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 🙂
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.
VanDusen Botanical Garden, Vancouver (CAN)
Summary
Introduction
Definitions – the Language for Sustainability
Social, Health and Participation in Sustainability
Living Buildings
Regenerative Heritage
Circular Economy
WG1 Activities
Epilogue
WG1 People
Portland Japanese Garden, Portland (OR, USA)
(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 tomorrow’s generation, and in doing so defined sustainability for business and enterprises globally.
Many in the built environment have taken this passive ‘do nothing’ 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 ‘sustainability’, 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)
Join us for a series of talks between Berlin and London about restorative buildings.
Sustainability in buildings, as understood today, is an inadequate measure for architectural design, for it aims no higher than trying to make buildings ‘less bad’. Please join us in a series of events on week 16/2018 between Berlin and London to understand how we can bring restorative principles to buildings across Europe. Here is the program, enjoy 🙂
Greenbuild Europe Reception
April 16, 2018
6-7:30 PM
Humboldt-Box
Schloßpl. 5, 10178 Berlin, Germany
The International Living Future Institute would like to invite you to join a reception at the inaugural Greenbuild Europe Conference for a special announcement.
This exciting event and presentation will feature Amanda Sturgeon, CEO and author of Creating Biophilic Buildings, talking about the future of green buildings and regenerative design.
The event is free, but registration is required. Food and drink will be provided. with Amanda Sturgeon (ILFI, CEO) and Carlo Battisti.
Bringing Restorative and Living Buildings to Europe. The COST Action RESTORE.
April 18, 2018
10-11 AM
Greenbuild Europe, Radisson Blu Hotel Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 3, 10178 Berlin, Germany
The COST Action CA16114 ‘REthinking Sustainability TOwards a Regenerative Economy’ (RESTORE) will affect a paradigm shift towards restorative sustainability for new and existing buildings, promoting forward thinking and multidisciplinary knowledge, leading to solutions that celebrate the richness of design creativity while enhancing users’ experience, health and wellbeing inside and outside buildings, in harmony with urban ecosystems, reconnecting users to nature. – with Carlo Battisti, Martin Brown (Fairsnape) and Amanda Sturgeon (ILFI, CEO).
Life Cycle Assessment as a tool for design.
April 18, 2018
10-11 AM
Greenbuild Europe, Radisson Blu Hotel Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 3, 10178 Berlin, Germany
This session will focus on tools available to practitioners to assess and lower emissions of their projects, through environmental-oriented material and construction choices. New information will include an inventory of available data in Europe, an overview of LCA tools, a proposed simplification and standardisation of uncertainty in LCA and a hands-on case study. – with Catherine De Wolf (EPFL), Giulia Peretti (WSGT), Lisanne Havinga (TU Eindhoven) and Emanuele Naboni (KADK).
Healthy habitats for humans.
April 20, 2018
8:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Interface London, 1 Northburgh Street, London EC1V 0AL, United Kingdom
“Biophilic design is a design philosophy, and has the potential to intentionally reconnect people and nature through buildings. It goes beyond adding plants or a water feature and focuses on connecting to the particular ecology of a place, to its culture and climate to create buildings that are full of life.” – with Amanda Sturgeon, author of Creating Biophilic Buildings, CEO, International Living Future Institute. Price £ 53,59. Tickets here.
È passata già una decina di giorni dal ritorno da Lancaster, e sono ancora un po’ stordito. Mi aiuta a fare chiarezza lo scrivere cinque concetti principali che mi sono portato a casa. In inglese li chiamano “takeaway”, proprio come il “cibo da asporto”, avete presente il cartoccio di “fish and chips”? Anche se non è proprio così. Ti sembra di portarti via delle cose dal luogo dove hai vissuto un’esperienza intensa; ma in realtà molto di quell’esperienza rimane in quel luogo, ti tocca tornarci per riconoscerlo. Credo che tornerò a Lancaster, sì.
1. Il dono della sintesi
Ora è più che mai necessario. Avevo scritto il precedente post sulla “Restorative week”, che ci apprestavamo a vivere, ma mi sbagliavo, per difetto. Lancaster è sì stata anche la settimana “restorative”, l’immersione totale in ciò che RESTORE si appresta a diventare, una nuova concezione dell’ambiente costruito e degli edifici del futuro (come i living building di Living Future). Ma è stato molto di più. La training school di Lancaster segna un punto di non ritorno o meglio il “turning point”, il punto di svolta. Nulla davvero potrà essere come prima, l’arca di RESTORE (con i suoi 120+ partecipanti da 37 nazioni …) è salpata definitivamente.
Una mole di concetti, idee, spunti, prospettive, che raccontano un nuovo quadro di riferimento, un nuovo “framework”. Non ci siamo fatti mancare proprio nulla: restorative e regenerative sustainability, sustainability education, biophilia e biophilic design, sustainable heritage, mindfulness for sustainability, landscaping for regenerative sustainability. Ora ci attende un compito delicato e necessario, riuscire a realizzare una sintesi e a trasferire questo tesoro di conoscenza ai gruppi di lavoro che stanno arrivando e che dovranno tradurlo in linee guida, processi, metodologie, strumenti.
2. Il viaggio conta più della meta
Brockholes Nature Reserve, Preston (UK)
Il programma a ritmo serrato di questa settimana mi ha fatto perdere spesso di vista un concetto. Non è la meta, è il viaggio che conta. Siamo passati da un workshop a una lezione, a una presentazione, a una lecture, il tempo è volato, con il rischio di perdere il valore del sapere acquisito. Ma c’è il momento dell’apprendimento, c’è il momento della discussione, poi arriva il momento in cui devi spegnere tutto e fare sedimentare ciò che hai assorbito. Come in quel cammino circolare di venerdì mattina attraverso le paludi di Brockholes. Non siamo entrati subito nel centro visitatori, abbiamo fatto un giro lungo, apparentemente senza meta, e abbiamo preso il tempo, per ricollegarci con la natura e con noi stessi. È in quei momenti, di sospensione, che ciò che hai imparato diventa davvero patrimonio personale.
3. Le idee non sono nulla senza le persone
Sono convinto che “C’è una cosa più forte di tutti gli eserciti del mondo, e questa è un’idea il cui momento è ormai giunto” (Victor Hugo) e ciò mi porta a dire che per l’idea che è alla base di RESTORE i tempi sono maturi. Se ne avevamo bisogno, la comunità di “like minded people” (una quarantina di persone è già una comunità) che si è riunita a Lancaster – la stragrande maggioranza senza essersi mai vista prima – è la prova che questa idea è già forte, c’è e risiede già nella testa di quei molti professionisti pronti a (cambiare) salvare il mondo.
Ma le idee esistono perché esistono le persone. E presto scompare ogni differenza tra docente e alunno, e tutto diventa un continuo workshop collettivo, di nuovo un viaggio insieme. Grazie Martin per lo sforzo enorme e generoso e grazie a Edeltraud, Dorin, Emanuele e a tutto il “team Lancashire”: Ann Vanner, Alison Watson, Joe Clancy, Jenni Barrett, Paul Clarke, Simon Thorpe, Ann Parker, Barbara Jones e naturalmente Elizabeth Calabrese e Amanda Sturgeon. È stato soprattutto un “dare”, gratuito, nel senso nobile del termine. E grazie ai trenta “agenti del cambiamento” , queste “best minds” da Croazia, Danimarca, Germania, Ungheria, Irlanda, Italia, Lituania, Macedonia, Portogallo, Regno Unito, Romania, Slovenia, Spagna. Sono loro i “restorer” del futuro prossimo. “Credici. E sei già a metà strada.”
4. Prima la filosofia, poi la tecnica.
La prima training school di RESTORE aveva l’obiettivo di trasferire ad un primo gruppo di professionisti un nuovo paradigma della sostenibilità, sviluppato nel primo “pacchetto di lavoro” del progetto. L’approccio è stato quindi volutamente più sistemico che tecnico e tecnologico. “Moving beyond the state of the art: where do we want to be?” recita una delle domande introduttive al corso. Per questo è importante prima capire cosa vogliamo essere, dove vogliamo andare (parlo soprattutto del nuovo futuro dell’ambiente costruito che ci immaginiamo). Poi arriva il momento della tecnica e della tecnologia, dei metodi, delle pratiche. Le soluzioni ci sono, già oggi, dobbiamo renderle funzionali ad una visione.
5. Il genius loci
“We shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us.” diceva Winston Churchill. C’è un percorso logico evolutivo che ci ha accompagnato dal primo all’ultimo giorno di questa settimana densa di ispirazione. Abbiamo vissuto, studiato, lavorato, mangiato e dormito in edifici, ci siamo mossi da un edificio all’altro. E questi edifici hanno “formato” il nostro modo di viverli. Ci ripenso, è stato un lungo elenco – lo Storey, (costruito per essere un luogo per l’istruzione scolastica nel 1898, ora è un centro per l’industria creativa); la Toll House Inn (splendida taverna dell’800), il castello di Lancaster (del 1100, è stato una prigione fino al 2011), il ristorante Water Whitch, i numerosi pub, ecc.. Poi, venerdì, come al termine di un’iniziazione, siamo usciti all’aperto (Brockholes e Cuerden Valley Park) per riconnetterci con la natura. Abbiamo dovuto guadagnarcelo, questo incontro finale con l’ambiente che ci circonda. Sì, così ha un senso.
The first RESTORE Training School is going to take place in Lancaster, UK between 14th and 17th November 2017. We have 30+ trainees attending, representing a great spectrum of sustainability disciplines, experience and EU countries. We have brilliant international trainers and guest lecturers. In addition, we will be joined by 12 RESTORE core group members. It’s going to be a great event and one not to miss.
Lancaster (Lancashire), UK
Focusing on Restorative Sustainability, Biophilia, and Sustainability Education, in four days trainees will gain a deep understanding of Restorative Sustainability and the key topics from RESTORE working groups. Training School trainees (students, educators, and practitioners) will participate in multiple introduction seminars, action learning, team and individual presentations, study tours, and much more.
School Highlights
Introduction to Regenerative Sustainability and the work of RESTORE Working Groups.
Guest lectures including Digital Approaches for Regenerative Design, Mindfulness for Sustainability and more.
Biophilic Design Sessions. We are delighted to have some of the world’s leading experts on biophilic design join us for a powerful biophilic design afternoon of lectures, workshops and webinars.
Regenerative Sustainability Tours (Brockholes BREEAM Outstanding and Cuerdon Valley Park, Living Building Challenge Project).
Planting trees at the LBC Project (in part to offset carbon from travel, but also to provide locally available Larch timber for any future cladding replacement of the Visitor Centre).
the venue – The Storey, Lancaster
The Training School will operate as a train the trainer course; equipping delegates with techniques and knowledge to run restorative sustainability education modules within their own institute and networks. The RESTORE Training School has been approved by ILFI (International Living Future Institute) for 20 LFA (Living Future Accredited) professional CEU hours.
Confirmed Trainers and Guest Lecturers
Martin Brown – Restorative Sustainability Innovative sustainability & business strategist & advisor @Fairsnape. Author FutuREstorative. UK Living Building Challenge Ambassador and COST Restore Vice Chair. Forest of Bowland, Lancashire, UK.
Alison Watson – Sustainability Education Founder and Chief Executive at Class Of Your Own Limited. Clitheroe, Lancashire, UK.
Edeltraud Haselsteiner – RESTORE Working Group 1 Urban planning Consulting & Research, Lecturer (University of Technology Vienna, Faculty of Architecture and Planning. Institute of Urban Design and Landscape Architecture). Vienna, Austria.
Emanuele Naboni – RESTORE Working Group 2 BArch, MArch, PhD in Science, LEED AP, Licensed Architect. Associate Professor at the Institute of Technology of the Royal Danish Academy (KADK) in Copenhagen, School of Architecture. Copenhagen, Denmark.
Joe Clancy – Biophilia CMLI Project Landscape Architect at Bradley Murphy Design. Landscape Institute. Biophilic Design Consultant, Co-Author 14 patterns of Biophilic Design. Cubbington, Warwickshire, UK.
Elizabeth Calabrese – Biophilic Design AIA, Architect, Educator WELL Faculty. Author. Fostering health and wellbeing through biophilic and ecological design. Burlington, Vermont, USA.
Amanda Sturgeon – Biophilia (via webinar)
FAIA, CEO of the International Living Future Institute (ILFI). She is the author of Creating Biophilic Buildings, the founder and driving force behind the organization’s Biophilic Design Initiative and is a sought-after expert on biophilic design around the world. Bainbridge Island, Washington, USA.
Simon Thorpe – Project Manager Cuerdon Valley Park LBC Project. Lancashire, UK.
Ann Vanner – Sustainable Heritage MCIAT. ARB. FHEA Architect/Technologist/Designer. Maker/Doer/Finder. University of Central Lancashire, Preston, UK.
Anne Parker – Mindfulness for Sustainability Coach, trainer, mindfulness teacher. Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire, UK.
Jenni Barrett – Landscaping for Regenerative Sustainability Researcher, consultant, lecturer. Senior Lecturer at University of Central Lancashire. Preston, UK.
Barbara Jones – Straw Works Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, manufacturing and commerce (FRSA) in 2009. She was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award from Women in Construction in 2011 and received a Woman of Outstanding Achievement Award from UKRC in 2009.
We look forward to welcoming you to Lancaster for the First RESTORE Training School 😊
RESTORE (REthinking Sustainability TOwards a Regenerative Economy) is an EU COST Action that will advocate for a paradigm shift towards restorative sustainability for new and existing buildings across Europe. It will promote forward thinking and multidisciplinary knowledge, leading to solutions that celebrate the richness of design creativity while enhancing users’ experience, comfort, health, wellbeing and satisfaction inside and outside buildings, and in harmony with urban and natural ecosystems, reconnecting users to nature. The RESTORE network currently has 120+ participants across 37 countries, representing a wide spectrum of academic, client, design and construction individuals and organisations.
RIDE WITH US 2017
Da Venezia a Bonn, una lunga pedalata per il clima
1 novembre – 10 novembre 2017
TORNA A PASSARE PER BOLZANO LA CAROVANA DI BICI PER IL CLIMA
Dopo Copenaghen, Parigi e Torino Ride With Us, la carovana simbolica di biciclette che dal 2014 parte da Venezia e attraversa l’Europa per diffondere il messaggio di urgenza e gravità del cambiamento climatico, torna a fare tappa a Bolzano il 2 novembre c.a.
Quest’anno il gruppo di ciclista si dirige verso Bonn (1.300 km), sede dell’incontro delle Nazioni Unite sul cambiamento climatico (COP23).
Nella città tedesca i rappresentanti di tutto il mondo si troveranno per discutere come dare attuazione all’Accordo di Parigi del 2015 e i ciclisti di RWU vogliono mantenere alta l’attenzione sull’importanza dell’incontro attraverso un tour ciclistico aperto a tutti e l’organizzazione di una serie d’incontri serali lungo il percorso dedicati al cambiamento climatico.
La partecipazione al progetto è cresciuta nel tempo e ai due ideatori del progetto, Daniele Pernigotti e Claudio Bonato, si sono poi unite diverse associazioni e molti singoli cittadini che condividono le finalità del tour. Saranno, infatti, 22 le persone che pedaleranno fino a Monaco e 15 di questi continueranno fino a Bonn, per raggiungere la sede della COP23. Il gruppo pedalerà in completa autonomia, con i propri bagagli a seguito e senza nessun automezzo di supporto.
Le varie tappe del tour sono l’occasione per affrontare a livello locale i temi connessi col cambiamento climatico.
Dal sapore provocatorio l’evento che avrà luogo il 2 novembre dalle 17.30 alle 17.30 presso la sede dell’EURAC research, Viale Druso 1, 39100 Bolzano (sala SEM7): Va bene i green building, ma basteranno?
L’evento vedrà la partecipazione di Daniele Pernigotti (Ride With Us), Marco Caffi (Green Building Council Italia), Roberto Lollini (EURAC research, Istituto per le Energie Rinnovabili), Ulrich Santa (Agenzia per l’Energia Alto Adige – CasaClima) e sarà coordinato da Carlo Battisti (IDM Südtirol Alto Adige).
L’indomani mattina il tour ripartirà da Bolzano per affrontare il Brennero e fare tappa a Innsbruck. L’iniziativa ha ottenuto il patrocinio di molti Comuni lungo il percorso, tra cui Venezia, Bolzano e Bonn, oltre che del Ministero dell’Ambiente italiano e d’importanti associazioni che operano in materia di cambiamento climatico, come Kyoto Club e Italian Climate Network.
La lista completa dei patrocini, oltre che il tracciato delle singole tappe del tour Venezia-Bonn e la documentazione dei viaggi precedenti è disponibile nel sito www.ridewithus.eu. Chi volesse unirsi alla pedalata può facilmente identificare la posizione della carovana ciclistica geolocalizzata nella sezione live del sito.
LE TAPPE
La partenza avverrà simbolicamente venerdì pomeriggio 31 ottobre con il prologo Venezia-Mestre, mentre la mattina del 1 novembre vi sarà la partenza ufficiale del tour da Marghera.
Di seguito il dettaglio delle tappe del tour.
I CONTATTI
Daniele Pernigotti dpernigotti@aequilibria.com 340 9783337
Alberto Fiorin (Pedale Veneziano) afiorin@libero.it 320 4253630
NOI ci siamo! Open Day al parco tecnologico: scoprire l’innovazione altoatesina il 21 ottobre.
Toccare con mano la scienza e scoprire come una fabbrica abbandonata si è trasformata in una fucina di idee all’avanguardia: tutto questo sarà possibile sabato 21 ottobre dalle 10 alle 18 al NOI Techpark. Il parco tecnologico dell’Alto Adige in Via Volta a Bolzano apre le proprie porte a tutti. Oltre a visite guidate e incontri coi ricercatori, non mancheranno intrattenimento a tema per i bambini e degustazioni.
Capire cosa può fare un sole artificiale, immergersi in prima persona nella realtà virtuale, calcolare il proprio impatto ambientale sulla Terra, scoprire il software per il riconoscimento delle espressioni facciali: tutto questo sarà possibile nelle sedi dei centri di ricerca ospitati al NOI Techpark. Il programma degli incontri coi ricercatori è disponibile online sul sito www.noi.bz.it e verrà distribuito ai visitatori il 21 stesso.
Per scoprire nel dettaglio i locali dell’edificio appena inaugurato, ogni ora la Business Location Südtirol (BLS), responsabile per la costruzione del parco tecnologico, condurrà delle visite guidate. Naturalmente sarà anche possibile visitare il NOI Techpark autonomamente lungo un percorso che attraversa tutta l’area. Alle 11.30 e alle 16 si potrà ascoltare dalla viva voce dell’architetto Claudio Lucchin la sua avventura di ripensare e dare così nuova vita all’area della fabbrica su cui si è sviluppato il parco tecnologico, l’Ex-Alumix. Inoltre IDM Alto Adige, che gestisce il parco tecnologico, presenterà un video-tour del NOI Techpark girato con un drone e un’installazione artistica sulla storia dell’Ex-Alumix. Un altro highlight della giornata sarà l’esposizione dei ritratti dei lavoratori del cantiere scattati dal fotografo altoatesino Ivo Corrà.
I buongustai potranno poi soddisfare il proprio palato alla Noisteria, dove sarà possibile degustare prodotti tipici altoatesini. Non mancherà l’intrattenimento per i più piccoli, sempre all’insegna della tecnologia: tutto il giorno potranno infatti fare piccoli esperimenti, giochi creativi e lavoretti manuali. Per arrivare al NOI Techpark in modo “green”, oltre alla bicicletta, il 21 ottobre in via eccezionale la SASA farà circolare la linea 18 che normalmente è attiva solo durante i giorni feriali.
Aus Alt wird NOI. Innovation made in Südtirol erleben beim Open Day im Technologiepark am 21. Oktober.
Wissenschaft zum Anfassen: Am Samstag, dem 21. Oktober öffnet der NOI Techpark in der Voltastraße in Bozen von 10 bis 18 Uhr seine Tore für die Öffentlichkeit. Besucher können entdecken, wie eine ehemalige Fabrik in ein Forschungszentrum für zukunftsweisende Ideen verwandelt wurde. Neben Führungen und Begegnungen mit Forschern bietet Südtirols Technologiepark an diesem Tag auch Verkostungen und ein Unterhaltungsprogramm für Kinder.
Den eigenen ökologischen Fußabdruck berechnen, eine Software für die automatische Mimik-Erkennung testen oder verstehen, wozu man eine künstliche Sonne braucht – all das und noch mehr kann man am kommenden Samstag im NOI Techpark entdecken und ausprobieren. Das gesamte Programm des Open Day im NOI Techpark kann auf der Website www.noi.bz.it eingesehen werden.
Für die Entdeckungsreise durch die Räume des neu eröffneten Technologieparks bietet die Business Location Südtirol (BLS), die für den Bau des NOI Techpark verantwortlich zeichnet, stündlich geführte Besichtigungen an. Selbstverständlich können Besucher sich im Techpark auf Innovationskurs begeben und den Technologiepark auch auf eigene Faust entdecken. Um 11.30 und um 16 Uhr wird Architekt Claudio Lucchin über die Herausforderungen der Neugestaltung und Wiederbelebung des Ex-Alumix-Fabrikgeländes berichten, auf dem der NOI Techpark entstanden ist. Der Betreiber des Technologieparks, IDM Südtirol, präsentiert eine mit einer Drohne gedrehte Videotour durch den Park und eine künstlerische Auseinandersetzung mit der Geschichte der ehemaligen Alumix-Fabrik. Ein weiteres Highlight ist die Ausstellung des Südtiroler Fotografen Ivo Corrà, der die Bauarbeiter während der Bauphase porträtiert hat.
Five takeaways from REGENERATION 2017, 3rd edition.
Another edition (the third) is gone and I think of the punctual and constant work we did in these five months (yes, that is what it takes to organize REGENERATION) to get the most out of these 64 hours (from Wednesday, 26 at 9 o’ clock, to Friday 28, April night at 1 AM, April 29) super-concentrated of enthusiasm, innovation, creativity, internationality and robust technical skills.
I’m often flattering myself that the process is so well-known that I’m not able to grasp the differences between one edition and another. But every time the surprise catches me, little by little as I cross the Centrale Fies gates the days before; I feel the energy that is coming up. It’s never the same experience and I’m fond of people and teams (people make teams …) and so impressed with their willingness to give the best of themselves for a common end result. Also this time it was different, these are my five main take-aways.
1. The force is in the group
People make the group. Thus begins, the theoretical exercise that we make every year at the end of the selection process, to form groups as much balanced as we can. We try to balance everything: architects and engineers, Italians and foreigners (but we are all Europeans, what really changes between an engineer from Turin and a Slovakian architect?), males and females (yes, “males and females”, not “men and women”, as we used to say when we were kids and we went to school ;-), age (the teams are more or less of the same average age, about thirty years old), the areas of sustainability (energy, water or materials? ), curricula, graduates, doctorates, masters, experiences, projects’ portfolio, etc. etc. etc.
YELLOW team
Then, throughout the workshop, little by little, it is the group that emerges, it is the group that makes people, and among three teams theoretically perfectly balanced, in the end there is only one who wins; and it is always, I say always, the best-knit. Dynamics, synergies, continuous confrontation, optimism, and a pinch of calm in the creative disorder. After three years I know how you can win REGENERATION 😉
2. If energy is limitless.
Energy begins to grow in the days before the start of REGENERATION. We do the inspections and each time I understand that no coincidence brought us here. Here, where the Fies hydroelectric plant started producing in 1909 to cover the energy needs of the city of Trento, the factory continues to produce creative energy. Energy is not unlimited and it is consumed, someone would think. But when it comes to competition, energy instead of being consumed, is produced, by the quiet and constant interaction of the 15 participants. It’s a renewable energy, actually.
BLUE team (with Martin Brown, tutor)
This year, unlike the previous editions, we anticipated the entire program of half a day, to allow young professionals to conclude the three projects within Friday night, at 1 AM. But they started to stay up late (3, 4, …) already from the first night. When creativity is bulimia. 64 hours x 5 people = 320 men/women hours… I thought they would have been completely squeezed on Friday night… nothing, they were more or less as fresh as a daisy. Energy regenerates. And it is contagious.
3. Living Building Challenge. We can do it.
Once again the Living Building Challenge has been won. You can re-qualify a building with a zero environmental impact; yes, you can do it and it’s also fun. In 2015, the first REGENERATION building was the municipal library of Dro (1975), a building with good potential for transformation, also in relation to the nearby Sarca River. Last year, for the second edition, an additional complication, a historic building with preservation constraints – the Arco Bus Station (1891) – and also in this case the teams (all of them) did it.
GREEN team (with Emanuele Naboni, tutor)
This time, we have broadened the range of action, asking the participants to analyze the relationship between the “A. Zadra” elementary school and the Degasperi district, in Riva del Garda. A jump in scale, where you can see the transition between the building and the community, always following the Living Building Challenge philosophy. And even in this case the challenge (technical, architectural, technological, urban planning) was won. I continue to say, and I really start to convince myself, Living Building Challenge buildings are the buildings of the future, like the NZEBs (Nearly Energy Zero Buildings) that will be mandatory in Italy since 2019 according to 2010/31 EU Directive.
4. A replicable model
2015, Dro. 2016, Arco. 2017, Riva del Garda. We arrived at the lake front. A typical 70s building, a historic building, this time a neighborhood. And now? How to go on? The question turns in my head for a while.
The mechanism is running, the scheme works, and the model is replicable. Boundaries are now too small; the gameplay is ready to be re-presented in new contexts. European, like Europeans are the brilliant professionals who come to Fies every year to come out to promote the principles of the Living Building Challenge in their cities and nations. In addition, the surprising results (the three projects submitted are always valid and feasible) triggered by the almost three days of intense work by each of the three teams, clash with the solid procedures practice (policy choices, funding decrees, bidding, permissions, etc., etc.) and enthusiasm is blurred on time. In short, REGENERATION needs a regeneration…
Centrale Fies
5. Genius loci
The Genius loci is a natural and supernatural entity linked to a place and object of worship in the Roman religion. This association between Genius and the physical site originates from the Augustan age. According to Servio, nullus locus sine Genio (no place is without a Genius) (Commentary to Eneide, 5, 95). Genius loci is now understood in architecture to identify the set of socio-cultural, architectural, linguistic, and habitat characteristics that characterize a place, an environment, a city. A transversal term, which deals with the characteristics of an environment interlaced with man and the habits with which he lives in this environment. It indicates the “character” of a place.
There is a genius in the locus of Centrale Fies. Something that was there, that is there now, that has appeared at each REGENERATION, something that remains behind us as we pass the gate in the cold last night, before the final presentations. Some things are really difficult to be written in a call for a design competition…
It is a design workshop – entirely based on the Living Building Challenge standard – in which teams composed of young professionals under 35 years old, are called to develop a project of sustainable requalification of an existing public building for the local community. Every team should respond to specific requirements defined in the announcement Integrative design, synergistic development of the project and sharing of expertise are necessary prerogatives to tackle this challenge. The purpose of the competition is to show the best sustainable regeneration project for the existing building in terms of architecture, energy efficiency, livability and relationship with social, urban and natural context.
3rd edition teams and projects:
YELLOW team (winner): Francesco Perozzo (leader, Italy), Giulia Guglielmo (Italy), Louise Hamot (France), Sonia-Iulia Raetchi (Romania), Eugenijus Sapel (Lithuania). Project: COLSFOOT.
BLUE team: Estelle Cruz (leader, France), Ilaria Lando (Italy), Marco Rossato (Italy), Anamaria Vasile (Romania), Jurgis Zemitis (Latvia). Project: GROWING BUILDING.
GREEN team: Nicolò Santon (leader, Italy), Marta Frolova (Latvia), Federica Grott (Italy), Isabela Manu (Romania), Marian Ontkoc (Slovakia). Project: L’INFINITO.
REGENERATION è il primo concorso di progettazione per giovani (meno di 35 anni) architetti e ingegneri europei interamente basato sul protocollo di sostenibilità dell’ambiente costruito Living Building Challenge, il più rigoroso al mondo. Giunto alla terza edizione, è organizzato da Carlo Battisti con Macro Design Studio e il Living Building Challenge Collaborative: Italy e con il supporto dell’International Living Future Institute di Seattle (WA, USA), l’ente che ha sviluppato e promuove lo standard LBC.
the Sustainable Innovation Management Blog remains ad-free and takes hundreds of hours yearly.
If you find any joy and value in it, please consider donating with a recurring monthly or one-time donation of your choosing.
Thank you !
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 🙂
The first 
Martin Brown – Restorative Sustainability
Alison Watson – Sustainability Education
Edeltraud Haselsteiner – RESTORE Working Group 1
Emanuele Naboni – RESTORE Working Group 2
Joe Clancy – Biophilia
Elizabeth Calabrese – Biophilic Design
Amanda Sturgeon – Biophilia (via webinar)
Ann Vanner – Sustainable Heritage
Anne Parker – Mindfulness for Sustainability
Jenni Barrett – Landscaping for Regenerative Sustainability
Barbara Jones – Straw Works
L’
