The Living Building Challenge® (LBC) is a philosophy, certification, and advocacy tool for building projects to become truly regenerative. LBC consists of 20 Imperatives across seven performance categories, or “Petals”: Place, Water, Energy, Health + Happiness, Materials, Equity, and Beauty. LBC buildings rely only on renewable energy, replenish our waterways, eliminate exposures to toxins, and restore our relationships to nature and one another. LBC includes three certification pathways: Living, Petal, and Core. living-future.org/lbc
Zero Energy Certification™ buildings have best-in-class energy efficiency improvements of 60%–90% over baseline. Zero Energy buildings educate residents and employees, connecting them to their building by making them aware of their own energy use and challenging them to limit it. Zero Energy buildings are free from dependence on fossil fuels, providing the groundwork for a resilient future. living-future.org/zero-energy
Zero Carbon Certification™ is the only performance-based carbon standard that addresses both operational and embodied carbon. Zero Carbon buildings operate efficiently, eliminate combustion, and use renewable energy. They are the safest properties when weather or energy markets shift. The world’s largest companies, investors, and cities are already decarbonizing. living-future.org/zero-carbon
Living Community Challenge® is a framework for master planning, design, and construction. It is a tool to create a symbiotic relationship between people and all aspects of the built environment. The program is a call to action to governments, campuses, planners, developers, and neighborhood groups to create communities that are as connected and beautiful as a forest. _NOTE: While the program is no longer taking registrations, reference materials that can provide inspiration and guidance to people interested in the community approach are available at living-future.org/lcc
Living Product Challenge™ (LPC) is a science-based certification for products that help restore our planet and improve the quality of human life. At its core, the LPC framework empowers manufacturers to redefine product creation, shifting from simply “doing less bad” to crafting goods with net-positive, far-reaching benefits. Products that meet LPC standards are featured in the online case studies. living-future.org/lpc
Declare® is an easy-to-read “nutrition label” for products with online resources to promote, share, and find healthier building materials. living-future.org/declare
