Samaranayake, R.A.D.I.U., Jayawickrama, T.S., Melagoda, D.G. and Rathnayake, R.M.D.I.M., 2019. Decision making on adaptive reuse of historic buildings in Sri Lanka. In: Sandanayake, Y.G., Gunatilake, S. and Waidyasekara, A. (eds). Proceedings of the 8 th World Construction Symposium, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 8-10 November 2019, pp. 239-247. DOI: doi.org/10.31705/WCS.2019.24. Available at: https://2019.ciobwcs.com/papers 239 DECISION MAKING ON ADAPTIVE REUSE OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS IN SRI LANKA R.A.D.I.U. Samaranayake 1 , T.S. Jayawickrama 2 , D.G. Melagoda 3 and R.M.D.I.M. Rathnayake 4 ABSTRACT The construction industry is consistently involved with improving the economic, social and environmental parameters of sustainability. This has led the sustainability in construction to shift from an original focus on cleaner and leaner project delivery to a restorative and regenerative approach. Increasing demand for urban regeneration has driven the act of preserving and reusing parts of cities with historical significance for a variety of uses. Thereby, adaptive reuse serves as an attractive and superior alternative for reusing buildings with architectural and historical importance in terms of sustainability and a circular economy. However, many historic buildings are being disused or demolished due to the inability of determining viable new uses for historic buildings. Thus, this study aimed at providing systematic guidance for decision-making on Adaptive Reuse of Historic Buildings (ARHB) in Sri Lanka. A comprehensive literature review was conducted to explore the concept of adaptive reuse, related regulations, drivers and barriers, new uses for historic buildings and factors affecting decision-making on adaptive reuse of buildings. Finally, this paper proposes a conceptual framework to assist decision making on ARHB in Sri Lanka. Keywords: Adaptive Reuse; Decision-making; Historic Buildings; New Uses. 1. INTRODUCTION According to Dean et al. (2016), buildings are responsible for more than 30% of global energy use and represent more than one third of global final energy consumption while contributing to nearly one quarter of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. Hence, the built environment has a prominent role to play in minimizing the overall carbon emissions, particularly as it demands 40% of global resources and generates a proportionate amount of waste (Langston, 2008). In this vein, Conejos et al. (2015) suggest that the concept of adaptive reuse is rapidly gaining global recognition as an effective strategy to improve the built environment sustainability. Historic buildings constitute a higher portion of the overall building stock in the world, making it impossible to preserve them all intact (Yung and Chan, 2012). As the paradigm in conservation has changed from preserving something from the past to utilize the past in the present, adaptive reuse can be distinguished as an important conservation intercession to recycle the past resources and transform them into experiences in and for the present (Ashworth, 2011). Internationally many researches (Ball, 1989, 2002; Bullen, 2007; Langston and 1 Department of Building Economics, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, imanthasam@gmail.com 2 Department of Building Economics, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, tsjayawickrama@gmail.com 3 Department of Building Economics, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, dgmelagoda92@gmail.com 4 Department of Building Economics, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, dulinirathnayake@gmail.com