Perspectives · Competence

Design as Nature: A Call for Regenerative Leadership

We Build Against Nature. It’s Costing Us.

Our cities flood, our buildings consume vast amounts of energy, and our supply chains accelerate biodiversity loss. These crises aren’t inevitable—they are the result of design choices that ignore nature’s intelligence. The past few years have made it painfully clear that the way we build, produce, and consume is not sustainable. Extreme weather events—hurricanes, wildfires, and record-breaking heat waves—are devastating communities worldwide. Flooding in New York City turned subways into rivers. Wildfires in Canada blanketed the U.S. East Coast in toxic smoke. Droughts in Europe have dried up rivers that have flowed for thousands of years. Meanwhile, our agricultural and industrial systems deplete soils, pollute waterways, and drive mass extinction. Despite overwhelming evidence that our current approach is failing, meaningful action remains gridlocked—not just by economic inertia but by political polarization. Sustainability has become a battleground (Don't get me started on DEI...). Some see it as an imperative for survival; others dismiss it as a costly burden or even a conspiracy. Policies aimed at reducing carbon emissions, protecting biodiversity, and integrating nature-based solutions are met with fierce resistance in legislatures and corporate boardrooms alike. The irony is that regenerative design isn’t about ideology—it’s about survival. This is not a partisan issue. It’s a practical, science-backed approach that has the power to restore balance, improve economic stability, and create lasting prosperity. For centuries, human progress has been built on the assumption that nature is something to control, dominate, or exploit. But nature is not an obstacle—it is the ultimate blueprint for resilience, efficiency, and regeneration. If we want to build a future that lasts, we must shift from designing against nature to designing as nature. Anything less is shortsighted—and history will judge us for it.

Beyond Sustainability: The Need for Regenerative Design

Sustainability has been the dominant framework for responsible development. But too often, sustainability only aims to minimize harm—to slow down environmental damage rather than reverse it. Regenerative design goes further. According to our Sustainability Competence Standard, regenerative design is development “in service of life”—a process that doesn’t just reduce harm but actively restores ecosystems, enhances biodiversity, and strengthens communities. Regenerative leaders don’t just look at carbon footprints and water usage. They ask:

• How can we restore degraded ecosystems?
• How can we integrate natural processes into our designs?
• How can we create net-positive outcomes for both people and the planet?

Anything less is a complete waste of time.

Designing With Nature: The Economic Case

A recent study on Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) for flood management offers a compelling example. Traditional flood control measures—like concrete barriers—are expensive and often ineffective. But when cities invest in natural solutions like wetland restoration and reforestation, the benefits go far beyond flood protection:

• Wetlands absorb storm surges and provide habitats for wildlife.
• Reforestation captures carbon while preventing soil erosion.
• Green infrastructure cools cities, reducing energy costs.

From an economic perspective, regenerative design simply makes sense. The study found that retention ponds had a cost-benefit ratio of 5.6, meaning they delivered $5.60 in value for every dollar spent.

Regenerative Leaders: The Missing Piece

If regenerative design is so effective, why aren’t we doing more of it? Because systems don’t change themselves. We need leaders who understand the principles of regenerative design and can implement them across industries. The GPM Competence Standard outlines the elements, performance criteria, knowledge, and skills a sustainability leader needs for regenerative design: 8.1 Striving for net-positive outcomes for social and natural systems.

• Applies regenerative design in decision-making.
• Aligns design choices with global biodiversity goals.
• Uses systems thinking tools and techniques to analyze connections among social, environmental, and economic systems.

8.2 Ensuring that design choices restore degraded ecosystems and enhance biodiversity.

• Encourages regenerative design in the development of products, infrastructure, and services.
• Uses design-as-nature techniques to reduce the environmental footprint of products, infrastructure, and services.
• Facilitates awareness among stakeholders.

8.3 Advancing regenerative outcomes through integrated design.

• Ensures that regenerative solutions reflect a balanced integration of ecological, social, and cultural priorities.
• Establishes actionable frameworks that connect design choices to measurable long-term regenerative impacts.
• Creates innovation pathways that prioritize ecosystem restoration, biodiversity enhancement, and human well-being.

A regenerative leader doesn’t just ask, How do we reduce waste? They ask, How do we turn waste into value?

Examples of Regenerative Design in Action

• The Bosco Verticale, Milan – A skyscraper covered in 900 trees that absorbs CO₂, filters air pollution, and cools the city. (also the cover photo of this blog. ...I took that photo :)
• Wuhan’s Sponge City Initiative – A project that absorbs and filters rainwater rather than redirecting it into storm drains.
• The Bullitt Center, Seattle – A building that generates more energy than it consumes and treats all its own wastewater.

These aren’t future concepts—they are happening now. But we need more regenerative leaders to scale these solutions globally.

The Call to Action: A New Design Ethic

Nature doesn’t create waste, pollution, or scarcity—it operates in cycles, where everything has a purpose. It’s time for our industries, governments, and communities to do the same.

Educate for Regenerative Thinking

Sustainability professionals must be trained to approach design as nature does. This requires a fundamental shift in education—one that moves beyond simply mitigating harm to actively creating restorative and regenerative outcomes. Schools, universities, and professional training programs need to integrate regenerative design principles into curricula, ensuring that future leaders understand systems thinking, circularity, and biomimicry as essential tools for innovation.

Integrate Regenerative Metrics

For too long, organizations have measured success primarily through financial and carbon reduction metrics. This is not enough. Businesses and governments must begin incorporating biodiversity gains, soil regeneration, water quality improvements, and ecosystem restoration into their performance indicators. By doing so, we can redefine value—moving away from short-term profit to long-term planetary health.

Invest in Nature-Based Solutions

Governments, cities, and businesses must shift investment priorities to projects that work with nature, not against it. This means funding large-scale reforestation programs, urban green spaces, wetland restorations, and biomimetic infrastructure. These solutions not only address climate adaptation but also enhance community resilience, public health, and economic stability.

Conclusion: Designing a World That Thrives

I have been to 56 countries and have seen a beautiful world. But we have work to do. The challenges we face—climate change, resource depletion, and social inequity—are not insurmountable. The solutions are right in front of us, woven into the fabric of nature itself. The future of design isn’t about mimicking nature—it’s about becoming nature. If we embrace this shift, we can build cities that regenerate landscapes, supply chains that restore biodiversity, and buildings that produce more energy than they consume. The choice is clear:  Do we continue designing for nature’s destruction? Or do we start designing for nature’s brilliance? The time for regenerative leadership is now.