World’s First Living Building Certified Projects Unveiled

The <a href="http://ilbi.org/lbc/certified" target="_blank">Living Building Certification</a> is considered by many to be the highest echelon in <a href="../sustainable-building" target="_blank">green building</a>, surpassing even LEED in terms of sustainability, life cycle design and operation. Recently, three buildings were the first to receive the Living Buildings title, achieved through third party rating. We are proud to announce that the <a href="http://inhabitat.com/2010/10/08/omega-center-for-sustainable-living-gets-leed-platinum-certification/" target="_blank">Omega Center for Sustainable Living</a> in upstate New York and the <a href="http://tyson.wustl.edu/index.php" target="_blank">Tyson Living Learning Center </a>in Eureka, MO have both earned full certification, or ‘Living’ status; and <a href="http://www.islandnet.com/~anngord/index.html" target="_blank">Eco-Sense</a>, a private residence in Victoria, BC, earned partial program certification, or ‘Petal Recognition’, for achieving four of the six stringent ‘Petals’. Read on to learn more about this trio of amazing buildings.

<h3><a href="http://eomega.org/" target="_blank">Omega Center for Sustainable Living</a></h3> </br> This center serves as the wastewater processing facility for Omega’s 195-acre campus in the Hudson Valley and is also used as a classroom facility and yoga studio. Recently, the center also <a href="http://inhabitat.com/2010/10/08/omega-center-for-sustainable-living-gets-leed-platinum-certification/" target="_blank">achieved LEED Platinum certification</a>.

<h3><a href="http://eomega.org/" target="_blank">Omega Center for Sustainable Living</a></h3> </br> Designed by <a href="http://www.bnim.com/fmi/xsl/index.xsl" target="_blank">BNIM Architects</a>, the facility contains a 4,500 square-foot greenhouse containing a water filtration system called the Eco-Machine, which recycles the center's wastewater into clean water to restore the aquifer.

<h3><a href="http://tyson.wustl.edu/index.php" target="_blank">Tyson Research Center</a></h3> </br> The Tyson Research Center is Washington University’s satellite campus for environmental research and education, located in Eureka, MO and serves as both classroom facilities and an educational tool for students.

<h3><a href="http://tyson.wustl.edu/index.php" target="_blank">Tyson Research Center</a></h3> </br> The Center was designed by <a href="http://www.hellmuth-bicknese.com/newmap.htm" target="_blank">Hellmuth + Bicknese Architects</a>, of Maplewood, Missouri.

<h3><a href="http://tyson.wustl.edu/index.php" target="_blank">Tyson Research Center</a></h3> </br> The roof is covered in solar panels, rainwater runoff collected from the roof is processed in an adjacent rain garden, and all the materials were chosen to be healthy and sustainably sourced .

<h3><a href="http://www.islandnet.com/~anngord/index.html" target="_blank">Eco-Sense Home</a></h3> </br> The private residence of Ann and Gord Baird, who designed and built the home, is North America's FIRST code-approved, seismically engineered load-bearing, insulated cob house. The home received Petal Recognition for site, water, health and beauty.