Adaptive　housing　design　is　a　sustainable　solution　to　meet　evolving　societal　needs　and　achieve　low　carbon　goals.　However,　the　carbon-saving　potential　through　the　modularization　and　reuse　of　interior　partitions　remains　underexplored.　This　study　aims　to　fill　this　gap　and　challenge　the　prevailing　notion　that　interior　design　contributes　little　to　carbon　reduction.　Based　on　a　multi-residential　project　in　China,　the　study　quantifies　the　carbon　performance　of　10　partition　modules　across　3　reuse　scenarios,　examining　the　impact　of　household　change　frequency　(0　to　4　times)　among　5　possible　layouts　under　2　module　combination　methods.　Results　reveal　that　while　adaptive　housing　starts　with　a　higher　carbon　footprint　than　conventional　methods,　it　can　save　at　least　11.89　kgCO2e/m2　(3.14%)　after　1　time　of　household　change,　and　up　to　178.67　kgCO2e/m2　(33.95%)　after　4　times　of　changes,　comparable　to　other　embodied　carbon　saving　practices　such　as　material　substitution.　Module　scale,　reuse　scenarios,　and　module　combination　methods　influence　the　potential　for　carbon　reduction.　Combinations　involving　larger-scale　modules　demonstrate　superior　carbon　saving　efficiency.　By　showcasing　the　carbon-saving　potential　of　adaptive　housing,　this　study　informs　a　new　pathway　for　reducing　the　embodied　carbon　in　residential　buildings　and　would　promote　the　development　of　interior　partition　modularization.　©　2025　Elsevier　B.V.