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REGENERATIVE DESIGN AS AN APPROACH FOR BUILDING PRACTICE

IMPROVEMENT

Conference Paper · June 2018

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 REGENERATIVE DESIGN AS AN APPROACH FOR BUILDING PRACTICE
IMPROVEMENT

Marija Stamenković1*, Lj. Stojčić2, S. Glišović3

1
University of Priština, Faculty of Technical Sciences, Kosovska Mitrovica, SERBIA
2
Eliksir Prahovo Ltd, Prahovo, SERBIA
3University of Niš, Faculty of Occupational Safety, Niš, SERBIA
*
marija.stamenkovic@pr.ac.rs

ABSTRACT
Conventional practice employed in building and infrastructure construction causes negative
impacts on living environment, which are revealed not only in the initial stages but also
through the entire life cycle. Negative effects related to significant energy consumption, and
therefore, the emissions of harmful gasses, are the prevailing issue at the global level. In this
regard, the aim of this paper is to point out the importance of the regenerative approach
application when constructing new, and especially in renovating the existing buildings. Based
on the analysis of various life cycle principles of building/built environment, the benefits of
regenerative design application can be acknowledged. This approach, in principle, refers to
acting in accordance with natural systems and processes. All stakeholders have to participate
and contribute to the positive environmental effects through their activities and the use of
contemporary technologies and systems.
Key words: Life cycle flows, Regenerative design, Positive effects, Building renovation.

INTRODUCTION
Benefits of modern urban settlements (such as housing, employment, education, health care,
transport and other services) are indisputable; however, the construction and exploitation of
facilities and infrastructure lead to significant resource consumption, emissions of harmful
gases and generation of large volumes of waste. Given the situation, the question then arises
as to whether the current development principles are suitable for use in future, taking into
account the necessity to reduce the negative environmental impact and improve the quality of
life. An analysis of conventional, contemporary and improved approaches based on the
assessment of the life cycle of buildings and the built environment emphasizes the
significance of choosing the appropriate methods to reduce negative environmental impacts
and foster a multitude of positive effects. This approach is fundamental in the construction of
new buildings, and is of particular importance for already built facilities especially in the
exploitation phase in which negative impacts are prevailing, primarily due to energy
consumption for air conditioning [1]. Buildings and transport sectors are the largest
consumers of primary resources. These branches of industry are responsible for consuming
62% of energy on a global scale, as well as for 55% of greenhouse gas emissions [1]. In
industrialized countries, the building sector accounts for 42% of total energy consumption,
35% of greenhouse gas emissions and more than 50% of primary materials extracted [1].
A comparative analysis of diverse approaches to design and construction has revealed the
means to transform technical structures to mimic natural systems. Bearing in mind that, as a
consequence of economic crisis, the proportion of newly constructed buildings is rather small
- about 1.5% to 2% of the construction fund of the developed countries [2], and that 87% of
existing buildings will be widely used until 2050 [3], the needs for renovating are getting
bigger. Therefore, this paper considers the principles of renovating buildings based on the
regenerative approach.

LIFE CYCLE – LINEAR FLOW

The Industrial Revolution, which contributed to colossal urban construction, was based on the
so-called "linear flow" of materials and energy, since it was assumed that resources were
abundant, accessible, easy to use, and that by-products could be simply and cheaply disposed
of. In line with the development of industrial production and the introduction of new
technologies, there has been a growing exploitation of resources, which intensified negative
environmental impacts related to greenhouse gas emissions, air, water and land pollution,
increasing waste generation, and pollution by chemicals and dangerous substances. Having in
mind that natural resources are limited and that the production of materials and the
exploitation of buildings and infrastructure are responsible for growing negative impacts on
the environment which is not able to absorb all emissions and pollutants, it can be concluded
that the linear flow of materials and energy in the construction of buildings/built environment
is not a sustainable solution. The global awareness that one of the priority issues of humanity
is the need to preserve and improve the state of the environment has matured, and the
methodologies for assessing the environmental impact of a building/built environment life-
cycle have been gradually developed in order to optimize the activities and their effects. Life
Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a widely accepted scientific methodology that can be applied to
identify, analyze and quantitatively assess the environmental impact of buildings/built
environment [1,4]. There are two basic ways of setting the boundaries within the observed
systems, particularly important for the implementation of the above activities: "from cradle to
gate" and "from cradle to grave" [5]. A cradle-to-grave system assesses the impact of the
entire life cycle of a building/built environment, whereas a cradle-to-gate system refers to
industrial production, i.e. to the life cycle of the generation of construction products, from the
extraction of primary materials to transportation of a finished product (Fig. 1).
The LCA represents a significant contribution to better information within the decision-
making process because it enables us to identify the potential negative environmental impacts
by: 1) collecting data and making a life cycle inventory of all relevant energy and material
inputs and outputs within the boundaries of the monitored system; 2) estimating potential
environmental impacts associated with defined inputs and outputs from the previous step; and
3) interpreting the obtained results in order to improve the decision-making process [4,6].

Figure 1. A linear flow of the life-cycle of the building/built environment (adapted from [1,5])

LIFE CYCLE – CYCLIC FLOW

A contemporary approach to environmental impact assessment involves the scrutiny over the
final phase of the life cycle, or improving resource efficiency by considering the possibility to
establish a cyclic flow in the "from cradle to cradle" model [5] (Fig. 2). Within this approach,
the possibilities of recycling and/or reuse of materials and elements have been analyzed in
detail in order to reduce the negative environmental impact in comparison to the well-
established practice of disposing residues to landfills. The cyclic flow, i.e. closing the loop,
refers both to building design and construction in a way that allows the deconstruction, but
also implies the growth of construction products that can be dismantled after their intended
usage [5]. The described strategy is applied in the context of developing so-called green
buildings which involve the improvement of various ecological characteristics in the entire
life cycle.

Figure 2. A cyclic flow of the life-cycle of the building/built environment (adapted from [1,5])

LIFE CYCLE BASED ON REGENERATIVE DESIGN

The application of LCA methodology discovers the opportunities for reducing the
environmental impact of buildings/built environment and forming a cyclic flow model based
on the cradle-to-cradle model. Ideally, most of these approaches tend to develop a zero waste
system, but the question arises as to whether it is possible to develop a system with positive
impacts on the environment. The answer is provided by the principle of regenerative design,
that is, the integration of nature into a built environment. In regenerative design, nature and its
models, systems and processes can be imitated or serve as an inspiration for solving urban
problems related to the elimination of negative environmental impacts [7].
The concept of regenerative design extends the concept and the application of sustainability,
by redefining the purpose of the built environment, the design process and the role of
architects [8]. Although the application of green and sustainable design and construction
supports the improvement of conventional techniques in terms of resource conservation and
the mitigation of negative impacts on the environment and people, these approaches only slow
down the degradation of natural systems which are invaluable for the provision of ecosystem
services. On the other hand, instead of delaying negative impacts, regenerative design triggers
a reversible process. In order to create urban systems that are mutually beneficial to both
people and nature, it is necessary to establish interconnectedness among them. In this regard,
regenerative design refers not only to architecture, but also to the activities of people that are
parts of the system.
According to Lyle [9], the development of society influenced the process, in which natural
systems of infinitely complex network of unique places adapted to local conditions and
endless diversity, were replaced with a relatively simple, unified and generic urban system. In
nature, the residues at the end of the life cycle of an organism are the primary material for the
functions of others [10], and this is how a continuous, cyclic and self-renewing system is
formed. Regenerative design supports natural processes which influence the rise of urban
systems that tend to optimize rather than maximize their performances [8]. In this way, built
environment becomes more resilient, which is one of the current issues of the contemporary
societies.
Regenerative design is often comprehended as a return to nature and its cyclic flows, and the
systems based on this approach have positive impact on the environment throughout their life
cycles, as opposed to conventional, technical, "degenerative" systems (Fig. 3) [10].
Conventional systems are characterized by linear flow and efficiency as their ultimate goal,
whereas regenerative systems are the closed-loop structures with multiple pathways
characterized by effectiveness, symbiosis, renewal capacity and integration with natural
processes [10].

Figure 3. Comparative view of the life cycles in degenerative and regenerative systems [10]

RELATION BETWEEN DIFFERENT DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION

APPROCHES
The relationship between a conventional, green, sustainable and regenerative approach to
design and construction is presented in Figure 4, as well as the impacts (both positive and
negative) of the buildings/built environment on the environment during their life cycles
[11,12]. Being strictly based on the construction of technical systems, a conventional practice
does not consider the natural environment and demands considerable use of resources and
energy in order to achieve efficiency. Such practice is often characterized as “doing things
right”. A green approach, which contributes to slight improvement of the system, is defined as
"doing less harm." On the other hand, sustainable approach seeks to create neutral systems,
that is, the systems without any negative impact on the environment. This approach is
identified as "doing no harm." By examining the upstream trend of an ecologically
responsible design and construction, one can notice that apart from the regenerative approach
commonly considered as the most efficient, the newly-introduced restorative and
reconciliatory approaches refer to “doing good” for the environment. The distinguishing
feature of these approaches is a scrutiny over people and activities that influence the system
effectiveness. A restorative approach implies the role of people in the development of natural
subsystems [12]. A reconciliatory approach perceives the human population as an integral part
of nature, while in the regenerative approach humans participate as nature [12].

Figure 4. The relation between different design and construction approaches (adapted from [11, 12])

POTENTIALS FOR EXISTING BUILDINGS IMPROVEMENT

In order to successfully renovate the existing technical systems/buildings in line with the
regenerative approach, it is of primary importance to redefine the concept of the very building
in terms of isolation from the external environment. The isolation of a building, as a
significant requirement of modern architecture, is related to various factors and includes
regulations and standards, the elements of entrepreneurial practice, marketing, users’ interests
and advanced technology systems [13]. Such a complex approach represents a current practice
aimed to ensure sustainable development. Thermal comfort, which refers to balancing heat
losses and gains and which demands a neutral environment, from a technical or engineering
point of view, can be achieved by the complete isolation of a building and the use of air
conditioning systems [13]. On the other hand, an ecological or regenerative approach is based
on a different comprehension of isolation and efficiency achievements. The buildings need to
be designed in such a way that they are able to take as much solar energy, natural light, wind
and water as possible. By applying modern technologies, renewable energy sources are
transformed into new energies that could be used in building exploitation. Bearing in mind
that the regenerative approach indisputably implies the implementation of living (green)
systems, positive environmental impacts can be fostered by the application of technologies so
that they become an integral part of the building, rather than the additional content [13].
Achievement of comfort causes significant energy consumption; however, in the early stage
of new-building design, we can influence the reduction of energy consumption by choosing
the form, orientation and volume. However, in case of the existing buildings these parameters
are pre-defined, which emphasizes the need for renovation. General principles of regenerative
approach have been presented on the example of a complete building renovation.
The new form of the existing building is the result of the removal of certain parts and the
construction of the new ones, whereby all the requirements for integrating the building with
nature have been fulfilled, especially those which refer to the use of natural processes aimed
to achieve comfort and reduce the consumption of resources and non-renewable energy
sources. Renovating ensures maximum exposure to natural light, natural ventilation and the
collection of precipitation, and reduces the need for technical water (Fig. 5a). The
improvement was achieved by introducing a mechanical vertical communication system, by
using the façades that control the flow of heat, light and humidity, as well as by the
implementation of the green roof system, which provided an additional space for socialization
and the possibility to create hybrid systems – a green roof and photovoltaic panels for energy
efficiency (Fig. 5b). Knowing that renewable energy sources are necessary for zero energy
consumption, advanced technologies and systems are used with the aim to transform or
filtrate energy into the desired quantity and form [13,14]. There are four possible systems, or
their combinations, to use renewable energy sources – sun, wind, biomass and/or water (Fig.
5c).

Fig. 5. The principles of renovating buildings by regenerative approach [14]

CONCLUSION
 The analysis of diverse approaches to design and construction, as well as their impact on the
environment, points to the necessity and possible ways of improving architectural practice.
Although full effects can be achieved if regenerative design is applied in a wider context of
the built environment, each individual system is considered significant because each
intervention within the building is a step towards the achievement of the set goals and
objectives.
Due to already densely built urban cores, the existing building fund needs to be improved by
applying regenerative approach. The complete renovation of buildings by regenerative
approach, which relies on the use of passive design and construction techniques, the
application of modern technologies and systems, and the activities of participants in line with
natural processes, is a concept that should be implemented in the majority of existing
buildings in order to achieve the desired outcome.

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