Living Buildings

With regenerative and restorative design at their core, these are buildings designed to function like natural systems. It’s that simple in truth, yet immensely complex in practice. These are bioclimatic in their site-specificity as well as long-term adaptability and possess integrated systems so as to maximize efficiency and occupant comfort and health. And just as ecosystems uptake resources in situ and cycle all wastes, building materials should originate from the locale and waste should hold to the nutrient cycle through composting and/or flow to biological treatment systems such as constructed wetlands. Similarly, just as the natural world is fueled by the sun, living buildings thrive on solar energy and operate pollution-free; all wastes become “food” for other organisms within the ecosystem. A Living Building also harvests all its own water from the site while positively affecting the local ecosystem and enhancing its surroundings – - a sort of mime to Mother Nature. For more on Living Buildings, follow this link.