On this day, Earth Day, one of the fundamental principals in EVERbuilt Developments building philosophy is particularly relevant: Regenerative Design. But what does it mean?
Traditionally, living and workspaces, including those outdoors, have been created to meet very specific needs—function, comfort, and budget—with little or no consideration to the surrounding environment and how the spaces might actually fit. The conventional approach to building and development has failed to recognize that our buildings and communities are, of course, part of nature.
Buildings, homes, and the surrounding construction including landscaping have typically been assumed to be static edifices and elements to remain essentially the same over time, engaging or interacting with their surrounding environment in very minimal ways or not at all.
Fortunately, the trend in sustainable design is changing that assumption.
Through the establishment of green building standards and rating systems a more concerted effort to create buildings that respond to the environment is growing in popularity and demand. It’s about concepts of sustainable, regenerative, restorative, and adaptive living, working, and learning spaces.
There is an emergence of innovative strategies and technologies that aim to not only restore but actually integrate, the natural environment into any building activity, construction, and landscape design. These strategies are geared to be more efficient and aim to move more quickly than traditional design strategies to achieve truly sustainable outcomes – carefully considering how to restore the environment with each design decision.
The industry is slowly rediscovering that buildings and neighborhoods can be created that respond to their environment, just as a living system would. Indigenous people have used this approach for centuries. If designs are informed by and embrace the climate, solar exposure, earth, water, and landscape, the resulting buildings and neighborhoods can be responsive and dynamic living systems.
Regenerative and restorative buildings go beyond their own four walls by also improving and enhancing the surrounding environment such as addressing a site’s natural hydrology or replacing native plant habitat that may have been lost. Including the surrounding outdoors, integrates the building into the natural environment while also improving the damaged environment.
The variety of new technologies – super insulation, smart glazing, and efficient lighting – combined with time-honored techniques, such as daylighting, thermal mass, radiant energy not only conserve energy and other resources but promote health and well-being at the same time.
With each project, it’s important to incorporate holistic thinking in the context of the design process.
When we look at things holistically, we collaborate with all involved. Drawing on sustainable, holistic, regenerative, biophilic and permaculture design concepts combined with advanced building science along with a thorough review of the client’s needs and lifestyle to conceptualize integrated buildings, landscapes, and communities.
Ideally, Regenerative Design looks at solutions that are more than just technically acceptable. It looks to those that are innovative and inspired – they elevate the spirit! We want to make spaces that provide our families and children health, peace of mind, and well-being to counter the disconnected, over-stressed lifestyle that has dominated the last many decades.
Ideally, holistic, Regenerative Design provides an experience that elevates and opens them up to the full potential in their own lives and decisions, so that they can continue the cycle, continuing to contribute to the restorative process.
Interested in creating your own Regenerative living space? We want to talk to you! Contact us TODAY!
