Regenerative architecture is designed to function beyond lowering the carbon impacts of the
construction and post-construction processes. In the most rudimentary sense of the term, it aims
to revive the immediate environment by nullifying the eects of this carbon footprint. A ‘green
building’ is still a building, leaving behind the impact of its construction processes and the
embodied carbon of its materials. In the case of a ‘green building’, the collateral damage during
construction processes may be reduced, but it persists as an issue until and throughout the
building’s operational phase. Thus, the way to design consciously is to parallelly ‘undo’ the
damage.
Carbon Sinks as a Strategy to Draw Reign on Carbon Emission
Carbon sinks are mechanised reservoirs that absorb and process carbon from the demolition to construction stages. Carbon sink mechanisms could be forest covers, healthy soil patches, or water pockets—any articial or human-made system enabling carbon sequestration from the atmosphere.
When planning for upcoming built masses, architects and other design stakeholders must isolate 20% of the overall land parcel to generate active carbon sinks. These sinks support the forests and surrounding areas, making them sovereign adjunct green patches with thriving biodiversity.
Biomass Metric and the Role of Carbon Sinks
Biomass is the city’s reserve of renewable resources. It uses tree cover and local biodiversity to sequester carbon from the air. The carbon sinks are designed to increase the amount of carbon mass in the city’s biomass metric. By prompting increased carbon dioxide absorption and the
production of oxygen, these carbon pools further the action of carbon sequestration and help restore the carbon impact. The greenlands or water bodies strengthen the ecosystem with insects, bees, butteries, and birds. Eectively, this rich biodiversity supports the soil’s
microbiome and further enriches the biomass and capacity of the carbon sink forest. Eventually, this propels carbon sequestration and increases water absorption—owing to its enhanced percolation rate.
Regenerative Design as a Primary Solution
Designs that leave behind minimal footprints and revive the ecosystem can be deemed
regenerative architecture. Regenerative design, by its nature, operates on a circular model of indemnifying the carbon impact. It initiates a cohesive give-and-take dynamic between urban dwellers and their depleting biomass.
Combined with the two other pillars of designing contextually and for complete inclusivity, this must be the operating agenda for any stakeholder responsible for conceptualising built environments in the current timelines.
Delhi’s air quality crisis has been the subject of research by multiple agencies. A singular point of concern could not be identied for this multidimensional issue. Architecture, however, can become a major contributing factor in harnessing carbon emissions. With strategic sequestering and an active intent to propel change for increased biomass, carbon footprints can be minimised. A eeting glimpse of a situation where the world began to restore its biomass index was witnessed during the global lockdown induced by the pandemic. A similar situation could be simulated if newer construction incorporates regenerative design as an intrinsic part of the design processes.
As architectural boundaries continue to be pushed, luxury housing in India will undoubtedly remain at the forefront of architectural innovation, offering residents a life of unmatched luxe and style while enabling community living.
