An exploration in progressing a paradigm shift in built environment thinking, from sustainability to restorative sustainability and on to regenerative sustainability.
Do you want to explore the new frontiers of sustainability? From the work of the COST Action CA16114 RESTORE: REthinking Sustainability TOwards a Regenerative Economy, Working Group 1. Restorative Sustainability, here is our first booklet (downloadable for free). Enjoy đ
With contributions by Martin Brown, Edeltraud Haselsteiner, Diana AprĂł, Diana Kopeva, Egla Luca, Katri-Liisa Pulkkinen, Blerta Vula Rizvanolli and many others …
This publication, with contributions from over 20 EU countries is an exploration in progressing a paradigm shift in built environment thinking, from sustainability to restorative sustainability and on to regenerative sustainability.
It presents a reference document for future work of the RESTORE Action, for other Cost Actions and for built environment academia and industry organisations.
Summary
- Introduction
- Definitions â the Language for Sustainability
- Social, Health and Participation in Sustainability
- Living Buildings
- Regenerative Heritage
- Circular Economy
- WG1 Activities
- Epilogue
- WG1 People
(From the Introduction by Martin Brown and Edeltraud Haselsteiner)
It is now some 30 years since Brundtland defined sustainable development, broadly defined as not doing anything today to compromise tomorrowâs generation, and in doing so defined sustainability for business and enterprises globally.
Many in the built environment have taken this passive âdo nothingâ approach, as license to do the least possible. Consequently, we have and we continue to compromise future generations.
The built environment is a huge influencer on âsustainabilityâ, we spend over 90% of our time working, living and playing within our buildings. Despite sustainability and corporate social responsibility initiatives it is irresponsible that we have generally failed to grasp our influence and to address the potential to move the needle on wider global sustainability and climate issues.
Buildings, and the manner in which we design, construct and maintain them have been a significant contributor to climate breakdown we are witnessing.
Restorative and regenerative approaches can flip this enabling buildings to become part of climate regeneration solutions.
Maybe sustainability is not a journey, but a state of equilibrium, based on giving as much as we take. On the negative side where we take more, we are unsustainable and no matter how much we reduce our impacts we will always remain unsustainable. On the positive side ‘to do more good‘ we open doors to
restore environments and communities, and to create and enable conditions for environmental, social and economic regenerative growth […].
“We no longer have the luxury of just being less bad.” (RESTORE)
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