PORTLAND, OREGON, USA – The International Living Building Institute (ILBI), a new organization dedicated to the creation of sustainable built environment around the world, was launched at the annual Living Future conference of the Cascadia Region Green Building Council last May 9.

More than 600 of the most cutting-edge green builders, developers, contractors, design professionals and thought leaders from all across North America attended the conference and ILBI launch.

A “Living Building” is a high-performance building capable of producing its own power and cleaning and reusing all of its water. It follows the concept that a building can work like a natural system, and can be designed and constructed to function as elegantly and efficiently as a flower.

The Living Building movement is gaining momentum around the world, prompting the creation of the ILBI.

Cascadia started the Living Building Challenge, probably the most advanced green building rating system in the world, in 2006 to spark the design and construction of buildings that exist like a natural system. Living Buildings must comply with 16 performance measures within six categories (or “petals”): site, energy, materials, water, indoor quality, and beauty and inspiration.

“We have been delighted to serve as the incubator for these projects. But Cascadia is a regional organization and the Living Building Challenge has now become an international phenomenon. So, the natural and logical progression is to create an international oversight body,” Cascadia CEO and Living Building Challenge author Jason F. McLennan said.

Currently, more than 60 proposed Living Buildings are now in some stage of design or construction in the United States and Canada, the two countries where the green building movement is in full swing.