The Living Building Challenge is an international sustainable building certification program created in 2006 by the non-profit International Living Future Institute.[1] It is described by the Institute as a philosophy, advocacy tool and certification program that promotes the measurement of sustainability in the built environment.[2] It can be applied to development at all scales, from buildings—both in new constructions and renovations—to infrastructure, landscapes, neighborhoods, both urban and rural communities, and differs from other green certification schemes such as LEED or BREEAM.[3]
The end goal of the Living Building Challenge is to encourage the creation of a regenerative built environment. The challenge is an attempt "to raise the bar for building standards from doing less harm to contributing positively to the environment." It "acts to rapidly diminish the gap between current limits and the end-game positive solutions we seek" by challenging architects, contractors, and building owners.
The Living Building Challenge employs the use of a flower metaphor for the framework. According to founder Jason F. McLennan, flowers are an accurate representation of a truly regenerative building which receives all of its energy from the sun, nutrients from the soil, and water from the sky. Similar to a flower, they simultaneously shelter other organisms and support the surrounding ecosystem. They also serve as beauty and inspiration and adapt to their surroundings. Meanwhile, the petals of the flower represent each performance area in the framework. These petals include Materials, Place, Water, Energy, Health and Happiness, Equity, and Beauty.[4]
Living Building Challenge comprises seven performance areas: site, water, energy, health and happiness, materials, equity and beauty. Each performance area has its own intention and are subdivided into a total of twenty Imperatives, each of which focuses on a specific sphere of influence:
Certification is based on actual, rather than modeled or anticipated, performance. Therefore, projects must be operational for at least 12 consecutive months prior to evaluation. Types of projects which can be certified include but are not limited to existing or new buildings, single-family residential, multi-family residential, institutional buildings (government, education, research, or religious), commercial (offices, hospitality, retail), and medical or laboratory buildings. There are 3 certification pathways, Living Building Certification, Petal Certification, and Zero Energy Certification a project can pursue, all of which are awarded on performance.
This is full certification where projects have achieved all imperatives applicable to their typology (see Table 1 for this breakdown). Projects must meet all assigned Imperatives and have proven performance through at least 12 consecutive months of operation.[11]
The table below shows the breakdown of each petal and each building type's required imperatives:
Note: All imperatives are required unless "not required" is listed in the cell. If a project has scale jumping applicable for an imperative, the imperative is still required. Scale Jumping allows multiple buildings or projects to operate in a cooperative state – sharing green infrastructure as appropriate and allowing for Living Building, Site or Community status to be achieved as elegantly and efficiently as possible. This table is updated to reflect Living Building Challenge Version 3.1.
| Petals | Imperatives | Communities | Building | Landscape+Infrastructure | Renovation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place | Limits to Growth | All imperatives required | |||
| Urban Agriculture | Scale Jumping | Scale Jumping | not required | ||
| Habitat Exchange | Scale Jumping | Scale Jumping | |||
| Human-Powered Living | not required | not required | |||
| Water | Net Positive Water | Scale Jumping | Scale Jumping | ||
| Energy | Net Positive Energy | ||||
| Health & Happiness | Civilized environment | not required | |||
| Healthy Interior Environment | not required | ||||
| Biophilic Environment | |||||
| Materials | Red List | ||||
| Embodied Carbon Footprint | Scale Jumping | Scale Jumping | |||
| Responsible Industry | |||||
| Living Economy Sourcing | |||||
| Net Positive Waste | |||||
| Equity | Human Scale + Humane Places | not required | |||
| Universal Access to Nature + Place | not required | ||||
| Equitable Investment | Scale Jumping | Scale Jumping | |||
| JUST Organizations | |||||
| Beauty | Beauty + Spirit | ||||
| Inspiration + Education |
This is a certification that is awarded to a project if it achieves at least 3 complete petals (with all of the petal's applicable imperatives) out of the 7 total petals. One of the 3 completed petals must be the Energy, Water, or Materials petal. In addition, regardless of completed petals, imperatives "Limits to Growth" and "Inspiration and Education" must be achieved.
The certification and International Living Future Institute's definition of a net zero building as:
"One hundred percent of the building's energy needs on a net annual basis must be supplied by on-site renewable energy. No combustion is allowed."[12]
To receive this certification projects must achieve at least four imperatives, "Limits to Growth", "Net Positive Energy" (reduced to one hundred percent), "Beauty + Spirit", and "Inspiration + Education". The Net Positive Energy imperative's requirements are changed from producing 105% of the building's energy consumption, to 100% so it is only net zero and not net positive.
In order for a project to achieve certification, it needs to be registered and a registration fee has to be paid according to its typology. The project team then continues documentation for the certification and operation and occupancy for at least 12 consecutive months. During this occupancy and operation, project performance data is measured. After the operation period, the team submits all data and documentation for auditing. The auditing process is performed by an independent third-party. This independent auditor performs a preliminary audit and a final audit where imperative performances are checked with data and extra documentation. During the final audit, the auditors will do another documentation audit along with a site visit of the project and an audit report for the team.[13] If the auditor concludes that the project achieves all of the applicable imperatives and the site visit is satisfactory, the project will be awarded its certification. The first Living BuildingsSM were certified in October 2010, and by March 2013, only six had achieved certification.[14]
Since the design and certification process of a building can bring up many questions and obstacles, there are multiple streams of access for guidance.[15]
Only members of registered Living Building Challenge projects can access The Dialogue. It is an online platform that provides a direct path of communication between project teams and the International Living Future Institute's technical staff.[16] Teams can asks questions concerning imperatives, clarifications, temporary exceptions, among other information, and see answers from the staff. The questions and responses help mold future versions of the certification.[17]
The handbooks provide a source of consolidated and clarified rules for meeting the imperatives. They are updated continuously based on new Dialogue posts and innovations made by new Living Building Challenge projects. They are used as reference tools but recommended in conjunction with the Dialogue since they are not always up to date.
Other sources of technical assistance include webcasts and workshops hosted by the International Living Future Institute, charrette facilitation by the institute, and LBC collaboratives, where members from different LBC projects can discuss their work and learn from each other.[18]
The Living Building Challenge was launched by the Cascadia Green Building Council (a chapter of both the U.S. Green Building Council and Canada Green Building Council). It was created by Jason F. McLennan and Bob Berkebile, of BNIM. McLennan brought the program to Cascadia when he became its CEO in 2006. The International Living Building Institute was created of and by Cascadia in May 2009 to oversee the Living Building Challenge and its auxiliary programs.
| Dates | Event | |
|---|---|---|
| October 1999 | McLennan & Berkebile publish "The Living Building"[19] | |
| 2005 | McLennan begins to write the Living Building Standard.[20] | |
| May 2006 | McLennan becomes CEO of Cascadia Green Building Council.[21] | |
| November 2006 | Cascadia announces the Living Building Challenge at Greenbuild.[22] | |
| April 2007 | Living Building Challenge Version 1.2 is published. | |
| May 2009 | The International Living Building Institute is formed by Cascadia Green Building Council.[23] | |
| August 2009 | Living Building Challenge Version 1.3 is published.[24] | |
| November 2009 | Living Building Challenge Version 2.0 is published. | |
| Fall 2010 | The first 3 projects earn Living certification. | |
| April 2011 | The International Living Building Institute was renamed the International Living Future Institute. | |
| January 2012 | The 100th project registers for the Living Building Challenge. | |
| May 2012 | Living Building Challenge Version 2.1 is published. | |
| June 2012 | The Living Building Challenge receives the Buckminster Fuller Challenge.[25] | |
| 2013 | Net Zero Energy Building Certification is released.[26] | |
| May 2014 | Living Building Challenge Version 3.0 is released.[27] | |
| May 2014 | The 200th project register for the Living Building Challenge. | |
| November 2015 | The 300th project registers for the Living Building Challenge. | |
| 2016 | Living Building Challenge Version 3.1 is published. |
The International Living Future Institute is a non-governmental organization (NGO) committed to catalyzing a global transformation toward true sustainability. The Institute seeks partnerships with leaders in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors in pursuit of a future that is socially just, culturally rich and ecologically restorative.
The Institute is the umbrella organization for the Living Building Challenge and the Cascadia Green Building Council, along with The Natural Step US and Ecotone Publishing.
The Old Oak Dojo in Jamaica Plain, Boston, MA, USA, is an example of a certified Living (full certification) project. Certified in 2016, the dojo serves as a multi-purpose space for community members to host educational events, fitness classes, or just gather to eat or celebrate. The project employs technology such as water cisterns, radiant heating in the floor, operable windows, stack effect, energy recovery ventilator, composting toilets, solar energy, and a living roof.[29]
See the table below for descriptions of some of the project team's actions in order to comply with the project's applicable imperatives.[30]
| Imperative | Action taken to achieve | |
|---|---|---|
| Urban Agriculture | Four raised soil beds were created from salvaged and local materials. One of the plots is offered to neighbors as a free community plot while the others grow vegetables and fruit. | |
| Habitat Exchange | The project partnered with the New England Forestry Foundation to create an offset for habitat exchange. | |
| Human Powered Living | The site already exists between two major subway stations, is near multiple bus routes, and near a park containing a bicycle network and pedestrian paths. An additional pedestrian pathway runs through the project's property, encouraging connections to local schools and commerce. | |
| Net Positive Water | The project contains a low flow faucet, a low flow valve, a compostable toilet, and a UV filter for rainwater. The building is also raised off the ground with footings in order for proper stormwater infiltration. A variance was awarded by the State of Massachusetts Board of Plumbers and Gas Fitters for the compostable toilet. | |
| Net Positive Energy | A nearby off-site PV array provided the site with 5,030 kwh of energy in 2015. Technology such as a super insulated envelope, passive solar design, electric radiant heating, an energy recovery ventilator, among other aspects all reduce energy consumption allowing the building to function net positive for energy. | |
| Civilized Environment | Operable windows allow for fresh air and daylight to enter the space. It is also required for visitors to take off their shoes on the entryway matt to help improve indoor air quality and cleanliness in the space. | |
| Healthy Interior Environment | A high-efficiency Zhender energy recovery ventilation (ERV) system is installed in the space. The ERV pulls outside air into its air exchanger and is filtered, its temperature and humidity is then changed to match indoor thermal conditions to maximize indoor thermal comfort for occupants. | |
| Biophilic Environment | The design of the whole building was inspired by the three old oaks located on the site. The large windows allow for the views of the oaks to infiltrate the space while the wooden floors and interior bring in nature. | |
| Red List | All materials and products used on the project were researched in depth to avoid red list materials. | |
| Embodied Carbon Footprint | A large amount of the project was built with salvaged materials from on-site, reclaimed surplus materials from the construction process, and materials from the owner's deconstructed family residence in Newton, MA. | |
| Responsible Industry | FSC certified wood was purchased from the Sterritt Lumber Company. Other salvaged materials and wood was bought from Boston Building Resources, a charitable nonprofit company. | |
| Living Economy Sourcing | From the design team to contractors, the project tried to limit the distance traveled for each person working on the project. Almost everyone working on the project was from within a 5-10 km radius of the site. Almost all workers (except for 1) used public transportation or biked to the project site. | |
| Net Positive Waste | All materials were kept on-site until it was determined to be not of use and a full load of waste was generated. Materials were sorted and stored to encourage reuse and salvaging for the builders. | |
| Universal Access to Nature + Place | The project is designed with accessible spaces with the installation of an accessible sink, accessible storage areas, a ramp, and an ADA-accessible restroom. The owner also partners with nonprofits, community organizations, and neighborhood organizations to host free events and educational or social gatherings. Operational emissions are minimal and one tree was relocated to prevent shading on a neighbor's yard. | |
| Beauty & Spirit | The layout of the project promotes openness and awareness for the occupants. Visitors in one room can look outside and into other rooms encouraging connections with nature and others. The views outside the windows look onto the gardens, water filtration equipment storage, and waste storage areas, reminding occupants of where their nutrients are coming from and where they are going. | |
| Inspiration & Education | The Dojo has educational signage in the building which explains the Living Building Challenge features used in the design. The dojo also hosts a celebration "Village Week" annually to bring together the community and encourage resiliency and inter-community support. |
Over 100 project teams are pursuing the Challenge, most of which have officially registered with the Institute. As of February 2023 twenty-five buildings have been certified as Living Buildings. Below is a list of some of the projects pursuing or certified under the Challenge.
| Project | Location | Status | Owner/Developer | Project Team Members |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arch Nexus SAC | Sacramento, CA | certified: Living | Architectural Nexus | Architect: Architectural Nexus; Civil Engineer: Warren Consulting Engineers; Landscape Architect: Architectural Nexus; Structural Engineer: Miyamoto; MEP Engineers: Glumac, ACCO Engineered Systems, Royal Electric; General Contractor: MarketOne Builders |
| Frick Environmental Center | Pittsburgh, PA | certified: Living | City of Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy | Architect: Bohlin Cywinski Jackson; Civil Engineer: H.F. Lenz Co.; Landscape Architect: La Quatra Bonci Associates; Structural Engineer: Barber & Hoffman; Construction Manager: PJ Dick |
| Class of 1966 Environmental Center | Williamstown, MA, USA | certified: Petal | Williams College | Black River Design, Architects; Integrated Eco Strategy |
| Binghamton University Nuthatch Hollow | Binghamton, NY, USA | design | Binghamton University | Ashley-McGraw, Architects; Binghamton University |
| R.W. Kern Center | Amherst, MA, USA | certified: Living | Hampshire College | Bruner/Cott Architects; Wright Builders, Inc.; Integrated Eco Strategy; Berkshire Design Group; Marc Rosenbaum; Kalin Associates, Inc.; PV Squared; Crocker Communications; Kohler & Lewis Engineers; R.W. Sullivan Engineering; Lewis Lighting Design; Richard Burke Associates |
| Hitchcock Center for the Environment | Amherst, MA, USA | certified: Living | Hitchcock Center for the Environment | designLAB Architects; Wright Builders, Inc.; Integrated Eco Strategy; Buro Happold Engineering; Berkshire Design Group; Dobbert Heating and Air Conditioning; PV Squared; Crocker Communications; Ichthys IT Services |
| Omega Center for Sustainable Living | Rhinebeck, NY, USa | certified: Living | Omega Institute | Chazen, Conservation Design Forum, Tipping-Mar + Associates, BNIM Architects, BGR Consulting Engineers, Planet Reuse, Natural Systems International (now Biohabitats), John Todd Ecological Design, David Sember Construction |
| Tyson Living Learning Center | Eureka, MO, USA | certified: Living | Washington University | Grimes Consulting, Williams Creek Consulting, Lewisites, ASDG, LLC, Hellmuth + Bicknese Architects, Solutions AEC, Clivis Multrum, Straight Up Solar, Bingman Construction Company |
| Eco-Sense | Victoria, BC, Canada | certified: Petal | Ann + Gord Baird | C.N. Ryzuk, Kris Dick, Building Alternatives, Byron Merriam (A-Tech Plumbing), Mike Isbrucker (Alternative Electric) |
| Painters Hall | Salem, OR, USA | Certified: Energy Petal | Pringle Creek Community | Opsis Architecture, Sustainable Development Inc., Spectra Construction, Tanner Creek Energy |
| The Mosaic Centre | Edmonton, AB, Canada | construction | Dennis and Christy Cuku | Mosaic Family of Companies, Manasc Isaac Architects |
| Hawaii Preparatory Academy Energy Lab | Kamuela, HI, USA | certified: Living | Hawaii Preparatory Academy | Belt Collins Hawaii Ltd., Walter Vorfeld & Associates, Flansburgh Architects, Hakalau Engineering, LLC, Buro Happold |
| EcoCenter at Heron's Head Park | San Francisco, CA, USA | occupied | Literacy for Environmental Justice | Land Development Solutions, Fulcrum Engineering, Toby Long Design, Rick Miller, Occidental Power, Eckman Environmental, John Todd Ecological, Helix Wind Power, Warm Floors |
| UniverCity Childcare | Burnaby, BC, Canada | occupied | Simon Fraser University | Space2Place Design, Fast + Epp, RADA, Hughes Condon Marler, Cobalt Engineering, Ledcor Construction Limited (part of Ledcor Group of Companies) |
| Deep Green Residence Hall | Berea, KY, USA | occupied | Berea College | Hastings + Chivetta Architects, Hellmuth + Bicknese Architects, Messer Construction, Davis & Plomin Mechanical, CMTA Consulting Engineers |
| Alice Ferguson Foundation | Accokeek, MD, USA | certified: Living | Alice Ferguson Foundation | Andropogon Associates, Ann Rothmann, Re:Vision Architecture, M2 Architecture, AKF Engineers, Biohabitats |
| Center for Sustainable Landscapes | Pittsburgh, PA, USA | certified: Living | Phipps Conseratory and Botanical Gardens | Andropogon Associates, Atlantic Engineering, The Design Alliance, CJL Engineering, evolveEA |
| VanDusen Botanical Garden Visitors Center | Vancouver, BC, Canada | occupied | VanDusen Botanical Garden Association | Cornelia Oberlander, landscape architect; Perkins and Will Canada, architects; Morrison Hershfield energy consultants, Fast + Epp structural engineers, StructureCraft timber design-builders, Ledcor Construction Limited |
| Bertschi School Living Science Classroom | Seattle, WA, USA | certified: Living | Bertschi School | KMD Architects, Skanska, GeoEngineers, GGLO, Quantum Engineers, Rushing, 2020 Engineers, Smalling Civil Engineering, Morrison Hershfield |
| June Key Delta House | Portland, OR, USA | construction | Piedmont Rose/Delta Sigma Theta sorority | Nye Architecture LLC, TM Rippey Associates, Colas Construction |
| Oregon Sustainability Center | Portland, OR, USA | pre-construction | Green Building Services, Portland State University | Gerding Edlen, SERA Architects, GBD Architects, Skanska Construction, Biohabitats |
| Jim Pattison Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Building Technologies and Renewable Energy Conservation | Penticton, BC, Canada | occupied | Okanagan College | CEI Architecture, True Consulting Group, Site 360, Fast + Epp, AME Consulting Group, Applied Engineering Solutions, PCL Construction Westcoast |
| Phinney Neighborhood Center | Seattle, WA, USA | design | Phinney Neighborhood Association | |
| Robert Bateman Centre for Art + Environmental Education | Victoria, BC, Canada | design | Royal Roads University | Iredale Group Architecture |
| Seattle, WA, USA | certified: Living | The Bullitt Foundation | Point32, developer; Schuchart, general contractor; The Miller Hull Partnership, architect; PAE Consulting Engineers, mechanical and electrical engineering; DCI Engineers, structural engineering; RDH Group, envelope engineering; Haley and Aldrich, geotechnical engineering; Springline, civil engineering; 2020 Engineering, water supply and reuse systems; Solar Design Associates, solar technology; BRC Acoustics & Technology Consulting, acoustical engineering; Bush Roes & Hitchings, surveying | |
| Jasper Junior Senior High Living Classroom | Jasper, Alberta, Canada | design | JSCY (Jasper Sustainability Club for Youth | KMD Architects |
| DeAs Z2 Design Facility | San Jose, CA, USA | certified: Energy Petal | Z2 Design Facility | IDeAs |
| Mission Zero House / Kelly & Matt Grocoff Residence] | Ann Arbor, MI, USA | Certified Net Zero Energy Building | Matthew Grocoff / THRIVE | THRIVE, BLUElab University of Michigan |
| Virginia Beach, VA, USA | certified: Living, and LEED Platinum | The Chesapeake Bay Foundation | SmithGroupJJR, WPL, Hourigan Construction, Skanska, Janet Harrison | |
| The Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design | Atlanta, GA, USA | Certified: LBC 3.1; LEED Platinum v4; LEED Zero; Georgia Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary; Native Plant Habitat Gold | Georgia Institute of Technology | Architects-Lord Aeck Sargent and The Miller Hull Partnership; General Contractor-Skanska, USA; MEP of Record-Newcomb & Boyd; Collaborating MEP-PAE Engineers; Civil Engineer-Long Engineering; Structural Engineer-Uzun+Case; Landscape-Andropogon; LBC Consultant-The Miller Hull Partnership; Lighting Design-Lighting Associates, Inc.; Geotechnical-Professional Service Industries, Inc.; Interior Designer-Lord Aeck Sargent; Water & Ecology-Biohabitats; Life Safety-Jensen Hughes; Biophilic Consultant-Sonja Bochart Wellbeing+Design |
| Cope Environmental Center | Centerville, IN, USA | Construction | Cope Environmental Center | Heapy Engineering, LWC, Thor Construction, Cope Environmental Center, http://www.heapy.com/about/recent-news/item/258-heapy-engineering-receives-top-rankings [html https://web.archive.org/web/20151209063847/http://living-future.org/projectmap] http://www.copeenvironmental.org/sustainable-living-education-center-2/ |
| Sustainable Building Research Centre | Wollongong, Australia | Certified: Living | ||
| Te Kura Whare | Tuhoe, Taneatua, New Zealand | Certified: Living |
The Living building challenge has appeared in a publication from the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections on Seattle's Climate Strategies. According to the publication, these programs allow developers to "request additional departures from the Seattle Land Use Code through Design Review for either. They provide height and floor area incentives for buildings in exchange for meeting high-performance green building requirements.". By achieving certification, the project can build up to 25% more floor area than regulations in certain zones allow, and in some cases more building height.[31]
In many cases, projects have to request variances or alternative compliance pathways for building codes due to their design choices for the Living Building Challenge. Regulators often require evidence of the proposed performance of the new or innovative materials and technologies LBC project use, which create further obstacles and documentation requirements from project teams.[32]
Some criticisms from the field include the standard's need for more guidance for teams, the subjectiveness of some imperatives, the need for life cycle analysis, the energy measurement unit to change to carbon emissions, and the lack of regional considerations.[33] In addition, there are criticisms of a project's large number of obstacles due to building code regulations that have not been changing in time to adapt to climate change. In turn, this has caused a decrease in the rate of newly registered Living Building Challenge projects.[34]