Living Future

01/14/2026

Nominate your hero by January 28th: Living Future Hero award nominations are officially open! We want your help identifying members of the community who are making a significant impact on the regenerative buildings movement, equity in the built environment, and healthy materials.

As always, our Heroes will be honored with an in-person award ceremony at the 2026 Living Future Conference (April 14-17 in Seattle, WA) and celebrated on Living Future channels year-round.

Nominate your Living Future Hero by January 28th, 2026:

The Living Future Hero Award was created to acknowledge and celebrate individuals in the regenerative design community who have dedicated significant time and effort to advancing the Living Future programs and mission. The individuals chosen as our Heroes are current Living Future Members who go abo...

01/06/2026

Being a "first mover" isn't just about winning the race—it’s about rewriting the rules for everyone who follows.

Join us at Living Future 2026 for an unfiltered look at how courageous leadership is transforming the built environment across Australia and New Zealand.

FIRST MOVERS CHANGE THE MARKET
Arup shares an honest, case-study-driven exploration of their journey implementing the Living Building Challenge, detailing how salvaged materials and First Nations collaborations are catalyzing systemic industry change.

Attendees will walk away with the ability to:
• Apply lessons from pilot projects to scale sustainable procurement and local material sourcing.
• Understand the value of 'failure' and the need to share experiences
• Identify methods and value of meaningful First Nations and small supplier engagement
• Recognise the systemic impacts of first-mover leadership in shifting industry standards and approach

Speakers:
• Cameron McIntosh, Partner, Corporate Real Estate Leader - Australasia at Arup
• Clare Kennedy, Director at Five Mile Radius
• Richard Stokes, Sustainability Team Leader - Victoria at Arup

Ready to be a catalyst for change? Secure your spot now and join the movement redefining our industry's future: https://bit.ly/4mNGJ2j
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01/06/2026

What if every school building could nourish minds and bodies, model climate action, and inspire the next generation of advocates?

This year, we worked with a cohort of public school administrators in Pennsylvania to explore this question and identify how the Living Building Challenge can help schools take meaningful action. We’re excited to share the outcomes of this work—read the full report to learn more: https://bit.ly/4joDwWE

Image: Heartwood Annex, Waldorf School of Pittsburgh (Core Certified). Photography by Nic Lechoux
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01/05/2026

We are incredibly honored to announce that Dr. Katharine K. Wilkinson will be a keynote speaker at Living Future 2026!

Recognized by TIME magazine as one of 15 “women who will save the world,” Dr. Wilkinson is a powerhouse in the climate movement. As the co-founder of The All We Can Save Project and a lead voice behind Project Drawdown, her work has redefined how we think about strategy, community, and leadership.

At LF26, she will be sharing insights from her forthcoming book, Climate Wayfinding: Healing Ourselves and the Planet We Call Home.

Join us April 14th through April 17th in Seattle and get ready to:
• Explore the bridge between inner purpose and external action
• Find clariity and courage in the face of our greatest climate challenges
• Connect with a community actively building a living future

Don’t miss your chance to hear from one of the most influential voices in climate today.
Secure your spot at LF26: https://bit.ly/4mNGJ2j
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01/02/2026

26% of people in the U.S. live with a disability, yet less than 6% of our housing is accessible. It’s time to design for the reality of our community.

At Living Future 2026, we’re diving into how the Kelsey Civic Center is bridging the gap between low-carbon goals and disability-forward design.

A NEW, LOW-CARBON MODEL FOR INCLUSIVE LIVING
By centering dignity and wellness through features like acoustic mapping and sensory landscaping, this session proves that climate-forward housing must be inclusive and human-centered to be truly sustainable.

Learning objectives for this session include:
• Connecting resource efficiency to inclusivity and wellbeing using LBC Core
• Learning key approaches for inclusive and innovative partnerships
• Using the material bank around you to reduce carbon
• Learning (and receiving) strategic guidelines tied to Inclusive Design Standards

Speakers:
• Pauline Souza, Partner, Director of Sustainability at WRNS Studio
• Erick Mikiten. Founder, President of Mikiten Architecture
• Micaela Connery, Co-founder and CEO of The Kelsey

Register now to learn how we can build a future where everyone truly belongs: https://bit.ly/4mNGJ2j
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01/01/2026

Building for a century means noticing what already exists, nurturing it, and letting it grow.

Shape the choices that will define the buildings, products, and communities of tomorrow. At Living Future 2026, we explore what it takes to design for the next 100 years.

Resilient. Regenerative. Enduring.

Register for LF26: https://bit.ly/4mNGJ2j
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12/31/2025

It’s now or never for 2025.

Today is the final day to make a tax-deductible contribution to Living Future for the 2025 calendar year.

As we look toward our 20th anniversary in 2026, your support is more critical than ever. We are closing the gap on our $45,000 matching gift—which means your $50 becomes $100, and $500 becomes $1,000 to help us scale regenerative design, healthy materials, and equitable workplaces.

By giving before midnight, you:

• Support the movement for a regenerative built environment.
• Double your impact through our year-end match.
• Maximize your 2025 tax deductions.

Let’s head into the new year with the momentum needed to transform the world.

Give before the clock strikes midnight: https://bit.ly/3Vn027M
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12/30/2025

Achieving net-positive results isn't a straight line—it’s a high-speed ride full of unexpected loops and steep drops.

Strap in for a transparent look at the highs and lows of regenerative design at Living Future 2026.

THE NET POSITIVE ROLLERCOASTER - HANG TIGHT!
Drawing from Lake Flato and HDR’s diverse portfolio, this session unpacks the real-world failures and breakthroughs encountered on the path to net-zero energy and carbon-positive outcomes.

Participants will explore:
• Planning for the pitfalls before the project begins to support a higher level of success
• Understanding that process loads are hard and should not be considered an afterthought
• Thinking Beyond the Building. The path to regeneration leverages district-scale solutions
• How Operations Are the Make-Or-Break. Achieving success requires more than just design

Speakers:
• Colin Rohlfing, Director of Sustainable Development at HDR
• Heather Holdridge, Director of Design Performance at Lake Flato Architects

Don't miss this thrill ride—secure your spot at LF26 today: https://bit.ly/4mNGJ2j
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12/29/2025

Thank you to our incredible Living Future 2026 sponsors for helping make our annual event possible!

BehrPaint | BuildingEase | DPR Construction | ecomedes | Carnegie | Liveable | Milliken & Company | Saint-Gobain | Turner Construction Company | Urban Evolutions | USG

Your support helps us push boundaries in climate action, equity, and regenerative design and turn bold ideas into tangible solutions.
We’re excited to imagine the possibilities for the next century of design in Seattle this April!

Join us at LF26: https://bit.ly/4mNGJ2j
Sponsor LF26: https://bit.ly/4jtGiu5
Exhibit at LF26: https://bit.ly/4pb10Qq
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12/26/2025

JOIN OUR TEAM!

We're looking for a Vice President, Buildings (Market Engagement). This role includes the responsibility of growing our program engagement and building up our sales pipeline.

The Buildings Group manages all aspects of Living Future’s building scale programs, including the creation and maintenance of visionary standards, tools, and resources to push the building industry toward a Living Future.

Learn more about this position and apply: https://www.smartrecruiters.com/InternationalLivingFutureInstitute/744000094244932-vp-of-buildings-market-engagement-.

12/26/2025

Ever wonder what happens after the ribbon-cutting ceremony when high-performance systems meet the messy reality of daily operations?

From radiant flooring mishaps to composting curves, we’re getting honest about the "oops" moments in regenerative design at Living Future 2026.

THE REAL LIVES OF HIGH PERFORMANCE BUILDING OPERATORS
Join us for an interactive look at real-world building failures and the invaluable lessons they teach us about creating truly resilient, human-centered systems.

Attendees will learn:
• Common operational issues in sustainable buildings.
• How design decisions impact long-term functionality.
• Strategies for engaging facilities teams early to improve system performance.
• Regional differences in building operations across climate and policy zones.

Speakers:
• Erica McBride; Regenerative Operations Manager at Architectural Nexus
• Tressa Points, LEED Green Associate; Office Manager at PAE
• Dane Lovell; Facilities Maintenance Superintendent at Stanley Center for Peace and Security
• Brooke Johnson; Senior Facilities Manager Senior at Georgia Tech

Secure your spot now to learn from the experts who keep these buildings running: https://bit.ly/4nSUUnr

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12/23/2025

This year has reminded us that our movement is only as strong as the bonds between us. As we approach the end of 2025, we invite you to give a gift that looks forward.

By dedicating a gift to Living Future in honor of a friend, family member, or mentor, you are directly supporting the creation of resilient, equitable, and life-affirming spaces. You aren't just donating to an organization; you are investing in a vision where the built environment heals the world for the generations that follow.

Double your impact: Every gift made before December 31st is matched dollar-for-dollar, up to $45,000.

Celebrate someone who believes in a healthier world. Give today: https://bit.ly/3Vn027M

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