LEED and Living Building Challenge (LBC) are certifications that look comprehensively at the act of building–beyond energy, considerations for materials, water, site and landscape, indoor environmental quality, beauty, and equity.
As well-known standards, LEED and LBC certifications bring value to the building and highlight owners’ environmental commitment. For those interested in a truly regenerative approach to building–beyond sustainability–the Living Building Challenge is the pinnacle of certifications, envisioning how buildings can actively go beyond “doing less harm” to restore the human-nature balance. These programs dovetail nicely with the Passive approach.
TBDA has completed LEED-certified Park District and residential buildings intentionally designed to be examples of sustainability in the community. These certifications are ideal for public projects and projects in which owners want to provide meaningful measurement of impact across all aspects of the building, from the use of local labor and products to non-toxic material sourcing and design for net-zero or net-positive water and energy.
The LEED and LBC design process emphasizes an integrated, community-based approach to decision-making, involving all stakeholders in design decisions through project “charrettes.” While the team for LEED for Homes is relatively small (architect, owner, and landscape architect primarily), charrettes for Institutional buildings, for example, may also involve structural and mechanical engineers, users, community members, biologists, and materials specialists.
Explore our portfolio of LEED and Living Building Challenge (LBC) certified projects, where sustainability meets innovation.