Purpose of this Summary
This document (and the supporting research document Rethinking our built environments: Towards a sustainable future) aims to encourage central government organisations to think about the economic, social, and environmental benefits of taking a positive development approach. Central government organisations are encouraged to explore how the concept of regenerative development could strengthen and progress their policy areas as they relate to the built environment.
Background to the Study
This summary arises from a strategic review of the Ministry for the Environment sustainable building work stream in late 2007. As part of this review central government organisations asked what end point they were aiming for, and how they would know when they had arrived. Central government organisations were also interested in knowing how the sustainable building work stream could more fully incorporate social and economic sustainability.
To help answer these questions, the Ministry commissioned a study to examine whether redesigning New Zealand’s built environments using different development approaches would lead to greater benefits. The study also looked at the benefits of the sustainable building work stream taking a more holistic, integrated approach to development. This is important when you consider that government organisations in New Zealand are responsible for managing over $100 billions’ worth of plant, property, and equipment, including roads, schools, defence equipment and housing stock.
This document condenses the wider study by focusing on one of the four development approaches studied – regenerative development – as it clearly demonstrated the greatest potential benefits. Its companion research document – Rethinking our built environments: Towards a sustainable future – provides full information and analysis of all four approaches, and is available on the Ministry’s website http://www.mfe.govt.nz/publications/sus-dev/
Regenerative development:
- is a positive contributor to the living systems (human and biotic) in which it occurs
- is a means of achieving sustainability. By regenerating and integrating with living systems it enables the possibility for continual adaptation and growth
- leads to a source of deeper meaning and significance for all involved.
