Five Key Principles in Designing Regenerative Buildings – USGBC+ Magazine

Sustainable practices in building keep developing, especially through net zero goals and healthy building strategies in response to ESG requirements and global health concerns. The building industry keeps pushing sustainable design even further with regenerative design. Many practitioners have developed regenerative frameworks that can be used to guide the design for a regenerative building, such as LEED, the AIA Framework for Design Excellence, Mott MacDonald and HDR.

Each framework may have different requirements. For example, the Mott MacDonald Regenerative Framework is based on five categories: planet, nature, community, technology and policy. Additionally, there are 21 objectives across all categories. Darlene Gonzalez-Szabo, a senior project planner at Mott MacDonald, emphasizes that the framework serves to explore outcomes beyond net zero, addressing the changing climate and the need for sustainable and resilient infrastructure. In general, the goal of regenerative design is to reverse negative impacts and provide positive contributions to the three pillars of sustainability.

While there are many frameworks, in my view, there are five key design principles that should be implemented in designing a regenerative building, or even in pushing an existing sustainable building to achieve better outcomes.

1. Ecosystem-centric design

Buildings, as abiotic components within ecosystems, interact with biotic and other abiotic factors. While solar orientation, wind and climate are commonly considered during design, we often overlook the broader impact on organisms.

To implement ecosystem-centric design, we must recognize the interconnectedness of living systems and aim to enhance ecological health by integrating natural elements and processes. The principle can be implemented by mapping the existing ecosystem and its organisms. Beyond designing landscapes that support local biodiversity, using native plants and promoting habitat restoration, a building can actively contribute to enhancing the ecosystem.

For example, Ken Yeang showcased his approach in tropical skyscraper design, incorporating five biological patterns to embed ecosystems within buildings and map their interactions. Additionally, considering the production, usage and waste of resources—including energy and water—should account for their impacts on the ecosystem, as well as for achievement of net zero goals.

2. Social well-being design

User-oriented and wellness-promoting design has been a typical practice. However, to achieve regenerative design, we should implement design for social well-being that is not only oriented to individuals and building occupants, but that also enhances social interactions and diverse needs. To implement the principle, designers should add opportunities for social interaction to the surrounding area, community and city to foster community cohesion and inclusivity. This social assessment should include transportation, public space and public services, and commercial support. Additionally, LEED also includes a social aspect in the draft of LEED v5.

3. Prosperity-oriented design

Regenerative design acknowledges that economic systems are part of the larger ecosystem. It involves creating business models aligned with ecological and social goals. Regenerative buildings encourage businesses to invest in the community, create jobs and foster economic growth, with a focus on the growth of the existing local economy and quality of life. For instance, sustainable practices within construction projects can lead to increased local spending, local businesses and job opportunities.

Education also plays a pivotal role in community well-being. Prosperity-oriented design considers how educational institutions can thrive within the ecosystem. This might involve designing schools that integrate with green spaces, promoting environmental awareness and providing equitable access to education for all. By emphasizing job creation, prosperity-oriented design contributes to economic resilience. When major buildings—such as commercial centers or mixed-use developments—are constructed, they can become hubs for employment. Current residents benefit from job opportunities, leading to a positive feedback loop for the economy.

4. Circular economy design

The circular economy design principle centers around closing material loops. In the context of building design, this manifests through material selection. Building materials should be intentionally designed to be either endlessly recyclable or biodegradable. The goal is to enable materials to flow in a continuous loop without generating waste or to naturally break down over time. In this framework, biobased materials emerge as primary options for regenerative design. While there has been a recent emphasis on low global warming potential (GWP) materials, more and more product manufacturers are actively reducing their products’ GWP.

However, it’s essential to consider other impact categories beyond just carbon emissions when assessing circular economy practices. Reductions in GWP don’t always directly correlate with improved circular economy performance or better outcomes in other environmental impact areas. The key principle is to explore beyond carbon impact and take a holistic view of sustainability.

5. Disassembly-driven design

This principle emphasizes creating products and structures that can be easily disassembled at the end of their life cycle. By designing for disassembly, we enable efficient recycling, repair and reuse of components. Imagine buildings where individual parts can be separated without causing damage. However, in the current concept, the end of life for buildings typically means demolition. Looking ahead, buildings should be designed for disassembly or deconstruction.

The disassembly-driven approach will also impact how we design buildings. Vertical integration of building system manufacturing, prefabrication, modular assemblies and simplification of details will be necessary to achieve disassembly-driven design. For instance, a Japanese construction company, Taisei, is using giant jacks and electricity-generating cranes to dismantle a high-rise tower—the Grand Prince Hotel Akasaka—in Tokyo, floor by floor. The company says this approach is safer, produces less noise, reduces pollution and results in 85% fewer carbon emissions.

Applying the key design principles to a project is essential, but it must be complemented by robust metrics and a well-defined framework. Designers should establish regenerative metrics or goals early in the design process and diligently monitor them throughout construction. Furthermore, leveraging LEED allows designers to elevate regenerative goals by extending beyond basic credit achievements to exemplary levels.

For example, a project can reduce 100% of GHG emissions and achieve 10 points, as well as an exemplary credit in the Optimize Energy Performance credit in LEED v4.1. To achieve the regenerative goal, the project can install more solar panels and provide community solar for its surroundings. Additionally, using both option 2 (housing and jobs proximity) and option 3 (equitable access to resources) can also help achieve regenerative goals for a project. Therefore, the combination of the principles and the implementation approach will enable buildings to achieve regenerative goals.

John Caravella Esq., is a construction attorney and formerly practicing project architect at The Law Office of John Caravella, P.C., representing architects, engineers, contractors, subcontractors, and owners in all phases of contract preparation, litigation, and arbitration across New York and Florida. He also serves as an arbitrator to the American Arbitration Association Construction Industry Panel. Mr. Caravella can be reached by email: [email protected] or (631) 608-1346.