FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Leaders Call for Bold Action Where Climate, Health, and Equity Meet in the Built Environment

Living Future 2021: Inclusion + Unity Highlights Leaders Building a Movement Built on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice

April 23, 2020 (SEATTLE) – Living Future 2021: Inclusion + Unity put a spotlight on climate, health, and equity in the built environment, closing today with awards celebrating leaders and projects inspiring transformational changes.

“Now more than ever, we need a hopeful vision of the future,” said Anthony Guerrero, Board Chair of the International Living Future Institute and Vice President Workplace and Real Estate Strategies at Earthjustice. “We’ve proved that Living Buildings are possible, now we need a movement making them common everywhere, which means we need everyone involved.”

Living Future 2021 highlighted diversity, equity, and inclusion, with dozens of leaders of color bringing their perspectives on design and sustainability. The event also awarded a wide array of leaders and projects for their accomplishments, demonstrating the progress and momentum underway. 

Living Future Heroes

The Living Future Hero award was created to acknowledge and celebrate individuals in the regenerative design community who have dedicated significant time and effort to advancing the Living Future programs and mission. The individuals chosen as Heroes exceed expectations in environmental advocacy, champion Living Future projects and products, and share this vision with their peers. The 2021 Living Future Heroes are as follows:

• Julie Johnson for two decades of leadership at the Hitchcock Center for the Environment, including development of its Living Building. 
• Fred McLennan for volunteering huge amounts of time behind the scenes to the Institute, including to help initially develop the Just label. 
• Haris Moraitis (posthumously) for being a beloved and energetic leader in Australia’s green building movement for more than twenty years. 
• Emmanuel Pauwels, LFA for being a tireless champion for the Institute and its programs in Europe, leading to the creation of Living Future Europe. 
• Sim Van Der Ryn for his contributions to nearly all aspects of the built environment, his passion for good design, and his love for people.
• Kirstin Weeks, LFA for dedicating her career to creating regenerative buildings and communities, while also mentoring young professionals. 

Stephen R. Kellert Biophilic Design Award

An expert committee selected two impressive biophilic buildings, Maggie’s Leeds and Louisiana Children’s Museum, to be the 2021 Stephen R. Kellert Biophilic Design Award winners. The awards highlight exemplary projects that promote the connection between people and nature, acknowledging Kellert’s legacy as a pioneer in articulating and applying biophilic design principles to the built environment. 

Just Organization of the Year

The Institute selected Ayers Saint Gross as the first-ever Just organization of the year, based on its efforts to manifest social equity in their actions, with significant inclusion and engagement results. Just is a social justice transparency tool for organizations, offering a roadmap for organizations to engage employees around equity.

Living Future Challenge Accomplishments

In addition 23 projects were honored for achieving certification under the International Living Future Institute’s rigorous programs: 

• Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design, Atlanta, GA – Living Certified
• Loom House, Bainbridge Island, WA – Living Certified
• Civitas | archimania, Memphis, TN – Dual Certified: Zero Energy and Zero Carbon Certified
• Sonoma Academy, Santa Rosa, CA – Dual Certified: Petal and Zero Carbon Certified
• Burwood Brickworks, Melbourne, VIC, Australia – Petal Certified*
• Cope Environmental Center, Centerville, IN – Petal Certified
• Green Point Project, Cowichan Bay, BC – Petal Certified
• Harvard Science and Engineering Complex, Boston, MA – Petal Certified
• Mesquite House, San Antonio, TX – Petal Certified
• Tanglewood, Auckland, New Zealand – Petal Certified
• Monarch School, Houston, TX – Petal Certified
• MSR Design New Office, Minneapolis, MN – Petal Certified
• PCC Ballard, Seattle, WA – Petal Certified
• Adlai Stevenson High School East Addition, Lincolnshire, IL – Zero Energy Certified
• North Coastal Live Well Center, Oceanside, CA – Zero Energy Certified
• School of Design and Environment 4, Singapore – Zero Energy Certified
• West-MEC SW Campus Building X, Buckeye, AZ – Zero Energy Certified
• Marie Selby Botanical Garden, Sarasota, FL – LCC Master Plan Compliant
• Reserva Santa Fe, Mexico – LCC Master Plan Compliant
• Sacramento Valley Station, Sacramento, CA – LCC Vision Plan Compliant
• Song Saa Reserve, Cambodia – LCC Vision Plan Compliant
• City Services Building, Santa Monica, CA – LBC Ready
• Marisol Lot 17, Malibu, CA – Zero Carbon Ready

*This project is not yet certified but the audit is in process. 

Combined, these projects demonstrate a dramatic increase in momentum, scale, and complexity for the world’s most advanced, holistic performance standards for buildings.

With 150 certified projects and 760 registered projects, the International Living Future Institute is making waves across 36 countries. This strong international growth is reflected in the Living Future Network, with affiliates offering events, project support, and advocacy in Europe, China, Australia, New Zealand, Latin America, and the Middle East. 

“We are seeing uptake around the world as more people address the challenges facing humanity,” said K C Gaudine, interim CEO of the International Living Future Institute. “We are witnessing the awakening of the human spirit as people embrace bold action on the intersecting climate and social justice crises.”

Taking place on April 20-23, Living Future 2021: Inclusion + Unity is only possible due to support from Google, HMTX Industries, Mohawk Group, Red2Green, and many other sponsors. The Institute is thankful for their support. 

For more information, visit https://www.livingfutureconference.org/. 

About the International Living Future Institute

The International Living Future Institute is a global nonprofit organization that inspires the greenest buildings for a healthy world. The Institute’s mission is to advance communities that are socially just, culturally rich, and ecologically restorative. ILFI operates the Living Building Challenge, the world’s most ambitious, advanced, and holistic performance standard for green, resilient, and healthy buildings. It is also a hub for many other visionary programs that support the transformation toward–and provide a compelling vision for–a living future accessible to all. Learn more at www.living-future.org.

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Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Leaders Bring Perspectives on Justice to Premier Green Building Event Keynotes; Join Biden Administration Leader

Where Climate, Health, and Equity Meet in the Built Environment, 15th Annual Living Future 2021 Focused on Inclusion and Unity

SEATTLE – Rosa Sheng, Director of Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion and Higher Education Studio Leader for San Francisco for SmithGroup, and Adrianna Quintero, Senior Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Energy Foundation, join Mark Chambers, Senior Director for Building Emissions at the White House Council on Environmental Quality to round out the keynote addresses at Living Future 2021: Inclusion + Unity, where climate, health, and equity meet in the built environment.

In addition, an opening plenary with Joe Allen, Director of the Harvard Healthy Buildings Program, George Bandy, Jr., Head of Worldwide Circular Economy at Amazon, Avinash Rajagopal, Editor-in-Chief of Metropolis, and Kat Taylor, Co-Founder of Beneficial State Bank will focus on the future of health, equity, finance and decarbonization.

The virtual art exhibition Ritual For A Living Future will also be presented as a 3D gallery experience curated by Monet Clark, featuring her new video work with Brenda Laurel, as well as works by Edgar Heap of Birds, Cannupa Hanska Luger, John DiLeva Halpern and Emily Harris of the Center for Cultural Activism International, and Penny Slinger.

FOR MEDIA CREDENTIALS SEE BELOW

Gathering the world’s greenest developers, architects, and product designers, Living Future 2021 is the 15th annual conference hosted by the International Living Future Institute. At this crucial moment in history, the event will examine climate, health, and equity and the tools needed to address structural inequities in the built environment and fight climate change.

Held virtually April 20-23, 2021, Living Future 2021 is for anyone working to make buildings, products, and companies environmentally and socially just.

Participants from around the world attend the event. Already setting registration records, Living Future 2021 (LF21) will build on the unprecedented success of last year’s virtual conference.

The theme for this year’s event is “Inclusion + Unity,” reflecting the historic social changes underway around the world. Highlights of LF21 include the following:

• Tuesday, April 20: Opening plenary on the Future of Health, Equity, Finance, and Decarbonization and the Living Product Expo will highlight the wide array of toxics-free products available for homes and businesses. Virtual tours of the world’s greenest buildings, including the PAE building (Portland, OR), the Santa Monica (CA) City Services Building, and Google’s 6 Pancras Square Building in London, England.
• Wednesday, April 21: Adrianna Quintero keynote with a focus on building resilience and equity and a Spanish-language track of sessions about projects in Latin America.
• Thursday, April 22: Mark Chambers keynote with conference sessions focused on decarbonizing buildings and products, equity, and unity to promote a just and inclusive transition to a climate-friendly future.
• Friday April 23: Rosa Sheng keynote with awards announcements and in-depth project case studies.

Registration Now Open

Register today to receive the best pricing.

Media Credentials Available

Journalists can receive free media credentials. Please email media@living-future.org for more information.

Visit the Event Website to Learn More.

About the International Living Future Institute

The International Living Future Institute is a global nonprofit organization that inspires the greenest buildings for a healthy world. The Institute’s mission is to advance communities that are socially just, culturally rich, and ecologically restorative. ILFI operates the Living Building Challenge, the world’s most ambitious, advanced, and holistic performance standard for green, resilient, and healthy buildings. It is also a hub for many other visionary programs that support the transformation toward–and provide a compelling vision for–a living future accessible to all. Learn more at www.living-future.org.

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MEDIA ADVISORY: White House Senior Director of Building Emissions to Keynote
Living Future 2021 on Earth Day

 Biden Administration Leader Joins 15th Annual Event Focused on Inclusion and Unity

SEATTLE – Mark Chambers, Senior Director for Building Emissions at the White House Council on Environmental Quality will keynote Living Future 2021 on Earth Day, April 22. His address will focus on the Biden Administration’s agenda for green building and opportunities for partnership with cities and private-sector leaders.

Other confirmed plenary speakers include Joe Allen, Director of the Harvard Healthy Buildings Program, George Bandy Jr., Head of Worldwide Circular Economy at Amazon, Avinash Rajagopal, Editor-in-Chief of Metropolis, and Kat Taylor, Co-Founder of Beneficial State Bank on opening plenary sessions.

The virtual art exhibition Ritual For A Living Future will be presented as a 3D gallery experience curated by Monet Clark, featuring her new video work with Brenda Laurel, as well as works by Edgar Heap of Birds, Cannupa Hanska Luger, John DiLeva Halpern and Emily Harris of the Center for Cultural Activism International, and Penny Slinger.

FOR MEDIA CREDENTIALS SEE BELOW

Gathering the world’s greenest developers, architects, and product designers, Living Future 2021 is the 15th annual conference hosted by the International Living Future Institute. At this crucial moment in history, the event will examine climate, health, and equity and the tools needed to address structural inequities in the built environment and fight climate change.

Held virtually April 20-23, 2021, Living Future 2021 is for anyone working to make buildings, products, and companies environmentally and socially just. 

Participants from around the world attend the event. Already setting registration records, Living Future 2021 (LF21) will build on the unprecedented success of last year’s virtual conference. 

The theme for this year’s event is “Inclusion + Unity,” reflecting the historic social changes underway around the world. Highlights of LF21 include the following:

• Tuesday, April 20, the Living Product Expo will highlight the wide array of toxics-free products available for homes and businesses. Tickets for the Expo are only $20, so bring your whole team.
• Tuesday, April 20 also includes virtual tours of the world’s greenest buildings, including the PAE building (Portland, OR), the Santa Monica (CA) City Services Building, and Google’s 6 Pancras Square Building in London, England.
• Wednesday, April 21 will focus on building resilience and equity and include a Spanish-language track of sessions that focus on projects and themes from Latin America
• Thursday, April 22 conference sessions will focus on decarbonizing buildings and products, equity, and unity to promote a just and inclusive transition to a climate-friendly future.
• Friday April 23 will include special announcements that celebrate the progress in the fields of green building and sustainable products.

Registration Now Open
Register today to receive the best pricing.

Media Credentials AvailableJournalists can receive free media credentials. Please email media@living-future.org for more information.

Visit the Event Website to Learn More.

Confirmed Presenters Include:
Joe Allen, Harvard Healthy Buildings Program – Kat Taylor, Beneficial State Bank – George Bandy Jr., Amazon – Avinash Rajagopal, Metropolis – Tania Kadakia, DL3 Realty – Kathy Wardle, Perkins + Will – Victor Montero-Dien, Regenerative Built Environment Institute – Heidi de Cienfuegos, B100 arquitectos – Leslie Maynard, YGH Architecture – Laura Zapata, Bonneville Environmental Foundation – Tom Bruton, Green Science Policy Institute – Jeanie Lai, Bora Architects – Juan Casillas Pintor, Universidad Iberoamericana, Ciudad de México – Juan Rovalo, Biohabitats, Inc. – Jordan Sullivan, Sustainable Living Innovations – José María Wilford Nava Townsend – Armando Turrent, Development and Ecology – Maryangel Garcia Ramos Guadiana, Tecnológico de Monterrey + Mexican Women With Disabilities Founder – Ericka Colvin, Yost Grube Hall Architecture – Alexandra Ramsden, Rushing – Alan Booker, Institute of Regenerative Design – Amy Hubbard, Capire Consulting Group – Ruchi Shah, Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation – Rebecca Ocken, Portland Community College – Arlene Blum, Green Science Policy Institute – Dana Clare Redden, Solar Concierge – Joshua Gassman, Lord Aeck Sargent A Katerra Company – Carola Báez Pedrjao Aguilar, Cold Press News – Elizabeth Calabrese, Calabrese Architects, Inc – Jesica Amescua Carrera, UNAM – Myer Harrell, Rushing – Emi LaFountain, Turner Construction – Kelly Worden, US Green Building Council – Mark Perepelitza, SERA Architects – Pedro Gómez Gallardo, Desarrollo y Ecología SA de CV – Rebecca Stamm, Healthy Building Network – Joella Hogan, NNDFN – Elizabeth Torres Rodriguez, SEUS | Sostenibilidad Universal – Marcus Briggs-Cloud, Maskoke Tribe – James Connelly, My Green Lab – Dave Bennink, Building Deconstruction Institute / Re-Use Consulting – Susan King, HED (Harley Ellis Devereaux) – Lola Ben-Alon, Carnegie Mellon University +  Columbia University – Luis Huerta, Sustainable Design Consulting – Vedette Gavin, Verge Impact Partners – Isaac Barrow, Portland General Electric – Aaron Keeler, Greystar – Nathan Miller, Rushing – Tre Borden, Tre Borden, Co. – Chaun MacQueen, Bonneville Environmental Foundation – Martin Gutierrez, Development and Ecology – Christina Congdon, Environmental Works Community Design Center – Pallavi Mantha, Arup – Elizabeth Carmichael, ECOhous – Jose Almiñana, Andropogon Associates – Pilar Álvarez, Universidad Iberoamericana, Ciudad de México – Billy Krimmel, Miridae Landscape – Amy Donohue, Bora Architects – Jenelle Shapiro, Webcor Builders – Mark Chen, Skanska – Shiloh Butterworth, PAE Engineers – Jesce Walz, Perkins + Will – Dr. Daniela Muñoz, CIFRO, the Center of Research and Philosophy & ioio.mx – Jen Jackson, San Francisco Department of the Environment – Mallory Taub, Gensler – Dirk Kestner, Walter P Moore – Roberto Valle Kinloch, Healthy Building Network – Seth Rojello Fernandez, Green Science Policy Institute – Christie Gamble, CarbonCure Technologies – Bryan Lee, Colloqate – Jonathan Orpin, Pioneer Millworks – Erika Winters-Downey, McCownGordon Construction – Marshall Andrews, DPR Construction – Vivian Loftness, Carnegie Mellon University, Center for Building Performance and Diagnostics – Karina Hershberg, PAE – Alissa Kingsley, Lord Aeck Sargent – Mike Harrington, The New School / Tishman Environment and Design Center – Alejandra Arce Gomez, GCI General Contractors – Joanne Carter-Wells, California State University, Fullerton – Manuela Londono, Perkins + Will – José María Nava Townsend, Universidad Iberoamericana, Ciudad de México – Marc Brune, PAE – Suzie Wiest, Village Nurseries – Esteban Martinez Lozada, Green Loop – María Fernanda Aguirre, Chile Green building Council – Lydia Gaby, HR&A Advisors, Inc. – Julie de Jesus, David Baker Architects – Mauricio López, Origen Ingeniería Sismorresistente – Erin English, Biohabitats – Andrew Ellsworth, Doors Unhinged, LLC – Jessie Buckmaster, Hathaway Dinwiddie Construction Company – Alicia Silva Villanueva, Revitaliza Consultores – Heather Henriksen, Harvard Office of Sustainability – Jeremy Knoll, BNIM – Alanna Quock, Regenerative Design – Tiffany Tang, Capire Consulting Group – Yarden Harari, CallisonRTKL Inc.

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Media Contact: media@living-future.org

MEDIA ADVISORY: 15th Annual Living Future Event Focuses on Greenest Buildings for a Healthy Future

Key Speakers Include Co-Founder of Beneficial State Bank Kat Taylor

SEATTLE – The world’s greenest developers, architects, and product designers will gather at Living Future 2021, the 15th annual conference hosted by the International Living Future Institute. At this crucial moment in history, the event will gather leaders to examine ways to stop climate change and address the structural inequities in the built environment. 

Kat Taylor, Co-Founder of Beneficial State Bank and Founding Director of TomKat Ranch Educational Foundation, will join the opening plenary to discuss deep systems change to build a more equitable and inclusive world. 

The event – which will be April 20-23, 2021 – is for anyone working to make buildings, products, and companies more environmentally friendly and socially just. 

Held virtually, participants from around the world attend the event. Already setting registration records, Living Future 2021 (LF21) will build on the unprecedented success of last year’s virtual conference. 

The theme for this year’s event is “Inclusion + Unity,” reflecting the historic social changes underway around the world. Highlights of LF21 include the following:

• Spanish-language sessions will dig into project examples from Latin America and elsewhere.
• Living Product Expo will highlight the wide array of toxics-free products available for homes and businesses. Tickets for the Expo are only $20, so bring your whole team. 
• Virtual tours of the world’s greenest buildings, including the PAE building (Portland, OR), the Santa Monica (CA) City Services Building, and more. 
• Conference sessions will focus on decarbonizing buildings and products, equity, and unity to promote a just and inclusive transition to a climate-friendly future.
• Special announcements on Earth Day 2021 (April 22) will celebrate progress in the fields of green building and sustainable products. 

Registration Now Open

Register today to receive the best pricing. 

Media Credentials Available

Journalists can receive free media credentials. Please email media@living-future.org for more information. 

Visit the Event Website to Learn More.

Confirmed Presenters Include:

Tania Kadakia, DL3 Realty – Kathy Wardle, Perkins + Will – Victor Montero-Dien, Regenerative Built Environment Institute – Heidi de Cienfuegos, B100 arquitectos – Leslie Maynard, YGH Architecture – Laura Zapata, Bonneville Environmental Foundation – Tom Bruton, Green Science Policy Institute – Jeanie Lai, Bora Architects – Juan Casillas Pintor, Universidad Iberoamericana, Ciudad de México – Juan Rovalo, Biohabitats, Inc. – Jordan Sullivan, Sustainable Living Innovations – José María Wilford Nava Townsend – Armando Turrent, Development and Ecology – Maryangel Garcia Ramos Guadiana, Tecnológico de Monterrey + Mexican Women With Disabilities Founder – Ericka Colvin, Yost Grube Hall Architecture – Alexandra Ramsden, Rushing – Alan Booker, Institute of Regenerative Design – Amy Hubbard, Capire Consulting Group – Ruchi Shah, Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation – Rebecca Ocken, Portland Community College – Arlene Blum, Green Science Policy Institute – Dana Clare Redden, Solar Concierge – Joshua Gassman, Lord Aeck Sargent A Katerra Company – Carola Báez Pedrjao Aguilar, Cold Press News – Elizabeth Calabrese, Calabrese Architects, Inc – Jesica Amescua Carrera, UNAM – Myer Harrell, Rushing – Emi LaFountain, Turner Construction – Kelly Worden, US Green Building Council – Mark Perepelitza, SERA Architects – Pedro Gómez Gallardo, Desarrollo y Ecología SA de CV – Rebecca Stamm, Healthy Building Network – Joella Hogan, NNDFN – Elizabeth Torres Rodriguez, SEUS | Sostenibilidad Universal – Marcus Briggs-Cloud, Maskoke Tribe – James Connelly, My Green Lab – Dave Bennink, Building Deconstruction Institute /Re-Use Consulting – Susan King, HED (Harley Ellis Devereaux) – Lola Ben-Alon, Carnegie Mellon University +  Columbia University – Luis Huerta, Sustainable Design Consulting – Vedette Gavin, Verge Impact Partners – Isaac Barrow, Portland General Electric – Aaron Keeler, Greystar – Nathan Miller, Rushing – Tre Borden, Tre Borden, Co. – Chaun MacQueen, Bonneville Environmental Foundation – Martin Gutierrez, Development and Ecology – Christina Congdon, Environmental Works Community Design Center – Pallavi Mantha, Arup – Elizabeth Carmichael, ECOhous – Jose Almiñana, Andropogon Associates – Pilar Álvarez, Universidad Iberoamericana, Ciudad de México – Billy Krimmel, Miridae Landscape – Amy Donohue, Bora Architects – Jenelle Shapiro, Webcor Builders – Mark Chen, Skanska – Shiloh Butterworth, PAE Engineers – Jesce Walz, Perkins + Will – Dr. Daniela Muñoz, CIFRO, the Center of Research and Philosophy & ioio.mx – Jen Jackson, San Francisco Department of the Environment – Mallory Taub, Gensler – Dirk Kestner, Walter P Moore – Roberto Valle Kinloch, Healthy Building Network – Seth Rojello Fernandez, Green Science Policy Institute – Christie Gamble, CarbonCure Technologies – Bryan Lee, Colloqate – Jonathan Orpin, Pioneer Millworks – Erika Winters-Downey, McCownGordon Construction – Marshall Andrews, DPR Construction – Vivian Loftness, Carnegie Mellon University, Center for Building Performance and Diagnostics – Karina Hershberg, PAE – Alissa Kingsley, Lord Aeck Sargent – Mike Harrington, The New School / Tishman Environment and Design Center – Alejandra Arce Gomez, GCI General Contractors – Joanne Carter-Wells, California State University, Fullerton – Manuela Londono, Perkins + Will – José María Nava Townsend, Universidad Iberoamericana, Ciudad de México – Marc Brune, PAE – Suzie Wiest, Village Nurseries – Esteban Martinez Lozada, Green Loop – María Fernanda Aguirre, Chile Green building Council – Lydia Gaby, HR&A Advisors, Inc. – Julie de Jesus, David Baker Architects – Mauricio López, Origen Ingeniería Sismorresistente – Erin English, Biohabitats – Andrew Ellsworth, Doors Unhinged, LLC – Jessie Buckmaster, Hathaway Dinwiddie Construction Company – Alicia Silva Villanueva, Revitaliza Consultores – Heather Henriksen, Harvard Office of Sustainability – Jeremy Knoll, BNIM – Alanna Quock, Regenative Design – Tiffany Tang, Capire Consulting Group – Yarden Harari, CallisonRTKL Inc.

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PRESS RELEASE: Inaugural Zero Carbon Conference Focuses on Proven, Practical Strategies for Buildings and Communities

Climate Activist Tom Steyer to Keynote Virtual Event on October 7-8

AUGUST 12, 2020 (SEATTLE) – As momentum grows for climate action, the International Living Future Institute announces its inaugural Zero Carbon Conference, to be held on October 7-8, 2020. Tom Steyer, NextGen America founder, climate activist, and former presidential candidate will keynote. 

The theme of the conference is “Scaling Our Decarbonized Future.” Focused on practical tools to develop projects that reverse the effects of climate change and support thriving local economies, the event will include four focus areas: Embodied Carbon, Zero for All, Financing the Future of Zero Carbon Communities, and Operational Carbon. Each will offer participants an opportunity to dig into what it takes to develop zero carbon buildings and communities. 

This exciting inaugural event is focused on the intersection of finance, the A/E/C community, and the building materials industry. The Zero Carbon Conference will knit together our community of developers, architects, engineers, contractors, interior designers, and responsible manufacturers who are realizing zero carbon buildings and communities—along with ESG investors who can accelerate the decarbonized investments that are critical to bring them to scale.

Tom Steyer is well known for his climate activism and political grassroots organizing, including founding  NextGen America, a nonprofit organization that mobilizes young people ages 18-35 to turn out for progressive causes and candidates.

More speakers and program details will be announced soon. While this is the first Zero Carbon Conference the Institute has hosted, the event builds on the success of the organization’s Net Positive and Living Product Expo events beloved and familiar to the green building community, which the Institute has presented for the last several years.

Best known for the Living Building Challenge, which The New York Times recently called, “the program most associated with deep-green development,” the Institute also operates a suite of programs such as Zero Carbon Certification, Declare, Just and the Living Product Challenge, which have been embraced by many of the world’s leading companies, including Google, Microsoft, and Salesforce. For more information, visit https://living-future.org/.

About the International Living Future Institute

The International Living Future Institute is an environmental NGO committed to catalyzing the transformation toward communities that are socially just, culturally rich and ecologically restorative. The Institute is premised on the belief that providing a compelling vision for the future is a fundamental requirement for reconciling humanity’s relationship with the natural world. The Institute operates the Living Building Challenge, the world’s most advanced, holistic performance standard for buildings. It is a hub for many other visionary programs that support the transformation toward a living future. Learn more at www.living-future.org.

The International Living Future Institute has announced the recipients of its 2020 Living Future Hero Awards. The new Heroes were recognized at the Institute’s Living Future 2020 Online conference, its largest annual event on regenerative design and sustainable, green building.

The Living Future Hero award was created to acknowledge and celebrate individuals in the regenerative design community who have dedicated significant time and effort to advancing the Living Future programs and mission. The individuals chosen as Heroes exceed expectations in environmental advocacy, champion Living Future projects and products, and share this vision with their peers.

This year’s Living Future Heroes are, in alphabetical order:

• Jane Abernethy, Chief Sustainability Officer, Humanscale
• George Bandy Jr., Former Chief Sustainability Officer, Mohawk Group, Board Member, Green Business Certification, Inc.
• Alessandro Bisagni, Founder and President, BEE Incorporations
• Andreas Gyr, REWS Sustainability Program Manager, Google
• Rex Hohlbein, Founder + Creative Director at Facing Homelessness / Principal at BLOCK Architects / Co-founder of the BLOCK Project
• Melissa Kops, Architect at Pirie Associates
• Jenn LaFreniere, Principal at BLOCK Architects / Co-founder of the BLOCK Project
• Drew Lavine, Principal, Re:Vision
• Jacqueline Patterson, Senior Director of the NAACP Environmental and Climate Justice Program
• Drew Shula, Founder & Principal at Verdical Group
• Ellen Southard, Site Story

Read about all our Living Future Heroes here.

Following is a quote from each of this year’s Heroes sharing a call to action for each of us.

In March 2020 K C Gauldine joined the ILFI team as interim CEO to guide the organization as the board continues its search for a new permanent leader. Recently, the Institute’s communications director Nicole Van Batenburg had an opportunity to talk with K C to introduce her to the ILFI community. 

Nicole Van Batenburg (NVB): With a few weeks under your belt, what’s your impression of the International Living Future Institute? 

K C Gaudine (KCG): When I join an organization, I immerse myself in its culture, people, and programs, to truly understand how the system supports the Vision and Mission. We’re all working remotely now, so I’ve had to shift my approach but I’ve found the Institute is built on innovation, passion, and commitment to a better world. I’ve taken note of how people have adapted and kept things moving forward. This is a busy time in the annual cycle, but people are thinking creatively, supporting each other, and working to stay connected to each other. 

NVB: These are obviously very challenging times. How does the current situation with COVID-19 shape the way you are leading the organization? 

KCG: As an interim CEO, my role is to manage the concerns of the staff, board, and stakeholders and ensure operations continue as smoothly and seamlessly as possible. An important element of this is setting a place at the table for the yet-to-be-identified CEO. Given the current pandemic, it is possible this new leader will enter the organization while our community is still feeling the effects of the COVID-19. While serving the organization, I am focused on working with the Board and Staff to build a high level of capacity throughout the system, which includes preparing for this possibility. 

ILFI is an organization built on disrupting dominant paradigms, so we are better positioned than many to manage the current situation. We are structured to adapt to rapidly changing dynamics, and the culture supports this model. At one level, the Institute is completely up for the challenge–and the opportunities that are already arising. For example, we’re seeing an increased demand for community and this has already manifested in higher registration for a recent event. I don’t mean at all to diminish the human suffering that is part of this pandemic, of course. 

It is exactly this human dimension that is a big part of how the pandemic is influencing my leadership. We are all in this together, so I am trying to be very tuned in to staff and how they are feeling. The isolation of remote work, the fear of uncertainty and health risks, the stress of retooling our biggest event into an unprecedented online gathering–these are all very real pressures on the people who are part of our organization. The pandemic is increasing my focus on people and what they need to do their best work. 

NVB: With Living Future 2020 moving online and coming up on May 7-8, what are you most excited about? 

KCG: Honestly, I’ve been so impressed watching the team adapt to today’s reality. They set the theme—Sustaining Hope Within Crisis—a year ago, and could never have imagined how truly timely it would be. So my biggest excitement is simply watching it all come together, looking for ways to support the team. 

But on a personal level, I was first drawn to ILFI because of its mission. This organization speaks to my soul. So I am excited to dig into many of the sessions and learn from people like Katharine Wilkinson, David Trubridge, and Myrrh Caplan. As an aside, I started my career in construction, both residential and commercial, so I like getting into the weeds of what it takes to deliver complex building projects. I’m also excited to hear Jason F McLennan deliver his keynote. Jason’s vision is what drew me to the organization, so I look forward to what he has to say to the community. 

I’m also excited about the Online Summit and Session Series, which is extending Living Future 2020 for six more weeks. This is an example of the organization adapting on its feet to meet demand from its community. People want to dig in and stay engaged, so we are going to try something new.

NVB: ILFI has proved its hopeful vision is possible in hundreds of projects. Now it needs to scale the vision to make it commonplace. How can you help? 

KCG: I have been leading organizations through executive transitions, complex turn-arounds and strategic initiatives since 1994. My core competency is strengthening systems and building organizational capacity. This organization clearly has a compelling mission and suite of programs. The board hired me to do a few things, in addition to leading day-to-day operations: 1) Conduct an organizational assessment to understand where there are opportunities for refinement and increased capacity; 2) Support the executive search process; and 3) Enhance our opportunities to fund our impact on the cultivation of restorative ecosystems. These three functions are related, obviously, and they speak to how I think about scaling the organization. I want to hand the next CEO a very strong foundation for growth, with systems in place and thoughtful analysis of where strategic opportunities lie. 

NVB: I read in Anthony’s announcement letter about your passion for early childhood development and the Reggio Emilia philosophy. How does that shape the way you think about leading our organization? 

KCG: The Reggio Emilia philosophy is built on the notion that students learn through experience, built on principles of respect, responsibility, and community. Each child is an individual who needs to learn how to use a variety of tools—a hundred languages, as it’s known in early childhood development fields—to express ideas. Basically, we need to meet kids where they are, recognize their individual genius, and create experiences that foster learning. 

This approach shapes the way I lead in several ways. First, every team is composed of individuals who each bring different perspectives, strengths, and ways of communicating. My job as a leader is to engage people in ways that work for them, and create opportunities that leverage their natural talents while also meeting organizational objectives. 

I also like the idea of learning by doing. There is no such thing as the perfect plan; reality always intercedes. But with a good plan, and a strong supported team, we can move forward quickly and create feedback mechanisms to learn by doing.

Finally, I love that there are notable Living Buildings housing schools using the Reggio Emilia philosophy. I mentioned the Bertschi School to Anthony, and I’ve since learned that the UniverCity Childcare Centre in Burnaby, British Columbia, also employs the approach. To me this suggests a natural chemistry with what the International Living Future Institute is all about. 

You can check out K C’s bio on the ILFI website here. Welcome to the team, K C!

June 6, 2019 – Bolzano, Italy

The Living Building Challenge (LBC) is the world’s most ambitious proven performance standard for buildings. Since its inception in 2006, people from around the world have been using our regenerative design framework to create spaces that, like a flower, give more than they take. By actively pursuing market alignment to LBC 4.0–the latest version of the standard–we at the International Living Future Institute (ILFI) aim to hasten the pace of transformation toward a regenerative built environment.

ILFI´s vision is unfolding in Europe through the Living Future Europe Initiative (LFEI) on multiple levels. LFEI has planned several events to take place in different European locations in order to connect local Collectives and stakeholders, aiming at putting ILFI´s philosophy and mission into practice.

LFEI´s upcoming events are focused on different core topics: spreading the adoption of the Declare label, supporting the introduction of the new LBC 4.0 standard, and offering advanced education in the principles of biophilic and regenerative design, among others.

After the Declare label European launch event at NOI Techpark in Bolzano during the 2019 Klimahouse conference, the next workshops are planned in London on June 13^th at Foster+Partners headquarters, followed by Paris on July 4^th at ARP-Astrance.

Additional events are planned in Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Spain, and Sweden with more countries to come. If you want to stay up to date on all the European events please follow ILFI´s event page. We´d love to see you! Follow us on Twitter or Facebook, or drop a line to Carlo Battisti, Executive Director of Living Future Europe for further inquiries.

Photo: NOI Technopark, home of our Bolzano office.

Early Bird Pricing for Living Future 19

The industry’s leading event in regenerative design at a great price

Celebrate innovation with the International Living Future Institute at Living Future 2019 in Seattle, Washington, from April 30-May 3. Register before December 14, 11:59 PM PST, and take $150 off your ticket for this year’s conference highlighting Collaboration + Abundance. Prices go up after midnight and will not be this low again.

Attendees will enjoy unique and out-of-the-ordinary sessions, listen to inspiring keynote speakers Bill McKibben, Mustafa Santiago Ali, and Mary Robinson, and gather with a global community of changemakers in regenerative design. LF19 is where big ideas gain momentum; join the movement today!

To register and to learn more about the conference, speakers, and sessions, visit unconference.living-future.org. Let us know when you’ve registered by using the hashtag #LF19!

PRESS RELEASE: Living Future unConference 2019 Opens for Registration, Focus on Collaboration and Abundance

Keynote speakers include Bill McKibben, Mustafa Santiago Ali, and Mary Robinson

SEATTLE – The International Living Future Institute is hosting its 13th annual Living Future unConference in Seattle, Washington, on April 30-May 3, 2019, at the new Hyatt Regency. Architects, engineers, manufacturers, CSR professionals, and more will gather for the leading regenerative design event of the year.

2019’s keynote speakers include Bill McKibben, author and founder of 350.org; Mustafa Santiago Ali, Senior Vice President of Climate, Environmental Justice, and Community Revitalization of the Hip Hop Caucus; and Mary Robinson, Former President of Ireland and UN Special Envoy on Climate Change.

Join these powerful speakers and collaborate with a global community of changemakers to create an abundant future for everyone. Over the course of four days, attendees will learn new sustainable design solutions, connect with leaders, and leave inspired to further the environmental movement.

Connect through:

• Exciting Tours
• Inspiring Keynotes
• Unforgettable Education Sessions

Registration is open now with the best prices of the year available through December 14.

The Living Future unConference 2019, Collaboration + Abundance.

Learn more at https://unconference.living-future.org/

Second Annual Stephen R. Kellert Biophilic Design Award Winners Announced 

CHICAGO, November 15, 2018: The International Living Future Institute (ILFI) honored the late scholar and Yale University social ecologist Stephen R. Kellert’s legacy with the second annual Biophilic Design Award last night at a special award ceremony hosted by Interface, Inc., at the 2018 Greenbuild International Conference and Expo. This year the award was presented to two outstanding projects: The VanDusen Botanical Garden Visitor Centre, and the Dixon Water Foundation Betty and Clint Josey Pavilion. The award is in recognition of their achievements that demonstrate Kellert’s understanding that in addition to amplifying the human/nature connection, for a building to be truly biophilic, it must also perform like nature.

Flowing forms of VanDusen Botanical Gardens Visitor Centre.
Credit: VanDusen Botanical Gardens Visitor Centre

WINNER: VanDusen Botanical Garden Visitor Centre, Perkins+Will
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia

The building captivated the jury as the epitome of the biophilic design so richly defined by Kellert. The Architecture almost melts into the surrounding landscape. The building is overwhelmingly multi-sensory, from the natural updraft in the central ‘oculus’ to the tactile qualities of the materials, the sparkle of sunshine and gentle diffusion of daylight, to soothing aromas and sounds of nature. The architecture embraces rainwater capture, stores passive solar energies for heating, and induces natural ventilation, just as nature would have done.

Delighting the senses with natural patterns and processes that are abundant through the architectural settings, the success of the VanDusen Botanical Garden Visitor Centre is most evident in the Evolved Human Nature Relationships that have been created–the order and complexity, the spaces for prospect and refuge, and the tripling of new visitors to a Canadian national treasure with reverence and spirituality. This building clearly defines the richness of the biophilic design movement.

Open passageways within the Josey Pavilion provide direct connection to nature. Credit: Casey Dunn

WINNER: Dixon Water Foundation Josey Pavilion, Lake|Flato Architects
Location: Decatur, Texas

The Jury was unanimously transfixed and agreed that the Josey Pavilion also deserved the highest award. The Josey Pavilion is indicative that biophilic design does not require curved forms, interior plants, or filigree to emulate nature. Like a walk on the prairie, the low slung building is connected to place and climate through its form, materiality, and response to environmental forces. Its Sinker Pine, rusted steel and concrete structure links the senses to the natural world, with no Red List materials. As a flower might open up to the sun, the building opens up to the prairie to bring in natural light and breezes and reducing energy demand, helping to fulfill the Dixon Foundation’s mission to promote healthy watersheds through sustainable land management.

The Pavillion’s form is derived from a tree; sheltering against the hot sun, protecting against harsh winds, using the sun’s warmth, and opening up to allow cooling breezes to flow through the space on warm days, connecting one’s senses to the prairie. The building collects rainwater and processes wastewater through constructed wetlands, returning clean water to the aquifer, while delivering 150% of used energy through photovoltaics. Like the prairie horizon on which it sits, its design hugs the earth, and its biophilic beauty lifts the soul.

The top contenders and Honorable Mentions for this year’s award included:

The Spheres, nbbj
Location: Seattle, Washington

The Jury found the Spheres to be a vibrant, lush, and sensory-rich workplace steeped in biophilia, especially daylight, water, vegetation, sensory variability, prospect, and refuge. The interior affords the experience of a botanical garden, but with a controlled indoor climate conducive to work. The habitat provides spaces to work alone or with others immersed in a rich variety of natural features, including a three-story green wall, a large central tree, a lush understory, and the sounds of running water. The spatial design provides an array of prospect and refuge experience, from views across the entire interior to numerous refuge spaces tucked under or into the vegetation, including a well-used “nest.” The central winding staircase gradually opens the visual field to new views as people progress from the more shaded space of the ground floor to the dappled light of the canopy and eventually the bright vistas of the upper story.

The overall experience is intended by design to be softly stimulating and conducive to reflection as well as socially energizing. It does this by creating a variety of habitat “patches” that support different kinds of behaviors, both solitary and gregarious.

Where many biophilic design projects connect to outdoor green space, the Spheres create a unique indoor green habitat. A central point of discussion with the jury was, “Does biophilic design need direct engagement with outdoor nature, or can it be its own human-created indoor environment that builds on the basic elements of biophilic design: prospect and refuge, plants, sensory change, daylight, and variation in patterns, colors and textures?” The conversation continues and The Spheres represents a unique and important example of Biophilic Design.

The Environmental Learning Center, McGranahan Architects
Location: Tacoma, Washington

The Environmental Learning Center is home to an extraordinary Tacoma public high school, the Science and Math Institute (SAMi). Its location within Port Defiance Park–with access to the forest, the beach, and the Aquarium–reinforces biophilic connections for the students from the outset.

Significantly, the team noted that when the SAMi students talked about their most memorable learning experiences, all were locations outdoors, whether on the beach, in the forest, or the rhododendron garden, “the most serene classroom I’ve ever had.” This project used biophilic design concepts to lay that nature experience into all manifestations of the project, creating a “semipermeable membrane” between indoors and outdoors, a bridge directly from the building into the forest, and an aggregation of volumes organized by a “river” of circulation between with eddies for collaboration and hangout. Simple, natural materials, daylight, and views out reinforce these connections: as noted by a staff member, “inside, it just …supports that idea of connection of people, connection with nature, all in one space.”

The whole and all its parts create a high school learning experience that any student elsewhere would envy, and that all schools would be smart to emulate.

1212 Bordeaux, Parabola Architecture
Location: Sunnyvale, CA

The Jury found 1212 Bordeaux to be an elegant, yet restrained, application of Steve Kellert’s biophilic design principles for human well-being and environmental sustainability. The daylight design is especially innovative, with controlled daylight coming from all directions, creating the sense of being outdoors but in a protected space. The daylight provides sensory change throughout the day as it changes in color, intensity, and direction as if it were a living entity. The sensory change is also apparent on the building façade as the change in daylight over the day creates variation in the color of the façade.

The natural wood and neutral color scheme create a sense of calmness that is livened by the people who inhabit the building. As one employee said in a post-occupancy evaluation of the building, “the space reflects caring and attention to the Googlers personally.” A building could ask for no more than to care for and nurture its inhabitants in a sustainable, biophilic environment, and the project highlights a way forward for considered biophilic design.

The jury for the Kellert Biophilic Design Award included:

• Judith Heerwagen, PhD, Award Committee Chair, US General Services Administration
• Margaret Montgomery, Principal and Global Sustainable Practice Leader, NBBJ
• Bert Gregory, FAIA, LEED Fellow, Design Partner, Mithun
• Vivian Loftness, FAIA, LEED AP BD+C, University Professor of Architecture, Carnegie Mellon University
• Amanda Sturgeon, FAIA, LEED Fellow, Chief Executive Officer, International Living Future Institute

About the International Living Future Institute

The International Living Future Institute is an environmental NGO committed to catalyzing the transformation toward communities that are socially just, culturally rich and ecologically restorative. ILFI is premised on the belief that providing a compelling vision for the future is a fundamental requirement for reconciling humanity’s relationship with the natural world. ILFI operates the Living Building Challenge, the built environment’s most ambitious performance standard. It is a hub for many other visionary programs that support the transformation toward a living future. Learn more at http://www.living-future.org.

Press Release: Alicia Daniels Uhlig Receives a Women in Sustainability Leadership Award from Green Building & Design Magazine

International Living Future Institute community and policy leader recognized for important contributions to a more sustainable world

November 14, 2018, Chicago — The International Living Future Institute (ILFI) announced today that Alicia Daniels Uhlig, Living Community Challenge and Policy Director, has been awarded one of Green Building & Design (gb&d)’s Women in Sustainability Leadership Awards. gb&d, the magazine for today’s leading green professional with a mission to create a more sustainable world, created the awards to celebrate the achievements of women who are making lasting change and strives to identify, support, and give opportunities to future women in leadership.

The ultimate goal of the awards is to create a global hub that identifies and connects the most powerful women at the forefront of sustainability. WSLA looks to recognize and advance these top-level female sustainability executives who can then, in turn, support younger women with dreams of reaching such levels of success. “We’re very excited and proud as we’ve watched the event, which is now its fifth year, continue to grow,” says publisher and CEO Chris Howe. “We believe it’s more important than ever to recognize the incredible working these women are doing. It’s been one of the highlights of my professional career.”

President and associate publisher Laura Heidenreich agrees. “We wanted to not only honor these amazing women, but also to bring them all together in the same room so we can learn from one another and inspire each other. It’s an event I look forward to every year,” she says. “We hope WSLA can continue to be a platform for women who are creating lasting change as role models for those who might just be starting their career.”

Alicia Daniels Uhlig was driven from a young age. “In high school, I convinced the school to change its policy and allow me to be placed in an architectural firm 20 hours a week starting my junior year,” she recalls. “I vividly remember my first day, mustering courage and wondering, ‘How can I contribute?’” Sustainability has been her consistent path that has manifested in wildly diverse experiences, each requiring courage.

In 2005, Uhlig joined architecture firm GGLO. As its director of sustainability, she oversaw drastic growth in LEED certified projects. At 39, she became the second female architect in GGLO’s history to be promoted to principal. From leading the Capitol Hill Eco District planning effort in Seattle to working with the City of Seattle’s Office of Sustainability & Environment to create the Seattle Climate Action Plan, she has helped to create transformative design that bridges the future of sustainability with the future of the built environment.

More than two years ago she became the Living Community Challenge and Policy Director at IFLI. “Now I utilize experience gained from past collaborative work—from work with UNESCO sites in the Mediterranean and North Africa to Berea College’s earliest sustainability accomplishments on campus—and create a future of Living Communities that are culturally rich, socially just, and ecologically restorative.” During her time at ILFI, Living Community Challenge registrations have more than tripled, awareness of the program has soared, and her own access to mentors and mentees has grown.

Read more about each of the winners here.

gb&d is thrilled to present the fifth annual WSLA in partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council and Halstead/MetroFlor. Winners were selected by a judging panel that includes Rochelle Routman of MetroFlor and chair of the WSLA Alumni Group, Marisa Long of the USGBC, Amanda Sturgeon, CEO of ILFI, and Chris Howe and Laura Heidenreich of gb&d. Recipients were honored alongside this year’s Greenbuild International Conference and Expo in Chicago on November 13.

About the International Living Future Institute: The International Living Future Institute is an environmental NGO committed to catalyzing the transformation toward communities that are socially just, culturally rich and ecologically restorative. ILFI is premised on the belief that providing a compelling vision for the future is a fundamental requirement for reconciling humanity’s relationship with the natural world. ILFI operates the Living Building Challenge, the built environment’s most ambitious performance standard. It is a hub for many other visionary programs that support the transformation toward a living future. Learn more at http://www.living-future.org.

About Green Building & Design: gb&d is the only magazine covering green building and design across industries. It connects and inspires green building professionals by partnering with those at the forefront of sustainable design, development, planning, and policy. The publication offers a comprehensive perspective on new projects and products created with sustainability and social responsibility in mind.

Photo caption: Winners of gb&d’s Women in Sustainability Leadership Award gather at the 2018 Greenbuild International Conference and Expo. ILFI’s own Alicia Daniels Uhlig on top left. 

Photo credit: Lauren Sims Photography

Regenerative Manufacturing at a Tipping Point

Revised Standards and new Innovative Product Certifications are Highlights at Living Product Expo, September 11-13 in Pittsburgh

(Pittsburgh, September 11, 2018) – Since its release in 2014, the Living Product Challenge has scaled across industries, products categories, and whole product portfolios at leading manufacturing companies, enabled by a growing network of partners who are helping to make good on the promise of “healthy products for everyone.” The Living Product Challenge (LPC) 2.0 was released today at the Living Product Expo in Pittsburgh, an annual gathering of visionaries and pioneers who are together creating the future of manufacturing. Hosted by the International Living Future Institute (ILFI), the conference is attended by hundreds of designers, procurement executives, specifiers, and experts in green chemistry, toxicology, materials health, biophilic design and materials of the future. The Expo is held at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, September 11-13.

“The Living Product Challenge 2.0 raises the bar for manufacturers, to more directly address the critical issues issues of climate change, human health and equity,” said James Connelly, Vice President of Products and Strategic Growth for ILFI. “We added criteria for carbon sequestering products, we are increasing transparency by asking companies to look at their supply chain risk in terms of ethical sourcing, human rights and equity, and finally we are asking companies to document not only their environmental impact but also the social impact of their decisions–including job creation, community health and social co-benefits, through Handprints.”

Living Product Challenge 2.0 also ensures that healthier products for everyone truly means everyone–that access to cleaner products is not limited to only those who can afford them. ILFI has made significant progress in promoting transparency and toxic chemical avoidance across the building industry, through the growth of Declare, the ingredients label for building products. This program has been widely adopted, and there are currently more than 800 products with active Declare labels. ILFI also has a major affordable housing initiative to ensure these sustainable products are used by communities that historically have been most affected by toxic products.

Other highlights and conference announcements include:

• Manufacturer’s Visionary Award, presented to Superior Essex. Superior Essex is one of the first manufacturers to achieve the Living Product Challenge and is a major advocate of transparency and materials optimization. The company is helping to guide the direction of the manufacturing industry as a leading member of the LP50, and are walking the talk in their own operations.
• Armstrong World Industries achieved Living Product Imperative Certification for its TECTUM® Ceiling and Wall Panels, which use FSC-certified wood fiber and provide significant acoustical benefits. TECTUM is the first ceiling and wall tile to achieve LPC Certification, and the 21st product in the program, more than doubling the number of certifications in 2018.

New or expanded partnerships are catalyzing this shift to healthy products:

Toxnot has been selected by ILFI as a scalable software solution for the creation of Declare Labels. Toxnot’s platform enables manufacturers to quickly and easily produce Declare labels across their entire product portfolio, at scale, by tying to their companies Enterprise Resource Management software.

ILFI, NRDC, and Healthy Building Network have released a report, Making Affordable Multifamily Housing More Energy Efficient. Funded by The JPB Foundation, the report is part of the Energy Efficiency for All program, which is dedicated to linking the energy and housing sectors in order to tap the benefits of energy efficiency for millions of low-income families.

Enterprise Green Communities and ILFI have partnered to scale programs for healthy, sustainable development into the Green Communities Criteria. With the development of the next generation of Enterprise’s Green Communities Criteria, Enterprise and ILFI will be crafting guidance for building material selection to improve resident health outcomes. The two organizations are committed to incorporating best practices and learnings from ILFI’s Declare label, Red List, and other ILFI programs within the Materials category of the Green Communities Criteria.

About the Living Product Challenge and Expo
The Living Product Challenge re-imagines the design and construction of products to function as elegantly and efficiently as anything found in the natural world. The creation of this program kicked off a groundbreaking new event that brought together leading minds in the product industry to inspire a revolution in the way materials are designed, manufactured and delivered: the Living Product Expo. At Living Product Expo 2018 participants will share and discover disruptive new ideas and technologies that are reshaping the materials landscape, accelerating the pace of innovation and making Living Products possible.

About the International Living Future Institute
The International Living Future Institute is an environmental NGO committed to catalyzing the transformation toward communities that are socially just, culturally rich and ecologically restorative. ILFI is premised on the belief that providing a compelling vision for the future is a fundamental requirement for reconciling humanity’s relationship with the natural world. ILFI operates the Living Building Challenge, the built environment’s most ambitious performance standard. It is a hub for many other visionary programs that support the transformation toward a living future.

ILFI Contact:
Lisa Lilienthal, 404-661-3679, lisa@iconologic.com

Enterprise Community Partners and International Living Future Institute Partner to Bring Healthy Buildings to Where They are Most Needed

Development of next generation of Enterprise Green Communities Criteria to synchronize with ILFI’s healthy materials programs, including Red List, Declare and the Living Product Challenge

September 11, 2018, Pittsburgh, PA: As the first to address the unique needs of the affordable housing sector, Enterprise Community Partners Inc. (Enterprise) and the International Living Future Institute (ILFI) have partnered to scale programs for healthy, sustainable development into Enterprise’s Green Communities Criteria. Krista Egger, Enterprise Senior Director of Initiatives, will be discussing the partnership on a panel at the Living Product Expo in Pittsburgh Thursday, September 13. Enterprise and ILFI will be evaluating how to best incorporate a suite of ILFI’s programs into the Materials category of the next iteration of Enterprise Green Communities Criteria, expected to be released in 2020, in order to better address human health impacts in the built environment.

“The market is ready—and in fact is demanding—access to healthy materials,” said to James Connelly, Vice President of Products and Strategic Growth at ILFI. “We are excited to work together to ensure that those who could most benefit from healthy housing are guaranteed that right.”

Egger added, “There is profound alignment between the vision held by both organizations, and the update of our Criteria offers a tremendous opportunity to harmonize our offerings to help catalyze healthy housing. This partnership reinforces our commitment to bringing the improved health, economic and environmental benefits of sustainable construction practices to families and residents of affordable homes nationwide.”

Enterprise is beginning the process of updating its Enterprise Green Communities Criteria, which is expected to be released in 2020, including aligning the Materials category with the Declare label, Red List, and other ILFI programs. This collaboration will ensure that residents in affordable housing will receive equitable access to nontoxic living spaces through the use of cost-effective materials and construction practices.

Since the Living Building Challenge Framework for Affordable Housing was published in 2014, the Institute has taken on a cohort of 25 affordable housing pilot projects around the country to engage in direct support and collaboration as they pursue the world’s most advanced measure of sustainability, the Living Building Challenge. For their part, by aligning affordable housing investment strategies with environmentally responsive building practices through their Green Communities Criteria, Enterprise is leading the national effort to ensure that people living in affordable housing are healthier, spend less money on utilities, and have more opportunities. Together, the two organizations hope to catalyze a transformation in the affordable housing sector.

About ILFI
The International Living Future Institute is an environmental NGO committed to catalyzing the transformation toward communities that are socially just, culturally rich and ecologically restorative. ILFI is premised on the belief that providing a compelling vision for the future is a fundamental requirement for reconciling humanity’s relationship with the natural world. ILFI operates the Living Building Challenge, the built environment’s most ambitious performance standard. It is a hub for many other visionary programs that support the transformation toward a living future. Learn more at http://www.living-future.org.

About Enterprise Community Partners Inc. and Enterprise Green Communities
Enterprise is a proven and powerful nonprofit that improves communities and people’s lives by making well-designed homes affordable. We bring together the nationwide know-how, partners, policy leadership and investments to multiply the impact of local affordable housing development. Over 35 years, Enterprise has created nearly 529,000 homes, invested $36 billion and touched millions of lives. Since 2004, Enterprise has led the effort through Enterprise Green Communities to integrate green practices into the affordable housing development sector, investing $3.9 billion to create or preserve more than 127,000 green, healthy homes while transforming policies at the state, local and national level. Join us at www.EnterpriseCommunity.org.

ILFI Contact:
Lisa Lilienthal, 404-661-3679, lisa@iconologic.com

Enterprise Contact:
John Keaten, 212 784 5701, JKeaten@GroupGordon.com

[Editor’s note: This press release is from our partner Toxnot. Learn more about Declare on our website or visit Toxnot]

Toxnot Chosen to be Platform for Creation of ILFI Declare Labels

FORT COLLINS, Colo., Sep. 06 /CSRwire/ – The International Living Future Institute (ILFI) has selected Toxnot as the software platform for the creation of Declare Labels. Toxnot is a chemical management innovator, enabling users to collect chemical data, compare chemical hazard profiles, optimize substance lists to produce ‘eco’ products and report on metrics. ILFI created Declare, the ingredients label for building products, to promote product transparency in the building industry. Declare Labels are used on building products to inform consumers of the origin of a product, the substances in it, and information about its fate at the end of its useful life. As the program has grown, ILFI sought a more scalable software platform to help manufacturers with their transparency initiatives.

The Declare labeling program, developed by ILFI in 2012, is the fastest growing standard for reporting on product transparency. With Toxnot powering the creation of Declare Labels, manufacturers can now easily upload and manage product data from corporate systems, flag against numerous chemical hazard and restricted lists, use Clean Production Action’s GreenScreen® List Translator scores, and preview their Declare Labels prior to submission. James Connelly, VP, Products + Strategic Growth, ILFI remarked “our partnership with Toxnot will allow companies to scale Declare simply and easily across entire product portfolios, soon making transparent disclosure standard practice for all manufacturing companies.”

ILFI staff members and third parties will use Toxnot to review Declare Label submissions with a streamlined web interface, greatly expediting the approval process. Bill Hoffman, Toxnot’s co-founder and CTO, explains, “We’re excited to provide a secure and scalable technology platform to power the Declare labeling program. By streamlining the transparency process with software, we’re enabling more manufacturers to improve their products. Plus, ILFI members will have access to all the great features of Toxnot to manage and report on complex product and material libraries.”

Pete Girard, co-founder of Toxnot, foresees the partnership “accelerating the continued rise of Declare Labels, as manufacturers find the creation process more streamlined. Companies can also add Toxnot’s premium supplier data collection features to make supplier outreach easier for Declare as well as other sustainability initiatives.” Consumers want to know what is in their products; this integration provides manufacturers with a software service to provide chemicals transparency in the building industry.

About Toxnot
Toxnot_PBC is a technology company with a mission to improve health and sustainability across the global supply chain by streamlining the chemical transparency process. Toxnot provides an efficient system for manufacturers to gather supply chain data, gain insight into their hazard profiles, report on the results and create safer products. Organizations are able to automate transparency reporting and collect hazard information across their global supply chain, reducing risks. Toxnot scales from small businesses to Fortune 500 enterprises, and is the only free source of searchable GreenScreen^® List Translator scores. In 2017, Toxnot won the Environmental Leader Product of the Year Award.

About the International Living Future Institute (ILFI)
The International Living Future Institute is an environmental NGO committed to catalyzing the transformation toward communities that are socially just, culturally rich and ecologically restorative. ILFI is premised on the belief that providing a compelling vision for the future is a fundamental requirement for reconciling humanity’s relationship with the natural world. ILFI operates the Living Building Challenge, the built environment’s most ambitious performance standard. It is a hub for many other visionary programs that support the transformation toward a living future. Declare is a nutrition label for products. It is also a transparency platform and product database that is changing the materials marketplace. The Declare program meets the product reporting requirements of the Living Building Challenge and other green building certification programs.

Toxnot contact:
Pete Girard CEO, 970-658-0997

LFI Contact:
Lisa Lilienthal, 404-661-3679

Nicole Van Batenburg: Where do you live and what do you do?

Jane Abernethy: I live in Toronto and I head sustainability globally for Humanscale, the leading office ergonomic manufacturer. We’ve been on a mission to have a net positive impact as we operate, aiming to be regenerative and become part of the solution to environmental issues. Over the last few years, it’s been exciting to take this goal from an aspirational idea and try to put it into practice in a measurable and meaningful way.

NVB: What are you most excited about for this year’s Living Product Expo?

JA: The Living Product Expo is always a great place to hear about what the leaders in sustainable manufacturing are doing. I’m looking forward to seeing the latest progress, new ideas, and hear how others are overcoming challenges on their end.

NVB: In your own words, can you give us a taste of the ideas you’re going to bring to the expo about healthy buildings and products?

JA: I’m on a panel with a few sustainability greats, who should bring interesting views to the conversation. My focus will be on the Living Product Challenge and how this is playing out for us. The certification wasn’t set up to be completed and forgotten about; it came with commitments for future positive contribution, and the challenge of maintaining our program. It’s also influenced how sustainability happens at our company both internally and externally.

NVB: In your opinion, what needs to happen to move designers and the materials industry toward healthier products?

JA: More awareness. The more that people demand that the health impacts of materials be considered, the more manufacturers will be held accountable for their choices–especially when purchasing decisions include healthy materials in the criteria. Ideally, more demand for healthy materials would also lead to more support for the research and science that helps us understand the impacts of materials, and may lead to better, more effective market regulation. Businesses should be encouraged to manufacture and be profitable without increasing human and environmental health risks.

NVB: What’s the most exciting thing that has happened to you over the past couple of years?

JA: When Humanscale took on the Living Product Challenge I was amazed to see how many people in our company became more engaged. It seemed to really resonate with people in different roles and different locations. It’s like a positive feedback loop, and I get to be on the receiving end of many people’s enthusiasm.

The Living Product Expo is this September 11 – 13, 2018, in Pittsburgh. To learn more about the Expo, Jane’s session, and more, visit our website here: productexpo.living-future.org