Practice Guide Updates
We published our Practice Guide in 2021, launching it at the RIBA and Architects Declare Built Environment Summit ahead of the COP26 summit in Glasgow. We created the guide to help our signatories convert their declaration of climate and biodiversity emergency into meaningful action and build momentum within their practice.
Part 1 of the document is a Practice Roadmap with 5 simple steps to transform your business. Part 2 is the Project Design Guide, focused on the fundamentals of truly sustainable design and demonstrated through exemplars.
Over the last few years, we have continued to review and are now starting to release updates in the form of separate 'chapter' documents. We are delighted that, thanks to many contributors, we are releasing four chapters of the updated Practice Guide in October 2026 - see documents 1, 2, 3 & 10 below - with the others to follow in 2027.
When complete, the suite of documents will fully replace the original Practice Guide, with the order shown below replacing the original chapter order.
Links will go live as each one is published. Until then the remaining chapters in the original Practice Guide remain in place, as indicated below.
There is also a short questionnaire for users to give their feedback on any of the documents and for anyone who would like to help develop the next sections to be updated to register their interest.
We plan to hold online training sessions over the coming months for the purpose of recording and supporting climate literacy and exchange of knowledge. These will be shared soon.
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1. NEW Introduction and Practice Roadmap
The Practice Roadmap provides a structured pathway for practices to align values, commit to action, build capability, communicate progress, and embed climate and biodiversity goals into everyday decision-making. It emphasises leadership, transparent targets, staff engagement and collaboration with clients and consultants.
(Released in October 2026, replacing pages 5 to 30 of the original Practice Guide - 'Climate Context...' and 'Part One: Practice Roadmap'.)
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2. NEW Regenerative Design
The Regenerative Design Guide calls for a shift from “less bad” design towards creating net-positive outcomes for people, places and nature. It is founded on three principles: Being a Good Ancestor, Co-evolving with Nature and Creating a Just Space for People. The guide promotes systems thinking, circular resource use, ecosystem restoration and designing for future generations.
(Released in October 2026, replacing pages 32 to 35 of the original Practice Guide - 'Part Two, Chapter 1: Regenerative Design') - also replacing our 2024 Regenerative Design Primer.)
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3. NEW Climate Justice
Climate Justice is positioned as a core responsibility of practice, recognising that environmental and social challenges are inseparable. Architects are encouraged to support a just transition, champion fairness, engage communities and ensure that climate action improves quality of life for all.
(Released in October 2026, replacing page 74 of the original Practice Guide, the introduction to the 'Human Factors & Climate Justice' chapter - Part Two, Chapter 4). But the rest of that chapter remains valid: pages 75 to 87 - see 4. Human Factors, below.)
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4. Human Factors - This section of the original Practice Guide (Chapter 4) remains valid, apart from the brief text on Climate Justice - see 3. Climate Justice, above.
New version coming soon.
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5. Energy, Whole Life Carbon & Circularity - This section of the original Practice Guide (Chapter 2) remains valid.
New version coming soon. This will become two documents: 5. Circularity and 6. Energy & Whole Life Carbon
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7. Ecology - This section of the original Practice Guide (Chapter 3) remains valid.
New version coming soon. This will become two documents: 7. Ecology, and 8. Water
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9. Connectivity & Transport - will be a new document, not currently covered in the original Practice Guide.
Coming soon.
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10. NEW Designing for Performance
Designing for Performance reinforces evidence-based design, measurable outcomes and post-occupancy learning, ensuring that buildings perform as intended while delivering long-term environmental and social value.
(Released in October 2026, replacing pages 88 to 92 of the original Practice Guide - 'Designing for Performance, Feedback and Closing the Performance Gap'.)