The regenerative structural engineer

'Sustainable design' asks; How we can design while aiming to do no harm? Unfortunately, when we don't reach that aim, we end up doing harm. 'Regenerative design' asks a different question; How can we design in a way that increases biodiversity, reduces carbon and leads to flourishing communities? In short how can we design so that people (and the ecosystems that support them) thrive. In this book the authors explore how, as structural engineers, we can bring about change. Using creative metaphors and case studies they:

* Explain how engineers can change their practice now - to create a regenerative future

* Explore the different levels of change - from individual projects to the culture of our industry

* Illustrate how we can learn from living systems

* Show how, by considering not just our site but the whole supply and waste chain, we can reimagine our impact - both positive and negative

The book is a creative call for radical change; encouraging engineers, and anyone else involved in the built environment, to think and design differently - to do more good

Table of Contents:
Acknowledgements
The authors
Introduction

Part One
Introducing regenerative thinking
From sustainable to regenerative
Foundations of regenerative thinking

Part Two
Creating the transition
Creating transition through design
Creating transition through operations
Creating transition through mindsets

Part Three
Becoming regenerative
Sustaining regenerative practice
The role of the regenerative structural engineer
Epilogue: 2050
A note of thanks

Part Four
Appendices
A: The 12 Levers of Systems Change
B: Definitions of 'regenerative design'
C: Creating your own artefact from the future
D: Bibliography

About the Author :
Oliver Broadbent
1851 Fellow in Regenerative Design
Oliver studied Chemistry at The University of Oxford, Civil Engineering at Imperial College London, and worked as an engineer at Expedition before helping to establish Think Up. In 2018 he started his own company, Constructivist; continuing the conversation on sustainability, regenerative design, the climate and biodiversity emergency and creativity.


James Norman
Professor of Sustainable Design
James studied Civil Engineering at the University of Nottingham, before completing his PhD at the University of Bristol. While working for Whitbybird he continued to teach structural design. He worked on a wide variety of projects - from the facade of the Tate Modern extension to a small glass table at the Tate St Ives - before becoming a full-time academic at the University of Bristol in 2015. In 2020, he was awarded a National Teaching Fellowship.

Review :
"The authors have done the general reader a great service by digesting a huge amount of material - particularly on systems thinking - and synthesising it into a coherent case. The book is illustrated with excellent case studies where structural engineers have played a pivotal role in aiming higher in the system to create new business enterprises. I commend the authors for engaging with this challenge so effectively."
Michael Pawlyn, Exploration Architecture, and co-author of Flourish

"I especially appreciated the structure used to organize the book (the bookshelf metaphor), it made it very tangible and clear... and the case studies are fabulous."
Lindsay Baker, CEO, International Living Future Institute

"The regenerative structural engineer is a strong call to action for all built environment professionals to implement systems thinking; from changing their mindsets, thinking deeply about the source of materials to reimagining design such that we not only live in harmony with nature but regenerate and revive it for future generations"
Prof. Anusha Shah, President, ICE