Avril Johnnidis – Net-Positive Regenerative Neighborhoods

The way we design and build our homes, energy and water and waste systems, streets, sidewalks, neighborhoods, landscapes, open spaces, and sources of food impacts just about every level of our lives and the broader environment of which we are a part. Bringing a regenerative lens to each design choice can add up to massive shifts. From the health of our structures and their air quality, time spent driving, level of interaction with neighbors and authentic sense of community, the nutritional capacity of our food, to the quantity and quality of time spent outdoors in conserved natural beauty and its exponential positive effects on health and happiness. By integrating these aspects when planning human settlements, we can have a net-positive effect on the living systems in which we are embedded, rather than a degenerative one. As a result, a thriving and holistic alternative to conventional building and design is possible and about to become the norm.