Susan Puri

Advocating for change in policy and practice The International Living Future Institute’s 2023 Affordable Housing Summit is almost here! Join us for the 2-day event on June 20th and 21st to discuss decarbonization and health in affordable housing. A key theme of this year’s Summit is the effect of policies on the building sector and how architects, developers, and other…

Affordable housing teams can now filter the Declare database based to find products that meet Enterprise Green Communities criteria.

The Third Edition of ILFI’s Affordable Housing Materials List is now available! Based on feedback from dedicated users, we implemented several updates to make it more expedient to find and source Red List Free products. Manufacturer’s contact information, including contact name, email, and phone number, has been included so that those researching and specifying products know who to reach out…

Header Image: E+Highland, courtesy of Studio G Architects Author’s Note: ILFI has just registered our 50th affordable housing project! To learn more about these projects and our Affordable Housing Program, read below. The latest cohort of ILFI’s Affordable Housing Pilot Projects was selected to join the program in October 2020, after an unprecedented number of applicants responded to the Call…

Header image of 350 China Basin. Image courtesy of Mithun Architects. The International Living Future Institute’s Affordable Housing Summit will take place on June 14th and 15th from 8 am PT to 12 pm PT. Read below for our top five reasons to attend this year’s summit! Sign up here to register.  FIND OUT HOW TO CREATE  CLIMATE-POSITIVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING…

Projects pursuing Core and Living Building Certification are required to meaningfully integrate universal design into their structures. This project is a fantastic case study of prioritizing universal design and integrating it with broader environmental and health goals. The Kelsey is a Bay Area non-profit organization dedicated to advancing ‘disability-forward’ housing options. The Kelsey has found that while 26% of Americans…

“For far too long, environmental policy decisions have failed to adequately account for environmental injustice, including the disproportionate, disparate and cumulative impacts pollution and climate change have on low-income communities and communities of color. President Biden has made clear that his Administration will chart a new and better course, one that puts environmental and economic justice at the center of…

Celebrating the Grand Opening of Indiana’s First Zero Energy Affordable Housing Building The Harbor Square project, along with other affordable housing projects in the area, was envisioned to help shape a new future for the city of East Chicago. East Chicago, Indiana is the home of the USS Lead EPA Superfund site, which, unfortunately, is located on the former home…

In 2020, ILFI published the first version of the Materials List for Affordable Housing. In June of this year, we updated the list to include five additional product categories, for a total of twenty. The list includes products that have been used by past affordable housing teams, products in our Declare database, and products that were independently researched by ILFI…

ILFI hosted our annual Affordable Housing Summit on June 17 with more than 200 attendees. The summit included lively panels and discussions on topics such as inclusive community engagement, healthy materials, and how to finance it all. Rachelle Macur spoke about the relationship between biophilia and trauma-informed design in affordable housing. Rachelle Macur is a Senior Sustainability at Group 14…

As part of our commitment to a future that is socially just, culturally rich, and ecologically restorative–for all–ILFI is proud to support dozens of affordable housing projects across the country. This year we celebrate and recognize this critical work at the Affordable Housing Summit, June 17, 2021. The Summit features topics such as inclusive community engagement, trauma-informed design, biophilic design,…

Cover image: 350 China Street in San Francisco, CA. Rendering courtesy of Mithun Editor’s note: ILFI has green building solutions for everyone, everywhere. If you’re interested in being part of our work to ensure affordable, healthy, sustainable housing for all, join our upcoming members-only Affordable Housing Showcase event on Thursday, March 18! Members can register in their Member Dashboard login. To sign up…

Healthy materials are an increasingly top-of-mind issue in affordable housing. Affordable housing developers do not simply provide shelter – they seek to improve health and well-being, economic prospects, and the overall quality of life for residents. Choosing Red List Free materials is a critical component of providing a healthy indoor environment and ensuring that the built environment does not exacerbate…