Re:Living - An experiment in scaling renovation
Re:Living - An experiment in scaling renovation
Renovation holds one of the greatest opportunities in the built environment — yet it rarely scales. It is often fragmented, complex, and reduced to technical upgrades rather than treated as a coherent transformation.
Re:Living is created to change this.
It reframes renovation as a systemic transformation of existing buildings — connecting environmental impact, human health, and affordability into one integrated approach.
At its core, Re:Living is an experiment: testing how renovation can move from one-off projects to a scalable model across buildings, cities and markets.
Why it matters
Most of the buildings we will use in the future already exist — yet many are inefficient, unhealthy, and underused.
This creates a clear opportunity: renovation is not only about reducing harm — it is a social, ecological, and economic opportunity to create lasting, positive impact.
From upgrade to impact
Re:Living demonstrates how renovation can:
Improve health and indoor environments
Reduce environmental pressure and resource use
From less harm to positive impact
The evolution of Living Places iprogram
From building new with lower impact
To transforming existing buildings into solutions
The ambition is no longer only to reduce emissions, but to create buildings that actively contribute to: healthier living
Past tradional new build:
High CO2 emissions, poor indoor enviroment.
Today Living Places:
3x better indoor climate, 3x lower emissions.
Future Re:Living:
Buidling that goes beyond less harm towards creating a net positive impact.
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Renovation
The challenge — and the opportunity
Renovation is at the centre of today’s housing challenge.
Yet it remains fragmented, complex, and difficult to scale.
At the same time, the potential is clear.
By working with what already exists, renovation can become a powerful driver of positive impact.
High emissions → Lower carbon
Buildings are among the largest sources of CO₂.
Renovating existing buildings reduces emissions faster.
Resource-heavy → Smarter use
New construction requires significantly more resources.
Renovation makes better use of what already exists.
Demolition → Reuse
Buildings are still demolished instead of improved.
Renovation preserves materials, energy and embedded value.
Poor indoor climate → Healthier homes
Many people live with unhealthy indoor conditions.
Renovation improves daylight, air quality and comfort.
Housing pressure → More accessible homes
Demand for housing is rising while affordability declines.
Renovation unlocks new space within existing buildings.
The approach
Turning renovation into a structured, scalable process
Renovation will not scale without a clear way to deliver it.
Re:Living introduces a structured approach that connects value, process and outcomes — moving from fragmented upgrades to integrated transformation.
VELUX Re:Living – 4 high-level approaches on how to turn existing buildings into catalysts for regenerative change
Re:Think
Make the value of renovation clear, credible, and tangible. Define incentives that motivate action and anchor renovation as a restorative solution.
Re:Scope
Understand the potential of buildings to become more adaptive by treating homes and buildings as material assets and treating existing potential as embedded value.
Re:Design
Turn intent into a clear and workable approach. Define adaptable pathways and workable interventions to transform existing spaces, places, and people.
Re:Cover
Take responsibility to recover as much as possible of what is already in use — and enable the reuse of materials and energy, moving from reducing impact to positive contribution.