Can your project help nature thrive? Building with Nature: Designing for Life, Not Just Living
At Barefoot Architects, we’re passionate about designing buildings and places that respond to the natural world. Buildings can, and should, help regenerate landscapes, nourish communities, and become part of a living, breathing ecosystem
We work with clients who want more than just low-impact design, they want homes and developments that actively improve the environment. That’s where the Building with Nature standards come in.
More than just green credentials, the standards offer a clear, evidence-based path for creating developments that support biodiversity, community wellbeing, and climate resilience.
From gardens that double as wildlife corridors to water systems that restore rather than drain - nature can be part of every stage of your project. And it’s not about compromise. It’s about creating places people love to live in, and want to protect.
Our colleague David worked with a Building with Nature assessor on a cohousing project in Abbots Leigh
What is Building with Nature?
It's UK’s first green infrastructure benchmark. It provides a framework for ensuring that nature is not just considered, but integrated into new developments from the very beginning.
Unlike traditional sustainability standards that often focus on energy use or materials, Building with Nature takes a holistic view - bringing ecology, landscape design, health and wellbeing together in one joined-up approach. It supports developers, architects and planners in creating high-quality, nature-rich places where people and wildlife can thrive.
The framework is structured around three core themes:
Core Standards - How well a place is planned, delivered, and managed over time.
Wellbeing Standards - Ensuring access to high-quality green space for physical and mental health.
Water and Wildlife Standards - Supporting biodiversity and climate resilience through habitat creation and sustainable drainage.
Building with Nature standards – for more information visit https://www.buildingwithnature.org.uk/
Why does this matter for your project?
Whether you’re building a single eco-home or leading a larger residential development, adopting Building with Nature principles can bring real, long-term benefits:
Biodiversity gains and climate resilience
Integrating nature helps reduce flood risk, supports pollinators, and strengthens local ecosystems.Healthier, happier communities
Research shows people living near green spaces have lower stress, better mental health, and more opportunities to connect with others.Planning advantages
Meeting Building with Nature standards can demonstrate your commitment to quality and environmental responsibility - something increasingly important to local planning authorities.
Increased property value and desirability
Homes in green, well-designed environments sell faster and at a premium.
Why should you care as a client?
Because your project has power. Whether you're building a home for your family or leading a larger development, the choices you make shape the world of tomorrow. Building with Nature helps future proof your project - socially, environmentally and financially.
Nature-rich developments are more resilient to flooding and extreme temperatures. They are healthier, more beautiful, and more likely to attract long-term investment. People want to live in places that feel alive. Places where children can play among wildflowers, where rainwater doesn’t just run off but feeds a landscape. Places that feel rooted.
And it’s not out of reach
Building with Nature aligns beautifully with good design. At Barefoot Architects, we’ll help you navigate this path. We work collaboratively with ecologists, landscape designers, arboriculturists and Building with Nature assessors to bring together ecological awareness and architectural rigour, crafting spaces that are sensitive, regenerative and future-facing.
Building with Nature isn’t just about regulation—it’s about inspiration. It’s about building homes that sit comfortably in the landscape, that invite wildlife in, and that nurture the people who live there.
If you’re interested in making your project a force for positive change, we’d love to talk.