Claire Bowles
Regenerative Business Leader – Systems Change and Market Transformation

How did I find out about this work
I think this work found me. I’ve always held a deep passion for our natural world and sensed that there had to be more to sustainable design than energy efficiency and resource conservation. 

When I stumbled across some fabulous leaders in the US driving the Living Building Challenge, I started to join the dots and saw the connections between my personal and spiritual view of the world as an inter connected web of life and my role as a built environment sustainability professional starting to integrate. 

A pivotal moment for me was the discovery of the Regenesis lineage of work at the Living Futures conference in Portland in 2016. As I leant into the Regenesis work I realised that the work I had to do in the world – is the real work of shifting mindsets to see that we are all stewards of life each bringing our unique essence and contributions as gifts to light up our world and catalyse a new way of being in relationship to our natural world and eachother.

Process for continuous learning
Surrounding myself with people who inspire me and are a step ahead on the path from me to enable me to continue my growth and work in this field. I am drawn to listening to the wisdom of First Nation’s Leaders from across Australia and the globe and also to immerse myself in our living world and to listen deeply. 

I continue to grow by making promises beyond ableness to stretch me and others I have the privilege of working alongside. I work with resonance and listening to my inner self and let myself be guided by intuition noticing when there is dissonance and leaning in to understand what there is for me to learn.

How did I find out about this work
There was a point around 10 years ago when some of the excitement around sustainability began to wane and like many others, I was searching for a deeper and more meaningful narrative. 

For me the shift towards regenerative development began in reading Designing for Hope – Pathways to Regenerative Sustainability by Dominique Hes and Christna du Plessis, and also training provided by CLEAR, the Centre for Living Environments and Regeneration. Regenerating the wider community of life through my work as a sustainability consultant was highly energizing and led me to connecting and collaborating with many other practitioners on a similar journey.

Process for continuous learning
When it comes to regenerative development, the more you know, the more you realise how much you still have to learn. My learning journey involves reading inspirational books, listening to thought leaders in Melbourne and around the world, and connecting with a community of people seeking to embed regeneration into their work in the built environment space.

I’ve appreciated the opportunity to be involved in the Living Future Melbourne Collaborative and Melbourne Regional Member Community, and more recently the Melbourne Regenerative Design Forum. It’s all come home to me, literally, in my efforts to apply regenerative design to my family’s home renovation and additional project, www.biophilicbungalow.com.au.

How did I find out about this work
I’ve been a sustainability focused professional for over 15 years. My early years were focused on building certifications, human comfort and making our built environment less bad for the environment. Not until my Regenerative Design subject with Dominique Hes at the University of Melbourne in 2013 did I understand the potential of bringing a regenerative mindset to my work. To me it is more inspiring to try to shape and celebrate the small wins that drive change towards a socially just, culturally rich and ecologically restorative world.

Process for continuous learning
For me this is about inspiration, curiosity and creativity. I find inspiration in nature which keeps me engaged and curious about many topics. Bringing creativity to these topics by testing, playing and exploring deepens my understanding and learning. For me, having these conversations with others in diverse settings like within the MDRF is critical for me in maintaining motivation and engagement for continuous learning and civic engagement. Navigating life’s intricate fabric, choices unfold paths to the extraordinary, demanding creativity, curiosity, and courage for a truly fulfilling journey.

How did I find out about this work
I have always had a keen interest in the intersection between the built and natural environment and breaking down the perceived separation between the two. My passion was matched by a work colleague who talked about his use of the living building challenge for his home which led to discussion about the Regenerative Design Forum he also participated in. Joining the forum felt like the natural next step in my efforts to bring the built and natural environments together holistically.

Process for continuous learning
I engage actively with my peers, including seeking out mentorship and supervision. I also undertake extensive reading as part of my learning and development. I have completed additional accreditation in WELLS and other major sustainability initiatives

How did I find out about this work
I got into this inspiring world through my role as a project architect, delivering civic projects. I was getting more involved in the bigger picture, where the multiple systems are interconnected. I loved how rewarding it was to design spaces that connect people to nature. After my last maternity leave, I dived into regenerative design and haven’t looked back. Having two daughters has only made me more focused on regeneration and creating a better future for them.

Process for continuous learning
I learn through my collaborations with the industry. Working through diverse perspectives contributes to the growth of innovation as if we are creating our ecosystem and supporting each other. Neutral platforms like MRDF generate opportunities for knowledge sharing without commercial barriers. I have never stopped learning since, especially when I learn with such a beautiful group of people.

How did you find this work
I first encountered the term ‘regeneration’ as a young architecture graduate after completing a Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) with Bill Mollison in 1998. Permaculture’s essence is about working with nature, leaving systems better than you found them, with a huge focus on both environmental and community development. These principles and regenerative systems thinking have influenced how I choose to live my life and how I work, and I’ve been on a journey of continually evolving my understanding and seeking ways of implementing ever since.

More recently, I completed the Regenesis TRP training (on the recommendation of both Dom Hes and Claire Bowles) and became a Living Futures Accredited Professional, using these frameworks to influence projects while understanding that true regeneration begins within.

What is your process for continual learning?

How did I find out about this work
Since I was young, I’ve felt that our systems suppress more than they nurture. My parents would say, “be grateful for what you have” — and I am: for a mother who fought for my education, and for this life-giving planet, whose 3.8 billion years of evolution gifted us with curious minds and skilled hands. 

Like many before me, I'm driven to help make life better for the generations to come. Through the work of Pamela Mang, Bill Reed, the Regenesis Institute, and many others, I’ve reconnected with the wisdom, technologies, and community needed to contribute to the change I’ve always longed for. I've learned that it's only through community that we can navigate the rough seas — and find safe, abundant shores together. 

Process for continuous learning
Learning, for me, is a lifelong, relational journey. Some of the most transformative lessons have come not from classrooms, but from conversations — at book clubs, around dinner tables, or with strangers. I try to stay curious, open-minded, and to see the world through a child’s eyes. Stepping out of the city, swimming in waterfalls, dancing around campfires, and gazing at the stars helps me process and integrate life’s lessons and reminds me to measure success by the lives we enrich, not just the profits we generate.