Rethinking Sustainability: Mapping Microclimatic Conditions on Buildings as a Regenerative Design Strategy

Abstract

Once humankind became aware of environmental problems, more opportunities were open for research and discoveries, which expanded the boundaries, and gave force to sustainability in architecture. However, in sustainability, any damage caused by human development is not considered, and in numerous cases, the term is misused. Many interventions are underpinned 'green' and 'sustainable' but are unable to provide any benefit to the environment. This misconception reflects the individualistic attitude that human development has concerning the planet. Therefore, considering the built environment as part of the natural environment can be beneficial in developing different strategies for producing sustainable and regenerative projects. Combining nature with architecture can help to trigger empathy and respect, generating new relationships between humans and nature. This paper will critique the misappropriation of the term sustainability and exhibit concepts of regenerative design, which will scaffold a conceptual framework of treating the building as part of the landscape. The relevance of the presented framework is that the building is thought of as a feature in the landscape that creates microclimatic conditions for various plant habitats, and it has the potential to become a tool to include regenerative principles in the urban context.