How can you succeed in environmental design and biophilia?

1 Understand the benefits

Environmental design and biophilia can offer many benefits for you, your clients, and the planet, such as improving physical and mental health through reduced stress, enhanced mood, and boosted immunity. Additionally, these approaches can increase productivity, creativity, and engagement by stimulating the senses, fostering curiosity, and providing a sense of connection. Furthermore, they can help save energy, water, and resources by using natural materials, systems, and processes that reduce waste, emissions, and costs. Finally, they can support biodiversity, conservation, and restoration by creating habitats, corridors, and buffers for wildlife and plants.

2 Know the principles

To succeed in environmental design and biophilia, you need to understand the principles that guide your decisions and actions. These principles are based on scientific research, best practices, and ethical values, such as the 14 Patterns of Biophilic Design by Terrapin Bright Green, the Living Building Challenge by the International Living Future Institute, and the Principles of Regenerative Design by Regenesis Group. The 14 Patterns describe elements, attributes, and relationships that evoke positive biophilic responses; the Living Building Challenge is a certification program that requires projects to meet 20 imperatives across seven performance areas; and the Principles of Regenerative Design are a set of questions and concepts to create systems that enhance life's vitality, resilience, and evolution.

3 Assess the context

Every environmental design and biophilia project is unique, so it’s essential to assess the context carefully and holistically before beginning. This can include conducting a site analysis that covers natural, cultural, and historical aspects of the location, engaging with stakeholders who will use, manage, or benefit from the project, and defining a vision, mission, and objectives that will drive the project. Consider factors such as climate, topography, ecology, heritage, regulations, purpose, values, and outcomes.

4 Apply the strategies

Once you have assessed the context, you can apply strategies to achieve your environmental design and biophilia goals. These strategies are grouped into three levels: direct, indirect, and symbolic. Direct strategies involve bringing actual nature into the space, such as plants, animals, water, light, air, and sound. Indirect strategies involve mimicking nature through natural materials, colors, shapes, textures, and patterns. Finally, symbolic strategies evoke nature in the space with art, images, symbols, stories, and metaphors.

5 Evaluate the outcomes

After you have applied the strategies, it is essential to evaluate the outcomes of your environmental design and biophilia project. This will enable you to measure the impact, gain insights from feedback, and make improvements. To assess the results, you can collect quantitative data such as energy use, water consumption, air quality, and user satisfaction. Additionally, qualitative data such as interviews, surveys, observations and testimonials can provide information about the perception, experience and behavior of the project. Finally, comparing the data with the baseline, benchmarks and targets you established in the assessment phase will help you identify gaps, strengths and weaknesses.

6 Keep learning and growing

Environmental design and biophilia is a dynamic and evolving field that requires continuous learning and growth. To stay up-to-date on the latest trends, innovations, and challenges, you should read books, articles, blogs, and reports related to the theory, practice, and case studies of environmental design and biophilia. You should also attend courses, workshops, webinars, and conferences to gain training, network with others in the field, and find inspiration. Additionally, joining communities, groups, and organizations that support environmental design and biophilia projects can be beneficial.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?