NEB Compass self-assessment – Step 2/6 – Values

Values – SUSTAINABLE

Sustainable

How is sustainability part of your project goals?

The Sustainable Value in the New European Bauhaus (NEB) Compass directs its focus towards end goals and environmental sustainability

A sustainable project strives not only to preserve or prolong usability but also to consider the entire system’s impact and boundaries.

 

Read more about the ambitions

To Repurpose

Preservation • Repair • Reuse • Reduce • Upgrade • Renew

A project at ambition level I seeks to repurpose to avoid and reduce environmental impact. This entails a conscientious effort to rethink services, products and spaces, striving to minimize environmental impacts while promoting durability, adaptability and recyclability.

Example

The BUGA Wood Pavilion (Germany) celebrates a new approach to digital timber construction. Its stunning wooden roof spans 30 metres over a public event area, using a minimum amount of material while also generating a unique architectural space. Due to its innovative building system, it can be fully reassembled at a new location and recycled at the end of the structure’s life.

Possible guiding questions
  • How could the project solve its needs in a less material-intensive way, e.g. by sharing resources?
  • Can the use be prolonged, e.g. by renovation or making the project repairable or upgradable? How would this be done?
  • Can the impact on the environment of the project be lowered, e.g. by decreasing the use of energy, water, pesticides, CO2 or other harmful substances? How?
  • Can components or elements be replaced by natural materials or other less harmful resources? How?
  • Could you prioritize renewable energy solutions favourable to biodiversity? How?
 

To Close the Loop

(Industrial) system circularity • Waste transformation

A project at ambition level II aims to transform linear processes into circular ones to achieve zero pollution from an (industrial) system. This involves actively engaging all stakeholders in the design, production, use and discarding phases.

Example
The Vivihouse modular building system (Austria) opens the world of construction to a wider public. This long-lasting and adaptable construction kit consists of modular timber frames assembled with sustainable materials, such as straw bales, for the insulation. The project invites users, planners, craftspeople and companies to adopt the modular system and collaboratively explore new forms of city-making within the circular economy.
Possible guiding questions
  • Does the initiative work with circular economy principles, e.g. with closing the whole material cycle or waste transformation? How?
  • Does the project give a sense of community to people with different backgrounds and perspectives? How does it strengthen this sense of community?
  • Are all stakeholders in the cycle working together? In what way?
  • Is there an overview of the carbon impact, material, energy or water waste streams before, during and after the use of a product, building or intervention? How?
  • Is there a zero pollution action plan, e.g. for air, water and soil? How will it work?
  • Does the project look at indirect impacts across time and space and trade-offs between different sustainability measures? How does it tackle this?
 

To Regenerate

Carbon storage • Enhancing biodiversity • Restoration and expansion of natural landscapes • Paradigm shift, behavioural change

A project at ambition level III aims to regenerate, giving back more than it takes by enhancing biodiversity and encouraging nature’s restoration and expansion. Projects in this dimension follow a regenerative approach, considering how contexts and environments affect world views and behaviours at the ecosystem scale. Projects are aware of their impact on the complete ecosystem, including biodiversity and natural resources over time and space.

Example
The regeneration of beach dune systems project (Spain) deals with beaches in and around Barcelona that are part of a densely populated area under heavy pressure due to its high logistic, urban and touristic value. The project aims to protect and regenerate beach dunes through a series of actions, raising awareness about the environmental importance of dunes. It is also dedicated to improving infrastructure and access to the beaches, so everyone can keep enjoying these valuable natural sites.
Possible guiding questions
  • Does the initiative give back more than it takes, e.g. by carbon storage in buildings? How?
  • Is there an understanding of the inner workings of a (natural) ecosystem that could restore the landscape or biodiversity? How does the project affect this?
  • Is there a vision for societal change by behavioural change or a mention of a paradigm shift? How will this be addressed?