The International Living Future unConference is always a source of inspiration. This year, LF19 was back in Seattle (April 20 – May 3). The
COTE® Top Ten Toolkit was well represented! On Friday, Toolkit authors Stephen Endy, AIA; Anne Hicks Harney, FAIA; Gunnar Hubbard, FAIA; Betsy del Monte, FAIA; Corey Squire, AIA; Vikram Sami, AIA; Tate Walker, AIA; and Helena Zambrano, AIA shared rapid fire examples of best practices that can be found in the Toolkit:
If you Can Only do One Thing: Using the COTE Toolkit to Elevate Every Project.
If time or project resources are limited, where should you focus your efforts for maximum impact? How can we elevate our design practice without getting mired in complicated analysis and computer simulations? This best practices guide, not only provides a framework for discussing and prioritizing project goals, but also includes real tactical solutions strategies that you can implement - no PhD in materials science or energy modeling required! Need some help familiarizing yourself with green building design metrics? Download the super spreadsheet that helps you identify metrics that matter, calculate them, includes reference transparent benchmarks to help you assess performance, and recommends a range of ‘good’ predicted outcomes performance.
Throughout the week, the connection between socially and environmentally responsible design was apparent. Equity took center stage in the selection of many of the keynote and ‘15 Minutes of Brilliance’ speakers. 17-year-old Jamie Margolin demanded climate action, linking rampant consumerism, sexism, racism and other inequities to our slow progress. President Mary Robinson encourages us to ‘prioritize the furthest behind first.’ Mark Chambers shared NYC’s approach advocating for fairness first as the best strategy for building momentum (and numbers) to tackle the climate crisis. Sara Sanford discouraged monocultures, advocating for social levers that impact culture more effectively than $8B spent on equity, diversity and inclusion workplace training. Metropolis also picked up on this theme, reporting on some of the education sessions focused on cultural identity and inclusive design as levers for positive impact.
We are also excited about ILFI's new Core Green Building Certification℠ (Core). These 10 best practices define baseline sustainability, bridging the gap to the very aspirational Living Building Challenge. We are looking forward to learning more about this new certification and how COTE® can support this pathway towards regenerative design.