Be part of the change. Can we reimagine relationships between people and nature?

A significant transformation of the built environment is vital if we’re to solve the climate and biodiversity crises. They’re all interlinked – and the natural world can be a powerful ally. It’s why we need to rethink the relationship between people and nature.

Nature is not just a ‘nice to have’, it’s an essential partner if the built environment is to adapt to climate change, mitigate its effects and build resilience. The natural world’s ability to sequester carbon, clean water and air, cool buildings, improve wellbeing and provide resilience to climate extremes such as flooding and drought, is unparalleled. It’s why protecting and restoring nature must be a primary goal.

The built environment plays an outsized role in humanity’s consumptive habits, accounting for 40% of global resource use and 40% of waste streams. This is set to double as the population expands to 9.8 billion by 2050. What we construct is also responsible for 39% of global carbon emissions. The pace of proposed construction could literally cost the earth.

At the same time, more than half the world’s GDP, or US$44 trillion in economic value, is moderately or highly dependent on nature, which is increasingly stressed. This is likely to be an underestimate. It means that reimagining relationships between the built environment, people and the natural world must now take on a new impetus – and the results could be overwhelmingly positive.

“The conventional business frame for environmental thinking is not to take the starting point of gain, or growth or investment. It's to stop, avoid damage, do no harm. Avoiding losses is important, but if we flip that and have a growth mentality for nature, it aligns perfectly with a business mentality." Heather Tallis, Senior Fellow, Center for Coastal Climate Resilience, University of California, Santa Cruz

These are some of the conclusions from top industry experts from around the globe after an extensive consultation by the Tetra Tech High Performance Buildings Group, a global team of built environment experts. Real estate providers, engineers, financiers, and sustainability and Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) experts, as well as those in public service provision, were all interviewed in this process.

Another key conclusion is that the industry has to build with nature as the starting point, recognizing its value and the importance of investing in long-term preservation and enhancement. This involves embracing nature-based and regenerative, nature-positive solutions, as well as biomimicry – design inspired by the natural world, and biophilic design - inspired by human’s connection with nature. Increasingly we need to build with the natural world not in spite of it, with a focus on green and blue infrastructure first, gray second, to reverse the decline in biodiversity.

“People, nature and the economy. All of those three have to work together.” Liz Parkes, UK Deputy Director for Climate, Chemicals & Markets, Environment Agency

This involves a shift in mindset, where nature is the starting point for a project – building on the assumption that the natural world can offer solutions unless proven otherwise. Better stewardship among design teams and a greater understanding and respect for nature has a lot of potential in providing humanity with more desirable, climate-resilient, low-carbon infrastructure.

Then there is the ‘S’ factor in ESG, the social element. Building with nature in mind and embedding nature-based solutions has proven to be better for human wellbeing, particularly mental health. In a more urbanized world, a greater connection with nature and biodiversity will be crucial, since twice as many people will live in built-up urban spaces than in rural ones, by 2050.

Disclosing and accounting for nature-related risks and opportunities is also an imperative, not just for developers of the built environment but for insurers, real estate companies and engineers. A number of experts said an ecosystem of players will be needed to collectively understand nature’s strengths in combating climate issues and deliver results.

Already, investors are starting to consider the dependence of their assets on nature as part of their decision making. This is being driven by the likes of the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures, the Science-Based Targets initiative, and pioneering frameworks such as the indigenous-based ‘Connecting with Country’ approach in Australia. This will drive developers to take action. More is needed.

Local empowerment is also important. Climate change is a global crisis, but its effects are felt locally. The built environment is delivered locally as well. Often, people on the ground know about the solutions that can help adapt to and mitigate against climate change, but also what building back better looks like with nature in mind.

“There is a lot of interest in nature; how can we see it from a risk perspective, but also from an opportunity perspective.” Mabel Paola Gonzalez Pacheco, UNEP Finance Initiative Regional Coordinator for Latin America & Caribbean

Reimagining relationships can certainly be inspired by the natural world. This is where biomimicry comes into play, and a move towards a more circular economy. As biologist Janine Benyus said: “Nature is the ultimate model for sustainability and resource efficiency”.

Can the industry engineer the built environment so that it is not only net-zero, but net-positive? Can it create buildings that actively benefit the natural environment or reverse ecological damage? Yes, it can. The good thing is that nature is very visual and tangible, unlike perhaps some other ESG topics. It is easier to communicate and evoke an emotional response. Humanity also has a strong affinity to nature. The industry therefore has a head start.

Reimagining the built environment today is crucial for a more sustainable tomorrow.

Be part of the change.

Reimagining – a debate in three questions:

How can we rethink relationships between people, projects and nature?

How do we reimagine the built environment so that nature-based solutions come as a default priority?

How do we value nature so that it is at the heart of every built environment project?

A case in point:

Boola Katitjin Building, Murdoch University - Perth, Australia

We delivered core building and specialist engineering services designs for the Boola Katitjin Building. It follows biophilic principles of connecting occupants to nature and is the largest educational building built from mass-engineered timber in the Southern Hemisphere. It is also fossil–fuel-free. The project team prioritized reduction of embodied carbon in construction materials, reducing it by 55%. Operational carbon is reduced by 90%.

The architecture passively controls solar gains to minimize cooling energy and enhance thermal comfort. The building also takes advantage of the climate, while protecting the building against heat extremes to produce the best possible sustainable outcomes for the building.

Bringing the wonder back to Earls Court, U.K.

We were challenged with supporting our client, The Earls Court Development Company (ECDC), to set out their Sustainable Development Charter (Principles for Future Living) for the development of the area. It will be transformed into an inspiring neighbourhood with circa 4,000 new homes, targeting 35% affordable, 2.5 million sq ft of workspace, three major new culture and performance venues, and a network of Exhibition Gardens and open spaces.

Thinking of the future first, we worked backwards to set the goals for today that will ensure the long-term low impact of the project. We set long term goals that encompass all business activity and include embodied carbon as well as operational carbon and have committed to publishing targets, demonstrating that they will be met.

Quotes from our conversations

“We need to move towards regenerative design and question each time - are we moving towards regenerative? This gives me a new mindset for measurement.” Bill Browning, Partner, Terrapin Bright Green

Tetra Tech High Performance Buildings Group brings together the expertise of talented engineers, commissioning agents, and energy analysts from around the world. For more than 50 years, Tetra Tech’s design practice has expanded to meet the needs of commercial and government clients looking to improve the sustainability of their buildings.

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Acknowledgements. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to the following leaders and experts who contributed ideas and insights to this report:

Liz Parkes, UK Environment Agency Deputy Director for Climate, Chemicals & Markets

Liz leads the UK Environment Agency’s thinking on climate change. She works closely with a range of UK Government Departments on both preventing and responding to the climate emergency and brings a focus on how we put people at the heart of that thinking. Liz combines extensive regulatory experience with the ability to think creatively and strategically about the future and to engage others in that journey.

Liz Parkes MBE | LinkedIn

Mabel Paola Gonzalez Pacheco, UNEP Finance Initiative Regional Coordinator for Latin America & Caribbean

Before taking on her current role, Mabel worked for the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) as Senior Advisor, International Relations and as Head of Operations and Sustainability for The Montreal Group, an international forum of SME-focused public banks.

Previously, she was Head of the Canadian Subsidiary for Vigeo Eiris (VE) affiliate of Moody’s Investor Services, one of the world’s first ESG rating agencies and also director of corporate social responsibility at Asobancaria, the Colombian national association of banks where she led the team that designed the first national program to promote financial literacy and the Green Protocol, the first agreement between the Government and the financial sector to foster sustainable development.

Mabel González Pacheco | LinkedIn