Building the Nature Sensitive Way: A Review of Approaches of Ecosystem Replacement and Restoration in Construction Sector

Unscrupulous human interventions in construction sectorhave replaced land and habitats within ecosystems instrumental for vital ecological services subsequently pressurizing remaining habitats to compensate for it. This demands urgent replacement and restoration action to ensure ecological health by reversing the damages to the structure and/or functions/services of ecosystems. The best solution would be taking nature as a role model for developing nature sensitive strategies, whose products would be integral part of nature. The conservative concept of Ecosystem Replacement or Ecosystem Integration states that any intervention to nature must be modelled as per replications of natural systems so as to minimize negative impacts. Adding upon this is the curative concept of Ecosystem Restoration that propagates ecological retrofitting to recover disturbed ecosystems. As per SER ―Ecological restoration is an intentional activity that initiates or accelerates the recovery of an ecosystem with respect to its health, integrity and sustainability‖. The present paper qualitatively addresses above concepts and their methods. It excludes the quantification of impacts and technological advancements as it becomes too exhaustive wrt limited space available here. The intent of the review paper is to motivate construction stakeholders to adopt methods that not only result in resource efficient non-polluting climate responsive edifices at the project level but also are ecologically responsible globally. The paper also serves as a organized datum for academia for deeper insights on quantification of their ecological advantages, contextual variations and technological advancements. With concern for contributing to the healing process of disturbed ecosystems an in-depth study was carried out from secondary internet sources on related scholarly topics and in person experiences, for attaining clarity on concepts and methodologies for Ecosystem Replacement and Restoration. These data were qualitatively analyzed to access the applicability of the above methods in varied Indian contexts. The narrative review concluded with an end note on best applicable Ecosystem Replacement and Restoration solutions in present day scenario.

The components of ecosystem symbiotically exist at a geographical location within the boundaries of built activities, actions and reactions of the ecosystem should be reflected in its designing. Ecosystem is a dynamic complex of plants, animals and micro-organism communities and their non-living environment interacting as a functional unit at different scales ranging from a grain of soil to an entire planet (Article 2 , CBD , 2019 ). Of the six broad groups of ecosystems as defined by UNTowns , Cities and Farmlands are mostly over exploited by construction sector affecting theirecosystem services namely air & water purification, detoxification, cycling of nutrients, waste decomposition etc. If not recovered well it leads to loss of biodiversity and impairment of the physical environment sabotaging the prospects of our future generations.

The construction sector is responsible for 23% of global air pollution, 40% of drinking water pollution , and 50% of the landfill dumps. (2021). Though theseimpacts are global in extentbut they need local remedial strategy for sustainability. These impacts can be on-site impacts or off site impacts some of which are listed below: On site impacts - soil disturbances, sedimentation and erosion, disturbance, fragmentation and destruction of habitats leading to biodiversity loss, air, water table and soil contamination, thermal gain and glare, uncontrolled wind flow, disturbed hydrology, noise and light pollution affecting feeding and breeding behaviors of species, soil, water and air pollution, vegetation loss etc. Off site impacts - storm water flooding, undue pressure on sewage disposal system, near by water body contamination, air, water and soil pollution, altered hydrology, GHG emissions, wetland drainage etc.

Self cleaning and recovery of ecosystem can be manifestedeither by Ecological Replacement / Integrationand/or Ecological Restoration / Regeneration

This conservative concept advocates introduction of eco-sensitive built environment that are best suited to the local ecology and thus act as a perfect reducing probable damages to it.They are time tested age old methods built upon local climatic, ecological, geographic and geological realities and technological knowhow and are popularly termed as ‗Vernacular Architecture‗. It is characterized by site adaptation, bio- climatic approach with micro-climatic influences, energy and resource efficiency and non-polluting disposition.

Indian vernacular forms are multifarious due to its wide range in climatic, geographic and socio-cultural variations. Prominent examples , but not limited to , found in various geographic contexts are as follows:

This concept advocates restoration activities introduced into built confines of disturbed ecosystems that initiates or accelerates its revival to the most appropriate contemporary parlance. The methods adopted for this are ecological incorporation and bio mimicry.

Ecological incorporation means inclusion of displaced habits within the confines of the built environment aiming to revive ecological services. Some examples in Indian context are are listed below:

As per Bio mimicry 3.8, ―biomimicry is learning from and then emulating natural forms, processes, and ecosystems to create more sustainable designs‖.It doesn‘treplace function of old disturbed habitats, rather it designs the buildings and structures so as to contribute to ecological services.Some examples from Indian context are listed below:

(https://www.re-thinkingthefuture.com/designing-for- typologies/a2949-6-examples-of-biomimicry- architecture-in-india/)

Taking lessons from this exhaustive literature studywe understand that construction activities are not fundamentally nature intrusive if carried out according to nature sensitive ‗Ecosystem Replacement‘ concept. Ittakes nature as a inspiration in the built form with multifarious manifestation as per regional contextual realities. Any subsequent disturbance can be recovered and/or general health of the ecosystem can be maintained by ‗Ecosystem Restoration‘ strategies that compensate for the ecological. Thus we conclude that above concepts are inevitable for sustainable survival of life on Earth.

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Associate Professor, Piloo Mody College Of Architecture, CDA Sector 1, Cuttack, Odisha