Regenerative design

[edit] Introduction

The term regenerative (or regeneration) means to regrow or to be restored. Regenerative design is based on the idea of creating a building that mimics the restorative aspects found in nature to bring about a positive impact on the overall environment. Because it goes beyond maintaining this environment, regenerative design differs from sustainable design. This approach is sometimes referred to as the precursor to the related terms cradle-to-cradle, 2CC2, C2C or cradle 2 cradle design.

NB Built for the environment, Addressing the climate and biodiversity emergency with a fair and sustainable built environment, published by the RIBA in September 2021, defines regenerative design as: ‘…a system of technologies and strategies, based on an understanding of the inner working of ecosystems that generates designs to regenerate rather than deplete underlying life support systems and resources within socioecological wholes.’

[edit] Six aspects of regenerative design

Colin Rohlfing, director of sustainable development at HDR suggests that regenerative design provides designers with the opportunity to:

1. Achieve net-positive impacts for ecology, health and society.
2. Adapt its concepts for all project types (including existing buildings) and sizes.
3. Generate decisions that are metric based and driven by unique site data.
4. Produce projects that continuously evolve and renew.
5. Incorporate and build upon existing paradigms, including:
   • Triple net zero (energy, water and waste).
   • Carbon balancing (embodied and operational carbon).
   • Health and wellness design.
   • Materials transparency.
   • Resiliency.
   • Social equity.
6. Engage and involve the community on a continuous basis.

[edit] How does it work?

Regenerative design should reconnect humans and nature, ideally through the continuous renewal of a collection of ecological, social systems. Unlike traditional methods, regenerative approaches solicit and encourage continuous feedback at every stage to deliver adaptable, dynamic results. It also increased the opportunity for the creation of new supply chains based on these dynamic results.

Regenerative design uses management techniques that are cohesive and process oriented. These processes can be applied to decisions made regarding things such as material selection and energy use.

Aside from their impact on the natural environment, these processes should be socially beneficial to the community. As such, regenerative design seeks to create human-centric, ecologically restorative projects where people and the planet are the primary priorities.

[edit] Frameworks and examples

Although many organisations are investigating regenerative design techniques, there are not many recognised frameworks available. Those that do exist tend to be conceptual rather than concrete, although they can be used in conjunction with more established systems such as BREEAM or LEED.

In April 2024 UK Architects Declare published the Regenerative Design primer and overlay document, which they refer to as as a work in progress to review, revise and expand, using feedback. The Primer is structured around practical suggestions for those working through RIBA’s Work Stages, with part of the wider transition eventually involving changes to the RIBA Plan of Work itself, but operating in the current system it seeks regenerative opportunities within the Work Stages to help on the journey towards a regenerative mindset.

• Making the principles of regenerative design accessible;
• Enabling a common language, better communications and project outcomes;
• Providing practical steps and tools for implementation and delivery;
• Illustrating some of the traits of regenerative design;
• Building confidence for everyone to embrace a different way of shaping the built environment.

For further information and to download the UK Architects Declare Regenerative Design Overlay to the RIBA plan of work visit here.

Whilst a full realisation of regenerative design has in many ways yet to be built, biomimicry examples such as Stefano Boeri’s Torre Del Bosco in Milan illustrate how the regenerative design principles of green walls and roofs can benefit a large city. There are also other approaches that align with regenerative thinking for example in the specification and use of different types of rapidly renewable content in the construction of buildings that can help with quicker replenishment of construction material stocks as well as carbon sequestration.

Milan’s Bosco Verticale apartment block uses hundreds of varieties of trees and shrubs that are an important part of the project’s environmental strategy. In the winter, the bare branches allow the sun to warm apartment interiors through large floor-to-ceiling windows, so reducing the heating requirements. In the summer, trees in full leaf provide shading, which minimises solar gain and reduces cooling needs. The concept cuts the buildings’ energy use, while providing Milanese with a green vertical oasis in the city’s built-up centre.

Boeri has introduced subsequent proposals to build ‘forest cities’ as a means of combating urban pollution. His ‘Vertical Forest' concept is a proposal for a city in Shijiazhuang, China, which could serve as a prototype for other new green urban developments.

The city is made up of high-rise towers covered in trees and other planted vegetation which, by filtering dust particles and absorbing carbon dioxide, would help de-pollute the surrounding environment.

There are also more modest measures that can be applied to the material selection process. Traditional renewable materials such as timber can be harvested and replanted, and innovative, regenerative materials (such as biocement) are regularly being brought to the marketplace.

Resource conservation efforts continue as well. Waste reduction methods for things such as product packaging have improved, and efficient lighting, heating and cooling methods are being developed as economies transition away from fossil fuels.

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings

• Architects Declare.
• Biocement.
• Biomimicry.
• CIBSE Case Study: Bosco Verticale.
• Cradle-to-cradle.
• Cradle to cradle product registry system.
• Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design LEED
• Overlays to the RIBA plan of work.
• Re-establish human relationships with the natural world
• Sustainability in building design and construction
• Vertical Forest
• Wood and the Circular Economy

[edit] External resources

• Colin Rohlfing, HDR, 6 Things to Know About Regenerative Design.
• Oliver Broadbent & James Norman, IStructE, The Regenerative Structural Engineer.
• https://www.architectsdeclare.com/uploads/AD-Regenerative-Design-Primer-March-2024.pdf