Regenerative Correctional Facilities: Sustainable Rehabilitation 

Executive Summary 

Correctional facilities are resource-intensive and socially consequential institutions. Traditional approaches often emphasise containment and cost control, leading to underperformance in rehabilitative outcomes and environmental responsibilities.

This paper introduces an integrated framework to transform correctional facilities into regenerative, health-centred, and resilient environments by aligning WELL and LEED building standards with Agile governance practices under a P5 (People, Planet, Prosperity, Process, Product) lens. ¹ It articulates design interventions (renewables, water reuse, waste valorisation), AI-enabled building management systems, and governance mechanisms (cross-functional Agile teams, KPI-driven iterative cycles) to achieve measurable environmental, operational, and social benefits. Rather than presenting primary empirical findings, this manuscript provides a practical implementation roadmap and evaluation methodology suitable for policy makers, infrastructure planners, and project leaders operating in constrained environments. No speculative numeric claims are included. 

1. Introduction 

Correctional facilities represent a nexus of infrastructure, governance, social justice, and environmental stewardship. These institutions have substantial energy, water, and waste footprints while simultaneously shaping human well-being and societal reintegration outcomes. 

This manuscript argues that regenerative design, when coupled with Agile governance and structured through the P5 framework, can reorient correctional facilities from static containment assets to dynamic platforms for rehabilitation, skills development, and environmental performance. WELL and LEED standards provide technical performance and occupant health metrics; Agile and Green Project Management practices translate these standards into operational routines and measurable outcomes. ²

This manuscript is presented as a conceptual and design-oriented framework intended to support policymakers, infrastructure planners, and correctional authorities in pilot planning and evaluation, rather than to report primary empirical findings. 

2. Background 

2.1 Sustainability and the Built Environment 

LEED and WELL standards offer complementary metrics for environmental performance and occupant health. LEED focuses on energy efficiency, water use, material selection, and emissions, while WELL emphasises occupant health through air, water, nourishment, lighting, and comfort. Interventions relevant to correctional contexts include: 

• High-performance envelope systems 

• Renewable energy integration (PV, microgrids, battery storage) 

• Greywater reuse and rainwater harvesting 

• Natural daylighting and circadian lighting 

• Biophilic therapeutic spaces ³

These standards enable environmental, health, and comfort improvements when thoughtfully applied. 

2.2 Governance and Leadership 

Governance innovations, particularly Agile practices adapted to public institutions, support decentralised decision-making, iterative implementation, and stakeholder engagement. ⁴ Agile methods such as sprints, retrospectives, and KPI dashboards align operational processes with sustainability and rehabilitation goals. ⁵

2.3 Rationale for Integration 

Design without operational alignment can result in underutilised systems and missed outcomes. Conversely, governance without supportive infrastructure limits impact. ⁶ Integrating technical design with governance practices ensures that sustainability intentions become daily operational realities. ⁷

2.4 Regenerative Practice Beyond Correctional Facilities: Climate Change and Indigenous Communities 

Regenerative approaches extend beyond correctional and built environment contexts. Climate change research with Indigenous communities illustrates how regenerative principles operate across ecological, cultural, and sensory systems. ⁸ For example, in Nigeria’s Niger Delta, saltwater intrusion has changed the taste and smell of freshwater, disrupting fishing, agriculture, and trust in environmental signals.⁹

Adaptation strategies combine traditional ecological knowledge with participatory research and community monitoring, grounded in reciprocity and long-term stewardship. These cases show that regeneration is about restoring relationships between people, place, and process, offering insights directly relevant to correctional facilities. ¹⁰¹¹

Taken together, insights from correctional infrastructure and Indigenous climate adaptation highlight that regeneration operates through layered systems in which environment, governance, technology, and human experience continuously interact. These cross-domain lessons inform the integrated conceptual model presented next, translating regenerative principles into an operational framework applicable to correctional facilities. 

3. Integrated Conceptual Model 

3.1 Framework Overview 

The proposed model is layered and cyclical, connecting: 

Built Environment → AI-Enabled Building Management Systems (BMS) → Programs & Vocational Training → Agile Governance 

These layers operate across the correctional lifecycle: Intake → Custody → Programs → Reentry. The P5 framework translates strategic sustainability and social goals into operational requirements at each layer. 

FIGURE 1: Integrated conceptual model — layers, lifecycle stages, and P5 mapping. 

3.2 Operational Layers 

• Design & Infrastructure: WELL- and LEED-aligned building systems, resilient energy and water infrastructure, biophilic spaces. 

• AI & BMS: Predictive maintenance, microgrid optimisation, indoor environmental quality monitoring. 

• Programs & Vocational: Green-collar training, horticulture therapy, restorative justice activities . 

• Governance & Operations: Cross-functional Agile teams, KPI dashboards, stakeholder steering committees. 

3.3 Practical Vignette 

A pilot housing unit installs solar PV, battery storage, and environmental sensors. An Agile team runs four-week sprints consisting of baseline monitoring, staff and participant training, BMS optimisation, and outcome assessment to inform upscaling decisions. 

4. P5 Mapping for Correctional Facilities 

5. Design and Technical Considerations 

5.1 Energy and Resilience 

Resilient renewable energy systems with battery storage support critical loads and enhance operational continuity. AI-driven BMS enable load shifting, demand response, and predictive control strategies. ¹² 

FIGURE 2: Microgrid and BMS integration diagram. 

5.2 Water and Waste 

Greywater reuse systems and rainwater harvesting reduce potable water use, while on-site composting and anaerobic digestion support waste valorisation and vocational training. ¹³ 

5.3 Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) 

Continuous monitoring of CO₂, PM₂.₅, and VOCs, along with demand-controlled ventilation and circadian lighting, enhances IEQ and supports well-being. ¹⁴ 

6. Programs, Training, and Rehabilitation 

Accredited green-skills curricula (e.g., solar installation, HVAC maintenance), horticulture therapy, and restorative programs create structured pathways to reintegration. Formal partnerships with employers and community services enhance employment outcomes.¹⁵ 

7. AI, Data Governance, and Ethics 

AI applications in correctional environments require stringent ethical safeguards: 

• Privacy by design 

• Data minimisation 

• Human-in-the-loop decision protocols 

• Transparent algorithmic reporting 

• Independent audits  

8. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) 

• Environmental: energy use reduction, potable water reduction, waste diversion rate.

• Social: program participation rates, well-being score improvements, recidivism tracking.

• Operational: mean time between failures, reactive maintenance cost reductions, AI false-positive rates.

• Governance: sprint completion rate, percentage of KPIs achieving targets, stakeholder satisfaction.

9. Evaluation Strategy and Research Design 

A structured evaluation protocol leveraging interrupted time series analysis and quasi-experimental pre/post comparisons is proposed. Administrative and operational datasets, combined with qualitative interviews, provide robust evidence of impact without necessitating direct facility access. ¹⁶

10. Conclusion 

By aligning regenerative design, AI-enabled operations, and Agile governance under a P5 lens, correctional facilities can evolve into health-centered, resilient systems that support rehabilitation and reintegration. Insights from Indigenous climate adaptation further reinforce regeneration as a cross-domain practice rooted in relationship, sensory awareness, and long-term stewardship.

References

1. GPM Global. (2025). The GPM P5 Standard for Sustainability in Project Management ↩︎
2. Booz Allen. (2026). Agile Transformation. ↩︎
3. Söderlund, J., & Newman, P. (2017). Improving Mental Health in Prisons Through Biophilic Design. ↩︎
4. Al-Shamsi, I. R., & Shannaq, B. (2024). Leveraging clustering techniques to drive sustainable economic innovation in the India–Gulf interchange. Cogent Social Sciences. ↩︎
5. Booz Allen (2026). ↩︎
6. UNICRI. (2025). Green Prisons: A Guide to Creating Environmentally Sustainable Prisons. ↩︎
7. GPM Global. (2025). Sustainable Project Management; The PMI-GPM Practice Guide. ↩︎
8. Smith, L. T. (2012). Decolonising Methodologies: Research and Indigenous Peoples (2nd ed.). London: Zed Books.  ↩︎
9. Olaniyan, O. (2017). Sustainable Development of Ibadan: Past, Present and Future. Centre for Sustainable Development, University of Ibadan. ↩︎
10. Garcia, E. J., & Vale, B. (2017). Unravelling sustainability and resilience in the built environment. Routledge. ↩︎
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Appendix A. Technical Parameters and Checklists 

A.1 Engineering Parameter Table (rules of thumb & engineering references) 

• PV_kW_per_bed: Photovoltaic system sizing based on regional solar irradiance, security load profiles, and per-capita energy demand benchmarks for correctional facilities. 

• Battery_kWh_per_critical_load: Battery storage capacity calculated to sustain identified critical loads (security systems, healthcare units, data centres) for a minimum of 8–24 hours during grid outage scenarios. 

• Battery_roundtrip_efficiency: Expected round-trip efficiency (typically 85–92%) used for lifecycle cost analysis and operational energy modelling. 

• Critical_load_fraction: Proportion of total facility electrical demand classified as critical, typically ranging between 35–55% depending on security level and healthcare services. 

• PV tilt/azimuth: Optimised according to latitude and seasonal load priorities to maximise annual and winter-period energy yield. 

• Inverter capacity margin: Minimum 10–15% oversizing to accommodate peak loads and system degradation. 

• Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) thresholds: CO₂ < 800 ppm; PM₂.₅ < 12 µg/m³; VOCs compliant with WELL v2 standards. 

• Ventilation rates: Demand-controlled ventilation aligned with ASHRAE 62.1 and WELL Air concepts. 

• Circadian lighting specifications: Day–night lighting cycles with melanopic lux targets supporting sleep regulation and psychological well-being. 

• Sensor sampling interval: Environmental sensors operating at 5–15 minute intervals for real-time monitoring and AI-driven optimisation. 

• BMS data retention: Minimum 24–36 months of operational data stored for performance auditing, predictive analytics, and compliance reporting. 

These parameters are provided as engineering reference values to support pilot design, feasibility studies, and post-occupancy evaluation rather than prescriptive specifications. 

Appendix A — Table A 

LEED / WELL Checklist and Evidence Requirements