Sign the Pledge + Join the Alliance.
Who We Are
The Nature Positive Buildings, Cities & Infrastructure Alliance exists to connect and enable the built environment sector to do what fragmented individual efforts cannot. Through the Alliance, members share tools and resources, align policies and standards, develop compelling narratives and value propositions, realize case studies, and inspire the sector through competitions and convenings.
Nature Positive Buildings, Cities, and Infrastructure Pledge
Humans are a part of nature. Nothing we are or do is outside of the living system that supports all life.
This is true for our buildings, the cities we shape, and the infrastructure and landscapes that we create. Across the natural world, organisms continuously alter their environments—birds, beavers, elephants, and even grasses engineer, regulate, and construct. Many frameworks are driving solutions, and we have the opportunity to better connect those that share this aim: biomimicry, biobased, biophilic, regenerative, place- based, circular. These can work better together than apart. Projects present complexities that cannot be addressed with one framework alone—if we are to achieve Nature Positive, use of these frameworks must be coordinated and used in a cross-pollinated fashion.
As humans have discovered over hundreds of thousands of years, and expressed in countless locally-adapted cultures and traditions that remain in continuous practice and development, how we build and adapt determines whether our actions support or inhibit the conditions necessary for all of life to survive and thrive.
In recognition of these truths and inspired by mycelium—nature’s vast underground superconnector that nourishes, regenerates, and strengthens entire ecosystems—we offer the following declarations to connect leaders and changemakers towards a Nature Positive future for all. The undersigned declare the following:
We stand for designing as nature.
Treating all aspects of the built environment as part of a living system—aligned with local climate, water, soil, and biodiversity.
We stand for Nature Positive outcomes and accountability.
Every building, infrastructure, landscape, and city project must monitor and measurably increase the capacity and value for life through biodiversity, resilience, and ecological function and literacy to effect real and rigorous change.
We stand for regeneration through the built environment.
The built environment must protect, restore, and reconnect living systems, not fragment them.
We stand for bioregional and long-view thinking.
Designing and stewarding across scales—from project boundary to bioregion, from generation to generation—recognizing that every project shapes conditions beyond its own borders and schedules.
We stand for ecological performance in the built environment that benefits everyone.
The benefits of nature—such as clean air, water, shade, biodiversity, resilience, and beauty—must be equitably accessible and shared across communities and generations.
Life itself evolves through constant experimentation, adaptation, and feedback. Nature does not depend on perfect solutions. It depends on the ability to test, learn, and continuously refine what supports life. Healthy ecosystems allow poorly adapted strategies to fade while strengthening those that contribute to resilience and regeneration.
We believe our built environment must evolve to do the same. We look to nature as mentor, model, and measure—and commit to evolving our systems, decisions, and designs accordingly.
Sign the Pledge + Join the Alliance
Signing the pledge is a public commitment to advancing a Nature Positive built environment. By voluntarily signing this pledge, organizations and individuals:
- Demonstrate that Nature Positive outcomes are a priority in the sector
- Help to put a spotlight on Nature Positive practices
- Open up new potential for collaborations around Nature Positive buildings, cities, and infrastructure.
By joining the Alliance, individuals and organizations commit to advancing Nature Positive practice by sharing knowledge, elevating proven approaches, building sector capacity, and collaborating with aligned partners to accelerate adoption.
The Alliance
The principles of the Alliance are based on the belief that our built environment must evolve to do the same. We look to nature as mentor, model, and measure—and commit to evolving our systems, decisions, and designs accordingly.
Alliance members will:
• Openly share case studies, lesson learned with an ecocentric approach.
• Demonstrate that nature positive outcomes are a priority in the sector
• Help to put a spotlight on Nature Positive practices
• Seek partnerships with aligned organizations to harness and help evolve existing programs and initiatives towards Nature Positive outcomes.
• Commit to collaborating and sharing with other members to lift knowledge and capacity across the sector.
• Openly share case studies, lesson learned with an ecocentric approach.
The Alliance is governed by a steering committee:
• Michael Pawlyn, Exploration Architecture, UK
• David Goldberg, CEO, Mithun
• Jared Gilbert, COOKFOX
• Danielle Pieranunzi – SITES Director, USGBC
• Kirstin Weeks, BioStudio
• Amanda Sturgeon, Biomimicry Institute
• Cole Roberts, ARUP
• Matt McMahon, Cornell University
• Chris Sharples, SHOP
• Mary Davidge, Biomimicry Institute Board member
• Robin Grossinger, Second Nature Ecology + Design
• Jeff Roberts, EarthWise Design
• Erin Rovalo, Biomimicry Institute
It is currently staffed by The Biomimicry Institute.
The following niches are identified as the key leverage points to achieve the pledge. Our theory of change is that we can inspire innovation through community building. Alliance members can self-identify to initiate or participate in any project.
1. Tools and Resources Working Group: Its purpose is to identify the tools, financing and resources available and collate and share them through the Alliance website and convenings
2. Policy and Standards: Its purpose is to identify and collate the policies and standards that currently relate to Nature Positive design solutions and enable the cross-pollination of them.
3. Narrative and Value Proposition: Its purpose is to lead communications campaigns that clearly articulate the value of Nature Positive solutions.
4. Pilots and Bio-regional Implementation: Its purpose is to implement Nature Positive solutions at the regional and global scale, and to collate case studies, success stories, and data so they are easily accessible to be duplicated.
5. Inspiration: Its purpose is to host design competitions, events, convenings, and campaigns to motivate more people to reach Nature Positive outcomes.
Alliance members should commit to:
- At least 2 hours a month
- Contributing knowledge, tools and case studies to a forthcoming knowledge hub
- Joining and presenting in monthly knowledge sharing webinars
- Completing a survey to identify which niches they want to contribute to.
Individuals can join the alliance as well as organizations, who should delegate a representative.
From Co-Lab to Pledge to Alliance
Organizational Signatories to Date
Individual Signatories
Amanda Sturgeon, FAIA – The Biomimicry Institute
Janine Benyus – Co-Founder, Biomimicry 3.8 & The Biomimicry Institute
Jared A. Gilbert – COOKFOX Architects
Robin Grossinger – Second Nature Ecology + Design
David Goldberg, FAIA – Mithun
Mary Davidge – Mary Davidge Associates
Danielle Pieranunzi – USGBC / GBCI
Leon Rost – BIG
Matt McMahon – Cornell University
Illya Azaroff – +lab architect PLLC.
Marco Peterle
Julie Hiromoto – City of Dallas Environmental Commission
Chris Sharples – SHoP Architects
Clark Brockman – Brockman Climate Strategies LLC
Chris Magwood – RMI
Iva Margo Kravitz – The Iva Agency
Sarah Kuehl – Einwiller Kuehl Landscape Architecture
Ethan Vonderheide – Built Environment Plus
Kevin Chavous
Elizabeth J. Heider – Heider Sustainability Advisors
Art Bath – USGBC
Justefanie Strachan – Humble Be Creative
Tristan Bassingthwaighte – LS3P
Leigh Ann Pfeiffer – LS3P
Berta Yultugriyeva – USGBC
Angela DeRose – GBCI
Douglas T. Smith – USGBC
Gonzalo Pulido Lopez – OMNIACURVA
Melissa Rowe Soll – Ash Creek Forest Management
Charissa Snijders – Charissa Snijders Architect
Eliot Postma – Heatherwick Studio
Lynsey Clarke – Ramboll
Thomas H. Solenberger
Michelle Wallar – Violet & Blue Studio
Magdalia Campobasso – University of Michigan
David Briefel – Gensler
Stephanie Pierce
Sarah Julia LeBlanc – Mémère
Justin R. Wolf – Independent Journalist
Hannah Neff – HJ Sustainable Design
Michael Hindle – INDRALogic LLC
Dina Jovin
Kaitlyn Gillis – Numan Nature Connection
Julia Bennett – Julia Bennett Architect
Taylor Casalena
Willow Gatewood – Willow Gatewood
James Kitchin – Model of Architecture Serving Society (MASS)
Martina Reilly – BCT Design Group
Lindsey Machamer – Austin Parks and Recreation
Lorena Checa – Checa Architects
Suprita Biswas – GBCI India
Martin Hogue – Cornell University
Heather DeGrella – Opsis Architecture
Kathy Zarsky
Cole Roberts – Arup
Kenneth Simpson – GBCI
Edwina von Gal – Perfect Earth Project
Katy Rettenmier – WM
Josiah Raison Cain – Perkins&Will
Marianna Grossman – Minerva Ventures LLC
Michael P. Nairn – Penn Urban Studies Program
Tim Wheeler – Perfect Earth Project
Chris Hardy – Sasaki
Shivangi Arora – GBCI
Juan Palop-Casado – LPA Studio
Lena Asa Jomard – BiomimicryTreasureHunt
Carmel Pratt – ZAZNRG
David Johnson – AGI Avant
Sarah Karle – USGBC
Jenna Stockwell – Aurora Rising
Nathaniel Feeley – Habitat Horticulture
Jenifer Seal-Cramer
Katharina Hecht – Utrecht University
Aminah Leika McNulty – USGBC
Sarah Gudeman – BranchPattern
Helen Santiago Fink
kayak – fiZz Agency
Jennifer Morgernstern – Wiser Ranging LLC
Vera Angelico – ADG
Pam LoPinto – UC Berkeley
Jordan Alexander – LMC Advisors LL
Natsumi Sanda – City College of New York
Nicole Voss – isgenuity
Kirsten Tede Ritchie
Liana Berberidou-Kallivoka – City of Austin
Mihir Deshpande – Atelier Ten
Danielle Zender – Cosentini Associates
Erik Kvam – RegenInfoTech
Will Turner – University of Exeter
Juan Rovalo – Perkins&Will
Sofia Battistel – Student
Sena Nur Aydemir – Fenerbahçe University
Martin Brown – Fairsnape
Seonhee Kim – Design Collective
Saadi Halil – Sequoia – Biomimicry Education and Advocacy
Ethan Smith – AEVI
Jeff Merritt
Mike Refsland – DLR Group
Tiguidanké Diallo – Université of Fribourg
Arun Sasidharan – Architect
Wendell Barnes – Gilbane Building Company
Thomas Samuel Boyster – Wheeler Kearns Architects
Sign the Pledge + Join the Alliance
Signing the pledge is a public commitment to advancing a Nature Positive built environment. By voluntarily signing this pledge, organizations and individuals:
- Demonstrate that Nature Positive outcomes are a priority in the sector
- Help to put a spotlight on Nature Positive practices
- Open up new potential for collaborations around Nature Positive buildings, cities, and infrastructure.
By joining the Alliance, individuals and organizations commit to advancing Nature Positive practice by sharing knowledge, elevating proven approaches, building sector capacity, and collaborating with aligned partners to accelerate adoption.