Nature-inclusive building

What is nature-inclusive building?

Nature inclusive building is a relatively recent approach to urban planning and architecture that focuses on creating buildings and infrastructure that work in harmony with the natural environment. It has emerged in response to growing concerns about the impact of the built environment on biodiversity and ecosystem health.
This approach incorporates a wide range of design and construction techniques aimed at supporting local flora and fauna. Measures can range from integrating green roofs and green facades to designing buildings with dedicated features for birds, bats, insects and other species. By embedding biodiversity into the design process from the outset, nature inclusive building helps create healthier, more resilient urban environments for both people and wildlife.

Why is nature-inclusive building important?

Firstly, it represents an important step towards reducing the impact of human activity on the natural environment. By designing buildings that support local flora and fauna, we can help enhance and protect biodiversity within our urban environments. Nature inclusive building can also contribute to tackling climate change. Green roofs and green facades, for example, can help reduce urban temperatures and improve air quality. In turn, this can help reduce energy demand, lower greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate some of the impacts associated with climate change. By combining biodiversity enhancement with sustainable design, nature inclusive building delivers benefits for both wildlife and people.

Novatura: The Nature Inclusive Shed

At Unitura, in collaboration with Vogelbescherming Nederland and FramePlus, we developed a storage shed that not only provides storage space but also contributes to biodiversity and sustainable water management. The Novatura Shed not only provides the opportunity to store things, but also plays an active role in supporting nature.

Our nature inclusive garden storage unit comes as standard with a foundation system that incorporates infiltration crates, a smart solution that captures rainwater and gradually releases it into the ground. This helps maintain groundwater levels and contributes to a more resilient urban ecosystem. An additional feature is the integrated pump, allowing residents to reuse stored rainwater for garden irrigation. One of the most distinctive features of our nature inclusive garden storage unit is its biodiverse green roof. The roof is planted with a carefully selected mix of native species and sedum species, creating an ecologically valuable habitat that supports biodiversity throughout the year. A green facade is also included as standard, further enhancing the ecological value of the structure and providing additional habitat for wildlife.