The Role of the Built Environment in the Regenerative Transition

Abstract

This research focuses on the environmental impact of cities, proposing a biomimetic approach for urban development. Cities can be redesigned to have a positive impact on the environment if their identity is challenged. For that, deeper understanding of ecosystems is needed. This study advocates for recognizing the real value of ecosystem services (ES), often overlooked in urban planning, by introducing the concept of exergy in the ES framework. Besides, it also highlights the need of applying regenerative design in urban structures, drawing inspiration from the Wheel of Life's Principles. Lastly, it concludes that cities must become autopoietic, fostering connectivity and relying on regenerative design principles. The integration of ecosystems in the built environment, mirroring life system processes, is proposed to efficiently distribute exergy in urban metabolism and address climate change.