New Industry-Led Nature Design Guide Offers Practical Framework for Embedding Nature-based Design in Projects

Global GreenTag International joins fellow Guide contributors to celebrate the launch of this new online publication and design tool to assist bringing the Australian building industry into a Nature Positive future. A guide that includes the value of GreenTag certifications, especially under GreenTag's NaturePositive+ Standard, and category examples of a number of products that are certified with GreenTag and ready for Circular Economy projects.,

MEDIA RELEASE

Embargoed until 9:00am AEDT, Monday 20 October 2025
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A collaborative group of industry experts, researchers, designers and practitioners across the Australian built environment today launched the Nature Design Guide – a substantial new resource available online and as a downloadable PDF.

The Guide, which also incorporates a Country and Nature design tool, provides a forward-looking framework for anyone involved in shaping the built environment to embed nature-positive approaches into design. Its aim is to protect and restore biodiversity, regenerate ecosystems, support communities, and deliver climate-resilient places through a Country-centred approach to nature-based design.

Practical and Industry-Led

Developed collaboratively, the Nature Design Guide combines diverse knowledge, design elements and best practice case studies. These real-world examples demonstrate measurable benefits achieved through embedding Country and Nature outcomes at the outset of projects.

The guide provides guidance on key Country and Nature concepts, processes, a decision-making tool, and practical steps to help project teams embed Country and nature-positive outcomes into the design process. Featuring practical advice, the guide equips professionals designing new developments to do more than target the minimisation of harm, but instead to actively protect, regenerate, restore, and respect the cultural landscapes and natural world that sustains us all.

Wide-Ranging Collaboration

Specialists from across industry and academia contributed their expertise, representing organisations including Lendlease, OCULUS, Nature and Climate, Fytogreen, Living Future Institute of Australia, Arcadis, Living Seawalls, Curtin University, Francisii Ecology, Harrington & Low Consulting, Mott MacDonald, Mansfield Advisory, Global GreenTag International, Hollow Log Homes, and AECOM.

Together, they bring perspectives spanning environmental science, architecture, urban and landscape design, property and infrastructure development, sustainable construction and engineering, urban ecology, building materials design, regenerative building design and certification, sustainable product and materials certification, and higher education.

A Guide to Inspire New Leaders

Abigail Heywood, Environmental Sustainability Expert and Climate Action & Nature Impact Advocate, who led the Guide's development, said:

"We hope that more leaders will emerge through interaction with the Nature Design Guide. It was important that this document was collaborative to share diverse knowledge and perspectives that readers can quickly engage with and apply to projects. It is our response to the growing call from investors, clients, communities and regulators for stronger nature outcomes in the built environment – and we hope it will accelerate outcomes in that direction."

The Nature Design Guide is available to support designers, developers, planners, policymakers, communities and industry leaders in reshaping the built environment with Country and Nature at its heart.

Additional quotes from collaboration group members:

"Whether you are working at the building scale or precinct scale; preparing a brief or responding to one; designing, engineering or building; or if you simply want to learn more about the regenerative potential of nature-based design. Then the Nature Design Guide and beta tool are a great place to start. These freely accessible resources outline clear project processes and methods, design considerations and elements, benefits and co-benefits - to help you maximise the impact your work can have on the health of Country and the ecosystems we are all part of. OCULUS appreciates the opportunity to contribute to this guide as part of our commitment to our Country Vision Statement."

Claire Martin, Associate Director, OCULUS, Fellow, Registered Landscape Architect

"Adopting relatively small changes in the way we design our built environments can result in meaningful biodiversity outcomes. The Nature Design Guide is an easy-to-follow resource that will assist practitioners across multiple design disciplines in realising these changes. Francisii Ecology are delighted to see the Nature in Design Guide developed as an important tool in striving toward a Nature Positive future."

David Francis, Director and Ecologist, Francisii Ecology

"Fytogreen has reached a significant professional milestone by contributing to the Nature Design Guide, which allows us to reveal the technical intricacy of green infrastructure while establishing strict industry standards. This guide establishes the technical rigour our industry needs by exposing the ecological engineering and horticultural science that underpin successful implementation. With this partnership, we're moving Australian green infrastructure from aesthetic improvement to ecologically sound systems that benefit communities, the environment, and the country in quantifiable, scientifically supported ways."

Mitchell Clouten, Landscape Architect, Fytogreen Australia

"Global GreenTag has been working for some years to produce a rigorous standard to certify products to align with the inherent principles of Nature Positive by setting high benchmarks to repair nature and extend to the health and wellbeing of all living systems, including human life itself. The Nature Design Guide is a giant work that draws on the expertise and passions from diverse areas and specialisations within the built environment industries. As collaborators on this fine project, we couldn't be prouder of the outcome and, to represent our family of manufacturers who are delivering some exemplar products to support this movement that is putting nature and country first."

(Dr) Nana Bortsie-Aryee, Program Director, Global GreenTag International

Download the Nature Design Guide

We invite you to download the Nature Design Guide here:

www.oculus.info/news/nature-design-guide

For further information, or interview requests:

Abigail Heywood
Director, Nature & Climate

+61 418 777 901

For interview requests:

Claire Martin (she/her)
Associate Director, OCULUS

+61 419 339 766