Towards Regenerative Housing

Abstract

The construction industry faces increasing pressure to transition from sustainability (reducing negative impact) towards regenerativity, which seeks to create net‑positive ecological and social outcomes. This design study responds to a challenge set by Heijmans Residential Housing: to support the organisational transition toward regenerative housing by developing an intervention that broadens employee perspectives, aligns mindsets with a future regenerative vision, and enables actionable behaviour change within daily practice. A comprehensive research phase examined the systemic impact of the built environment, the regulatory landscape, cultural barriers within the construction industry, and the strategic ambitions of Heijmans. Literature on regenerative design, circularity frameworks, organisational change, and behavioural transformation was synthesised, including models such as ADKAR, the RC4BE framework, and Arup’s regenerative principles. Interviews with senior management, intrinsically motivated employees, and external experts were used to map the target audience’s knowledge, learning preferences, and barriers to sustainable action. This analysis revealed that while awareness and motivation exist, employees struggle with the knowledge and especially the ability needed to implement regenerative principles within complex housing projects.Based on these insights, Persuasive Game Design (PGD) was selected as the design approach to address mindset, behaviour, and systemic understanding. Through iterative prototyping, testing, and refinement, a three‑hour interactive workshop was developed. The workshop consists of two gameplay rounds simulating housing development in the present and in a projected 2035 regulatory context, a discovery session introducing the conceptual foundations of regenerativity, and an activator session guiding participants to define personal and organisational actions. The workshop uses realistic roles, constraints, ecosystem‑service thinking, systemic trade‑offs, and innovation mechanisms to mirror project dynamics and create a safe environment for experimentation.Evaluation through test sessions demonstrated that the workshop is feasible within the organisational context, desirable for participants, and viable as a tool for mindset and behavioural change. Participants reported increased understanding of regenerative principles, recognition of systemic interdependencies, and a stronger sense of agency in contributing to regenerative outcomes. The activator component successfully generated concrete follow‑up actions. The workshop has already begun implementation within Heijmans’ “Attitude and Behaviour” programme and is being adapted for other domains such as infrastructure.This study concludes that experiential, game‑based learning is a high‑leverage intervention for supporting regenerative transitions in the construction sector. By combining systemic insight, practical decision‑making, and personal agency, the workshop enables employees to translate regenerative principles into their own work, contributing to the long‑term organisational transformation required for regenerative housing.