Impact Story

When resource choices drive big goals One of the Living Future theories of change is that all our work reverberates. The ripple effects of the Sonoma Academy Guild & Commons — which were Petal Certified and Zero Carbon Certified in 2021 — are powerful and subtle. First and foremost, of course, as an education project — the academy is a…

Our 2023 Impact Report Is Out Our 2023 Impact Report is out, showcasing the incredible progress we’ve made together. This isn’t just about our organization – it’s about the collective energy and achievements of our community and the movement as a whole. Imagine a world where buildings are regenerative, products are sustainable, and our impact on the planet is positive….

What role can the built environment play in supporting the transgender community? Last year, to mark Transgender Day of Remembrance, ILFI’s Danielle Gonzalez shared her experiences outside ILFI as a transgender consultant and educator and shed light on the impact Just organizations can make towards supporting the transgender community. We now delve deeper to explore the larger role the built…

Unison Networks’ Windsor Substation proves the possible—Petal Certification for landscape and infrastructure projects. Living Building and Petal Certification are often sought by environmental centers and office buildings, but the program is organized for a wide range of building and project types— including industrial and infrastructure buildings and landscapes. Last fall, the New Zealand energy company Unison announced that its Windsor…

Monmade Supports Product Pipelines In almost every sector and industry, especially as they are undergoing change, gaps in the flow are revealed. Monmade, a network of small manufacturers and makers in Pittsburgh and the surrounding area, is an example of an organization that sprang to life to fill such a gap—to become the connective tissue in the material flows that…

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) has had a very long relationship with the International Living Future Institute. This is not surprising, because the missions of both organizations are aligned. To understand how ILFI and the Living Building Challenge have impacted CBF, we spoke with Mary Tod Winchester, who worked with CBF, first as a volunteer, and then on staff for…

The Ecology School Embraces the Ambitious Nature of the Living Building Challenge The Ecology School is a nonprofit organization dedicated to innovative ecology education for the youth and adults of New England. River Bend Farm, situated in the Saco River watershed in southeastern Maine, is the site of this living-and-learning community. Drew Dumsch, President and CEO of The Ecology School,…

A Member Impact Story ILFI is proudly featuring a series of impact stories to showcase and celebrate the exciting positive effects of our Living Future Member community. In this month’s interview, we are pleased to feature the team at evolveEA. When evolveEA was in its infancy, sustainability looked a lot different. “Embodied carbon, health impacts, and resilience weren’t all that…

Architectural Nexus Turns Living Building Aspirations into Reality  The Living Building Challenge has always been about much more than buildings. The influence that the program has had on one architecture firm is a powerful case in point. Architectural Nexus is a 125-person firm with offices in Salt Lake City and Sacramento. Their understanding of architecture’s opportunity—to be an agent of…

A Holistic Approach In the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the City of Bridges Community Land Trust is tackling the affordable housing challenge in a holistic way. They are addressing the urgent demand for affordable and resilient housing and ensuring that the housing supports the health and well-being of residents, keeps operating costs affordable, and manages construction impact on the community….

A Transgender Day of Remembrance Impact Story Did you know that, in America, the cost of living for transgender people is approximately 35% higher than cisgender people during the first eight to ten years of their transition, and approximately 10% higher for the rest of their lives afterward? On average, the medical cost of transition for the first eight to…

The Power of Living Buildings Environmental learning centers are often built or rebuilt as leading examples of sustainable design and construction. Mission-driven owners are well positioned to fund small buildings that achieve environmental milestones — and are inherently teaching tools. So it was no surprise that Peter Smerud, executive director of Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center, one of the largest…

Servant Leader and Just Label Advocate ILFI is proudly featuring a series of member impact stories to showcase and celebrate the exciting work of our community. In this month’s interview, we are pleased to feature Shiloh Butterworth, Oregon Region Leader and Chief People Officer with PAE Consulting Engineers, servant leader, and Just label champion. When Shiloh Butterworth retired from the…

ILFI is proudly featuring a series of member impact stories to showcase and celebrate some of the wonderful work our community has been doing. This week we introduce Esteban Martinez, co-founder and COO-sustainability director of Colombian sustainable architecture and engineering firm Green Loop. When architect and civil engineer Esteban Martinez co-founded Green Loop in 2009, sustainability movements in Colombia were…