INTENT
The intent of this Imperative is to protect wild and ecologically significant places and encourage ecological regeneration and enhanced function of the communities and places where projects are built.
REQUIREMENTS
All projects must avoid building on pristine greenfield, wilderness, prime farmland or in a floodplain unless they meet an Exception. Projects must preserve thriving vibrant ecological environments and habitats.
All project teams must document site and community conditions prior to the start of work, including but not limited to identification of the project’s Reference Habitat.
All projects must demonstrate that they contribute positively to the ecology of their place and restore or enhance the ecological performance of the site toward a healthy ecological baseline. On-site landscape must be designed to mature and evolve, and to emulate the functionality of the Reference Habitat, as appropriate to the project’s Transect.
All project teams must assess cultural and social equity factors and needs in the community and consider those identified needs to inform design and process decisions.
No petrochemical fertilizers or pesticides can be used for the operation and maintenance of the on-site landscape, including urban agriculture.
CHANGES FROM LBC 3.1 TO 4.0
Substantial changes have been made to this Imperative in LBC 4.0. The intent and requirements have been modified to ensure that projects pursuing the Living Building Challenge have a net positive impact on the ecological performance of the project site, and that project teams understand and respond to the needs, assets, opportunities and challenges faced by the people living in the community. Overall, the Imperative requires project teams to examine and understand the project’s place from ecological, social, and cultural standpoints in order to develop a design and program for the building and site that improves conditions and sets the project up to be ecologically restorative, socially just, and culturally rich over the long term.
