Regenerative Architecture: Design That Matters
Sustainability was defined at the 1987 UN conference as development that “meets present needs without compromising the ability of future generation to meet their needs” (WECD, 1987), this is the most excepted definition of sustainability. Regenerative design goes beyond sustainability, instead of trying to not damage the environment it tries to improve the environment for future generations. Regenerative architecture looks at the site and the building as one complete entity. Damaging the site therefore directly damages the architecture. This is achieved by designing architecture that functions in a closed-loop system. This means that the building “harvests” all its own water and energy, and also eliminates all waste. Regenerative design looks at nature and the existing natural site for its direction. This is because nature is the only true example of regenerative design. An example of this is the water cycle. First it rains, the water collects into rivers, streams, the ocean, etc, the water then evaporates back into clouds before raining back down. This completes one round of an endless closed-loop cycle.
Modern technology offers many benefits for regenerative design. Technology can greatly reduce energy loads and monitor the building, controlling systems so that the building becomes almost living, reacting to the changes in the environment. The most important aspect of regenerative architecture is, however, passive design. By using the power of nature a building can remain comfortable almost every day without any energy use.
Vernacular architecture, prior to the industrial revolution, offers examples of passive designs keeping buildings comfortable in almost any climate. Ancient adobe structures throughout the American southwest remain comfortable during even the warmest days of the year, without the use of HVAC. This is possible because of the many passive design techniques used. The buildings are oriented with the longest sides running east-west in order to maximize southern exposure. The large thermal mass of the adobe structure absorbs the cool night temperatures, during the day the cool structure keeps interior spaces comfortable, while at night the building radiates the heat collected during the day. Other examples of passive design in ancient vernacular architecture can be found on every continent with the exception of Antarctica.
Other passive design techniques can be used to keep building comfortable without the use of energy. The sun is at a higher altitude in the summer than the winter, this allows for awnings and other overhangs to extend out far enough to block direct summer sunlight and heat from entering the building, but allow winter sunlight and heat to enter and warm the building. Other simple things such as small windows facing the common wind direction with large openings on the opposite side help pull and distribute the wind throughout the space. Studies of buildings which use natural ventilation have shown a dramatic reduction in employee sick days, as opposed to buildings relying on HVAC. South facing windows with louvers, overhangs, light shelves, and other techniques, as well as north facing windows allow indirect natural into the building, illuminating the space without any annoying glare.
Native plant life is the preferred vegetation for regenerative architecture. Native plants offer many advantages to foreign vegetation. Indigenous plants will survive in the climate without additional water, native species of birds, butterflies and other small creatures are more likely to return to the area and flourish in the native plants. Finally, foreign plants can also have unforeseen impacts that could damage the local ecosystem. Living roofs offer place for native plants, they reduce CO2 levels, and minimize the heat island effect created by large built areas. It is often assumed that living roofs offer a high level of installation, which will help reduce HVAC loads. This is often not the case thought. Most living roofs are built for grass and very small shrubs, with just a few inches of soil. This is not enough medium to offer a significant insulating value. Living roofs designed for larger plants consisting of a few feet of soil do offer significant insulation, but require extensive structure to hold the weight of the soil when wet.
Recently campuses such as Oberlin College in Oberlin OH, and the Omega Center in Rhinebeck NY, use natural reeds and gravel to filter all the grey and black water produce on the campuses. These reed beds not only reduce the water collection needs of a campus, but also offer attractive ponds for the campus. Once filter thought the gradually declining reed beds the water is clean enough to be reused throughout the campus. Only a simple UV filter is necessary to clean the water enough to be drinkable. This process of water filtration cleans the water without the use of any chemicals.
While passive design offers numerous benefits in today’s society buildings use energy. Regenerative architecture looks towards new technologies to provide the project with all needed energy. Photovoltaics have become the most popular technology for producing this energy, but many other options are available. Windmills with blades ranging from over a hundred feet to just a couple are available, and in the right climate can produce vast amounts of energy. Other options rely on river and tidal currents to power turbines in the water. Even newer technology uses a buoy that produces energy from the rise and drop of ocean levels near land. In addition there are large solar farms which use mirrors to reflect sunlight to a tower, using the energy for the sun to heat the water in the tower until it produces steam. Like steam engines on a train the steam is then used to turn a turbine and produce power. Unlike locomotive steam engines though, the energy comes from the sun and produces no pollutants. In addition to new techniques improving old technology can be very beneficial.
Solar panels are becoming much more efficient than in the past. Testing has occurred for a spray on solar energy collector. Although this technology is not as efficient as standard solar panels it offers a much wider range of applications. In Renzo Piano’s new building, the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, translucent solar panels where used on the roof. Theses panels embedded in glass, diffuse the direct sunlight, but allow enough light through to illuminate the space.
In conclusion regenerative design looks to move beyond the trend of sustainability and to produce buildings that actually improve the environment. I personally am a huge advocate for sustainability, but I believe it is the stepping stone to better things and that we cannot stop pushing towards regenerative design.