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Beyond sustainability: regenerative design

A garden in front of buildings
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Beyond sustainability: regenerative design

18 October 2024
Regenerative design is an innovative approach in the built environment that goes beyond sustainability by actively restoring and enhancing natural systems, utilising advanced materials and technologies, and fostering positive impacts on ecosystems and communities.
Editorial Team

Regenerative design is a transformative approach in the built environment, aiming to restore and enhance natural systems rather than just minimise harm. 

Unlike traditional sustainability, which focuses on reducing negative impacts, regenerative design fosters a co-evolution with nature, promoting ecological health and community well-being. Key principles include holistic systems thinking, adaptability, and closed-loop systems using sustainable materials like hemp and bamboo

Real-world applications showcase regenerative design's potential, such as a Maine pilot programme in hospitals and Detroit’s 'AGRIHOOD.' Metrics like Energy Usage Intensity and embodied carbon measure effectiveness. As technology and materials evolve, regenerative design sets new sustainability standards for the future.

Sadaf Jafari
Original source:
Themes
Energy efficiency technologies and solutions
Construction materials and circular construction
Green Building Solutions