Living Building Challenge 4.1 Program Manual

Intent + Requirements

INTENT

The intent of this Imperative is to contribute toward the creation of walkable, pedestrian-oriented communities that reduce the use of fossil fuel-based vehicles.

REQUIREMENTS

All projects must:

All projects (except single-family residential) must also:

  • Provide places for occupants to gather and connect with the community;
  • Provide sufficient secure, weather-protected storage for human-powered vehicles and facilities, such as showers and lockers, to encourage human-powered transport;
  • Provide at least two electric vehicle (EV) charging stations or one per 30 spaces, whichever is greater; and
  • Minimize impervious surface parking to no more than 20% (Transects L1–L3), 15% (Transect L4), 5% (Transect L5) and 0% (Transect L6) of the Project Boundary and ensure that any surface parking area larger than 20m x 30m is separated with planted areas.

AND

  • Either reduce single-occupancy vehicle (SOV) trips and trips by fossil fuel-based vehicles by 30% over an established baseline relevant to the project’s region and occupancy type; or
  • Implement at least four of the following best practices:
    • Consideration and enhancement of pedestrian routes, including weather protection on street frontages;
    • Advocacy in the community to facilitate the uptake of human-powered and public transportation;
    • A transit subsidy for all occupants of the building (if owner-occupied) or a requirement for tenant employers to provide such a subsidy;
    • Carpool coordination assistance;
    • Access either to subsidized car sharing and/or to hybrid or EV fleet vehicles.
    • Regular survey of occupants to determine current fossil fuel-based SOV trips;
    • Site the project in a ZIP/postal code that has a Walk Score of at least 90;
    • Site the project in a ZIP/postal code that has a Bike Score of at least 90;
    • Site the project in a ZIP/postal code that has a Transit Score of at least 90.

Single-family homes (all Transects) must assess how occupants can reduce their transportation impact through car sharing, use of public transportation, alternative-fuel vehicles, and/or bicycles (or other human-powered transport), and implement at least two identified strategies.