Living Building Challenge

Key Principles for Real Progress At the International Living Future Institute (ILFI), our mission is to advance the creation of a truly regenerative built environment. In this pursuit, organizations must operate with the same clarity and integrity as individuals—setting clear goals, seeking consistent encouragement, and measuring tangible progress. However, misplaced credit can undermine these collective efforts. Whether building from scratch…

2024 Midyear Stats and Takeaways Living Future is excited to share the latest stats, milestones, and key takeaways highlighting the growth of our programs over the first half of 2024. Building Certifications Living Building Challenge, Zero Carbon, and Zero Energy In the first half of 2024, we celebrated 11 new certified projects, including our 34th and 35th Living Buildings: Additionally,…

In this insightful interview, architect Jason F. McLennan speaks with publisher Michael Berrisford about the enduring impact of McLennan’s book, The Philosophy of Sustainable Design. Originally published 20 years ago and now in its seventh reprint, the book remains a cornerstone in the green building industry. McLennan, the mind behind the Living Building Challenge and author of seven sustainability books,…

At Living Future this year, in my hometown of Atlanta, I kicked off the conference by sharing 10 things that are on my mind. Here’s a recap. While you all are out there designing products, building buildings, doing innovative research, writing policy, I spend a lot of my time on movement strategy work, along with my colleagues and our co-conspirators….

A New Chapter for ILFI’s Building Programs In the ever-evolving landscape of sustainable building standards, ILFI has consistently been at the “tip of the spear,” defining a vision for the future, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible, and challenging practitioners of the built environment to reach new heights of performance and impact. Recognizing the clear role that buildings play in…

Semans-Griswold Environmental Hall, Photo credit: ©Tom Holdsworth ILFI celebrates 5 new certified projects this quarter including the 34th Living Building and the first Core certified project!  Another three projects have achieved Ready Designation by completing the Ready Audit after construction. These projects will undergo a Final Audit after a 12-month performance period: To learn about these projects, we invite you…

Do you remember the first time you entered a building and it changed you? Perhaps it was a building that brought on a sense of awe. Perhaps it was intimidating. Perhaps it looked and felt and smelled like something you’d never experienced before.  I have come to understand that buildings change us in many ways. Buildings teach us things, both…

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,…

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….

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…

How do you think about your work each day, and the work you are doing as part of this movement? As I consider the purpose of ILFI, I am conscious of a need for and a blossoming of innovation and advocacy. For many of us, I see that innovation comes more naturally and is a part of our work, but…

2023 Midyear Stats and Takeaways Now that we’ve hit the midyear milestone, the Institute is pleased to share high level stats and takeaways around the growth of our programs.   BUILDINGS CORE, LIVING BUILDING CHALLENGE, ZERO CARBON, and ZERO ENERGY In the first half of 2023, 12 projects achieved certification (1 Living, 5 Petal, 1 Zero Carbon, and 5 Zero Energy),…

7 Questions Answered by Miller Hull’s Living Building Challenge Services Director This Q&A is a postscript to the Institute’s webinar on regenerative design, “Bringing the Living Building Challenge into Practice,” held on June 27, 2023.  In this webinar, which is a dynamic extension of a new Ecotone Publishing book, Challenge & Change: Miller Hull’s Living Building Practice, we explore why…

As the Manager, Buildings on ILFI’s Impact Group, Giovanna engages and supports project teams interested in or pursuing our building certifications–including The Living Building Challenge, Core Green Building Certification, Zero Carbon, and Zero Energy. She also gathers insights from ongoing projects to generate new ideas for the development of tools and resources that can be used both internally, as well…