How Architects Can Protect Biodiversity

Biodiversity is the balance of indigenous life in the UK, giving our flora and fauna all the resources they need to thrive. However, construction projects can lead to this biodiversity being disrupted, resulting in ripple effects that put our wild spaces at risk. Architects play a vital role in identifying and preventing risks to biodiversity before construction can even take place.

At The Habitat Restoration Co., we aim to restore and preserve as much of the UK’s natural world as possible. This includes helping architects uncover ways to maximise the biodiversity net gain from their projects. In this article, we’ll discuss biophilic design, the importance of sustainable architecture, and how you can protect biodiversity as an architect.

If you need support with achieving your biodiversity goals, get in touch today.

What is Biophilic Design?

Biophilic design is in essence the blending of urban environments with natural spaces. It makes use of otherwise bland structures and spaces, filling them with vibrant life that can support the flora and fauna that would have originally resided there.

Not every location is suitable for biophilic design, but modern architectural methods mean there are lots of opportunities and methods of implementation. Greenwalls, garden areas, and locally sourced sustainable materials can all feed into the look and image of your design while also helping to preserve nature.

Even when you’re committed to biophilic design, you may end up inadvertently causing damage to habitats and the creatures within them. The Biodiversity Net Gain regulations mean that any project must have at least a 10% overall positive impact on biodiversity, and biophilic design, alongside other sustainable practices mean you can more easily achieve this target.

Find out what habitat restoration is, why it’s important, and how it support the BNG regulations >

The Importance of Sustainable Architectural Designs

Sustainable architecture can seem like a costly endeavour, but sustainable practices and materials can actually end up saving you money in the long run. For example, it might be cheaper to source materials from abroad, but when you factor in transportation costs (and the massive amount of emissions this sort of procurement takes) you’re often better just getting it locally to begin with.

There is more to it than just costs, however. We need to be more sustainable with our interactions with nature and wild spaces to ensure we can protect and preserve the plants and animals that live there. These creatures are vital to our own health and wellbeing, so architectural designs must be made with the security of these habitats and their occupants in mind.

Some of the key benefits of sustainable architecture include:

  • Protecting the environment
  • Lowering costs
  • Reducing emissions
  • Creating a healthier living space
  • Providing comfort and serenity
  • Futureproofing with regards to material acquisition and regulations
  • Meeting current regulatory requirements
  • Providing the greatest results for local communities and creatures

How to Protect Biodiversity using Architectural Designs

Nightlife-Friendly Lighting

Light pollution is a major contributor for disruptions to the sleeping and migratory patterns of wildlife. Creatures like insects, bats, and owls all require the cover of night to thrive, so ensure any lighting you include in your architectural designs is fit for these animals, to help preserve their habitats and numbers.

Greenwalls and Roofs

Living walls and roofs such as greenwalls help to encourage life into urban areas, while providing vibrant and beautiful design features that help your buildings truly stand out. Depending on the plants you use, they can also support additional life such as birds and bees, adding natural diversity to your design.

Effective Drainage

Effective drainage is required to prevent leakage and spilling into wild areas and soil. These leaks can cause irreparable harm to the habitats of animals, and even harm humans by poising groundwater and reservoirs that may link back to our sewage systems.

Properly irrigating, controlling, and sanitising wastewater (along with including reasonable waste streams for other waste products) can help minimise the damage caused to wildlife while maximising the effectiveness of your solution.

Using Sustainable Materials

Sustainable materials regard more than the base material itself. Things like the land needed to produce them, the renewability of the resource, and the cost in both fuel and money to transport them all play an important role in determining the overall sustainability of a material.

Resources like timber and bamboo are great choices if you want to preserve natural spaces. Despite being made of plant matter, timber and bamboo are both relatively quick to renew. Sourcing them locally from within the UK massively reduces transport costs compared to overseas, and their range of colours and textures makes them a great choice for any build.

Restoring Natural Spaces

The Biodiversity Net Gain regulations require natural spaces to be preserved or restored throughout any construction project. However, restoring natural spaces can also lead to more interesting and dynamic features like parks and nature reserves that will help people to unwind among local wildlife. To implement and maintain these spaces, you’ll need the help of an expert habitat restoration partner – such as The Habitat Restoration Company.

Find out more with our planning and development guide to the BNG regulations >

Protect Natural Spaces on Your Next Project with The Habitat Restoration Co.

By creating your designs with nature in mind, you can keep damage to wildlife at an absolute minimum while also creating an end result that’s unique, vibrant, and in-keeping with the natural spaces around it. To have the greatest effect, any habitats that are disrupted through your construction work should be restored and maintained through a reliable partner like The Habitat Restoration Company.

We’re experienced in all manners of habitat restoration and preservation, and are perfectly positioned to help you ensure your architectural design and subsequent construction have the greatest positive effect on both people and the planet. To find out more about what we can do for you, get in touch today!

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