Developing an Impact Framework for Regenerative Design in Complex Systems
RMIT Europe | RMIT University | Arup Madrid
Supervisors: Marta Fernandez | Chris Speed | Susana Saiz Alcazar
Research areas: Regenerative design; Resilient and sustainable systems; Positive impact; Sustainable development
RMIT-PF1
The increasing complexity of global challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and resource depletion calls for innovative approaches to sustainability. Regenerative design, which aims to restore and enhance the resilience of natural and human systems, offers a promising pathway. Unlike traditional sustainability practices that focus on minimising harm, regenerative design seeks to create positive impacts by restoring and revitalising ecosystems and communities. Recent studies highlight the potential of regenerative design to address urgent environmental issues by fostering a symbiotic relationship between human activities and natural systems.
This research focuses on understanding and developing a comprehensive framework and tool to measure the impact of regenerative design interventions in complex industrial systems. Food systems present a compelling case study as complex adaptive systems due to their inherent complexity and the multitude of interdependencies involved. These systems encompass a wide range of activities, including farming, processing, distribution, consumption, and waste management, each of which includes social, economic and environmental factors.
The complexity of food systems is further exacerbated by the diverse stakeholders involved, each with their own perspectives and interests. Farmers, manufacturers, retailers, consumers, policymakers, and community organisations all play crucial roles in shaping the dynamics of food systems. This diversity necessitates a multilevel analysis and cross-domain understanding to effectively address the challenges and opportunities within these systems.
Regenerative design principles can be applied at the onset with the expectation of certain outcomes and the best intentions. However, post-operational results are not always evaluated and followed up, leading to gaps in understanding the long-term impacts of these interventions. This research aims to bridge this gap by developing a robust framework and tool that can measure the impacts of regenerative design interventions in complex systems with food systems as a case study. By focusing on issues of circularity, community engagement, resource flow, ecology, and biodiversity, this research will provide actionable insights for sustainable development.
The research will be conducted in collaboration with industry partners, providing access to real case studies, potentially across various geographies. This collaboration will ensure that the framework and tool developed are grounded in practical applications and can address diverse contexts and challenges. At RMIT, the researcher will engage with the School of Design and the RMIT Regenerative Futures initiative, leveraging their expertise and resources to advance the field of regenerative design.
By integrating recent advancements in regenerative design with practical case studies, this research aims to bridge the gap between theory and practice. The framework and tool developed will enable stakeholders to assess the effectiveness of regenerative interventions, providing valuable insights for future projects. Ultimately, this work seeks to contribute to the creation of more resilient and sustainable systems that can thrive in the face of global challenges.
