flexiblefullpage -
billboard - default
interstitial1 - interstitial
catfish1 - bottom
Currently Reading

ILFI releases new version of Living Building Challenge Framework for Affordable Housing

Codes and Standards

ILFI releases new version of Living Building Challenge Framework for Affordable Housing

Document includes updated findings, case studies, new strategies for financing, designing, building affordable housing.


By Peter Fabris, Contributing Editor | October 30, 2019

Courtesy Pixabay

The International Living Future Institute (ILFI) has released a new edition of its Living Building Challenge Framework for Affordable Housing.

This second edition has been revised and expanded with updated findings, detailed case studies, and new strategies and approaches to financing, designing, building, and operating Living Affordable Housing. ILFI has worked closely with 27 projects in its Affordable Housing Pilot Program and with affordable housing professionals through education, events, and general project support. The 27 pilot projects represent nearly 800 units of housing in 13 states and the District of Columbia and Canada.

These projects are serving thousands of individuals and families with incomes varying from less than 30% of the area median income (AMI) to 80% AMI. Populations, contexts, climates, and densities of these projects vary significantly including individuals just leaving homelessness to seniors and families in urban and rural settings.

The projects also vary climactically from hot, humid to sub-arctic, and in size from 125 sf accessory dwelling units (designed as a prototype for future projects) to a 23-story high-rise in Chicago. “These projects are demonstrating that it is possible to create a more socially just, culturally rich, and ecologically restorative built environment for all,” according to ILFI.

Related Stories

Codes and Standards | Nov 21, 2023

Austin becomes largest U.S. city to waive minimum parking requirements

Austin, Texas recently became the largest city in the United States to stop requiring new developments to set a minimum amount of parking. The Austin City Council voted 8-2 earlier this month to eliminate parking requirements in an effort to fight climate change and spur more housing construction as Texas’s capitol grapples with a housing affordability crisis.

Codes and Standards | Nov 10, 2023

Washington state building codes to protect structures from wildfire provoke controversy

New building codes in Washington state intended to protect structures from wildfires are provoking backlash from builders, cities, and environmentalists. Critics charge that the rules that are scheduled to take effect March 15 are confusing, will increase housing costs, and could cause too many trees to be cut down.

Sustainability | Nov 1, 2023

Researchers create building air leakage detection system using a camera in real time

Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a system that uses a camera to detect air leakage from buildings in real time.

MFPRO+ News | Nov 1, 2023

Washington, D.C., Queens, N.Y., lead nation in number of new apartments by zip code

A study of new apartment construction by zip code showed Washington D.C., and the Queens borough of New York City are the hottest multifamily markets since 2018, according to RentCafe.

Adaptive Reuse | Nov 1, 2023

Biden Administration reveals plan to spur more office-to-residential conversions

The Biden Administration recently announced plans to encourage more office buildings to be converted to residential use. The plan includes using federal money to lend to developers for conversion projects and selling government property that is suitable for conversions. 

Sustainability | Nov 1, 2023

Tool identifies financial incentives for decarbonizing heavy industry, transportation projects

Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) has released a tool to identify financial incentives to help developers, industrial companies, and investors find financial incentives for heavy industry and transport projects.

Mass Timber | Oct 27, 2023

Five winners selected for $2 million Mass Timber Competition

Five winners were selected to share a $2 million prize in the 2023 Mass Timber Competition: Building to Net-Zero Carbon. The competition was co-sponsored by the Softwood Lumber Board and USDA Forest Service (USDA) with the intent “to demonstrate mass timber’s applications in architectural design and highlight its significant role in reducing the carbon footprint of the built environment.”

Resiliency | Oct 19, 2023

Jacksonville unveils 50-year strategy for resiliency to flooding, extreme heat, wildfires

The City of Jacksonville, Fla., recently released plans for Resilient Jacksonville, a 50-year resiliency strategy to reduce the risks from flooding, hurricanes, excessive heat, and wildfires, and to respond better to those events. The plan includes ways to stop the St. Johns River from flooding vulnerable neighborhoods, including those prone to flooding during heavy rain or hurricanes.

Building Materials | Oct 19, 2023

New white papers offer best choices in drywall, flooring, and insulation for embodied carbon and health impacts

“Embodied Carbon and Material Health in Insulation” and “Embodied Carbon and Material Health in Gypsum Drywall and Flooring,” by architecture and design firm Perkins&Will in partnership with the Healthy Building Network, advise on how to select the best low-carbon products with the least impact on human health.

Contractors | Oct 19, 2023

Crane Index indicates slowing private-sector construction

Private-sector construction in major North American cities is slowing, according to the latest RLB Crane Index. The number of tower cranes in use declined 10% since the first quarter of 2023. The index, compiled by consulting firm Rider Levett Bucknall (RLB), found that only two of 14 cities—Boston and Toronto—saw increased crane counts.

boombox1 - default
boombox2 -
native1 -

More In Category




halfpage1 -

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021