In May 2019, the International Living Future Institute (ILFI) released the Living Building Challenge (LBC) 4.0, the latest version of the world’s most impactful green building standard. The release of the seven Petal Handbooks followed in 2020 as an online resource, clarifying program requirements, providing explanations and examples, and listing all published Exceptions for each Imperative. 

Now, ILFI is pleased to announce the first Quarterly Update of the LBC 4.0 Petal Handbooks. With Handbooks now accessed online through the Membership Dashboard, regular quarterly updates to the Handbooks are possible, making them a living and evolving resource.  

PETAL HANDBOOK QUARTERLY UPDATES

The Petal Handbooks will be updated quarterly to reflect new Exceptions and clarifications from the Dialogue; to add case studies, explanatory text, tables, or graphics; and to make any other amendments or additions necessary for improving the clarity and content of the handbooks. Quarterly updates will occur in January, April, July, and October of each year, at which time the previous version of the online Petal Handbook will be archived and the new version with a date stamp on the cover page will be issued.  

With each quarterly update, a list of revisions will be published, summarizing all substantive changes in that update. Should project teams wish to reference previous versions of the handbook, a link in the Petal Handbooks table of contents will provide access to a downloadable .pdf of the original Petal Handbook or all subsequent quarterly updates.

While project teams will be held to the Petal Handbook version that is current when the project registers, project teams are encouraged to reference, and have the option to use, information that is added to later versions at their discretion. Therefore, project team members will benefit from using the latest online version of the Petal Handbooks, to ensure they are aware of all the most current Exceptions, clarifications, and updates. 

RED LIST UPDATES

With the release of the Living Building Challenge 4.0, ILFI introduced the LBC Watch List. The intent of the Watch List is to signal to manufacturers and project teams that ILFI has identified certain chemicals and compound groups for potential inclusion in the LBC Red List. The Watch List does not impact a product’s Declaration Status, or the ability of project teams to use products that contain these chemicals on LBC projects. The Red List remains the enforceable screening list. 

The Red List will be updated annually in January of each year from the list of CASRNs on the Watch List that have been designated as “Priority for Red List Inclusion” for a minimum of 12 months. The Watch List and designation as a “Priority for Red List Inclusion” chemical may be updated more frequently throughout the year. This delay of at least one year between designating CASRNs as “Priority” and their addition to the Red List allows ILFI to engage with green building stakeholders in the intervening months to continue research, allows time for manufacturers to phase out “priority” chemicals from their products, and ensure alignment, rigor and relevance of the list.

Though the Red List groupings were changed with the release of LBC 4.0, no new CASRNs were added at that time. January 2021 will see the first update of CASRNs on the LBC 4.0 Red List. The Red List is applicable across ILFI’s programs, including the Living Building Challenge (LBC), Core, Living Community Challenge (LCC), Declare, and the Living Product Challenge (LPC). Declare labels and projects registered after the release of the new Red List must adhere to the new version. 

To become a Member and view the Petal Handbooks, see our Membership page.

For more information for Declare manufacturers see our Declare FAQs.

For more information for LBC teams, see our Red List FAQs.

In May 2019, the International Living Future Institute (ILFI) released the Living Building Challenge (LBC) 4.0. This latest version of the world’s most impactful green building standard provides a vision for a new era in building and a framework to address the environmental and social challenges of our time.

Now, ILFI is pleased to announce the release of the first five LBC 4.0 Petal Handbooks. These Handbooks provide the guidance, rule sets, and tools needed to help project teams implement LBC 4.0 and Core and create communities that are socially just, culturally rich, and ecologically restorative. The Place, Water, Energy, Equity, and Beauty Petal Handbooks are available now to all Premium ILFI Members. The remaining two Petal Handbooks, Materials and Health + Happiness, will be available in March and April, respectively.

The LBC 4.0 Petal Handbooks are similar in intent and overall organization to the Handbooks from previous versions of the LBC Standard. However, this latest version also incorporates significant new features to make them more functional for project teams and improve the connections between the Living Building Challenge, CORE and other ILFI programs.

Below are some answers to commonly-asked questions.

What are Petal Handbooks?

Petal Handbooks are an essential reference for anyone interested in the Living Building Challenge. The LBC 4.0 Standard lays out the basic rules and requirements of the program. Each Petal Handbook digs into the details, provides explanations and examples, and lists all the published Exceptions for each Imperative. The Handbooks provide key information that those involved in an LBC project will need to know to successfully apply the Standard and achieve certification. 

What’s new in this version of the Petal Handbooks?

There are a number of significant updates to the LBC 4.0 Petal Handbooks. The most noticeable is the move to a digitally-accessed platform called Manula. This platform makes the Handbooks searchable, updatable, and able to connect information across multiple Imperatives. ILFI will update the Petal Handbooks quarterly to provide additional clarifications or exceptions that have come forward through the Dialogue or other interactions with project teams. ILFI will also be printing a PDF version of the Petal Handbooks every quarter.

In addition, there is a new consolidated glossary that ensures definitions are consistent throughout the Petals and Imperatives of LBC, as well as in related programs such as the Living Product Challenge, Living Community Challenge, Declare and Just.

Who should use the Petal Handbooks?

Project teams pursuing LBC 4.0, including owners, are the primary readers of the Petal Handbooks. The Handbooks include all the Core Imperatives of the Core Green Building Certification Program, and are also the key resource for Core project teams. The Handbooks are also helpful for vendors or manufacturers of healthy materials with potential for specification on an LBC or CORE registered project.

How do I access the Petal Handbooks?

Petal Handbooks are available to all Premium Members of ILFI. The Handbooks can be accessed through the member dashboard and then read online or downloaded as a PDF. Because the Handbooks are now a digital resource, they can be updated much more easily. While project teams will be held to the version that is current when their project is registered, teams are encouraged to reference, and have the option to use, information that is added to later versions at their discretion. Therefore, project team members will benefit from using the online version to ensure they are aware of all the latest Exceptions and other updates.

ILFI Premium Members will be able to access both the new 4.0 Petal Handbooks and the previous versions, 3.1 Petal Handbooks, as a benefit of membership.

Why should I use the Petal Handbooks?

The Petal Handbooks provide practical information critical to translating the inspiration and vision of the Living Building Challenge into a project that demonstrates change is possible. The Petal Handbooks are one key component of the pool of resources available to project teams. Other tools we provide to simplify the process of designing to the LBC and Core standards include: the Dialogue, Water Permitting Guidebook, materials tracking table, policy guidebooks and case studies as well as many other resources available on ILFI’s website.

If you are ready to spring into action and bring your values to life in your home, office, school, or your real estate portfolio, LBC 4.0, Core and these new Petal Handbooks show the way.

Last year I had the pleasure to introduce our 2018 Living Building Challenge Heroes. In case you missed the event last year, here are seven spectacular individuals leading the way to a Living Future and each of their calls to action.

Anjanette Green

Anjanette has 17+ years of experience in Architecture and Design, advising on single and multi-attribute building and material certification projects across the globe.  As a materials analyst, Living Product Assessor and Declare third-party verifier for the International Living Future Institute, Anjanette is among an elite group of experts working to bring healthier products to market.

Anjanette has worked tirelessly with a wide spectrum of manufacturers assessing ingredients in supply chains and advocating for the removal of chemicals of concern that contribute to poor health and unhealthy air quality.

Anjanette’s call to action: “Never underestimate your power as an individual.  From the smallest gesture to the grandest of achievements, both have the power to change the course of the world.”

Paolo Bevilacqua

Paolo Bevilacqua is General Manager – Sustainability & Real Utilities at Frasers Property Australia. He has over 15 years’ experience in the property industry and is one of the country’s leading sustainability professionals, responsible for delivering cutting-edge sustainability solutions to many high profile projects across various sectors.

Paolo is Chair of the Living Future Institute of Australia, and a member of the Green Building Council of Australia’s Steering Committee and the Property Council of Australia’s National Sustainability Roundtable.

Paolo’s call to action: “Stop focusing on what could go wrong – focus on what could go right.”

Eileen Quigley

Eileen Quigley is currently the sustainability operations Director at WeWork. As the former manager for NRDC’s entire real estate portfolio, when the organization’s offices need to be renovated, she manages the design and construction process, ensuring that the most aggressive environmental goals are met. As a result, three of NRDC’s spaces are Living Building Challenge Petal Certified and all its major offices have LEED certifications under the Commercial Interiors category.

With degrees in civil engineering and sustainability management, Eileen approaches all sustainability challenges both systematically and holistically.

Eileen’s call to action: “Build community. Creating positive relationships and sharing resources are huge leaps towards reducing impact on the planet.”

Kenner Kingston

Kenner Kingston is an architect and the President of Architectural Nexus, a practice reaching throughout the western United States. Kenner believes that architecture is about reestablishing the harmonious relationship between people and the natural environment.

By blending architecture and social science he has led the effort on several of the region’s most sustainable projects including Arch|Nexus SAC, California’s first fully certified Living Building.

Kenner’s call to action: “Live your values! Don’t outsource your values to your clients. Walk your talk and do for your own office what you do for others.”

Martin Brown

Martin Brown is an innovative sustainability ‘provocateur’, advocate and business improvement consultant with his Fairsnape practice,based in the Forest of Bowland, Lancashire UK. Building on his 45 years of UK and overseas experience in project management, business improvement and sustainability he now supports many leading organisations and practices.

From understanding climate change, reconnecting with nature, rethinking carbon management and the materials we use in our buildings, Martin acknowledges we can all imagine better and provokes improvement.

Martin’s call to action: “We no longer have the luxury of being only less bad – we can, we must #imaginebetter”

Stephen Choi

Stephen Choi’s work has included the development of global environmental assessment methods, designing and managing building projects, being one of Australia’s two Living Building Challenge auditors, and embedding sustainable development into educational curriculum. Several of his projects – both private and public sector – have been recognised in the industry for progressing “green building”.

Stephen co-founded non-profit architecture practice Architecture for Change in 2011, which has focused on an integrated approach to create buildings that respect and respond to the environment and context within which they exist as well as being user-friendly and inspiring.

Stephen’s call to action: “What are you going to do when no one else is watching?”

Nori Catabay

Nori Catabay leads the internal King County Green Building Team in King County Washington. She provides green building technical assistance and training to County capital projects and manages the King County Sustainable Infrastructure Scorecard. Nori led the County’s Green Building Ordinance renewal adding the Living Building Challenge to King County Code as an alternative to the Scorecard or LEED Platinum requirement, and a LBC demonstration ordinance for voluntary LBC efforts in the unincorporated areas.

Nori has 18 years of experience in government implementing public policies on a local and state level and is an avid steward of the Pacific Northwest environment.

Nori’s call to action: “Set performance targets to achieve equity and social justice goals that reflect priorities from underrepresented communities. Integrate those in the next LBC version.”

Join ILFI and these seven visionary individuals during the Big Bang Dinner, where we will announce our 2019 Living Building Challenge Heroes. unconference.living-future.org