibility and value of preserving steel industrial buildings in Italy through a three-step framework. First, a taxonomic classification of the main typologies of industrial steel buildings across the Italian territory is proposed, considering among others, historical development, geometric configurations, and construction techniques. Then, each typology is structurally and seismically characterized based on current technical standards and typical vulnerability patterns. Finally, a Life Cycle Cost Assessment (LCCA) is carried out as a technique to compare demolition and reconstruction versus conservation and/or reuse strategies. The main different typologies are compared among them to highlight their differences in the different phases of the proposed framework.