From the Logic of the Last 30 Years to the Needs of the Next 30: How Can We Reimagine the Future of Buildings by Redefining the Overly Simplistic Concept of “Building Performance”? According to Arup Experts, the Answer Lies in 4 New Pillars
In the report “Building Performance Reimagined,” Arup and CIBSE Anticipate Future Needs
The concept of building performance as defined over the past 30 years feels increasingly outdated. Traditional approaches that view the value of a building purely in economic terms—such as its purchase-to-resale ratio—no longer align with today’s evolving priorities. The future of buildings and the built environment now revolves around social, environmental, flexible, and inclusive considerations.
To integrate these dimensions and offer practical, actionable guidance for designers and engineers, experts at Arup have developed the report “Building Performance Reimagined.” Commissioned by CIBSE, the study explores new horizons in engineering and building practices, diving into a dynamic and ever-changing landscape that moves beyond the conventional focus on energy efficiency and carbon emission reductions.
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From Human-Centered to Multispecies Needs
Rethinking the future of buildings is a highly complex endeavor. To create a framework that could address the needs of all stakeholders in the sector, ARUP experts implemented a “futures thinking” process. This began with interviews to gather insights directly from industry professionals and identify key challenges.
To reshape the future of buildings, it’s crucial to first understand the starting point.
The report identifies several fundamental changes necessary for a long-term vision:
| From | To |
|---|---|
| Individual benefit | Collective social usefulness |
| Human users (user-centric design) | Multi-species stakeholders (human and nature-centric design) |
| Consumption, extraction, and emission | Contribution, restoration, and regeneration |
| Preventing sickness and protecting health | Improving wellbeing and enabling safety |
| Siloed developments and segregated spaces | Whole system approach |
| Focus on CapEx (pre-handover design) | Focus on whole building life cycle |
| Productivity and output | Resilience and balance |
| Value in ‘newness’ | Value in age and reuse |
| Compliance-based design | Performance-led design |
The report Building Performance Reimagined develops and explores some radical ideas about what we should expect from the buildings we invest in.
We need to shift our focus from individual benefit to collective social usefulness. Design solutions must go beyond serving human goals and align with the needs of nature. It’s a transition from consumption to restoration and regeneration. Fundamentally, it requires moving from compliance-based design to performance-driven design.
The Four Pillars of the New Vision
Building performance—how a building functions—has always played a key role in determining its long-term value. However, in the future, “value” can no longer be limited to operational costs or resale price.
According to the ARUP report, four new performance parameters will guide decision-making over the next three decades: variety of spaces and uses, adaptability, connection to local infrastructure, and the emergence of new materials and ideas through reuse.
Variety
The question at the heart of the report is: how will future buildings optimize space, promote adaptability, and embrace diversity in both usage and users?
By creating a healthy, resilient ecosystem that rejects “single-use” functionality and instead leverages differences. By implementing biophilic design and crafting spaces tailored to the unique needs of individual users.
Readiness
How can construction services reduce risks and damage while developing the ability to anticipate invisible threats?
In this case, the future of buildings will need to be made up of healthy, resilient ecosystems capable of preventing damage caused by extreme events or human actions. Safe spaces, including from a digital perspective, that respond like an immune system.
Connectedness
How can infrastructure services (heating, ventilation, electricity, etc.) better respond to the specific needs of a building and its occupants, while also integrating into local urban and natural systems?
This is where the digital component comes into play. People, devices, and smart objects—all part of a healthy ecosystem—must be connected to other complex systems. Grounded in the context, yet open to innovation. An environment that creates new connections, both within the same species (human-to-human) and between different species (human-to-nature).
Emergence
How can building services contribute more than they consume and learn as structures age?
A concept expressed in the report in English as “Emergence.” The birth of new materials and ideas emerging from what already exists. To achieve this, an environment capable of learning and adapting throughout the entire life cycle of a building will be required. In this case, a healthy ecosystem will be able to restore and regenerate resources, always balancing supply and demand.
