A Changemaker's Guide

The built environment accounts for nearly 40 per cent of carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions, 60 per cent of global resource consumption and 50 percent of global waste production – with devastating consequences for natural ecosystems. With urban populations expected to increase by 2.2 billion by 2050, the doubling of building stock under current practices could consume three-quarters of the carbon budget required to meet the 1.5°C climate target set by the Paris Agreement.

On the other hand, cities worldwide face mounting challenges, from housing affordability and health crises to food security and urban informality. In this context, climate mitigation and adaptation emerge as additional but essential priorities requiring significant resources and commitment. Research suggests that climate initiatives are more likely to gain public support when framed through an equity and socio-economic lens, as they address the intersecting concerns of environmental and social inequalities.

The concept of a regenerative built environment offers an opportunity to address the complex challenges we currently face. It provides a compass to imagine a future that is sustainable, restorative and socially responsible. Adopting a systems thinking approach is essential to understanding and addressing the interconnected environmental, social, and economic factors that shape the built environment. Systems thinking emphasizes that change emerges from the collective efforts of diverse stakeholders – sharing goals and establishing partnerships based on common agendas, leveraging their strengths for joint action.

Our publication Transitioning to a Regenerative Built Environment: A Changemaker’s Guide presents a framework for initiating and managing the transition to a regenerative built environment. It's based on in-depth research on theoretical concepts and practical case studies, including a pilot project in Cape Town. Alongside the framework, the guide presents key lessons and insights from this pilot project. This Guide could be applied for a more inclusive, impactful, and culturally sensitive approach to transforming the built environment into a regenerative, resilient, and just system.

The learnings from the process were shared through a series of webinars from October 2024 to March 2025. The first webinar brought together professionals and changemakers to discuss the critical enablers and barriers to systemic change in Cape Town. The second and third webinars explored the insights from the Guide, explaining why a systems approach is essential, and highlighting the key lessons learned.

Watch the three webinars here:

Webinar 1: Insights and Strategies for Initiating Systemic Change

Enablers and Barriers to Systemic Change in Cape Town’s Built Environment - Prof. Andrew Boraine (Independent partnering practitioner)

Learnings from successful initiatives for change - Johanna Westermann (Bauhaus Earth)

Moderator : Nishendra Moodley (EDP)

‍

Webinar 2: Insights from Cape Town and Beyond

A Changemaker’s Guide - Dr. Gediminas Lesutis (Bauhaus Earth) and Johanna Westermann (Independent researcher and urban designer)

Rwanda Institute for Conservation Agriculture - Noella Nibakuze (MASS Design Group)

Africa Urban Transformations - Prof. Dr. Edgar Pieterse (African Centre for Cities)

Moderator: Prof. Andrew Boraine (Independent partnering practitioner)

‍

‍

Webinar 3: Innovations from Global Cities 

A Changemaker’s Guide - Dr. Gediminas Lesutis (Bauhaus Earth) and Johanna Westermann (Independent researcher and urban designer)

Climate-Resilient Development in the Hindu Kush Himalaya Region - Erica Udas (International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development)

Integrating Urban Green and Grey Riverine Infrastructure for Flood Resilience - Amanda Gcanga (World Resources Institute)

Moderator: Prof. Dr. Philipp Misselwitz (Bauhaus Earth)

‍

The project was convened by the Western Cape Economic Development Partnership (EDP), the African Centre for Cities (ACC) at the University of Cape Town, and Bauhaus Earth (BE), with support from the Toni Piëch Foundation (TPF). It took place in Cape Town, South Africa, from September 2023 to May 2024. The project explored the practical application of the concept of a regenerative built environment and the pathways for achieving such a transformation. Specifically, it assessed the relevance and impact of a regenerative shift in the built environment sector, refined the vision, and identified key opportunities and strategies for initiating change.

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍