Living Future

What Living Future does

The International Living Future Institute (Living Future) is a Seattle-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2006 that operates a portfolio of building, product, and organizational certification programs targeted at the architecture, construction, and building-materials industries. The organization's core product is the Living Building Challenge (LBC), a rigorous framework built around seven Petals and 20 Imperatives covering site, water, energy, health, materials, equity, and beauty, requiring projects to demonstrate net-positive impact rather than harm reduction. Complementary certifications include Living Community Challenge (neighborhood scale), Living Product Challenge, Zero Carbon, Zero Energy, Declare (a product ingredient transparency label), and Just (an organizational equity label), supported by the Red List of prohibited materials and the Living Future Accreditation (LFA) professional credential.

Revenue is generated through four streams: certification fees for projects and products pursuing labels; annual membership subscriptions (3,000+ members); education and accreditation courses delivered through Summit Education and the marketplace (Ecotone bookstore); and event revenue from the annual Living Future Conference. Distribution occurs primarily via the website (living-future.org), the store.living-future.org marketplace, the global Technical Advisors network, and regional affiliate institutes in Australia and Europe. The organization has 11-50 employees, 800+ certified or registered projects representing 55M+ square feet, and 1,000+ Declare-labeled products. Recent strategic activity includes a December 2025 six-organization coalition with USGBC, IWBI, mindful MATERIALS, GBCA, and BRE to harmonize rating systems, and grant funding from the EPA, Kresge Foundation, and Heinz Endowments.

Name

Living Future

Legal name

International Living Future Institute

Website

https://living-future.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Living Future (International Living Future Institute) is a Seattle-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that develops and operates rigorous green building, product, and organizational certification programs — including the Living Building Challenge, Declare, and Zero Carbon — for architects, developers, manufacturers, and sustainability professionals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Green Building Certification

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (541620)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainability, Energy & Environmental (ESG/LEED) Certifications (EDAAANAO)

akta.pro secondary industry

Continuing Education (CE/CPD) & Provider Accreditation Bodies (EDADACAF)

Keywords

• Green building certification
• Regenerative design standards
• Building decarbonization certification
• Material transparency labeling
• Sustainable built environment

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Certification Fees: Living Future generates revenue through certification fees for various programs including Living Building Challenge, Zero Carbon, Zero Energy, Declare labels, and Just labels. Projects and products pay fees to pursue certification and earn the respective labels.
2. Membership: Annual membership program connecting members to the people, tools, and ideas driving regenerative design. Membership fees provide access to resources, community, and support for pursuing certifications.
3. Education and Accreditation: Living Future Accreditation (LFA) online courses and CEU credits available through the marketplace and education catalog. Training programs for professionals seeking to implement ILFI programs.
4. Ecotone Publishing / Bookstore: The organization operates an Ecotone Bookstore and sells publications, merchandise, and certification support materials through their marketplace.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Living Future (International Living Future Institute) is a non-profit certification body that designs and administers rigorous green building, product, and organizational certification programs and transparency labels, including the Living Building Challenge, Zero Carbon, Zero Energy, Declare, Just, and the Red List. The organization earns revenue through certification fees, annual memberships, paid online accreditation courses, conference tickets and sponsorships, bookstore sales, and donor grants to advance regenerative design in the built environment.

Product overview

Living Future (International Living Future Institute) operates as a non-profit organization offering a portfolio of building and product certification programs, transparency labels, and professional education. The core programs include the Living Building Challenge (LBC), a rigorous building certification framework with seven Petals and 20 Imperatives; the Living Community Challenge for neighborhood-scale projects; and the Living Product Challenge for manufacturers. Complementary certifications include Zero Carbon and Zero Energy programs. Supporting tools include Declare (product transparency label), Just (organizational equity label), and The Red List (prohibited materials registry). The organization also provides professional accreditation through LFA (Living Future Accreditation), operates the TrimTab publication, and offers membership and annual conference access. The portfolio collectively aims to transform real estate and materials markets toward regenerative and socially just outcomes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Living Building Challenge: Program that empowers regenerative design ensuring projects enhance human and ecological health
• Living Product Challenge
• Declare
• Just
• Zero Carbon
• Zero Energy
• Living Future Accreditation (LFA)
• Ecotone Publishing

Products and services

• Living Building Challenge (LBC) A rigorous building certification program for architects, developers, and owners creating regenerative projects, structured around seven Petals and 20 Imperatives covering site, water, energy, health, materials, equity, and beauty.
• Living Community Challenge A neighborhood- and district-scale certification framework for communities pursuing regenerative and socially just outcomes, extending Living Future standards beyond individual buildings.
• Living Product Challenge A manufacturer-focused certification program that challenges companies to produce healthy and regenerative products with positive environmental and social impacts.
• Zero Carbon Certification A building certification program verifying that operational carbon emissions have been eliminated through verified decarbonization metrics rather than design-based ratings.
• Zero Energy Certification A building certification program verifying that buildings produce as much energy as they consume annually on a net basis.
• Declare Label A product transparency label for building products that discloses ingredients, lifecycle stages, and manufacturing locations, helping specifiers identify healthy materials that avoid Red List substances.
• Just Label An organizational transparency label that discloses social justice and equity policies and practices, advancing environmental and social justice in operations.
• Living Future Accreditation (LFA) A professional accreditation program offering online courses and credentials for individuals pursuing regenerative design practice and ILFI certification expertise.
• Living Future Membership Program An annual membership program connecting individuals and organizations to the people, tools, and ideas driving regenerative design, offering multiple tiers of engagement.
• Living Future Conference An annual conference that convenes architects, engineers, manufacturers, builders, and stakeholders around regenerative design, with paid tickets, sponsorships, and exhibition opportunities.

Quantifiable outcome

• 55 million+ square feet of real estate transformed through Living Future programs
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Summit EducationcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 29 May 2026Summit Education is organizing the Flooring Sustainability Summit scheduled for July 15-16, 2026 in Washington D.C. The event will offer 7 AIA continuing education credits and feature discussions on material health transparency, circularity, and supply chain alignment in the flooring industry. Living Future is participating as a featured speaker organization at this event.
• Schluter SystemsminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 29 May 2026Schluter Systems is providing support to the Flooring Sustainability Summit, an event featuring Living Future speakers on material health transparency and supply chain alignment topics.
• CoveringsminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 29 May 2026Coverings is sponsoring the Flooring Sustainability Summit, an event featuring Living Future speakers on material health transparency and supply chain alignment topics.
• International WELL Building Institute (IWBI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 December 2025ILFI is part of a six-organization international partnership announced in December 2025 to create consistency across rating systems including LEED and WELL. The collaboration aims to establish a shared language and approach for materials assessment, aligning data, metrics, and global targets for climate, nature, and circularity.
• U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 December 2025ILFI is part of a six-organization international partnership announced in December 2025 to create consistency across rating systems including LEED and WELL. The collaboration aims to establish a shared language and approach for materials assessment, aligning data, metrics, and global targets for climate, nature, and circularity.
• mindful MATERIALScoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 December 2025ILFI is part of a six-organization international partnership announced in December 2025 to create consistency across rating systems including LEED and WELL. The collaboration aims to establish a shared language and approach for materials assessment, aligning data, metrics, and global targets for climate, nature, and circularity.
• Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 December 2025ILFI is part of a six-organization international partnership announced in December 2025 to create consistency across rating systems including LEED and WELL. The collaboration aims to establish a shared language and approach for materials assessment, aligning data, metrics, and global targets for climate, nature, and circularity.
• Building Research Establishment (BRE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 December 2025ILFI is part of a six-organization international partnership announced in December 2025 to create consistency across rating systems including LEED and WELL. The collaboration aims to establish a shared language and approach for materials assessment, aligning data, metrics, and global targets for climate, nature, and circularity.
• RecodecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerILFI has an ongoing collaboration with Recode (along with Oregon Environmental Council, funded by the Rosin Fund of the Scherman Foundation) to identify and break down barriers to next generation water systems in Washington, Oregon, and California. The Onsite Water Reuse Permit Pathways mapping initiative identifies sticking points in existing permit pathways at various governmental levels.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC): Operator of LEED, the dominant green building rating system that ILFI explicitly positions against. Both organizations certify buildings, train professionals, and advocate for sustainable building policy — direct competitors in the same category.
• International WELL Building Institute (IWBI): Administers the WELL Building Standard focused on occupant health and wellbeing. ILFI and IWBI co-exist in the same building-certification market and joined the same December 2025 six-organization partnership to align rating systems.
• Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute: Certifies products and materials for health, circularity, and social fairness — directly comparable to Living Future's Declare and Living Product Challenge programs. Both focus on material transparency and regenerative product standards.
• mindful MATERIALS: Provides a common platform for building product transparency and health information. Direct overlap with Declare's transparency mission and a December 2025 ILFI partner organization.

Broad incumbents

• Building Research Establishment (BRE): Operates BREEAM, the largest international green building rating system. BRE is a broad incumbent in sustainability certification and a partner with ILFI in the December 2025 cross-rating-system collaboration.
• Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI): Third-party certification body administering LEED credentials, PEER, and other rating systems. Comparable as a parallel certification/credentialing infrastructure organization in the green building space.
• Energy Star (U.S. EPA): Government-administered energy performance certification for buildings and products. Overlaps with ILFI's Zero Energy program as a widely adopted, government-backed benchmark for building efficiency.

Regional players

• Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA): Administers Green Star, Australia's primary green building rating system, and is a December 2025 ILFI partner. GBCA serves as the Australian analog in the same certification category, though geographic overlap with ILFI Australia exists.

Emerging players

• Passive House Institute: Administers the Passive House standard for ultra-low energy buildings. Overlaps with ILFI's Zero Energy program on building performance verification, with a more specialized focus on energy efficiency rather than full regenerative criteria.
• Fitwel: Operates a building certification focused on occupant health and wellbeing, comparable to aspects of ILFI's Just Label and biophilic design program areas. Smaller-scale, narrower focus than ILFI.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Living_Future
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCsuakFTZawJ7T8xo8qEfPlQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/livingfutureinstitute
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/livingfuture
• Instagraminstagram.com/living_future
• Pinterestpinterest.com/livingfuture

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Living Future