The Five Capitals Playbook™️ a game plan for Regenerative Cities

Dave Ladouceur and MidJourney

By: Dave Ladouceur — Regenerative Development Corp

PDF Version: https://docsend.com/view/ct8vdxikdxbazm6w

Inflection point is near

In a world grappling with the mounting pressures of climate change, urban expansion, and the depletion of natural resources, the imperative for a sustainable and regenerative future has never been more acute. The challenges we face are not only environmental but also societal, requiring solutions that transcend traditional boundaries and thinking. It is within this context that the necessity for a comprehensive and adaptive playbook becomes apparent.

The “Five Capitals Playbook™” is conceived as a response to these global challenges, offering a holistic framework that acknowledges the interconnectedness of our ecological, social, and economic systems. Traditional approaches to development have often been siloed and short-sighted, focusing on immediate gains without considering long-term impacts. This playbook introduces a paradigm shift towards regenerative development, emphasizing the importance of enhancing the vitality and capacity of our natural, human, social, manufactured, and financial capitals to support sustainable growth and resilience.

The introduction of the tetrad model — ground, instruments, goals, and direction — underscores a strategic approach to navigating the complexities of urban and societal evolution. By grounding actions in the current context, employing effective instruments, setting clear goals, and aligning with an overarching direction, this playbook aims to cultivate environments where both people and nature can thrive.

In essence, this prelude to the “Five Capitals Playbook” serves as a clarion call to action. It beckons policymakers, urban planners, businesses, communities, and individuals to embrace a regenerative ethos that integrates economic prosperity with ecological stewardship and social well-being. As we stand at the crossroads of sustainability and regeneration, the playbook offers a path forward, illuminating the way towards a future where our collective actions foster a thriving, resilient world.

Through this structured approach, the playbook not only directs us to achieve immediate, tangible outputs but also to influence profound outcomes and lasting impacts — enriching the ecosystems and societies we are a part of. This method helps stakeholders see how the Five Capitals are interconnected and guides them to apply this holistic view in their work.

The Five Capitals

Natural Capital is the foundation of our existence, encompassing all the energy and materials from the Earth that yield goods and services. It consists of resources (both renewable and non-renewable), sinks that manage waste, and processes that regulate our environment. In a regenerative framework, Natural Capital is not merely used but nurtured and enhanced, ensuring that it continues to support all forms of life and contributes to a self-sustaining ecosystem.

Human Capital embodies the health, knowledge, skills, and motivation that enable productive and creative work. In regenerative development, investing in human capital goes beyond conventional education and training; it involves fostering a deep connection to our ecological and social contexts, empowering individuals to contribute to regeneration and sustainability efforts effectively.

Social Capital represents the networks, institutions, and relationships that underpin and facilitate cooperative actions and mutual support within and between communities. A regenerative approach to social capital focuses on strengthening these connections and institutions to foster resilience, shared values, and collective action towards common goals, enhancing both human well-being and environmental stewardship.

Manufactured or ‘Built’ Capital includes the physical assets and infrastructure — tools, machines, and buildings — that are essential to production processes. In a regenerative model, manufactured capital is designed, utilized, and maintained in ways that minimize environmental impact and contribute to the circular economy, ensuring that these assets support sustainable and regenerative practices over their lifecycle.

Financial Capital is the means by which other types of capital are traded and owned, serving as a medium for valuing and exchanging natural, human, social, and manufactured capital. Within a regenerative context, financial capital is directed in ways that value and invest in the long-term health and vitality of all forms of capital, supporting initiatives that lead to sustainable growth and regeneration.

These five capitals are interdependent, and a regenerative development approach seeks to understand and enhance these capitals in a way that does not diminish any of them. The goal is to create systems where these capitals support each other and work in harmony, leading to sustainable and regenerative practices.

History of the Five Capitals and their use in Regeneration

The Five Capitals model, rooted in sustainable development, reflects the fundamental principle that our economy and society are inextricably linked to, and reliant upon, the natural environment. Developed as a holistic framework, it assesses and values the diverse capitals contributing to human well-being and economic prosperity, gaining significant traction in corporate sustainability, environmental economics, and regenerative development spheres.

Integrating regenerative development concepts into the Five Capitals transforms the model from a mere resource classification into a dynamic, growth-oriented framework. This adaptation, which acknowledges both ‘Manufactured’ and ‘Built’ aspects, fosters rich interactions among the Natural, Human, Social, Manufactured (or ‘Built’), and Financial Capitals, steering us toward a future where holistic and sustainable development is achieved through the leveraging of each capital.

Origins in Environmental Economics

Initially, the model’s foundations were laid in environmental economics, challenging conventional economic models’ focus on financial and manufactured capitals. Early advocates, including Herman Daly, emphasized natural capital’s importance, advocating for an economic understanding that encompasses ecological dimensions.

Influence of Sustainable Development

The sustainable development discourse, especially post-Brundtland Commission and the Earth Summit in Rio, underscored the necessity of expanding economic models to include environmental and social considerations. These milestones highlighted the critical need for an integrated development approach that equitably balances economic growth with ecological and social well-being.

Integration of Multiple Capitals

The sustainable development narrative evolved to include a broader spectrum of capitals, aligning closely with regenerative development principles aimed at enhancing all capital forms’ vitality. The Regenesis Group, with leaders like Bill Reed and Ben Haggard, significantly contributed to applying regenerative principles in development practices. Carol Sanford’s work on regenerative businesses further deepened the understanding of aligning economic activities with regenerative aims.

The enriched Five Capitals model addresses contemporary challenges by emphasizing the interconnectedness and potential of natural, human, social, manufactured, and financial capitals to cultivate resilient, thriving communities and ecosystems.

Forum for the Future has been instrumental in popularizing the Five Capitals model, illustrating how managing and enhancing these capitals supports sustainable and regenerative outcomes, providing practical pathways for organizations and communities worldwide.

The “original” Five Capitals - a framework for sustainability

Integrating regenerative development principles within the “Five Capitals” framework effectively transforms it from focusing solely on sustainability to actively promoting regeneration across ecosystems, communities, and economic systems. This enriched approach underscores a holistic methodology where each capital — Natural, Human, Social, Manufactured (Built), and Financial — is viewed not just as a resource to be sustained but as an integral component capable of evolving and revitalizing the urban fabric.

To achieve a regenerative impact through the ‘Five Capitals’, we embark on a transformative journey that meticulously combines grounding our efforts in the current realities of these capitals, employing strategic instruments for enhancement, setting ambitious developmental goals, and steering these efforts towards a future aligned with regenerative aspirations. This process-oriented pathway ensures that the immediate outputs lead to long-term outcomes, contributing to the vitality and resilience of our ecosystems and societies, thereby weaving the principles of regeneration seamlessly into the operational fabric of urban development.

The Role of Natural Capital in Regenerative Development

Natural Capital stands as the bedrock of regenerative development, embodying the earth’s life-support systems — air, water, soil, and biodiversity. By understanding the ground of our ecological context, we utilize instruments like conservation practices and ecological restoration, setting goals to not only preserve but enhance this vital capital. Our direction aims for a future where Natural Capital sustains and enriches life, leading to outcomes that reverberate through the health of our planet and its inhabitants.

Human Capital as a Catalyst for Regeneration

Human Capital, encompassing health, knowledge, skills, and creativity, emerges as a catalyst for regeneration. Grounding our approach in the inherent potential of individuals and communities, we deploy educational and developmental instruments that empower. Our goals extend beyond economic productivity to foster well-being and resilience, directing efforts towards a society where every individual contributes to and benefits from regenerative practices. The outcomes of enriching Human Capital are transformative, impacting the fabric of society and the health of our ecosystems.

Enriching Social Capital Through Regenerative Practices

Social Capital, the web of relationships and norms that knit societies together, stands as a testament to the collective strength of communities. Grounded in the essence of trust, cooperation, and mutual respect, it calls for instruments that foster inclusivity and engagement. Setting goals that elevate social cohesion not only nurtures the fabric of community but directs us toward a society resilient in the face of challenges. Through fostering strong social networks and institutions, we anticipate outcomes that transcend traditional social support mechanisms, leading to a community that is not only interconnected but regeneratively supportive.

Manufacturing Capital Redefined: Building the Future

Manufactured (or ‘Built’) Capital, encompassing our physical infrastructures and technological tools, is pivotal in shaping our interactions with the natural world. By grounding our development strategies in sustainable practices, we employ innovative instruments that minimize ecological footprints while enhancing human productivity. Our goals pivot towards creating infrastructures that are resilient, adaptive, and in harmony with ecological systems. The direction we take aims to reimagine our built environment as a catalyst for regeneration, where every output contributes positively to both societal well-being and ecological health, leading to impactful, sustainable outcomes.

Financial Capital as a Catalyst for Regenerative Investment

Financial Capital is the lifeblood of our endeavors, enabling the transition from vision to reality. Grounded in the principle of ethical investment, it utilizes financial instruments directed towards projects that promise not only economic returns but also environmental and social benefits. The goals we set aim to redefine the essence of value, measuring success not just in monetary terms but in contributions to societal resilience and ecological regeneration. By directing our financial resources towards regenerative projects, we strive for outcomes that underscore the interdependence of economic health, social well-being, and environmental stewardship.

Nested Systems and Wholes

Every capital within the framework is intricately connected within a larger system. Acknowledging these connections allows us to understand that enhancements in one area can influence and benefit others, creating a ripple effect across the entire system. For instance, a project aimed at restoring a natural habitat (Natural Capital) not only enhances biodiversity but can also offer educational opportunities (Human Capital) and foster a stronger sense of community (Social Capital). This interconnected approach is vital for regenerative development, emphasizing that we’re part of a complex web of relationships that sustains life.

Regenerative Principles

The Frog and the Flute working with wholes and nested systems — explaining how systems thinking is foundational to regenerative development and design.

Potential and Essence

Focusing on the unique potential within each capital shifts our perspective from solving problems to envisioning and realizing what could be. This involves understanding the essence of a community, ecosystem, or place and designing initiatives that unlock this potential, allowing it to thrive. Such an approach requires a deep appreciation for the uniqueness of each system and a commitment to nurturing its inherent capabilities, thus supporting transformative changes that contribute to systemic health and evolution.

Field of Reciprocity

Creating a field of reciprocity means developing mutual benefits and collaborative growth through investments in each capital. This concept moves us away from transactional relationships toward a model where exchanges contribute to the vitality of the whole system. In practice, this could mean a business investing in local education initiatives (Human Capital), which in turn fosters a skilled workforce that supports the local economy (Financial Capital) and strengthens community ties (Social Capital).

Nodal Interventions

Identifying strategic interventions within each capital can lead to significant transformative effects across systems. By pinpointing leverage points where a small investment can catalyze broad systemic regeneration, we can enact changes that have far-reaching impacts. This approach is grounded in systems thinking, emphasizing the importance of understanding system dynamics to find effective paths to regeneration.

Measurements Beyond Metrics

While traditional metrics are crucial for tracking progress, regenerative development also values qualitative measures such as the health of relationships, community engagement, and ecosystem resilience. These aspects offer a more comprehensive view of a system’s health and vitality, guiding us toward interventions that enhance the well-being of all components within the system.

Regenerative Economics

Directing financial capital towards practices that regenerate and enhance the other capitals is essential for aligning economic activities with the goal of systemic health and vitality. This involves supporting projects and businesses that contribute positively to natural, human, social, and manufactured systems, ensuring that economic growth does not come at the expense of the broader ecosystem.

By integrating these regenerative concepts, the Five Capitals framework becomes a powerful tool for designing and implementing initiatives that not only sustain but actively regenerate and evolve the systems upon which we depend. This holistic approach to development ensures that our efforts contribute to a more vibrant, resilient, and thriving world.

On-Demand Conference — Regenerative Development by Bill Reed

A city blueprint for Regenerative Development

Rooted in regenerative development principles, the ‘Four Core Competencies for Modern Regenerative Urban Places’ provide a comprehensive framework and practical blueprint for transforming urban environments into vibrant, sustainable, and adaptive habitats, enabling cities to flourish in harmony with their natural surroundings.

These competencies act as a dynamic framework, integrating into the urban fabric to ensure every policy, project, and innovation enhances the city’s social, environmental, and economic vitality, transforming cities into thriving ecosystems that regenerate and adapt.

Focusing on critical aspects of urban development, such as continuous assessment, stakeholder engagement, innovative technologies like smart urban planning tools, sustainable economic models, modern zoning plans, AI and other instruments create competencies collectively forge a pathway toward creating regenerative urban places, equipped for future challenges and opportunities.

Four Core Competencies for Modern Regenerative Urban Places

Cities serve as pivotal platforms for initiating regenerative transformations, empowering communities to embark on a journey towards sustained prosperity and ecological balance. This holistic model fosters a symbiotic relationship between urban development and the natural world, laying the groundwork for coevolution.

The ‘Four Core Competencies for Modern Regenerative Urban Places’ are critical in weaving a comprehensive fabric of success for cities aiming at regenerative development. By embedding regenerative practices into the urban framework, advocating for adaptable policy and governance, enhancing community capacity through targeted education, and leveraging technology for civic engagement, these competencies address every facet necessary for a city’s evolution. They ensure that urban areas are not just responsive to immediate challenges but are also resilient, vibrant, and sustainable in the long run, fostering an environment where cities and their natural surroundings can coevolve and flourish togethers.

1. Regeneration Frameworks:
   Establishes a foundation for regenerative practices through continuous assessment, collaborative engagement, and place-sourced systems thinking.
2. Policy and Governance Frameworks:
   Develops and implements inclusive policies, governance structures, and financial models to incentivize sustainable urban transformation.
3. Educational and Capacity Building Programs:
   Enhances community knowledge, skills, and well-being with a focus on environmental stewardship, mental health, and regenerative lifestyles.
4. System for Urban Vitality and Engagement (SUVE):
   Utilizes digital platforms to foster community engagement and enhance health, well-being, and sustainability.

Regenerative Measurement Framework

The deployment of the Five Capitals across a measurement framework of outputs, outcomes, and impact represents a nuanced model that the Regenerative Development Corporation (RDC) is pioneering for the future of sustainable and regenerative development. This model emphasizes the importance of measuring and understanding the effects of initiatives over time, moving beyond immediate or fragmented results to gauge long-term success and the fundamental changes that contribute to ecological, social, and economic health. Here’s an expanded explanation of how the Five Capitals — Natural, Human, Social, Manufactured, and Financial — integrate with this model:

Outputs: Specific Measurable Goals

Outputs in the context of the Five Capitals are the tangible, immediate results of actions taken towards sustainability and regeneration. These are often the metrics initially targeted in projects, such as the number of trees planted to enhance biodiversity or reduce urban heat islands (Natural Capital), hours of community education aimed at raising awareness on sustainability practices (Human Capital), or the installation of renewable energy systems (Manufactured Capital). Outputs are crucial because they represent the concrete steps taken towards broader goals. However, they are just the beginning of a deeper, more transformative journey. Measuring outputs allows us to quantify initial contributions to the Five Capitals, laying the groundwork for more profound, long-term evaluations.

Outcomes: Results Measured Over Time

Building on the foundation laid by outputs, outcomes represent the evolving changes on the the Five Capitals that emerge and manifest more significantly, observed through changes and trends over time. Unlike outputs, outcomes require longitudinal engagement to understand their impact fully. They encompass the enhancements in ecosystem resilience (Natural Capital), improvements in community well-being (Social Capital), and advancements in skills and knowledge (Human Capital). For example, an outcome might be the long-term increase in biodiversity in a restored habitat or the gradual strengthening of community networks and relationships. Outcomes demand ongoing attention and adaptation, highlighting the importance of continuous engagement and the development of methodologies that reflect the evolving nature of regenerative efforts. Achieving outcomes often involves collaboration between stakeholders, including local communities, businesses, and government entities, underscoring the importance of partnership in regenerative development. This collaborative effort highlights the regenerative model’s reliance on community and stakeholder engagement for true systemic change.

Example: Urban Greening Project using systems thinking

Context: An urban greening project involves planting native trees and creating community gardens in urban areas.

Natural Capital: The immediate output might be the number of trees planted and gardens created. Over time, the outcomes measured include increased biodiversity, improved air quality, and enhanced soil health. Longitudinally, engaging with these metrics involves regular monitoring of species diversity, air pollution levels, and soil composition over several years to gauge the ecosystem’s resilience and health.

Social Capital: The project also aims to strengthen community bonds and increase public engagement with environmental stewardship. Initial outputs could include the number of community members participating in planting events or workshops. The long-term outcomes involve tracking the growth in community cohesion, participation rates in local environmental initiatives, and shifts in public attitudes towards sustainability. Longitudinal engagement here might include annual surveys of community members, attendance records at environmental events, and qualitative interviews to capture changes in community dynamics and perceptions of environmental responsibility.

Crossing Capitals: The intersection of Natural and Social Capitals becomes evident when increased biodiversity (Natural Capital) leads to greater community engagement and environmental stewardship (Social Capital). For instance, a more biodiverse park might attract more community events, educational programs, and volunteer conservation efforts, fostering a stronger sense of community and shared purpose around environmental sustainability. Measuring this intersection longitudinally could involve correlating biodiversity indicators with community engagement metrics, observing how changes in the ecosystem’s health over time influence and are influenced by social dynamics and community initiatives.

This longitudinal approach allows stakeholders to understand not just the immediate impacts of their actions but also how those actions contribute to systemic change over time, underlining the interconnectedness of regenerative efforts across different capitals.

Impacts: Systemic Effects

Moving beyond the measurable to the transformative, the ‘Impact and Effect’ stage in regenerative development transcends the immediate and planned outcomes to reflect the deep, systemic transformations that occur over time, embodying a dynamic regenerative Environmental, Social, and Governance (r-ESG) approach. It’s about the lasting change that emerges as communities take stewardship of their development, fostering resilience, adaptability, and systemic health long after initial interventions. This phase relies on indicators that reveal the health of the system across time, demonstrating the evolution and emergence of new capacities within the community and its environment. These capacities are “instruments” that can be used to reach the goals and overall direction “e.g., to be adaptable stewards of all living systems”. Unlike outputs and outcomes, which are direct and more easily quantifiable, impact captures the essence of regeneration — where communities thrive, ecosystems flourish, and economic systems reinforce sustainability. Envisioning a future where regeneration is ingrained in every facet of community life, this stage celebrates the emergence of self-sustaining ecosystems and societies.

Regenerative Development improves Financial Results

Regenerative development is not merely an environmental or social initiative; it stands as a transformative financial strategy that redefines the profitability and sustainability of urban and societal projects. Integrating the Five Capitals framework into the developmental process ensures a comprehensive approach, leveraging natural, human, social, manufactured, and financial resources to foster ecosystems that are not only self-sustaining but also financially lucrative.

The “sometimes hard to measure” Financial Upside of Regenerative Development

Community Engagement and Discovery Phase: At the project’s outset, a regenerative approach involves deeply engaging with the community to glean insights into the local ecosystem, culture, and needs. This engagement, rooted in the Social and Human Capitals, not only leads to more seamless project approvals but also uncovers unique opportunities for local economic development. For instance, a project that integrates community-led ecotourism can reduce costs related to delays and garner widespread support, enhancing project viability through increased tourism and local employment.

Efficiency in the Construction Phase: Embracing sustainable building practices signifies a strategic investment in Manufactured Capital that yields long-term financial benefits. Beyond reducing the environmental footprint, this approach can leverage local, renewable materials and energy sources, cutting down operational costs significantly. The financial incentives for green building can further improve the project’s overall economic outlook, making it an attractive proposition for eco-conscious investors.

Stabilization and Asset Uplift Phase: By prioritizing Natural, Social, and Human Capitals, a development can transform into a vibrant community hub that attracts residents, businesses, and visitors. For example, integrating green spaces within urban developments can enhance property values, boost occupancy rates, and command higher rents, thereby driving a tangible increase in asset value. This phase demonstrates how investing in the regenerative enhancement of capitals can directly contribute to financial returns.

Holistic View and Follow-on Phases: Adopting a regenerative perspective from the beginning through to the project’s maturity ensures that developments are not only resilient and adaptable but also financially attractive in the long term. This comprehensive strategy positions projects to capitalize on the growing demand for sustainable and regenerative living spaces, thereby mitigating risks and securing financial viability against the backdrop of climate change and resource scarcity.

Direct economic impacts to the bottom line

Direct Savings Through Resource Efficiency: Beyond immediate operational cost reductions, regenerative practices streamline compliance with increasingly stringent environmental regulations, potentially saving on legal fees and fines. For instance, by surpassing energy and water usage standards, projects can avoid the costs and delays associated with meeting baseline legal requirements.

Value Creation Through Ecosystem Services: Integrating ecosystem services not only enhances the project’s environmental and social value but can expedite the permitting process. Projects that contribute positively to the environment can navigate the legal landscape more smoothly, enjoying faster approvals and fewer bureaucratic hurdles, translating to significant time and cost savings in the project timeline.

Revenue Opportunities from Social Capital: Projects that enhance social capital often receive community support, which can be instrumental in overcoming legal and regulatory challenges. Engaging with communities early on can lead to a smoother approval process, reducing the time spent in public hearings and legal negotiations, thereby accelerating project timelines and reducing associated legal costs.

Financial Capital Attraction Through Sustainability Credentials: Sustainability credentials can not only attract financial capital but also mitigate legal risks associated with environmental impact assessments and future regulatory changes. Projects that are ahead of current regulations are less likely to require costly retrofits to comply with future environmental standards, offering long-term legal and financial stability.

Manufactured Capital Longevity and Adaptability: Investing in adaptable and durable infrastructure minimizes future legal challenges related to building codes and safety regulations. By anticipating future standards and community needs, regenerative projects are more resilient to legal disputes and the costly updates often required to maintain compliance.

Legal and Time Savings Through Integrated Planning: A regenerative approach encourages holistic planning from the outset, aligning project goals with environmental, social, and regulatory expectations. This integration can lead to smoother legal processes and quicker project timelines by preemptively addressing potential hurdles, significantly reducing the time from conception to completion.

Streamlined Regulatory Approvals: Projects exemplifying regenerative principles may qualify for streamlined or expedited regulatory reviews, recognizing their contribution to sustainability goals. By presenting a comprehensive plan that addresses multiple regulatory concerns at once, projects can reduce the time and expense involved in securing necessary permits.

Summary

Integrating the Five Capitals framework into regenerative development presents a compelling narrative for financial viability. This methodology not only encompasses economic returns but also emphasizes the regeneration of social, natural, and manufactured capitals. Such an approach ensures that development projects are not merely profitable but also contribute positively to both the environment and society, setting a new standard for successful development in the 21st century. By showcasing the intertwined financial benefits derived from a holistic investment in all capitals, regenerative development illustrates a pathway towards sustainability that aligns economic success with ecological and societal well-being.

Designing a Measurement System

Let’s design an measurement system — first focusing on the basics of quantifiable and quantitative measurements in situ as possible “Outputs”, then move towards longitudinal measurements including predictions and trends “Outcomes” and then finally on effects and indicators “Impacts”. Then we will discuss more advanced frameworks that can better track, refine, adapt and evolve to an ever-changing living system.

Integrating Advanced Analytical Tools into the Measurement Framework

To ensure a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of a project’s trajectory towards achieving its sustainability and regeneration goals, incorporating advanced analytical tools is essential. These tools not only enhance the measurement of outputs, outcomes, and impacts but also facilitate predictive analysis and strategic foresight.

Enhancements with Advanced Analytical Tools:

Trend Analysis and Statistical Models:

• Application: Critical for dissecting data collected across outputs, outcomes, and impacts, trend analysis helps identify patterns that may not be immediately apparent. Statistical models further allow for the extrapolation of these trends to predict future outcomes.
• Benefits: Provides a foundation for understanding the project’s progression and effectiveness over time, allowing for data-driven adjustments to project strategies.

Predictive Analysis:

• Application: Utilizing historical data to forecast future conditions, predictive analysis can be a powerful tool for anticipating project needs, potential challenges, and opportunities. This is particularly useful for long-term sustainability projects where future conditions can significantly affect outcomes.
• Benefits: Facilitates proactive project management by identifying future risks and opportunities, enabling stakeholders to make informed decisions that align with both current and future sustainability goals.

Future Cities Platform:

• Application: The Future Cities Platform serves as a go-to tool for tracking a city’s progress towards its sustainability and regeneration objectives. By aggregating and analyzing data across a wide range of indicators, using AI and a built-in live, work, play, learn digital operating system for cities, it offers real-time insights into urban development efforts and their impacts.
• Benefits: Empowers city planners and project managers with actionable intelligence to guide decision-making and strategy refinement. The platform’s comprehensive analytics facilitate the alignment of urban development projects with sustainability targets, enhancing the ability to achieve and measure success in complex urban environments.

Implementing Advanced Analytical Tools:

• Strategic Planning: By embedding these tools into the project’s planning phase, teams can set realistic, data-driven goals that are both ambitious and achievable.
• Continuous Learning: These tools support a culture of continuous learning and adaptation, where insights gained from data analysis inform ongoing project development.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Engaging stakeholders with insights derived from these tools can foster collaboration, build consensus, and ensure alignment with broader sustainability and regeneration objectives.

The incorporation of advanced analytical tools, including trend analysis, predictive analytics and the Future Cities Platform into the measurement framework empowers projects to navigate complexity with greater agility and foresight. This approach not only enhances the immediate understanding and management of project deliverables but also aligns strategic planning with the dynamic nature of sustainability and regeneration challenges. By leveraging these advanced tools, projects are better equipped to achieve meaningful, lasting impacts in their pursuit of sustainability and regenerative development goals. This expanded analytical capability is a critical addition to the Five Capitals Playbook, ensuring that projects can effectively measure success and adapt strategies to meet both present and future challenges.

The Five Capitals Playbook

The Five Capitals Playbook presents a strategic framework crafted to guide and expedite the process of urban regeneration through a deep understanding of the outputs, outcomes, and impacts associated with Natural, Social, Human, Built, and Financial Capitals. Each capital represents a critical component of the urban ecosystem, and by defining specific outputs (the immediate products or services generated), outcomes (the short to medium-term changes or benefits resulting from the outputs), and impacts (the long-term effects and contributions to sustainable urban development), we establish a clear path for action and evaluation.

These defined elements are then intricately mapped to the Living Systems Tetrad model — Ground, Instruments, Goals, and Direction — to ensure a holistic, systematic approach. The Living Systems Tetrad was adopted from the work of John G. Bennett was a British mathematician, scientist, philosopher, and researcher known for his work in the field of systematics — a multidisciplinary approach that he developed to study complex systems.

For more details on Bennett’s systematics and to explore the original source material: Bennett, J. G. (n.d.). Systematics: The tetrad. Retrieved [2023], from https://systematics.org/

• Ground represents our starting point, taking stock of the current status and resources available within each capital. Your current state that includes a thorough assessment of the environmental, social, economic, and cultural contexts. Understanding this foundation is crucial for identifying the specific needs and opportunities that will guide all subsequent actions and strategies in the regenerative process.
• Instruments refer to the tools, resources, and capabilities at our disposal to effect change. These instruments are meticulously selected to address the unique challenges within each Capital, employing both innovative solutions and proven strategies.
• Goals are set as checkpoints along the path, including both outcome-oriented objectives and the development of new instruments to enable success. The goals, while ambitious, are grounded in realistic assessments of each Capital’s potential, with strategies outlined to navigate any challenges encountered. Goals should remain flexible and adaptable, allowing adjustments based on emerging insights and evolving project conditions.
• Finally, Direction the culmination of our tetrad, weaves together the diverse objectives from each Capital into a cohesive vision for the future, guiding our collective efforts towards holistic urban regeneration.

By utilizing the Five Capitals Playbook, organizations and communities can ensure a balanced approach to regeneration, one that considers environmental, social, economic, and cultural dimensions comprehensively. This holistic view is essential for truly regenerative development, as it moves beyond mere sustainability (maintaining current conditions) to actively enhance and regenerate systems.

Sample Playbook

The following examples are specifically looking towards a regenerative lens as most city officials understand problems solving as we’ll focus on creating examples that not only support sustainable development within each capital but also promote synergies across capitals, you should deploy systems thinking and regenerative process when developing your playbook.

The Five Capitals framework can be a natural and effective way to measure regenerative performance, as it provides a comprehensive approach to assessing and balancing different aspects of sustainability and regeneration. By evaluating performance across these five distinct but interconnected areas, one can gain a holistic understanding of the impacts and effectiveness of regenerative initiatives. Here’s how each capital can contribute to this assessment:

Natural Capital: This measures the impact on the natural environment and ecosystems. Indicators might include biodiversity levels, soil health, water quality, air quality, and carbon sequestration. It evaluates how regenerative practices contribute to the restoration and enhancement of natural ecosystems.

Human Capital: This involves assessing improvements in human health, education, skills, and well-being. Metrics could include health indicators, educational attainment, skill development, employee satisfaction, and community health and wellness. It reflects how regenerative practices contribute to the development and well-being of individuals.

Social Capital: Here, the focus is on social cohesion, community engagement, cultural vitality, and equity. Measurements could include community participation in decision-making, social network strength, cultural preservation and development, trust and reciprocity among community members, and equitable access to resources.

Manufactured Capital: This capital assesses the sustainability and efficiency of infrastructure and built environments. Metrics might include the sustainability of materials used, energy efficiency, waste reduction, lifecycle impacts of products, and the adaptability and resilience of built structures.

Financial Capital: This involves evaluating the economic viability and impact of regenerative practices. Indicators might include profitability, investment in regenerative projects, economic growth, job creation, and financial returns on sustainable investments.

Under each capital, both qualitative and quantitative measurements can be employed to provide a more nuanced and comprehensive understanding of performance. Qualitative measures could involve assessments of community perceptions, case studies, and anecdotal evidence, while quantitative measures might include specific metrics like carbon footprint, number of jobs created, or levels of pollutants. By employing a blend of quantitative metrics (e.g., carbon footprint, number of jobs created) and qualitative insights (e.g., community satisfaction, anecdotal success stories), the playbook offers a nuanced perspective on the multifaceted impacts of regenerative initiatives.

Let’s begin with the Natural Capital.

Natural Capital Examples and Measurements with a Regenerative Lens

These examples within Natural Capital emphasize a regenerative development approach, focusing on creating systems that restore, renew, or revitalize their own sources of energy and materials. Each initiative is designed not only to address environmental sustainability but also to foster economic, social, and human capital development, illustrating the interconnectedness of all capitals in regenerative urban planning.

Social Capital Examples and Measurements with a Regenerative Lens

These examples within Social Capital illustrate how fostering community engagement, social services integration, and cultural preservation can not only enhance social cohesion and equity but also contribute to the regeneration of human, natural, and financial capitals by building inclusive, resilient communities.

Human Capital Examples and Measurements with a Regenerative Lens

These Human Capital examples underscore the importance of education, health, and inclusivity in fostering a regenerative society where individuals are empowered to contribute meaningfully to sustainability and resilience efforts. Each initiative not only supports individual growth and well-being but also enriches social capital and drives innovation within the economic landscape.

Built Capital Examples and Measurements with a Regenerative Lens

These Built Capital examples illustrate how integrating regenerative design and development practices into urban infrastructure can yield environments that are not only sustainable and resilient but also nurturing for communities and natural ecosystems alike. By thoughtfully planning and constructing urban spaces, cities can foster well-being, cultural continuity, and economic vibrancy.

Financial Capital Examples and Measurements with a Regenerative Lens

These Financial Capital examples showcase how innovative financial mechanisms can drive the adoption of sustainable practices, support social entrepreneurship, and empower communities, contributing significantly to the regenerative development of urban areas. Each initiative not only addresses immediate financial needs but also aims to generate long-term, sustainable value for the broader community and environment.

This concludes the set of examples across the Five Capitals, each designed to illustrate the integrated and regenerative approach to urban development and sustainability. These initiatives can be easily tracked using spreadsheets or automated through the The Future City Portal.

Impact and Effect: A Regenerative ESG Approach

The impact represents the deepest level of change, embodying the fundamental and often transformative effects of initiatives on the Five Capitals. This is where the Regenerative — Environmental, Social, and Governance (r-ESG) approach comes into play, acknowledging the interconnectedness of ecological, social, and economic systems and their ability to evolve and regenerate. Impact transcends the original intentions of projects, capturing the essence of regeneration as it pertains to the sustained health and vitality of a place and its inhabitants. It involves a shift in the condition or state of the Five Capitals that contributes to a self-sustaining cycle of positive effects, such as the restoration of a watershed leading to long-term water security (Natural Capital) or the establishment of a circular economy that supports local businesses and reduces waste (Financial and Manufactured Capitals).

Deploying the Five Capitals across outputs, outcomes, and impact requires a holistic understanding of the systems we aim to enhance and regenerate. It necessitates a shift from linear, short-term thinking to a cyclical, continuous engagement model that values the ongoing health and evolution of our natural, human, social, and economic systems. By focusing on the immediate and tangible outputs, tracking the progressive outcomes over time, and ultimately aiming for deep, systemic impact, the RDC’s model offers a comprehensive framework for achieving true regeneration and sustainability. This approach not only addresses the current challenges but also lays the groundwork for resilient, thriving ecosystems and communities for generations to come.

The Living Systems Tetrad

The deployment of a nested system of Living Systems Tetrads provides the ability to track the coevolution of your systems and frameworks over time. This iterative approach allows for dynamic mapping of what is needed to accomplish within an overall direction. Imagine charting a course around sand bars, reefs and the unknown weather events. Building a regenerative practice requires agility in time, model and tools needed to accomplish a journey that never ends.

Understanding the nuanced approach to urban regeneration using the Living Systems Tetrad — Ground, Instruments, Goals (with a dual focus on outcome-oriented goals and instrument-development goals), and Direction.

Let’s use the five capitals as the segmentation of the Living Systems Tetrad to build our body of work to execute pragmatic models and projects to allow for a co-evolutionary and apaptive approach to managing living systems.

SCARF — Systems-Centric Adaptive Regenerative Framework

The Systems-Centric Adaptive Regenerative Framework (SCARF) is designed to operationalize the dynamic and interconnected goals of regenerative urban development within the context of the Five Capitals Playbook. This framework serves as a living document, embodying the principles of continuous evolution, adaptability, and community-centered growth. At its core, the framework is structured around four pivotal elements — Plans, Policies, Participation, and Potential (the 4 P’s) — each integral to catalyzing sustainable transformation within urban environments.

Plans articulate the strategic vision and long-term objectives, providing a cohesive roadmap for integrating sustainability and regeneration across all aspects of urban development. They ensure a holistic approach, weaving together diverse initiatives under a unified strategic direction that respects and enhances the natural, social, human, and built capitals.

Policies establish the guiding principles and regulatory frameworks necessary to support the implementation of these plans. They shape the behavior of individuals, organizations, and communities towards achieving the outlined goals, creating an environment where sustainable practices are not only encouraged but become the norm.

Participation emphasizes the importance of involving a wide range of stakeholders in the planning and policy-making processes. It recognizes that true regeneration stems from collaborative efforts, drawing on the diverse perspectives, knowledge, and expertise within the community to foster solutions that are inclusive, equitable, and reflective of local needs and aspirations.

Potential is the missing element in today’s transactional models of urban development and will become the guiding principle for regenerative development, ensuring cities can adapt and thrive in the face of future challenges and opportunities through a focus on the capacity for innovation and growth beyond the current state. It acknowledges that as cities evolve, so too do the opportunities for further regeneration. By remaining open to emerging possibilities, the framework encourages adaptive strategies and innovative solutions that respond to new challenges and leverage untapped resources.

🗝️Discovering, Pattern Finding, and Emergence in Regenerative Development

In the context of regenerative urban development, Potential is not merely about leveraging current capacities or resources; it’s about exploring the depths of what could be, guided by a profound understanding of the interconnectedness of urban systems and the communities that inhabit them. This element of the framework serves as a catalyst for innovation, encouraging cities to look beyond the immediate and apparent to uncover hidden opportunities and foster emergent solutions that enhance the system’s vitality and resilience.

Discovering Unseen Opportunities: Potential emphasizes the importance of remaining curious and open, actively seeking out untapped resources, underutilized spaces, and overlooked community assets. This discovery process involves engaging with the city in a way that reveals new possibilities for regeneration and sustainability, often hidden within the existing urban fabric.

Finding Patterns in Complexity: Urban ecosystems are complex and dynamic, characterized by intricate relationships and feedback loops. Recognizing and understanding these patterns is crucial for regenerative development, as it allows cities to anticipate changes, adapt strategies accordingly, and design interventions that align with the natural cycles and processes of the urban environment.

Nurturing Emergence: True to the principles of living systems, Potential is rooted in the belief that new needs, ideas, and solutions emerge from the interaction and co-evolution of a city’s various capitals. It involves creating conditions that encourage innovation, support collaborative problem-solving, and allow for the organic growth of initiatives that contribute to the city’s regeneration.

By embracing the emergent nature of urban development, the framework acknowledges that the path to sustainability and resilience is not linear or predictable. Instead, it requires a continuous process of exploration, learning, and adaptation. Cities must remain vigilant and responsive, ready to harness new opportunities as they arise and integrate them into their ongoing regeneration efforts.

By Incorporating the full understanding of Potential into the Living Systems Implementation Framework underlines the commitment to a regenerative approach that is not only about restoration and improvement but also about evolution and transformation. It highlights the need for cities to remain flexible and innovative, fostering a culture of discovery and resilience that supports the emergence of sustainable urban ecosystems.

Each of the four pivotal elements — Plans, Policies, Participation, and Potential (the 4 P’s) — is critical not only for adapting processes but also for deeply embedding regenerative principles into everyday actions, thereby enabling transformation within urban environments.

This introduction to the framework highlights its purpose and the definitions of its core components, providing a foundation for cities to adapt and apply these principles in creating vibrant, regenerative urban ecosystems as outlined in the Five Capitals Playbook.

This introduction to the framework highlights its purpose and the definitions of its core components, providing a foundation for cities to adapt and apply these principles in creating vibrant, regenerative urban ecosystems as outlined in the Five Capitals Playbook.

Wrapping the Five Capitals in the SCARF

Integrating the Five Capitals — Natural, Social, Human, Built, and Financial — within the Living Systems Implementation Framework necessitates a holistic approach that recognizes the interdependence of these elements in achieving sustainable urban regeneration. To accomplish this integration effectively, each of the framework’s four pillars — Plans, Policies, Participation, and Potential — must be deliberately crafted to address and intertwine the capitals.

· Plans should outline visionary yet actionable pathways that leverage and enhance each capital, ensuring the urban ecosystem’s health, community well-being, and economic resilience are co-developed.

· Policies need to establish supportive environments that encourage practices benefiting all capitals, fostering regulatory frameworks that facilitate cross-capital synergies.

· Participation emphasizes the inclusion of diverse stakeholders representing each capital in the decision-making process, ensuring that initiatives are grounded in the community’s multifaceted needs and aspirations.

· Lastly, Potential focuses on the emergent opportunities at the intersection of the capitals, inviting innovative solutions and adaptations that draw upon the unique strengths and contributions of each capital. By weaving the Five Capitals throughout these core elements, the framework aims to create a dynamic, adaptable, and deeply interconnected approach to regenerating urban spaces, ensuring that development is not only sustainable but also equitably beneficial across all aspects of the urban fabric.

Through the Living Systems Tetrad we connect Goals to the resulting Actions that manifest as either a Systems-Centric Adaptive Regenerative Framework (SCARF) or the development of New Instruments or even can be tasks for simpler implementations.

Getting Started: Defining Purpose in City Regeneration

Introduction to Regenerative Development Cities embarking on regenerative development initiatives should adopt an annual or as needed process that leverages both the Story of Place Process and the Integrative Design Process. This approach is crucial for achieving true sustainability, which is understood as an ongoing, evolutionary practice rather than a mere mitigation of damage. Through these processes, cities can harness unique local attributes — such as ecological connectivity, water mobility, and business vitality — to catalyze large-scale transformative impacts.

Integrative Design Process Explained The Integrative Design Process is a collaborative, multi-disciplinary approach that brings together various stakeholders to optimize environmental, social, and economic viability throughout the lifecycle of urban development projects. This process emphasizes the importance of holistic problem-solving and iterative feedback loops, which facilitate continuous improvement and adaptation of strategies to meet evolving community needs.

SCARF — for Defining Purpose

This SCARF is designed to operationalize a regenerative transformation within urban environments by establishing a holistic framework that integrates ecological sustainability and community connectivity. Through strategic master planning, robust policy development, inclusive community participation, and leveraging unique local potentials, we aim to catalyze significant, sustainable change that aligns with the intrinsic qualities and aspirations of the community, ensuring that every initiative not only supports but enhances the quality of life and environmental health for all residents. First we start with our understanding we have today “ground” and then we will introduce a new instrument “The Story of Place” to enhance out ablities to truly live and adapt with all living systems.

Plans

· Regenerative Master Planning: Develop comprehensive plans that integrate ecological restoration and community connectivity, aiming for a holistic improvement in quality of life and environmental health.

· Leverage Point Identification: Pinpoint critical areas within the community that can act as catalysts for broader regeneration, such as targeted ecological enhancements or infrastructure improvements.

Policies

· Regenerative Policy Frameworks: Establish robust policies that reinforce the master plan’s goals, promoting sustainable practices and ensuring long-term commitment to regeneration.

· Community Engagement Policies: Implement mandatory engagement policies that facilitate ongoing dialogue with community stakeholders, ensuring transparency and inclusiveness in the planning process.

Participation

· Inclusive Design Charettes: Conduct annual charettes that involve a wide range of stakeholders, using these platforms to refine and update the regenerative plans based on community feedback.

· Stakeholder Collaboration Initiatives: Foster initiatives that promote unity and collaboration across various interest groups, aligning fragmented issues into a cohesive regenerative strategy.

Potential

· Story of Place Driven Innovation: Utilize the Story of Place process to discover and articulate the unique characteristics of the city, driving innovation in sustainability projects that resonate deeply with local identity and capabilities.

· Capacity Building for Place-Based Regeneration: Enhance local capacities through targeted training programs that empower residents and businesses to participate actively in regeneration efforts, tailored to the unique needs and strengths identified through the Story of Place.

Outputs of the basic SCARF Plan

• A dynamic and annually or as needed updated regenerative master plan.
• A policy manual that guides the sustainable and regenerative implementation.
• Detailed reports on community participation and engagement outcomes.
• Strategic documentation outlining innovative projects and potential development areas based on the unique narrative of the city.

The Story of Place

Living in harmony with our places requires communities of people to develop the ability to collectively hold complex bodies of place-specific information. This is…

By integrating the Integrative Design Process and Story of Place into the annual SCARF planning, cities ensure that their development initiatives are not only sustainable but also actively contribute to regenerative transformations, engaging the community meaningfully and adapting to emerging challenges and opportunities.

The Story of Place is a critical component of regenerative urban development, aiming to deeply understand and articulate the unique characteristics and history of a community. It forms a foundational part of creating a vision and strategy that is inherently tailored to the local environment, culture, and needs. Here’s a comprehensive expansion on how the Story of Place can be integrated into the SCARF planning process:

Story of Place Defined The Story of Place involves a thorough exploration of the geographical, ecological, cultural, and historical narratives that define a city or community. It examines how these elements interact to create a unique identity and place-based sense of belonging. This process uncovers the intrinsic potential of a location, revealing how it can naturally support sustainable and regenerative practices.

Story of Place — Process

1. Historical Mapping: Document and analyze the historical uses of land, traditional practices, and the evolution of the local landscape. This helps in understanding past interactions with the environment and identifying patterns that might influence future developments.
2. Ecological Assessment: Conduct detailed studies of the local ecosystems, biodiversity, water sources, and natural landscapes. This assessment identifies key ecological assets that need protection or restoration and opportunities for enhancing ecological connectivity and resilience.
3. Cultural Exploration: Engage with local communities to gather stories, traditions, and cultural expressions that define the community’s identity. This phase helps in aligning development goals with the values and aspirations of the local population.
4. Economic Analysis: Analyze the economic trends, key industries, and employment patterns that have shaped the community’s development. This provides insights into the economic drivers that can be leveraged for regenerative initiatives.
5. Vision Synthesis: Integrate the insights from historical, ecological, cultural, and economic explorations to synthesize a comprehensive vision that respects and enhances the unique character of the place. This vision becomes the cornerstone of planning and policy-making.

Integrating the 4Ps of the “Story of Place” for Defining holistic regenerative City Potential

1. Plans: Use the insights from the Story of Place to inform strategic urban plans. This ensures that the plans are rooted in the historical, ecological, and cultural realities of the city, aiming for a sustainable future that respects its past and present dynamics.
2. Policies: Develop policies that protect and promote the unique elements identified through the Story of Place. This might include zoning laws that preserve historical sites, environmental regulations that protect native ecosystems, and cultural policies that support local traditions and practices.
3. Participation: Foster deep community engagement by integrating the Story of Place into participation strategies. This approach involves community members in the planning process by connecting them with their city’s story, increasing engagement and investment in the outcomes.
4. Potential: Here, the combined approach truly shines:

• Innovation Triggered by Heritage and Identity: Leverage the unique aspects of the city’s Story of Place as a springboard for innovation. For example, historical craft traditions might inspire unique urban aesthetics or eco-tourism opportunities.
• Resilience Building through Ecological and Cultural Assets: Utilize the ecological and cultural assets identified in the Story of Place to build resilience. For instance, restoring native landscapes could enhance urban resilience by improving biodiversity and reducing heat island effects.
• Economic Opportunities in Place-Based Characteristics: Identify economic development opportunities that align with the city’s unique characteristics, such as developing industries around local natural resources or cultural heritage that can offer unique products and services.

Combining the 4Ps with the Story of Place effectively ensures that the development and regeneration of a city are not only comprehensive and sustainable but also deeply meaningful to its residents. This integrated approach allows for a richer understanding of what makes each city unique, directing its growth in ways that enhance its specific strengths and address its particular challenges.

Examples for Living Systems Tetrad:

The tetrad model serves as a crucial instrument in transforming community-defined purposes into concrete actions within urban development. The following examples illustrate how this model can be applied to different scenarios, each targeting specific environmental and societal goals through well-defined strategic actions.

Example #1: Integrated Green Infrastructure Development

Direction: Cultivate a resilient urban ecosystem that seamlessly integrates with natural surroundings and actively supports biodiversity, improving community health and well-being.

Ground: Urban areas characterized by limited green spaces, prevalent flooding, heat islands, and reduced biodiversity.

Goals & Actions:

Goal: Enhance urban green spaces through the creation of urban forests, green roofs, and permeable surfaces.

· Action (SCARF): Develop a comprehensive Green Infrastructure Implementation Plan, detailing project timelines, stakeholder roles, and resource allocations.

Plan: Develop a comprehensive green infrastructure plan that includes the creation of urban forests, green roofs, and permeable surfaces across the city, aimed at enhancing biodiversity, managing stormwater, and reducing urban heat islands.

Policy: Implement policies that mandate green roofs on new commercial buildings, offer tax incentives for permeable paving, and establish urban forestry initiatives as part of city planning requirements.

Participation: Engage local communities, businesses, and schools in the planning and implementation process through workshops, co-design sessions, and volunteer planting days, ensuring the green infrastructure meets varied community needs.

Potential: Explore the potential for these green infrastructures to serve as outdoor classrooms, community gathering spaces, and new habitats for urban wildlife, fostering a deeper connection between residents and their natural environment, and encouraging innovative uses of urban green spaces.

· Action (New Instrument): Establish an Urban Greening Fund, providing grants for community-led green infrastructure projects.

Goal: Improve air and water quality, increase biodiversity, and manage stormwater naturally.

· Action (New Instrument): Launch a citizen science app for environmental monitoring, engaging the community in biodiversity tracking and green space advocacy.

Example #2: Community-Led Health and Education Hubs

Direction: Build inclusive, empowered communities where education and healthcare services are accessible to all, supporting economic opportunities and social equity.

Ground: Communities with limited access to essential health and educational services, especially in underserved neighborhoods.

Goals & Actions:

Goal: Establish accessible, integrated hubs for education and healthcare to foster lifelong learning and well-being.

• Action (SCARF): Initiate a Community Hub Development Plan, outlining the establishment of multi-service centers across the city.

Plan: Create a network of community-led health and education hubs that provide accessible services including primary healthcare, lifelong learning courses, and vocational training, particularly in underserved areas.

Policy: Develop a policy framework that supports public-private partnerships to fund and manage these hubs, ensuring they are equipped with the necessary resources and are integrated into local development plans.

Participation: Facilitate a participatory process for hub location selection, service offerings, and program development, involving residents, local educators, healthcare professionals, and businesses in decision-making.

Potential: Leverage the hubs as centers for community innovation and empowerment, encouraging the development of local initiatives such as community gardens, social enterprises, and cultural events that emerge from the interests and skills of the hub users.

• Action (New Instrument): Create a Community Engagement Program, designed to involve local populations in hub planning and service determination.

Goal: Promote community empowerment and engagement in local health and education initiatives.

· Action (New Instrument): Develop an online portal for community resources, consolidating access to local educational and health services.

Example #3: Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan

Direction: Foster a sustainable, accessible urban mobility system that supports healthy lifestyles, reduces environmental impact, and ensures equitable access to mobility for all city residents.

Ground: Cities facing high levels of pollution and congestion due to over-reliance on private vehicle use, with insufficient public transportation options and infrastructure for non-motorized transport.

Goals & Actions:

Goal: Reduce reliance on fossil fuels and enhance public transit infrastructure.

· Action (SCARF): Formulate a Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan, integrating investments in public transit, cycling infrastructure, and pedestrian pathways.

Plan: Launch a sustainable urban mobility plan focused on expanding public transportation, developing cycling and pedestrian infrastructure, and promoting electric vehicle use, aimed at reducing carbon emissions and improving urban livability.

Policy: Introduce policies that prioritize funding for sustainable transport initiatives, enforce low-emission zones, and provide subsidies for electric vehicle purchases and infrastructure development.

Participation: Involve community members and stakeholders in the planning and implementation phases through public consultations, mobility workshops, and pilot projects to ensure the mobility plan addresses real needs and preferences.

Potential: Investigate emerging transportation technologies and models (e.g., autonomous electric shuttles, bike-sharing programs) for their potential to enhance mobility, accessibility, and environmental sustainability, adapting the urban mobility plan as new opportunities arise.

New Instrument: Introduce a Green Transportation Incentive Program, encouraging the use of electric vehicles and bicycles through subsidies and tax breaks.

Goal: Promote active transport and improve urban mobility.

Action (New Instrument): Deploy a comprehensive city-wide mobility app, offering real-time information on public transport, bike-sharing, and EV charging stations.

Instruments — are the secret sauce to enable complexity and understanding

The development of new instruments is pivotal to the success of the Systems-Centric Adaptive Regenerative Framework (SCARF) because they act as the tangible tools and mechanisms through which the framework’s holistic, adaptive, and regenerative principles are actualized. Instruments — ranging from policies and programs to technologies and practices — serve as the bridge between SCARF’s strategic vision and the on-the-ground actions required to transform systems. They enable the operationalization of complex ideas into actionable steps, ensuring that the systemic changes envisioned can be implemented, measured, and adapted over time. By crafting instruments that are specifically designed to navigate and influence the dynamics of the systems at play, SCARF ensures that its goals are not only visionary but also achievable, making these instruments fundamental to translating regenerative principles into tangible, positive outcomes across various ecosystems and communities.

Example New Instrument: Zoning Overlays — an Instrument for Cross Capital Incentives

To address the need for a more integrated approach that emphasizes cross-capital incentives within an overlay zone and outlines how the Living Systems Tetrad — Ground, Instruments, Goals, and Direction — can be applied for their implementation, let’s structure the example with a focus on overlay zone incentives that promote regenerative development across multiple capitals. This approach ensures that the incentives not only encourage investment and development within the overlay zone but also guide the specific applications of the Tetrad to achieve comprehensive, regenerative outcomes.

Eco-Innovation Overlay Zone — Modernize Zoning Models

Direction: Modernize zoning models to encourage sustainable urban development, aiming to improve ecological health, foster community well-being, and enhance economic vitality through eco-innovation.

Ground: Conventional zoning practices insufficiently incentivize or facilitate sustainable development and are cumbersome and time consuming to meet modern development needs.

Goals: Implement an Eco-Innovation Overlay Zone to catalyze sustainable development practices across the city.

Actions & SCARF Application:

In the pursuit of sustainable urban transformation, the Eco-Innovation Overlay Zone represents a pioneering model that seeks to modernize traditional zoning practices to better align with regenerative development principles. This model is composed of a suite of strategic components designed to incentivize and facilitate eco-friendly development practices, enhance community engagement, and promote economic resilience within urban environments. The Eco-Innovation Overlay Zone leverages tax incentives, density bonuses, expedited permitting processes, grants and funding opportunities, and technical assistance as key instruments to drive meaningful change. Each component is meticulously crafted to address specific aspects of urban development, encouraging projects that not only meet current sustainability benchmarks but also push the boundaries of innovation in green building, renewable energy, and community-centric design. By delineating the framework and goals for the Eco-Innovation Overlay Zone, we lay the groundwork for a comprehensive action plan that integrates the Systems-Centric Adaptive Regenerative Framework (SCARF) principles, ensuring adaptability, systemic thinking, and a focus on regenerative outcomes. Through this model, the overlay zone becomes more than a set of guidelines; it transforms into a dynamic tool for catalyzing sustainable urban ecosystems that thrive socially, economically, and environmentally.

Tax Incentives

Plans: Design a comprehensive plan detailing the criteria for reduced property taxes, identifying benchmarks in sustainability, community engagement, and green job creation that developments must achieve.

Policies: Formalize policies to implement these tax incentives, ensuring they are aligned with broader city sustainability goals and the Eco-Innovation Overlay Zone’s objectives.

Participation: Engage with developers, community organizations, and environmental groups to refine the benchmarks and ensure the incentives are attractive and attainable.

Potential: Explore the potential for these incentives to spur innovative green building designs and technologies, encouraging developments that go beyond current sustainability standards.

Density Bonuses

Plans: Establish a detailed zoning amendment process to allow for increased density bonuses, setting clear guidelines for projects that incorporate green infrastructure, public amenities, and affordable housing.

Policies: Develop policies that outline the conditions under which density bonuses are granted, ensuring they contribute positively to the urban fabric and community needs.

Participation: Conduct public forums and workshops with community members and developers to gather input on the design and implementation of density bonus programs.

Potential: Identify opportunities for density bonuses to facilitate mixed-use developments that enhance community connectivity and access to amenities, fostering vibrant urban spaces.

Expedited Permitting

Plans: Create an expedited permitting plan for projects demonstrating a commitment to local biodiversity, community health, and economic resilience, including a streamlined application and review process.

Policies: Enact policies that specify the criteria for expedited permitting, ensuring projects align with the city’s regenerative development goals.

Participation: Work closely with project developers and community stakeholders to ensure the expedited process is transparent, fair, and supports projects with genuine sustainability impacts.

Potential: Investigate how expedited permitting can encourage more developers to integrate regenerative practices into their projects, potentially setting new industry standards.

Grants and Funding

Plans: Develop a funding strategy that includes grants and low-interest loans for projects focused on renewable energy, sustainable transportation, and ecosystem restoration.

Policies: Implement financial support policies that detail eligibility criteria, application processes, and project evaluation metrics.

Participation: Involve local entrepreneurs, environmental NGOs, and community groups in designing the grants program to ensure it meets the city’s sustainability needs and priorities.

Potential: Explore the potential for funded projects to serve as pilot studies or demonstrations of innovative sustainable solutions, providing valuable insights and models for broader adoption.

Technical Assistance

Plans: Outline a program to offer technical assistance from city planning and sustainability experts to projects, focusing on integrating regenerative practices.

Policies: Create a policy framework for the technical assistance program, including the scope of support, eligibility criteria, and application process.

Participation: Develop partnerships with academic institutions, industry experts, and professional associations to provide a pool of expertise for project support.

Potential: Look for opportunities to use the technical assistance program to foster innovation in sustainable urban design and construction, potentially leading to new standards and practices in regenerative development.

By weaving the SCARF elements into the action plan for developing and implementing the Eco-Innovation Overlay Zone instrument, we ensure a holistic, adaptive approach that captures the interconnectedness and potential for innovation within urban systems. This detailed plan showcases the potential for meaningful, sustainable transformation through collaborative, informed actions, setting a precedent for future regenerative urban development initiatives.

Summary

By clearly associating Goals with Actions that lead to the creation of a SCARFs or the development of New Instruments, this format underscores the direct link between strategic objectives and the practical tools or plans devised to achieve them. It highlights the tangible steps taken to move from regenerative aspirations to concrete, actionable outcomes within the framework of urban development.

The Future City Platform — instrument to aide cities in tracking and collaboration

Regenerative Development Corp is building a Future City Platform that makes Regenerative City management seamless and easily reachable from one mayor to the next. This ongoing capacity and capability is taken over by the community as after a three to five-year collaborative engagement. The tools include the use of Artificial Intelligence, social measures, sentiment, and quality of life metrics — impacts can be measured over time and become indicators and predictors of future life.

Introduction to the Future City Platform

An AI based technology platform that connects the ecosystem with the community, city and real-estate developers to build sustainable projects with lasting impact using a Single AI integrated Ontology and Data Architecture for the whole city, business and citizens. This model protects privacy, removes bad actors, prevents tracking and sources all information using a trust protocol developed to allow self-governance and give the not only the citizens and communities a voice but the natural capital as well through tokenizing natural resources (e.g., lakes, forests, watersheds). Let’s get started:

Create a digital twin of managed areas

• Explore data and information about all aspects of the city through the five capitals
• Customized website views for police/fire, city planners, elected officials and citizens

Collaboration and Connection

• Connects stakeholders together to create a shared vision for the community Inventory resources including the physical ecosystem, population, community interest groups and physical assets
• Enables long-term co-evolution of ideas and models

Regenerative process, tracking and refinement

• Goals and outputs are established, outcomes are measured, and impact is assessed and refined where the process restarts
• The established metrics can be displayed in dashboards for constituencies
• Support for modern zoning overlays, sustainability goals and tracking across a broad set of categories.

Prebuilt templates can be created to be shared across cities where similar needs may exist to guide in the development of measurements, indicators, goals, tools and instruments necessary to accomplish the desired impact. As a living measurement system, it must be adaptable to change and purpose. The portal supports continuous updates and sharing across all places for nominal costs.

Competing Frameworks — Three Horizons vs. Five Capitals Playbook

Regenerative Economy - RESPOND Accelerator

The Three Horizons Model and the Five Capitals Playbook, while both tools for strategic planning and sustainability, serve different purposes and have distinct approaches to envisioning and implementing change. Evaluating them as “better” or “worse” depends on the specific context of their application, goals, and the nature of the challenges they are used to address. Here’s a comparative analysis:

The Three Horizons Model is a framework used for thinking about the future and managing change over time. It helps organizations and communities envision and move toward more sustainable and desirable long-term futures by identifying and managing transitions through three distinct “horizons”:

Horizon 1 (H1): Represents the present system or current way of doing things, which may be increasingly unfit for purpose or in decline. This horizon focuses on optimizing and improving existing processes, technologies, and mindsets, even as they may need to be phased out.

Horizon 2 (H2): The transitional phase where innovation occurs. It’s a space of uncertainty and experimentation, where new ideas are tested, and new ways of doing things begin to emerge. These innovations may be disruptive to the current system but are essential for moving toward a more sustainable future.

Horizon 3 (H3): Envisions the future state or system that is more sustainable, equitable, and in harmony with the environment. This horizon involves imagining radically different ways of living, working, and organizing society.

Melding the Three Horizons approach — The Five Capitals Playbook in Three Horizons

Integrating aspects of the Three Horizons Model into the implementation of the Five Capitals Playbook, especially when determining outputs, outcomes, impacts, and applying the Living Systems Tetrad, can deepen the strategic and operational effectiveness of urban regeneration initiatives. Here’s how the Three Horizons framework can enrich the playbook’s implementation process:

1. Horizon Identification for Each Capital

• Initial Assessment (H1): Identify current practices and challenges within each of the Five Capitals. This sets the groundwork for understanding which aspects are unsustainable or inefficient and need transformation or optimization.
• Innovative Transition (H2): Highlight transitional actions and innovations for each capital that can bridge the current state to the desired future. This involves identifying intermediate steps that can foster innovation and adaptability in the short to medium term.
• Future Vision (H3): Define the desired future state for each of the Five Capitals, focusing on sustainable, regenerative outcomes. This long-term vision should guide the selection and development of outputs, outcomes, and impacts.

2. Outputs, Outcomes, and Impacts Aligned with Horizons

• Outputs (Near-Term, H1 Focus): Specify immediate deliverables and actions taken to address the current system’s inefficiencies. These outputs should also lay the groundwork for the transition to more sustainable practices.
• Outcomes (Mid-Term, H2 Focus): Identify the changes or benefits resulting from the outputs, which represent the shift toward innovative practices and models. Outcomes should be measurable indicators of progress toward the envisioned future state.
• Impacts (Long-Term, H3 Focus): Define the broader, systemic changes anticipated as a result of achieving the desired outcomes. Impacts reflect the ultimate goals of sustainability and regeneration within each capital, aligned with the H3 vision.

3. Applying the Living Systems Tetrad with Three Horizons Insight

• Direction (Informed by H3): The overarching vision or aim that drives initiatives should be informed by Horizon 3, encapsulating a future where sustainable and regenerative practices prevail across all Five Capitals.
• Ground (Rooted in H1): The current state analysis, or ‘Ground,’ should deeply understand the existing conditions, leveraging Horizon 1 insights to identify areas requiring immediate attention and optimization.
• Goals (Bridging H1 to H3 via H2): Set specific, actionable goals that not only address immediate needs (H1) but also act as stepping stones towards the innovative practices (H2) and ultimately the desired future state (H3).
• Actions (Spanning H1, H2, H3): Actions should be developed to address immediate needs (H1 outputs), transition through innovation (H2 outcomes), and achieve long-term systemic change (H3 impacts).

4. Flexibility and Adaptation in Strategy

The Three Horizons Model emphasizes the need for strategies to be flexible and adaptive, acknowledging that the path from the current state to the future vision is not linear and may require adjustments based on emergent challenges and opportunities. The Five Capitals Playbook should be adapted to the needs of the community.

By incorporating these aspects of the Three Horizons Model into the implementation of the Five Capitals Playbook, planners and decision-makers can ensure a more comprehensive, forward-looking approach to urban regeneration. This methodology not only addresses immediate sustainability challenges but also fosters innovation and guides systemic change towards a regenerative future, aligning short-term actions with long-term visions for each of the Five Capitals.

It’s a wrap

In navigating the complexities of urban evolution, the Five Capitals Playbook, augmented by the Systems-Centric Adaptive Regenerative Framework (SCARF) and the Eco-Innovation Overlay Zone model, stands as a lighthouse for cities aspiring toward resilience and sustainability. This playbook, woven with the strategic insights of the Tetrad — Ground, Instruments, Goals, and Direction — presents a forward-thinking, multi-dimensional blueprint for urban development that transcends traditional approaches. It articulates a holistic, adaptive strategy for revitalizing urban ecosystems through integrated management of Natural, Social, Human, Built, and Financial Capitals. Here’s how these foundational elements converge to pave the way for thriving, regenerative urban landscapes:

Holistic Approach

The Playbook promotes a comprehensive understanding of urban ecosystems, emphasizing the synergistic management of all Five Capitals. It recognizes that true sustainability arises from a balanced, interconnected approach, where the regeneration of one capital inherently supports and is supported by the others. By fostering this integrative perspective, the Playbook ensures that urban development is sustainable, inclusive, and equitable.

Metrics and Indicators

With its tailored metrics and indicators, the Playbook facilitates nuanced assessments of urban health and progress. It enables cities to measure improvements in diverse areas, from the vibrancy of natural ecosystems to the strength of economic resilience, providing a detailed, systemic view of urban sustainability. This level of insight is crucial for informed decision-making and effective policy formulation.

Integrated Reporting and Decision-Making

Leveraging the Future City Platform, the Playbook offers a comprehensive framework for reporting and decision-making that aligns with regenerative principles. It empowers stakeholders at all levels to make informed, consensus-driven choices that prioritize long-term sustainability and community well-being, transcending short-term agendas for a vision of enduring urban resilience.

Policy Formulation and Community Engagement

By illuminating the interdependencies within urban systems, the Playbook and SCARF guide thoughtful policy formulation and encourage active community engagement. They advocate for policies and actions that are adaptive, considerate of systemic impacts, and designed to foster community involvement, ensuring that urban regeneration efforts are grounded in the needs and aspirations of all community members.

Conclusion

As cities face the imperative challenges of sustainability and growth, adopting the integrated approach outlined in the Five Capitals Playbook, enriched by SCARF principles and practical models like the Eco-Innovation Overlay Zone, becomes essential. This comprehensive strategy not only addresses current urban complexities but also establishes a resilient, adaptable foundation for future generations.

The call to action is clear: it’s time for all urban stakeholders to unite under the guidance of the Playbook, embracing its principles to innovate and regenerate. Through collective commitment and collaborative effort, we have the opportunity to transform our urban landscapes into models of sustainability and resilience. Let’s seize this moment to co-create cities that not only thrive today but continue to flourish for the generations to come.

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About Regenerative Development Corporation (RDC): Regenerative Development Corporation specializes in pioneering sustainable, regenerative urban and community development practices. Integrating advanced technology, including the Future Cities Platform, and emphasizing carbon-neutral building materials, RDC commits to creating resilient ecosystems and vibrant communities. Our work extends beyond traditional development, focusing on education and empowering stakeholders to engage in regenerative practices that ensure economic vitality, environmental sustainability, and social well-being. Committed to innovation and collaboration, RDC is setting new standards for a sustainable future. For more insights into our transformative projects, visit rdc.re or contact press@place.fund.