Program areas at International Living Future Institute
Living building challenge around the world: the Living building challenge is the world's most advanced and holistic green building certification standard, which includes requirements around energy, water, toxic materials, social justice, and health & wellness. As of december 31, 2021 we had 789 buildings in 30+ countries on 6 continents pursuing the challenge. These projects range from affordable housing, higher education, and municipal projects, to manufacturing, retail, and healthcare facilities. Buildings contribute 40% of global greenhouse gas emissions annually, and the challenge offers a solution to the world to build a socially just, culturally rich, ecologically restorative Future.
Living product challenge and declare: the Living product challenge and declare product transparency labels are the world's most sustainable product solutions, encouraging manufacturers to create products that address climate change, human health, and toxic materials. Hundreds of products used in construction, from manufacturers around the world, carry declare labels, which disclose all of their ingredients and enables architects, designers, and builders to choose sustainable products for all their projects.
Conferences and events: the International Living Future Institute presents the world's premier events and conferences for the global green building community. The annual Living Future conference and multiple additional events on topics ranging from global corporate climate commitments to resilient design for a changing world, draw thousands of participants from around the world online and in person.
In addition to its flagship program, the Living building challenge, the Institute also runs the zero energy and zero carbon program in support of addressing climate change due to fossil fuel use. It also oversees a sustainable community certification standard (Living community challenge), transparent workplace employment practice labeling program (just), a professional membership program (Living Future membership), a book publishing program (ecotone publishing), a professional credential (Living Future accreditation), and a catalog of online courses.