What does the concept of regenerative building encompass, and how can it be understood in practice? This question is the focal point of the first publication in a planned series of three research-based publications in the Realdania-supported project Regenerative Building – examples, processes, and narratives from an ongoing paradigm shift.

The publication begins with a literature review that traces the development of the concept of regenerative design over nearly 100 years. It examines how the concept has been interpreted and applied over time and establishes a common conceptual framework that can serve as a basis for more precise and critical discussions.

In addition, the publication presents an overview of 65 buildings with regenerative approaches, selected from more than 100 examples. It identifys key themes and categories that recur across the projects.

The publication also introduces life cycle assessment (LCA) and highlights how biodiversity data can be incorporated into work on regenerative construction.

In conclusion, the publication addresses the challenges associated with assessing and measuring regenerative aspects in the built environment. The field is still evolving, and the publication points out that regenerative qualities cannot be understood through a narrow focus on greenhouse gases alone. At the same time, it emphasizes that site-specific conditions and the need for systems thinking make comparisons complex and require knowledge from multiple disciplines.

The project is led by Lotte M. Bjerregaard Jensen at Aarhus School of Architecture with support from Realdania.

Read VOL. 1