Living Building Challenge
The Living Building Challenge is an international sustainable building certification program created in 2006 by the non-profit International Living Future Institute. It is described by the Institute as a philosophy, advocacy tool and certification program that promotes the most advanced measurement of sustainability in the built environment. It can be applied to development at all scales, from buildings – both new construction and renovation – to infrastructure, landscapes, neighborhoods and communities and differs from other green certification schemes such as LEED or BREEAM.
Intention
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 pushing architects, contractors, and building owners out of their comfort zones.Flower metaphor
The Living Building Challenges employs the use of a flower metaphor for the framework. According to 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.Performance areas
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.Place
This petal is created with the purpose to have designers analyze the location of a site and the impacts the construction will have on the nearby environment and society before being built and during its operation. It focuses on creating a connected community that is more pedestrian focused, protecting and restoring existing nature, and encouraging a healthy level of density.Water
This petal directly addresses the scarcity of water. A certified building is required to be designed to only use the amount of water that can be harvested onsite and purify the water without the use of chemicals. Projects achieving this petal often employ rainwater catchment cisterns, greywater or closed-loop systems, compostable toilets, and other techniques to reduce and recycle water.Energy
This petal focuses on the reduction and efficiency of energy by requiring the building to produce on-site 105% of the energy it needs year round. It also aims to shift the grid the building is connected to towards more renewable energy.Health and happiness
This petal focuses on improving on the source of health problems such as indoor air quality, thermal comfort, visual comfort, and integration of nature in order to increase the quality of human health and productivity. Projects often employ biophilic design, daylighting, operable windows, and other techniques to achieve this petal.Materials
This petal's intention is to focus on eliminating the use of construction materials that have adverse environmental, health, and social impacts. These impacts include pollution, resource depletion, habitat loss, deforestation, toxic chemical use, and large embodied energy use. The goal is to push the industry towards transparency and transform extraction and production practices. This is done by requiring projects to avoid all materials on the Red List, and to report all materials used and their manufacturer and extraction information. Additionally, projects achieve this petal by creating a materials conservation management plan, using salvaged materials, tracking the location sources of the project's materials, using products with Declare labels, among other tasks.Equity
This petal aims to change society's mindset in which property ownership allows owners to externalize negative environmental impacts onto others. This is done by creating spaces where people of all capabilities, disabilities, ages, and economic status have equal access. It also requires that the project must not disturb another site's access to sunlight, fresh air, and clean water.Beauty
Lastly, the Beauty petal focuses on encouraging project teams to put in genuine and thoughtful efforts into beautifying the project. Although beauty is not subjectively defined in the framework, it is stressed that beauty should be a goal in order to inspire and elevate the lives of the occupants, visitors, and neighbors.Process
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, commercial, 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.Types of certification
Living Building Certification
This is full certification where projects have achieved all imperatives applicable to their typology. Projects must meet all assigned Imperatives and have proven performance through at least 12 consecutive months of operation.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.
Table 1: Breakdown of required imperatives for project typologies
Petal Certification
This is a certification that is awarded to a project if it achieves at least 3 complete petals 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.Net Zero Energy Certification
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."
To receive this certification projects must achieve at least four imperatives, "Limits to Growth", "Net Positive Energy", "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.
Certification steps
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. 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.Resources for project teams
Since the design and certification process of a building can bring up many questions and obstacles, there are multiple streams of access for guidance and help.The Dialogue
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. 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.Petal handbooks
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.Technical assistance
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.History
The Living Building Challenge was launched by the . 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.The Evolution of the Living Building Standard
Figure 1: Number of Registered Living Building Challenge Projects worldwide from 2006-2017
International Living Future Institute
The is a non-governmental organization 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.
Application
Example of use
The Old Oak Dojo in Jamaica Plain, Boston, MA, USA, is an example of a certified Living 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.See the table below for descriptions of some of the project team's actions in order to comply with the project's applicable imperatives.
| 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 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 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. |
Notable projects
Over 100 project teams are pursuing the Challenge, most of which have officially registered with the Institute, including:| Project | Location | Status | Owner/Developer | Project Team Members | - |
| Williamstown, MA, USA | certified: Petal | Williams College | Black River Design, Architects; | - | |
| Binghamton, NY, USA | design | Binghamton University | Ashley-McGraw, Architects; Binghamton University | ||
| Amherst, MA, USA | certified: Living | Hampshire College | ; ; Integrated Eco Strategy; ; Marc Rosenbaum; Kalin Associates, Inc.; PV Squared; Crocker Communications; Kohler & Lewis Engineers; R.W. Sullivan Engineering; Lewis Lighting Design; Richard Burke Associates | - | |
| Amherst, MA, USA | certified: Living | Hitchcock Center for the Environment | designLAB Architects; Wright Builders, Inc.; ; Buro Happold Engineering; Berkshire Design Group; Dobbert Heating and Air Conditioning; PV Squared; Crocker Communications; Ichthys IT Services | - | |
| Rhinebeck, NY, USa | certified: Living | Omega Institute | Chazen, Conservation Design Forum, Tipping-Mar + Associates, BNIM Architects, BGR Consulting Engineers, Planet Reuse, Natural Systems International, John Todd Ecological Design, David Sember Construction | - | |
| 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 | - | |
| Victoria, BC, Canada | certified: Petal | Ann + Gord Baird | C.N. Ryzuk, Kris Dick, Building Alternatives, Byron Merriam, Mike Isbrucker | - | |
| Salem, OR, USA | Pringle Creek Community | Opsis Architecture, Sustainable Development Inc., Spectra Construction, Tanner Creek Energy | - | ||
| Edmonton, AB, Canada | construction | Dennis and Christy Cuku | Mosaic Family of Companies, Manasc Isaac Architects | - | |
| Kamuela, HI, USA | certified: Living | Hawaii Preparatory Academy | Belt Collins Hawaii Ltd., Walter Vorfeld & Associates, Flansburgh Architects, Hakalau Engineering, LLC, Buro Happold | - | |
| 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 | - | |
| Burnaby, BC, Canada | occupied | Simon Fraser University | Space2Place Design, Fast + Epp, RADA, Hughes Condon Marler, Cobalt Engineering, Ledcor Construction Limited | - | |
| Berea, KY, USA | occupied | Berea College | Hastings + Chivetta Architects, Hellmuth + Bicknese Architects, Messer Construction, Davis & Plomin Mechanical, CMTA Consulting Engineers | - | |
| Accokeek, MD, USA | certified: Living | Alice Ferguson Foundation | Andropogon Associates, Ann Rothmann, Re:Vision Architecture, M2 Architecture, AKF Engineers, Biohabitats | - | |
| Pittsburgh, PA, USA | certified: Living | Phipps Conseratory and Botanical Gardens | Andropogon Associates, Atlantic Engineering, The Design Alliance, CJL Engineering, evolveEA | - | |
| 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 | - | |
| Seattle, WA, USA | certified: Living | Bertschi School | KMD Architects, Skanska, GeoEngineers, , Quantum Engineers, Rushing, 2020 Engineers, Smalling Civil Engineering, Morrison Hershfield | - | |
| Portland, OR, USA | construction | Piedmont Rose/Delta Sigma Theta sorority | Nye Architecture LLC, TM Rippey Associates, Colas Construction | - | |
| Portland, OR, USA | pre-construction | Green Building Services, Portland State University | Gerding Edlen, SERA Architects, GBD Architects, Skanska Construction, Biohabitats | - | |
| Penticton, BC, Canada | occupied | Okanagan College | CEI Architecture, True Consulting Group, Site 360, Fast + Epp, AME Consulting Group, Applied Engineering Solutions, PCL Construction Westcoast | - | |
| Seattle, WA, USA | design | Phinney Neighborhood Association | - | ||
| Victoria, BC, Canada | design | Royal Roads University | Iredale Group Architecture | - | |
| Bullitt Center | 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, Alberta, Canada | design | JSCY (Jasper Sustainability Club for Youth | KMD Architects | - | |
| San Jose, CA, USA | Z2 Design Facility | ||||
| Ann Arbor, MI, USA | Matthew Grocoff / THRIVE | THRIVE, BLUElab University of Michigan | - | ||
| Brock Environmental Center | Virginia Beach, VA, USA | certified: Living | SmithGroupJJR, WPL, Hourigan Construction, Skanska, Janet Harrison | - | |
| Centerville, IN, USA | Construction | Cope Environmental Center | Heapy Engineering, LWC, Thor Construction, Cope Environmental Center, | - |
LBC in building codes
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.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.