Drivers and Barriers Leading to a Successful Paradigm Shift toward Regenerative Neighborhoods
Open Access
- 6 May 2021
- journal article
- research article
- Published by MDPI AG in Sustainability
- Vol. 13 (9), 5179
- https://doi.org/10.3390/su13095179
Abstract
Regenerative sustainability is gaining great attention as an essential concept for a transformative process, a re-designed mindset shifting from the narrowed focus of considering particular aspects such as energy efficiency, renewable materials, or sustainable technology towards the creation of a self-regenerating social and ecological system. Apart from being a vision of the future, regenerative sustainability has already been implemented successfully in individual projects, plans, and extensive strategies. The goals of this research are (1) to set up the conceptual framework for regenerative sustainability principles in the built environment; (2) to investigate and identify the drivers and barriers faced during the implementation of regenerative principles in the built environment; and (3) to identify gaps in the paradigm shift towards regenerative districts and macro-level projects. A multi-stage methodology was implemented. First, an in-depth literature review was conducted aiming to understand regenerative sustainability state of the art and define the key principles. Then, quantitative data analysis was conducted aiming to identify drivers and barriers of regenerative implementation in buildings following by semi-structured interviews with the representatives of regenerative buildings or districts. The step-by-step methodology resulted in the identified drivers of applying the regenerative principles, which are available financial incentives; marketing and sales benefits; improved companies/investors market image and competitive market advantage; reduced building lifecycle costs/effective use of energy and resources; enhancement buildings’ users’ well-being; and receiving building certification. The main barriers identified were lack of knowledge and experience working with regenerative materials and technologies by employees, consultants, and construction companies and usage of the available tools that enable such constructions; overall stakeholders’ culture and their resistance to changing their mindset toward a regenerative approach; inadequacy of national and international standards and legislation to address regenerative policies; and increased construction cost and time and lack of financial incentives. Ultimately, during the broad examination of the case studies, regenerative qualities served as a valuable insight to understand barriers and drivers at neighborhood and macro levels.This publication has 39 references indexed in Scilit:
- Implementing Regenerative Standards in Politically Green Nordic Social Welfare States: Can Sweden Adopt the Living Building Challenge?Sustainability, 2021
- The Framework of the Principles of Sustainable Urban Ecosystems Development and FunctioningSustainability, 2020
- Calculation and evaluation of circularity indicators for the built environment using the case studies of UMAR and MadasterJournal of Cleaner Production, 2019
- About the Triggering of UN Sustainable Development Goals and Regenerative Sustainability in Higher EducationSustainability, 2019
- Explaining differential vulnerability to climate change: A social science reviewWires Climate Change, 2018
- Biodiversity and the built environment: Implications for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 2018
- Circular economy for the built environment: A research frameworkJournal of Cleaner Production, 2017
- Towards a regenerative paradigm for the built environmentBuilding Research & Information, 2012
- Regenerative design and development: current theory and practiceBuilding Research & Information, 2012
- Shifting from ‘sustainability’ to regenerationBuilding Research & Information, 2007