- Barbara Buser proves that reusing existing buildings is more sustainable than new construction, cutting embodied carbon by nearly two-thirds.
- Her project K.118 in Winterthur, a former carpentry factory, uses salvaged materials like straw bales, clay, steel staircase, and windows, winning the Holcim Global Gold Award.
- Buser promotes circular construction: reuse buildings and materials instead of demolition, arguing demolition no longer makes sense due to climate change.
- She launched over 20 companies and initiatives focused on adaptive reuse, material exchanges, and community-centered development, often buying projects to keep rents low.
- Her approach prioritizes social value over profit, involves future tenants in planning, and adapts designs to available reclaimed materials.
- Buser's philosophy was shaped by development work in Tanzania and a culture shock upon returning to Switzerland, leading her to fight wastefulness.
- She distinguishes reuse from recycling, emphasizing that reuse preserves more value and requires flexibility, though it takes about 20% more time.
- Her latest project, the Franck Areal, transforms a former Nestlé factory into affordable housing, workshops, and community spaces using mostly reclaimed materials.
- Buser has transferred her companies into a cooperation, sends windows to Ukraine, and restores heritage homes for low-income residents.
- She challenges the construction industry's profit-driven model, advocating that the currency should be CO₂, not Swiss francs.