The International Living Future Institute (ILFI) Zero Carbon Certification offers organizations a valuable tool to demonstrate credible climate action. Certified buildings are third-party verified after a 12-month performance period to be energy efficient, combustion-free (or actively phasing out combustion), powered by renewables, and built with lower embodied carbon than typical buildings. Launched in 2018, ILFI’s program is considered the leading performance-based certification program for embodied and operational carbon in the real estate sector. The current version of the certification is geared toward new construction and major renovation projects.

Now, ILFI is advancing the research and the standard, and they are collaborating with four industry-leading companies to help make it happen. Amazon, JLL, JPMorgan Chase, and Prologis are providing support and expertise as ILFI develops the next version of the program, including the addition of a certification pathway for existing assets. 

With support from these companies, ILFI is developing new guidance, including explicit guidance for existing building assets seeking certification without undertaking major capital projects. With greater applicability for more projects, the program update will drive further adoption of the market toward lower carbon buildings and operations. Through this collaboration, ILFI will extend its certification program to apply to existing assets, further accelerating credible decarbonization efforts in the real estate sector.

“This project represents a critical step forward for the building decarbonization movement,” says ILFI CEO Lindsay Baker. “We are thankful to be working with leading companies to craft these clear and rigorous pathways to achieve meaningful climate action.  With the new standard, we aim to accelerate change and enable large-scale adoption and impact, and rise to the challenge that the UN Paris Agreement calls for. As noted by the Buildings Breakthrough announcement at COP28, the adoption of clear carbon accounting and verification methods is critical to transforming our industry. This work is urgent and possible. We are proud to be embarking on this project with our corporate supporters and in alignment with other certification and standards organizations around the world.”
 

Amazon

“Amazon is proud to support ILFI in updating their verification program to include guidance for existing buildings,” said Chris Roe, Amazon’s Director of Worldwide Environment, Carbon. “There are few sustainable building certification options that focus on decarbonizing existing buildings, and we see ILFI’s new program as important for the industry and for companies such as Amazon as we work toward meeting our Climate Pledge commitment to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.”

JLL

“Based on our research, we know that 80% of existing office buildings will still be in use in 2050, presenting a critical need for us to focus on decarbonizing our current portfolio and supporting our clients in meeting their goals,” said Erin Meezan, Chief Sustainability Officer at JLL. “There are multiple pathways to make buildings more sustainable and meet net-zero goals, and this new certification will increase transparency and accountability around decarbonization efforts. We’re thrilled to collaborate with such esteemed partners and contribute our industry expertise to an initiative that will accelerate action across the commercial real estate industry.”

JPMorgan Chase

“We are proud to have worked with ILFI over the past two years on our Zero Carbon pilots, including the world’s first Zero Carbon Certified branch. JPMorgan Chase is now considering Zero Carbon standards alongside other sustainability and responsible design practices for many of our upcoming retail and corporate projects,” said Raymond Quartararo, Managing Director, Head of Global Design and Construction, JPMorgan Chase. “We have long been an advocate for advancing more scalable standards, and with this new effort, we can do so in a way that advances the real estate sector’s decarbonization journey while supporting the communities and customers we serve.”

Prologis

“Decarbonizing our industrial real estate portfolio is both a challenge and an opportunity to drive meaningful climate action at scale,” said Susan Uthayakumar, Chief Energy and Sustainability Officer at Prologis. “By collaborating with ILFI and other leading businesses, we aim to establish new guidance to help companies achieve verifiable carbon reductions for new and existing buildings. This partnership will help our customers in their sustainability journey as well as help Prologis reach our net zero goals by 2040.”

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ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL LIVING FUTURE INSTITUTE (ILFI)

The International Living Future Institute’s mission is to cultivate a society that is socially just, culturally rich, and ecologically restorative. To do this, the organization envisions a living future and shows that it works better in practice and policy. ILFI is premised on the belief that providing a compelling vision for the future is needed to reconcile humanity’s relationship with the natural world. ILFI’s programs have shaped more than 55 million square feet of real estate development across the United States and around the world. Learn more at http://www.living-future.org.

MEDIA CONTACT
Kira Gould

kiragould@kiragould.com

The post Scaling Progress: The International Living Future Institute Announces Strategic Collaboration with Four Major Companies to Advance Carbon Verification in Buildings first appeared on Living Future.

April 24, 2024, Atlanta, GA – From May 7 through 9, the International Living Future Institute will host its 18th annual Living Future conference in Atlanta, marking the first time that the event has been held in the Southeast region of the US. “We are excited about this for many reasons,” says ILFI CEO Lindsay Baker. “There is great work going on in the Southeast,” she says. “There are lessons that we can learn from the communities who are realizing equity, health, and climate gains in the region.” The day before the conference, ILFI will host a materials summit with mindful Materials at which key stakeholders will share progress and next steps towards a future where regenerative materials, products, and environments are the norm. 

The Living Future event has often tapped into cultural shifts and innovative practices. This year, the keynote lineup includes: 

• Heather McTeer Toney is an attorney, environmentalist, speaker, and writer. She was the first Black, first female, and youngest mayor elected in Greenville, Mississippi, at age twenty-seven. In 2014, she was appointed by President Barack Obama as regional administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency’s Southeast Region.
• Marquise Stillwell, Founder of Openbox, is a designer and a catalyst for building communities and products across design, art, and culture. With a practice spanning across two decades, Marquise Stillwell’s journey began with a curiosity for people and spaces that later developed into a passion for designing systems that make all environments better for everyone.
• A Regenerative Revolution Panel will explore G.O.A.T. Living Buildings (some of the greatest, and largest). James Ball, Director of Buildings at Greenbiz, will moderate a conversation with Kate Turpin, Director, Design Performance + Real Estate Development at Google, Chris Roe, Director of Worldwide Environment + Carbon, Amazon, and Heather Henrikson, Chief Sustainability Officer at Harvard University. This is about setting new standards and redefining boundaries of scale and ambition in the realm of regenerative development. 

Introducing Just 3.0

ILFI’s Just label program has been engaged by more than 350 organizations since its launch in 2014. Just® is an innovative social justice and equity label for all types and sizes of organizations. The program provides a simple, transparent framework for organizations to reveal much about their operations, including equitable treatment of employees and where they make financial and community investments. ILFI also transparently posts the detailed information in ILFI’s publicly viewable database. Early next month, following a rigorous development process with multiple stakeholders, ILFI debuts Just 3.0. 

The evolution of the Just program has been driven by shifts in the global landscape, an enhanced comprehension of social justice issues, insights from technical advisors, and experiences of participating organizations. Since Just 2.0 launched in 2019, ILFI has identified gaps based on both new research and user experience feedback from Just organizations. This is also an opportunity to reframe the program to emphasize continuous improvement and the fact that growth is not always linear. Finally, a full program update provided the chance to reflect learning and progress around “what good looks like” based on ILFI’s current understanding of justice and equity in organizational contexts.

The Story of a Special Organization, Community, and Project

On May 7, ILFI’s publishing arm, Ecotone, releases its latest book, Healing Ground, Living Values: Stanley Center for Peace and Security, about the Muscatine, Iowa, adaptive reuse project whose owners are seeking Living Building Certification (at this writing, they have earned Ready Designation, the step before Final Audit on the path to certification). Author Justin R. Wolf tells the story of the organization; its community, Muscatine, Iowa; and its new headquarters. The project team included Neumann Monson Architects, Graham Construction, Design Engineers, Raker Rhodes Engineering, Biohabitats, Environmental Consulting & Technology, Integrated Eco Strategy, and others. 

About the project, Lori Ferriss, architect, engineer, educator, and leader with Architecture 2030 and Climate Heritage Network, says: “This transformative project demonstrates that building reuse is not only a climate imperative, it is an opportunity to create spaces of delight, celebrate heritage, and regenerate ecosystems and neighborhoods, all while achieving the highest aspirations of environmental and social stewardship. It exemplifies that with enough creativity, a strong collective vision, and a dedication to doing the right thing, even the most unassuming existing building can become a beacon for a better future.” 

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ABOUT the International Living Future Institute

The International Living Future Institute’s mission is to cultivate a society that is socially just, culturally rich, and ecologically restorative. To do this, the organization envisions a Living Future and shows that it works better in practice and policy. The Institute is premised on the belief that providing a compelling vision for the future is needed to reconcile humanity’s relationship with the natural world. The Institute’s programs have shaped more than 55 million square feet of real estate development across the United States and around the world. Learn more at http://www.living-future.org.

ABOUT Healing Ground, Living Values

The eleventh publication in the Living Building Challenge Book Series, Healing Ground, Living Values details the story of the Stanley Center for Peace and Security, and of the enterprising people and city that helped make it what it is today. This book details how the Stanley Center organization and its design partners – beginning with Neumann Monson Architects – went about the arduous and unique challenge of adapting a 1970s-era public library building into a fully regenerative and accessible home for the nonprofit operating foundation. It further documents how the integrated project team approached various logistical and design challenges related to site ecology and hydrology, urban agriculture, embodied emissions, equity and inclusion, and other critical considerations en route to realizing this future Living Building in America’s heartland.

Media Contact: 

Anjula Duggal
International Living Future Institute
anjula.duggal@living-future.org

The post Living Future 2024 Conference: Compelling Keynote Speakers, Updated Standards, and a New Book first appeared on Living Future.

Please accept our sincere apologies for any inconvenience caused. A comprehensive update will be provided once we have successfully addressed the matter with Microsoft. If you have questions, including how to ensure receipt of emails from ILFI, please reach out to IT@living-future.org and provide a valid phone number for our team to follow up with you.

The post Update about Microsoft Outlook first appeared on Living Future.

In an unprecedented collaboration of leading organizations dedicated to sustainable building practices and impact reduction in the built environment, the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the International Living Future Institute (ILFI), the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), and mindful MATERIALS (mM) have joined forces to align around the Common Materials Framework, which establishes for the first time a common language for holistic material sustainability in the building industry.

In a standing-room-only event at the 2023 Greenbuild International Conference and Expo, held this year in Washington, D.C., leaders from the five organizations presented “Building Alignment: The Role of Project Certifications to Drive Impact” to shed light on the critical importance of aligning their efforts to advance materials sustainability, transparency, and optimization in the construction and design industries.

“Materials have remained one of the toughest sustainability puzzles to solve. Partly, that’s because their impacts are so diverse and global — and because so many entities impact material choices from design to installation,” says Alex Muller, VP of Strategy at mindful MATERIALS. “But it’s also been a confusing world to wrap your arms around. Every organization defines product sustainability differently and asks for different pathways or labels to meet the same objectives — safe, sustainable, and socially just materials. So it’s not surprising we’ve made less progress than we’d want. That’s all about to change thanks to the Common Materials Framework — and the commitment from these organizations to find meaningful alignment on holistically sustainable materials.”

The Common Materials Framework, whose first version was completed in 2021, acts as a ‘Rosetta Stone’ for product sustainability, translating diverse product standards and disparate data points into consistent categories of impact: Human Health, Climate Health, Ecosystem Health, Social Health + Equity, and Circularity. The AIA Materials Pledge first articulated these impact ‘pillars’ and are now widely recognized in the building industry. By doing so, it allows any organization, data platform, standard, designer, or manufacturer to have a common and comparable foundation for their work.

“It’s not overstating anything to say these are some of the most influential groups in the built environment where sustainability is concerned. The announcement at Greenbuild represents years of collaboration and months of direct conversation. To have everyone up on the stage together, speaking in the same language and with the same urgency about aligning like ‘no more talk, this is it’ — I mean, wow, that was powerful and something I have been hoping to see my entire career,” says Annie Bevan, CEO of mindful MATERIALS.

IWBI announced its commitment to map existing material features in WELL to the CMF, conduct a gap analysis to inform new possible CMF-aligned WELL beta features, and explore ways to support similar alignment with its Works with WELL licensing program.

“We’re thrilled to be locking arms with like-minded organizations to help realize a shared vision for better materials,” says Rachel Hodgdon, President and CEO of IWBI. “By working together and leveraging the Common Materials Framework, we are not only creating greater alignment across industries, we are also seizing an opportunity to accelerate progress toward healthier and more sustainable materials.”

USGBC announced plans to consider the CMF organizing principles for its much-anticipated LEED v5, which is available to review in draft for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance now. Draft Versions of Building Design & Construction and Interior Design & Construction will be launched next year and include a multi-attribute, holistic approach to sustainable materials.

“USGBC embraces collaboration across industries to elevate the benchmarks for the built environment,” says Peter Templeton, President and CEO at USGBC. “By championing sustainable materials, we not only curtail energy, water, harmful ingredients, and waste in manufacturing but also mitigate impacts during distribution, transportation, and future phases of use, reducing carbon emissions while also safeguarding health and environmental quality. The Common Materials Framework offers an opportunity for our industry stakeholders to standardize terminology and speed the uptake of sustainable products. We look forward to collaborating with this effort going forward.”

After adopting the five pillars more than three years ago, AIA offered a sneak peek into its process to build out actionable next steps for the over 250+ AIA A&D Materials Pledge signatories. The CMF will be used to build clear metrics that will help track the adoption of holistic materials selection among AIA’s 96,000 members. 

“AIA is committed to supporting the architect’s ability to create a zero carbon, equitable, healthy, and resilient future through the power of design,” says Lakisha Ann Woods, CEO of AIA. “We are excited to move the A&D Materials Pledge beyond aspirational language and into action and implementation. Our members will now be able to benchmark their projects amongst their peers and track their years of progress, similar to our tracking in the AIA 2030 Commitment Program. The industry’s alignment around the CMF will allow AIA and our industry to speak the same language when discussing materials selection in the built environment.”

As ILFI prepares for the release of the next versions of its market-transformative programs — Declare, the Living Product Challenge, and the Living Building Challenge — Materials Director Mike Johnson called for urgent action in support of holistically sustainable and regenerative design and manufacturing and shared that the organization will leverage the CMF to ensure that its standards are industry-leading and aligned.

“ILFI is dedicated to helping the world define what good looks like for the built environment and to empowering communities around the world to respond to the urgent social and environmental issues of our time,” says Lindsay Baker, CEO of ILFI. “This collaboration of the world’s leading healthy building organizations will help us rapidly scale up our beneficial work.”

This collaboration and alignment between the AIA, ILFI, IWBI, USGBC, and mindful MATERIALS creates a powerful synergy, says Bevan. One she believes will propel the building materials industry forward.

“By leveraging the CMF, we will finally establish a common language and a shared foundation for materials data and sustainability standards,” says Bevan. “It’s hard to overstate how deeply this has been needed to align our respective missions, accelerate impact reduction, and reward the manufacturers working hard to meet so many different standards. This Framework and this leadership will allow us to come together and align our momentum for greater impact. I’m incredibly excited for what comes next.”

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About the Common Materials Framework

The Common Materials Framework (CMF) is the outcome of the most detailed cross-stakeholder industry effort to date to analyze and organize over 100 of the most common building product and material certifications and disclosures. 

The CMF gives structure to over 650 relevant sustainability factors identified within these programs. Those factors are organized within the five buckets of health and sustainability referenced across multiple stakeholder materials pledges, including the AIA A&D Materials Pledge. By mapping the underlying data and organization of those Pledge statements, the CMF allows signatories of those pledges to navigate and demonstrate achievement on their public commitments. 

Once digitized, the CMF will act as a smart filter, allowing practitioners to search for sustainable products at any depth. mindful MATERIALS’ intention is that the CMF will work seamlessly across all leading building and material databases and technology platforms, ensuring a consistent foundation of information wherever material decisions are made.

About mindful MATERIALS, Inc.

mindful MATERIALS’ mission is to reverse the embodied impacts of the built environment by driving the use of regenerative and restorative building products that meet an industry-aligned framework for health, sustainability, and resilience, the Common Materials Framework.

mindful MATERIALS furthers its mission through a global cross-sector collaboration hub to develop and drive adoption of the common materials framework, which is digitized through its curated digital materials library and connected to industry tools, resources, education, and advocacy for the greater benefit of all.

To learn more about mindful MATERIALS and the Common Materials Framework, visit mindfulmaterials.com.

About American Institute of Architects

Founded in 1857, AIA consistently works to create more valuable, healthy, secure, and sustainable buildings, neighborhoods, and communities. Through more than 200 international, state, and local chapters, AIA advocates for public policies that promote economic vitality and public well-being.

AIA provides members with tools and resources to assist them in their careers and business as well as engaging civic and government leaders and the public to find solutions to pressing issues facing our communities, institutions, nation, and world. Members adhere to a code of ethics and conduct to ensure the highest professional standards.

About International Living Future Institute

The International Living Future Institute’s mission is to cultivate a society that is socially just, culturally rich, and ecologically restorative. To do this, the organization envisions a Living Future and shows that it works better in practice and policy. The Institute is premised on the belief that providing a compelling vision for the future is needed to reconcile humanity’s relationship with the natural world. The Institute’s programs have shaped more than 55 million square feet of real estate development across the United States and around the world. Learn more at http://www.living-future.org.

About International WELL Building Institute

The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) is a public benefit corporation and the world’s leading organization focused on deploying people-first places to advance a global culture of health. IWBI mobilizes its community through the administration of the WELL Building Standard (WELL) and WELL ratings and certifications, management of the WELL AP credential, the pursuit of applicable research, the development of educational resources, and advocacy for policies that promote health and well-being everywhere. More information on WELL can be found here.

About U.S. Green Building Council

Since 1994, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has been at the forefront of defining what it means to design, construct, and operate green buildings and communities. Through the development of LEED,  the world’s most widely used green building rating system, USGBC is committed to a sustainable,  prosperous future through LEED, the leading program for green buildings and communities worldwide.  Our vision is that buildings and communities will regenerate and sustain the health and vitality of all life within a generation. Our mission is to transform the way buildings and communities are designed, built,  and operated, enabling an environmentally and socially responsible, healthy, and prosperous environment that improves the quality of life. 

Media Contacts

American Institute of Architects
Katie Jacobs
katiejacobs@aia.org 

International Living Future Institute
Anjula Duggal 
anjula.duggal@living-future.org 

International WELL Building Institute
media@wellcertified.com

U.S. Green Building Counci
Deisy Verdinez
dverdinez@usgbc.org 

mindful MATERIALS
Jen Levisen
jen.levisen@mindfulmaterials.com

The post The Building Industry’s Long-Awaited Signal first appeared on Living Future.

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Buildings are beacons for change in their communities, according to the main message from Living Future 2023 held on May 3-5. Convened by the International Living Future Institute, the annual event gathered the regenerative building movement to chart a path forward for the real estate sector. Despite significant progress, buildings remain responsible for nearly 40 percent of carbon emissions. 

“Buildings have the power to change minds and culture, but creating change one building at a time is too slow, leaving too many people behind.” noted Lindsay Baker, CEO of the International Living Future Institute in her opening address. “We must act like a movement, using Living Buildings as inspirations to make change around them.”  

With a theme of “Advocacy and Belonging,” the event focused on the need for a movement to change policies shaping building design, construction and operation.

Baker highlighted the organizations working with the Institute, including Amazon, ARUP, Gensler, Google, Harvard University, Humanscale, JLL, J.P. Morgan Chase, Kohler, Microsoft, MillerKnoll, Mohawk, Perkins&Will, and Skanska. These companies understand the threats facing humanity and have made commitments in line with the Paris Climate Agreement to address them in short periods of time. It is those commitments that bring these organizations, and many others, to the Institute’s doorsteps for help achieving the goals. 

“Businesses that care about climate change need to make sure their voices are heard by policy makers,” Baker emphasized. 

Erin Meezan, Chief Sustainability Officer of JLL – a global real estate services company with offices in 80 countries – reflected on a quote she read that, “all the stories that we know were written for a climate that no longer exists.” Discussing the technical language typically used about climate change, Meezan added, “We need to tell stories of climate resilience in a way that pulls people in, so we can find the passionate people, bring them together, identify actions and let them go change the world.” 

Continuing the theme of movement building, Peggy Shepard – Co-Founder and Executive Director of WE ACT for Environmental Justice and Co-Chair of the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council – emphasized that, “We can build healthy communities by organizing and engaging the most effective community residents in environmental decision making.”

Nina Albert, Commissioner, Public Buildings Service at the General Services Administration also delivered a keynote address. 

Even as Living Future 2023 focused on movement building and policy change, there was also time to celebrate “Living Future Heroes” who show courage, outstanding achievement, and act as “exceptional troublemakers.” Elizabeth Olivia Torres Rodríguez (posthumous), Matthew VanSweden, Lisa Goodwin Robbins, Miguel Quiñones, Kathleen Hetrick, John Mlade, Zeinab Alameddine, and Jason McLennan were all honored in the 17th annual awards ceremony. 

The Steven R. Kellert Biophilic Design Awards were presented to the Marion Fire Station in Marion, Iowa and De Verwondering, a primary school in Almere, Netherlands. Biophilia means connections to nature, with the awards celebrating projects that promote human health and wellness.

Certifications were announced for 15 new buildings, including the first Living Building in Europe and the first certified affordable housing project under the Living Building Challenge standard. From Alabama to Spain, these projects are each helping to create a new era for the building industry.

In addition, Verandah Living in British Columbia achieved Vision Plan Compliance, which is the first milestone under the Living Community Challenge and supports the coalescence of a community around a common vision.

As Baker noted in her remarks, “to act like a movement, we have to listen to each other, advocate for policy changes, train others, and show up for our communities. With seven years to achieve the Paris Climate Agreement goal of 45 percent reduction in carbon emissions by 2030, we can’t stay just innovators, we must be advocates and innovators as well.”

To continue building a regenerative buildings movement, the Institute is hosting an Affordable Housing Summit on June 20-21.

About the International Living Future Institute

The International Living Future Institute’s mission is to cultivate a society that is socially just, culturally rich, and ecologically restorative. To do this, the organization envisions a Living Future and shows that it works better in practice and policy. The Institute is premised on the belief that providing a compelling vision for the future is needed to reconcile humanity’s relationship with the natural world. The Institute’s programs have shaped more than 55 million square-feet of real estate development across the United States and around the world. Learn more at http://www.living-future.org.

Contact:

Brad Kahn
brad@groundworkstrategies.com 
+1-206-419-1607

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Header photo by Jessica Yurinko Photography

The post ACTING LIKE A MOVEMENT: LIVING FUTURE 2023 INSPIRES ACTION FOR CHANGE first appeared on Living Future.