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2 September 2026
Beginning with the energy concerns of the 1970s, when passive solar design sought to reduce dependence on imported fuels, Professor Prasad will trace how the sustainability agenda broadened through the 1980s and beyond.
Growing awareness of climate change and biodiversity loss transformed the way designers understood their responsibilities, while tools, codes, standards, and benchmarks continued to evolve in response.
Today, decarbonisation is a central expectation of the built environment, alongside emerging priorities such as circularity, resilience, and regenerative design. But as each new priority takes centre stage, an important question remains: are we at risk of losing sight of the bigger picture?
Professor Prasad’s keynote will reflect on the journey that has brought the design professions to this point and consider whether regenerative design could ultimately become an all-encompassing framework—or whether the sustainability agenda must continue to balance multiple, interconnected challenges.
The keynote will offer both a historical perspective and a timely challenge: to embrace new approaches without allowing them to distract from the fundamental environmental challenges that have shaped the sustainability movement from the beginning.
Join Professor Deo Prasad for a thought-provoking look at where sustainable design has come from, where it is heading, and how we can ensure that tomorrow’s solutions build on—not lose sight of—the lessons of the past.
Image: Supplied
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