055 // Build Greener: Sustainable Home Certifications

The Living Building Challenge is not your average green building certification. It sets the bar high for sustainability, aiming to create buildings that don’t just do less harm but actually give back to the environment and people. Imagine a building that generates energy, collects, and treats water, and incorporates non-toxic materials for a healthier environment.

The living building challenge is a program created by the International Living Future Institute (ILFI). It is about creating buildings that improve the planet and people by being built. it’s very aspirational and pretty hard to achieve. That’s why ILFI created a second certification program called the Core Green Building Certification that makes achieving a super healthy and sustainable home within reach.

More...

I love the concept of building certifications because it provides goals and metrics to keep everyone accountable for creating better buildings. And I’ve found that the Core Green Building Certification is one of the best programs that encompasses all aspects of health, well-being, and planetary health in a realistic, achievable way.

So if the idea of having goals and metrics to ensure you really are creating a home that supports your health and well-being, along with the planet, then this certification program is a great one to consider.

In this episode, I’m going to discuss the 10 imperatives that combine to create the Core Green Building Certification requirements, and why I love this certification so much that I plan to follow this framework when I build my home.

If you're interesting in learning more, enroll in my Balanced Home Design 101 course which breaks down healthy and sustainable design concepts.