Project Orange, AEW Architects, Mike Tuck Studio and Howells share their insights on the key issues hindering the transition to regenerative architecture.

Old Forge housing, Somerleyton, Suffolk, by Project Orange. “We have chosen to share an image of our Old Forge Housing in Somerleyton where preserving the Oak tree led to the final layout. The use of local thatch and flint along with green roofed car ports demonstrate a sensitive approach to new housing in this Victorian Model Village.”

Project Orange
“As a micro-practice we can struggle to make our voice heard. While most of our domestic clients are fully supportive of our approach to the climate emergency, we remain surprised by the laissez faire approach from corporate clients. As a result we have moved away from these sectors as we are not able to be agents of change.

We are heartened by our work in our local community and designing a manual for retrofitting both listed buildings and post-war housing to ensure better resilience to climate change and to assist with fuel poverty. We see this collaborative approach as a significant pivot, and look forward to being part of a radical rural movement that connects people to place.”

“Our office fit out is inspired by biophilic design and we have been a B Corp since December 2022. Being a B Corp provides third party certification of our commitment to consider environmental and social impacts alongside profit.” (Credit: AEW Architects)

AEW Architects
“As a practice in the commercial environment we have made a conscious decision to try and engage with our clients and take them on the journey with us to sustainable architecture and beyond into regenerative practices. However, this does come with its challenges. Many of our projects are developer led schemes where end-users are unknown, so there is a disconnect between the end users who will see direct benefits across the project life cycle and the developer who is more focussed on construction cost and viability. Fortunately, forward thinking developers are seeing advantages in terms of raising finance if they move beyond business as usual. Enhanced sustainability provides increased project value over time but any upfront cost impact does also need to be balanced with overall project viability.”

To decarbonise the UK’s housing stock and make buildings more climate-resilient, retrofitting must take a holistic, regenerative approach, avoiding carbon-intensive materials and considering the full carbon lifecycle and potential unintended impacts. This drawing shows the fabric-first, specific and detailed approach we have taken on a retrofit project in North London and emphasises that regenerative retrofit must be site specific and eschew any political and societal tendencies towards broad-brush policies and implementations. (Credit: Mike Tuck Studio)

Mike Tuck Studio
“Our significant barriers to regenerative practice stem from the regulatory environment, traditional supply chains and procurement methods that still skew to unsustainable practices and the prevalence of petroleum-based products e.g. permitted development regulations require that external wall insulation be clad in matching or similar materials, often limiting the use of a natural product and necessitating the use of brick slips which must then be attached to a carbon-heavy rigid PIR insulation that brick slips can be fixed to.

Homeowners face increased costs and uncertainties when using natural materials and struggle to find skilled contractors, the cost of which is unlikely to be realised in property value or bill reductions. There is also a cultural resistance: domestic retrofit requires intimate specific engagement with the individual house that broad-brush policy cannot achieve. It also requires experimentation with low-carbon materials and methods. Above all, clients are expected to bear the risk and cost.”

Completed in 2014, Gloucester Services by Howells exemplifies regenerative design, integrating biodiversity, low-carbon principles, and community-centered circularity. Nestled in the Cotswolds, it features locally sourced materials, sheltered gardens, and food sourced within 30 miles, setting a standard for sustainable motorway facilities. (Images credit: Jim Stephenson)

Howells
“1. The lack of national drive to introduce policies/regulations in construction that address the planetary crises: e.g. embodied carbon in materials; financial support failure – traditionally carbon-intensive and state-subsidised materials remain the ‘go-to’ materials; no supportive policies re: acceleration in the use of stone or biobased materials other than timber. Support for these materials, from crop management that works with nature, to supply chains and end use in buildings, lags far behind.

2. The recent steep rise in materials, labour and borrowing costs due to national and geopolitical events mean clients are de-prioritising what they see as lower value elements within their building assets e.g. public realm, landscaping and biodiversity.

3. Material banks and circular supply chains at scale for large schemes not yet widely established.

4. All of the above means we face difficulty in convincing some clients it is ‘the right thing to do’. Fortunately a few are trailblazers.”

Visit the Regenerative Architecture Network to read responses from all of the 68 practices who participated in the Regenerative Architecture Index