LIVING BUILDING CHALLENGE Framework for Affordable Housing A pathway to overcome social, regulatory, and financial barriers to achieving Living Building Challenge Certification in affordable housing ABSTRACT: The affordable housing development community is uniquely situated to benefit from the philosophy and application of the Living Building Challenge in order to effectively accomplish its mission and goals. Living Buildings are designed to maximize the positive social and environmental potential of the built environment and to serve as focal points for inspiration and education in their local communities. They are comprised entirely of healthy, sustainable building materials, harvest all their energy and water on site, and weave equity and social justice into their design goals. As the world’s most impactful green building certification program, the Living Building Challenge can enhance the positive contributions of affordable housing while mitigating the persistent inequalities often present in low-income communities. This update is intended to provide additional pathways and case studies for affordable housing projects to realize these benefits. OBJECTIVE: To provide pathways and identify strategies to assist affordable housing developers in overcoming social, regulatory, and financial barriers to achieving Living Building Challenge Certification. AUDIENCE: Investors, developers, design and construction professionals, government officials, building product manufacturers, and community groups interested in new construction and renovation of sustainable affordable multifamily housing. THE INTERNATIONAL LIVING FUTURE INSTITUTE The mission of the International Living Future Institute (the Institute) is to lead and support the transformation. The Institute is an environmental NGO committed to catalyzing the transformation toward communities that are socially just, culturally rich, and ecologically restorative. The Institute is premised on the belief that providing a compelling vision for the future is a fundamental requirement for reconciling humanity’s relationship with the natural world. The Institute operates the Living Building Challenge, the built environment’s most ambitious performance standard. It is a hub for many other visionary programs that support the transformation toward a living future. For more information, please visit https://living-future.org. THE JPB FOUNDATION AND STAKEHOLDERS The Living Building Challenge Framework for Affordable Housing is funded by the JPB Foundation. The report and the ongoing success of future projects rely on the continued and essential contribution of the foundation as well as some of the nation’s leading innovative affordable housing designers, developers, and nonprofit organizations dedicated to continually raising the bar for green affordable housing. 2 | Living Building Challenge: Framework for Affordable Housing I think we can use the image option we don’t use for the cover here. I can make the other one work as well. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS PRIMARY AUTHORS: Susan Puri Kathleen Smith ADDITIONAL STAFF SUPPORT: Molly Freed Olivia Yu Andrew Lee Andrea Cooper-Lazarczyk Alicia Daniels-Uhlig James Connelly Marja Williams Alaina Kowitz Ally Stoneham Al Tozer ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTORS/REVIEWERS: Katie Ackerley, David Baker Architects Rachel Cluett and Molly Simpson, Fannie Mae Wanda Dalla Costa, Arizona State University Rikki Epperson and Reid Saunders, Community Rebuilds Crystal Grinnell, Biohabitats, Inc. Richard Kingston, VP Sustainability, HPN Select Marty Kooistra, Housing Development Consortium Gladys Ly-Au Young and Amy Chang, Sundberg Kennedy Ly-Au Young Architects Matthew McGrane, Farr Associates Cover image: Pacific Point Affordable Family Housing, San Francisco, David Baker Architects. Image: Bruce Damonte This document is the copyrighted property of the International Living Future Institute, all rights reserved 2019. This report may be printed, distributed and posted on websites in its entirety in PDF format only and for the purposes of education. This report may not be altered or modified without permission. 3 | Living Building Challenge: Framework for Affordable Housing TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 6 Place Imperatives 57 Overall Approach 61 Barriers + Solutions 61 SECTION 1 Place Case Studies BACKGROUND INFORMATION - Lawson House YMCA Development 63 - Gila River Indian Community The Living Building Challenge 21 Sustainable Housing 64 Affordable Housing Pilot Program 25 - Lakeline Learning Center 66 Pilot Projects - Muldoon Garden 67 - The Rose 27 - The Projects at Mill Creek 68 - South Second Street Studios 31 Resources 69 - Capital Studios 32 - Hopeworks Station Phase II 33 - Orchard Gardens 34 WATER Petal Introduction 71 - Lawson House YMCA Renovation 35 Water Imperatives 72 - Silver Star Apartments 36 Overall Approach 75 - Liberty Lane Apartments 37 Closing the Loop—Options for Wastewater 79 - Cedar Springs 37 Net Positive Water Modeling - Deanwood Neighborhood Development 38 - Scenario 1: Closed Loop with - Muldoon Garden 39 Rainwater Supply 83 - Coliseum Place 40 - Scenario 2: Municipal Potable Supply - Lakeline Learning Center 41 with Composting Toilets 85 - Broadway Lofts 42 - Scenario 3: Municipal Potable Supply with - Gila River Indian Community Harvested Water Used in Low-Flow Toilets 87 Sustainable Housing 43 - Scenario 4: Rainwater to Potable - Sun Valley Eco-Distrcit Phase I 44 Supply with Recycled Greywater Used - Fifth Avenue Apartments 44 for Non-Potable Uses 89 - Othello Square Homeownership Building 45 Barriers + Solutions 91 - Greenway Meadows 46 Water Case Studies - Alder Place 46 - BLOCK Project 94 - Hunters View Phase III 47 - Cedar Springs 96 - The BLOCK Project 48 Resources 98 - The Projects at Mill Creek 49 - The Canopy 50 - Universtiy Square 50 ENERGY Petal Introduction 101 - Veridian at County Farm 50 Energy Imperatives 102 Resources 51 Overall Approach 105 Net Positive Carbon Analysis 106 Barriers + Solutions 111 SECTION 2 Energy Case Studies PETAL PATHWAYS + CASE STUDIES - Hopeworks Station Phase II 115 Pathways to Certification 54 - Coliseum Place 119 - Lakeline Learning Center 120 PLACE Resources 122 Petal Introduction 56 4 | Living Building Challenge: Framework for Affordable Housing HEALTH + HAPPINESS Green Financing for Affordable Housing 183 Petal Introduction 125 Funding Profile Examples 188 Health + Happiness Imperatives 126 Materials Selection 190 Health + Happiness Case Studies Resources 192 - Othello Square Homeownership Building 131 - Hunters View Phase II 132 SECTION 4 Resources 133 CONCLUSION Major Findings 194 MATERIALS A Living Future for Affordable Housing 198 Petal Introduction 135 Materials Imperatives 136 Overall Approach 144 ILFI GLOSSARY 199 Red List Free Materials For Affordable Housing 146 Barriers + Solutions 148 Materials Case Studies APPENDICES - Othello Square 152 APPENDIX A: An Introduction to the - Lakeline Learning Center 155 Low-Income Housing Tax Credit 201 - Muldoon Garden 157 APPENDIX B: Sample Integrated Design Resources 159 Charrette 202 APPENDIX C: Water Modeling Calculations 203 EQUITY APPENDIX D: PV Watts Calculator Directions 205 Petal Introduction 161 APPENDIX E: Sample Affordable Housing Equity Imperatives 162 Materials Transparency Letter 206 JUST 2.0 164 Equity Case Studies 165 - Hunters View Phase III - Othello Square Homeownership Building 166 - The Projects at Mill Creek 167 Resources 168 VII. BEAUTY Petal Introduction 170 LBC 4.0 Imperatives 170 Beauty Case Studies - The Projects at Mill Creek 175 - BLOCK Project 176 Resources 177 SECTION 3 STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS Integrated Design Process 179 Education + Support 181 5 | Living Building Challenge: Framework for Affordable Housing EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 6 | Living Building Challenge: Framework for Affordable Housing Capital Studios, an Affordable Housing Pilot Program project. Image: Paul Bardagiy 7 | Living Building Challenge: Framework for Affordable Housing 7 | Living Building Challenge: Framework for Affordable Housing 8 | Living Building Challenge: Framework for Affordable Housing 8 | Living Building Challenge: Framework for Affordable Housing EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Every person, regardless of economic status, has a right to housing that is healthy, safe, affordable, and environmentally sound. Truly sustainable, resilient housing will have a substantially positive effect on some of our most vulnerable populations. Broadly speaking, low-income residents pay more per square foot for energy costs than other households and are disproportionately affected by rising energy costs, as well as water costs and shut- offs.1 Freedom from monthly water, heat, and electricity bills will improve the financial health of struggling families and help insulate them from unpredictable and often staggering cost increases. Even in cases where residents do not directly pay utility bills, net-positive energy and water strategies will improve the financial performance of a project long term, freeing up funds for affordable housing owners to reinvest in building additional units or in providing additional services for residents. Furthermore, low-income families, who disproportionately suffer negative health effects from poor air quality and exposure to high levels of toxins,2 benefit greatly from higher standards for both air quality and healthy building materials. A safe, healthy home that offers resilience and adaptability in the face of global climate change, economic uncertainty, and social struggles offers a platform for growing family health and stability, community