The Living Building

By John Linnemann, Aedi Construction

Seoul, South Korea

In response to the rapid adoption of LEED standards and in an attempt to fill the existing gaps, the Cascadia Region Green Building Council developed the initial standards for a Living Building. Seeking to define the greatest measure of true sustainability possible in the built environment, it is rooted in the best current knowledge while recognizing that ‘true sustainability is not yet possible. Given the inherent exceptions due to market realities, the Living Building is as close to true sustainability as currently possible and achieves the highest level of balance between the natural and built environments.

By definition, a Living Building generates all of its own energy with renewable resources, captures and treats all of its water on site, and uses resources efficiently and for maximum beauty. The standards apply to existing as well as new buildings and require a structure to be complete and fully operational for one year before it can be certified as a Living Building. The criteria used to rate a home is focused on six distinct categories: Site, Energy, Materials, Water, Indoor Quality, and Beauty & Inspiration. The prerequisites, specific requirements, and exceptions to each of the rating categories is provided by the Cascadia Region Green Building Council. Unique to the Living Building standard is an emphasis on performance rather than concern for how the guidelines are met, and thus strategies vary depending on factors ranging from climate location to building type. Nonetheless, taking into consideration current realities including building codes that prohibit true sustainable construction, the Living Building is the premier measure of environmental building. With time it will continue to evolve in accordance to changes in society and provides a crucial template for future progress.

Portland, Oregon