What to Expect at LF24: Inspiring FutureFlow Talks You Won’t Want to Miss

Mae-ling Lokko
Yale University

From plant fibers to peat, cellulose to lignin, fungi to carbon-neutral concrete– the use of a broad renewable material ecology from the field is becoming the feedstock of the 21st century materials revolution. On one hand, the design of renewable material streams are framed within today’s carbon framework as ‘substitutes’ within a hydrocarbon material economy and on the other, such materials are proposed in direct resistance to these very systems, as ‘alternatives’ to such ‘development’. Using case study biogenic materials, this talk aims to evaluate the pitfalls of historical and contemporary transformation of biogenic building materials using a “generative justice” framework.

Since the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was established 32 years ago, thinking in the disability world has evolved. Disability is seen as natural – not merely a problem to fix, but part of the human experience, seeking greater visibility and inclusiveness. The Core Imperative 17 – Universal Access in the LBC 4.0 Standard requires buildings to only meet ADA and/or other accessibility codes. The session, targeted to architects and designers, advocates the need for the LBC to incentivize design thinking and provisions that go much beyond merely meeting accessibility codes, and are integral to the design process, from inception.

Ganesh Nayak
Metier Consulting, Inc

Josh Jacobs
WAP Sustainability

How do you make sure that low-carbon material procurement becomes a priority…you write it into laws and spend money. Buy Clean laws and the Inflation Reduction Act were historic in many respects, but they have electrified the low carbon procurement conversation to another level even beyond the pace that it was progressing. Writing something into law is simply the first step though…what happened after the laws were written and how does the low carbon procurement work going forward.

How has Serenbe’s founding pillar, biophilic-driven development, impacted the community’s overall wellness from childhood to later in life stages? Given the current climate of the economy, political affairs, the actual climate crisis, stress is at an all-time high & mental health is at an all-time low. Session attendees learn how biophilic-wellness communities, like Serenbe, are affecting their residents’ overall wellbeing. Steve takes attendees through Serenbe’s Biophilic principles – personal well being, community engagement, national security, and global balance, & showcase how this intentionally designed community & a biophilic approach boosts mental & physical wellness.

Steve Nygren
Serenbe

Upali Nanda
HKS Architects

Let’s start here- I am not a sustainability professional. I am, however, a student of human perception and believe our challenges are foundational because of the way humans think, feel and act. I am often exhausted by how hard it can be to corral around the critical issues of our time. I argue that three things are at play: 1) Ability to truly understand climate change- psychologists have explained why building empathy for the planet can be hard. 2) Ability to build trust with people who may have divergent view points, and 3) Disciplinary arrogance which results in exclusive language and polarization. This session will unpack these issues anchored on the art and science of being human.

The green and healthy building industry suffers from a last mile problem. Regulations, financing, and best practice toolkits all orient our efforts firmly within the property line. Meanwhile, we know that all of our actions contribute to larger systems – such as the urban heat island, the flood plain, regional air pollution, transportation options, economic opportunities, and structures that perpetuate historic segregation and redlining. This FutureFlow talk will demonstrate how you can use co-benefit design to bridge that gap. When you reorient your practice outside of the property line, new possibilities open up for making tangible contributions to neighborhood climate, health, and equity.

Adele Houghton
Biositu, LLC

James Kitchin
MASS Design Group

The world we live in has been fabricated on a zero-sum economic system centered around fossil fuels that prioritizes never-ending growth over the health of people and the planet. We have been made to believe that we never have enough and that we need to consume more, a scarcity mindset, when, in reality, we’re surrounded by abundance. This session is for thought leaders that want to demonstrate how the future we’re creating together, through our practices and built environment, is more abundant than the one we’re leaving behind.

This community is designing the future. How we communicate about what we do (making places, policy, and organizations) and what we are working towards(a common living future) is as important as the work itself. It is our role to help people see, understand, engage in, and value this work in ways that invites them to join as fellow advocates. Without cohesive communication, we will not have opportunities to manifest the results of our vision. But conveying information can be fraught: contemporary communications ecosystems are noisy and fragmented, hyperbole and signaling are rampant, and many actors are stoking chaos and confusion. Kira will share key concepts about communication that can help those working towards a living future be clear, be heard, and be powerful. This includes defining terms and articulating value authentically for multiple stakeholders.

Kira Gould
Kira Gould CONNECT