The moral case for real estate developers and investors to act on environmental and social issues is well established. Recent research has found the built environment is responsible for 42 percent of annual global greenhouse-gas emissions, with 27 percent coming from operations and 15 percent from construction, according to GRESB.

A recent white paper, co-authored by King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Aptamind Partners and Red Sea Global, argues for a significant shift in the way the private sector addresses these issues. It advocates moving towards environmental and social regeneration, going beyond sustainability to actively enhance natural ecosystems and local communities. This will go some way to repairing the historical damage inflicted on people and planet, as well as addressing ethical challenges connected with the industry.

Alongside the moral question, however, there is also a compelling business case for a regenerative model. It can b