Regenerative Design
Sustainability and Regenerative Design
The construction sector emits approximately 40% of the carbon emissions on a global level. If we add the carbon footprint of the interior spaces (materials, air conditioner, etc) this percentage increases.
For many years, our goal was to integrate sustainable strategies in construction projects, looking to lower the percentage of emissions as well as find a balance between environment, social, and economic factors within a project. With sustainable design we want to minimize the impact in order to meet present needs without compromising the needs of future generations.
Today, it is no longer enough to minimize that impact; sustainability cannot exist without a regenerative component that ensures that an environmental, social and economic balance can exist long term. Progress must come from strategies and actions that regenerate, so that a project can give back more than it utilizes. We need to focus our efforts on giving back more to society, the environment and the economy than we are taking. this is where regenerative design comes in.
Through regenerative design we want to restore, or leave something in a better state aiming to reverse the damages we've already done, and in doing so, make sure that our systems (social, environmental and economic) do not lose their qualities and can continue to meet future needs, both in terms of people and planet. With this in mind, we can gradually integrate elements that we know will continue to improve in the future. For example, consider the use of an electric vehicle versus a vehicle that runs on gasoline: purchasing a car that utilizes gas will continue to generate the same impact today as it will in 50 years. However, an electric vehicle, that might momentarily be connected to a subpar or nonrenewable grid, in 50 years it could be operating on an energy grid that has evolved into a cleaner and more efficient matrix. Therefore, the use of an electric vehicle is directly linked to the possibility of improving external systems. through Regenerative Design, we are striving for durable systems that are also resilient, responsible, and regenerative.
3 Rs
Regeneration: little by little a system accumulates resources
Resilience: the ability to adapt to unplanned and external changes over time
Responsability: this implies not only thinking about the future, but also considering the present and external elements of a given system and the impact and relationship outside of a project's parameters.
Diagram of impact: from conventional design to regenerative design
Regeneration and Time
Regenerating is a gradual process. When implementing strategies in a project, it's important to understand when a strategy begins to generate a net positive impact. A net positive impact is the totality of impact in the long-term outlook. This is called "carbon payback," which is the equivalent of return over economic investment but in terms of carbon. To continue with the example of electric and gasoline vehicles, the initial carbon footprint of manufacturing the electric car is the same or bigger than the footprint of manufacturing a car that uses gasoline. Here, the important thing is to consider the carbon footprint of the vehicles in operation. The footprint of the electric car is compensated during the useful life of the car while the footprint for a car that uses fuel ends up increasing throughout its use. Same goes for induction cooktops, or swapping out the windows of a house or building.
Along the same line of regenerating and long term thinking, we use the concept of 'future fit' in regenerative design, which is planning for designs that can be adapted and modified in the future. For instance, implementing design plans for future possibilities for things like solar panel systems, electric vehicle chargers, or even new technologies that are still being developed. This allows for a system or project to be economically viable and the same time allowing for future adaptations that respond to changes in environment, like climate change.
It's important to keep in mind that although specific strategies can generate results in the short and long term, the work of regenerating is thinking long term and for future generations.
Between Resilience and Efficiency
A resilient project or system can adapt to external impacts and future changes, such as the effects of changing weather, or, changes to the use of space, like converting a house into a commercial space. This ability to adapt is what makes a project or a system regenerative. At the same time, while designing systems, we are looking for the maximum efficiency possible. This creates a bit of tension between resilience and efficiency within a design; on one hand we are looking for flexibility to adapt to future needs, but on the other hand, we want to create systems that are the as efficient as possible, saving time and resources.
This is the tension we are looking to balance.
How do we achieve this? A lot has to do with appropriate and proper use of technology. For example, implementing smart electrical panels that distribute the load efficiently throughout the day, preventing the need for a bigger system in a project. In this case, energy efficiency is contributing to the project's resilience. The same idea can be applied to water tanks in a project.
What we're looking for on a larger scale is to interconnect systems both within the same design as well as externally with other projects, buildings, or systems. Here, resilience and efficiency become communal matters to resolve. The most resilient system is one that can share resources in moments of need in one area while there are moments of excess in other areas. The most resilient and efficient systems at the same time are interconnected systems.
Regenerative Certifications
The Living Building Challenge is a certification program for regenerative projects. The certification has a more holistic approach to building and construction that involves a commitment to seven 'petals' or working areas: materials, site, water, health, equity, beauty, and energy. The aim is to generate positive impacts on site, in the community, as well as the culture of a project through this commitment.
For us, there is no perfect certification. Rather, we believe certifications are a great guide for working on a project in a more comprehensive manner. The best project or system is one that is not limited by the established strategies of a certification, but instead uses these strategies as a starting point and goes beyond the standards and requirements.
Overview
Regenerative Design is a framework for restoring, or leaving something in a better state in order to reverse existing damages and in doing so, making sure that our systems (social, environmental, and economic) do not lose their qualities and can continue to meet future needs, both in terms of people and planet.
The basis of regenerative design is, through responsibility, regeneration and resilience, to create systems that mimic natural processes that work harmoniously with, instead of against, it's surrounding environment. Regenerative design can be applied beyond construction and architecture. It can be implemented in urban development, public policy, governance, agriculture, and so much more.