Purpose: This paper highlights the criteria that affect the success of adaptive reuse strategy as one of the recent strategies which is implemented to regenerate heritage buildings globally. Despite the fact that there is a noticeable improvement in this field, we are still facing projects that have not achieved the desired result of adaptation. Accordingly, the paper seeks to answer the questions what are the criteria that lead to the successful adaptive reuse projects? Or how can we best adapt heritage buildings to assure the success of the conversion process?

Design methodology/approach: This study is framed by a systematic literature review of relevant articles published or in press. The methodology is based on using a PRISMA diagram to address the number of articles which are screened in each step of Identification, Screening, Eligibility and Included. First the reviewed articles are selected by applying inclusion criteria in the titles, abstracts and key words and in the next step,selected articles from the first review are ready for the final evalution.

Research limitations/implications: The limitations of this study are defined in urban scale and urbanism due to the broad area this research is limited in a building scale.

Findings: This paper will provide a category of successfully effective factors in adaptive reuse of heritage buildings. Insight will further facilitate the path of more innovative conservation strategies for design makers, architects and developers.