A systemic design investigation into whole-life carbon emissions in Canada’s building sector. By examining the relationships between material lifecycles, policy, industry practices, and human behaviour, the project identified leverage points for accelerating the transition toward lower-carbon and more regenerative approaches to the built environment.
Systemic design ◦ Strategic foresight ◦ Transition design
Methods: Secondary research ◦ Boundary mapping ◦ Stakeholder mapping ◦ System mapping ◦ Causal loop diagrams ◦ Causal layered analysis ◦ Leverage point analysis
Collaborators: Shaun Alfonso ◦ Carly Benson ◦ Veronique Claude
What are the systemic barriers and incentives for shifting towards a regenerative building industry in Ontario, Canada?
Overview
Buildings account for a significant share of global greenhouse gas emissions through both operational and embodied carbon. As Canada’s building stock continues to grow, reducing emissions requires addressing not only new construction but also existing buildings.
Working as part of a multidisciplinary team, we conducted a systemic exploration of the building sector in Ontario. We mapped carbon emissions across the building lifecycle, analyzed the relationships between key stakeholders, examined the broader structures influencing current building practices, and identified potential interventions for reducing emissions, with a particular focus on retrofitting and adaptive reuse.
Outcomes
- Systems synthesis map
- 2025 roadmap
- Presentation at Systems Thinking Ontario
- Conference exhibition at the Relating Systems Thinking and Design Symposium (RSD10)
