On Nov. 11, the newest version of the Living Building Challenge (LBC) was unveiled at Greenbuild by the International Living Building Institute and the Cascadia Region Green Building Council. The 2.0 version of the standard—which goes beyond the environmentally sustainable aspects of building design—creates requirements for equal access for all citizens, cultural interaction, and unrestricted access to natural resources, and was expanded to include in-home, communitywide, and infrastructure projects. For more information on the program, go to ilbi.org.
Two notable U.S. projects are aiming for certification under the original LBC program. The Omega Center for Sustainable Living, in Rhinebeck, N.Y., will likely become the first building to earn both LBC and LEED Platinum certifications. Designed by BNIM Architects and completed this fall, the low-slung structure features wastewater recycling and clean energy power sources. Another project, the Oregon Sustainability Center, in Portland, Ore., is on track to become the first high-rise to meet LBC criteria. The mixed-use project, by GBD Architects, features Red List–free and locally sourced materials along with net-zero energy and net-zero water systems.