PORTLAND, Ore., May 14, 2025 /CSRwire/ - Changemakers gathered last week (May 6-8) for the 19th annual Living Future conference, hosted by Living Future, a nonprofit transformation engine and member-driven organization at the forefront of the global movement toward regenerative design practices that support a living future for all.

“Beyond fellowship and learning, we are here for deliberate and collective movement building,” said CEO Lindsay Baker, opening the event. “This has always been part of our mission, but now it is gravely important.” The convening comes 100 days into a new US administration that has sought to dismantle federal support for climate action (and much more).

Baker shared the story of how, in the past 30 years, the green building movement gave rise to a thriving industry. “We created an industry from a movement of people who wanted to see changes in how buildings were built and managed and how products were made,” she said. “But recent changes have shaken our industry -- not just the economic uncertainties but also the support of the federal government. This is a pivotal and critical time for us all to step forward into this movement work with clarity, intention, and commitment to collective action.”

Baker announced that Living Future is advancing an ambitious plan to decarbonize the supply chains of the built environment (and reduce industrial emissions), despite the anticipated loss of federal grant funding. To accelerate this critical work, the organization is seeking contributions to its Resiliency Fund to support R&D efforts that will expand the Declare program and Living Product Challenge. The goal: to introduce a phased, impactful recognition system across three key product attributes—Health, Environment, and Equity. Manufacturers will begin by demonstrating transparency in any one area and build from there. Products that achieve the highest standards across all three will earn the distinction of a Living Product.

Highlights from Living Future 2025

The conference celebrated and explored a range of transformative ideas, projects, and innovations shaping the future of the built environment, including:

• Community-Centered Development in Portland’s Albina Neighborhood: Project leaders introduced one of the nation’s most ambitious community-driven redevelopment initiatives. Attendees generated ideas for this active, equity-focused project.
• Indigenous Leadership and Methods: Danny Desjarlais, leader of the Lower Sioux Hemp Program and Housing ProjectCHK/LINK, spoke about the effort to create healthy, stable housing and jobs in Native American communities.
• Biobased Building Materials: Christian Benimana, Senior Principal and Co-Executive Director of MASS Design Group highlighted the untapped potential of biobased materials in advancing regenerative, locally sourced, and low-carbon construction.

Just ahead of the conference, Living Future launched a new member portal designed to deepen engagement and collaboration within the movement. Built environment professionals are actively encouraged to join the community.

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ABOUT Living Future

The International Living Future Institute is driving the urgent transformation of the building industry toward a future that is regenerative, resilient, and just. It offers actionable, accessible, and evolving tools and resources that empower a growing community of practitioners and changemakers to accelerate this shift. With a bold goal for 2030, Living Future envisions regenerative practices becoming the standard in how buildings are designed, constructed, and operated around the world. Through continued innovation, strategic growth, and a deep commitment to accountability, Living Future is catalyzing industry-wide progress. Realizing this vision will require collective action—individuals and communities using their unique voices to shape a built environment that supports both people and planet.

Media Contact: 

Anjula Duggal
International Living Future Institute
anjula.duggal@living-future.org

International Living Future Institute

International Living Future Institute

The International Living Future Institute is a global nonprofit organization that inspires the greenest buildings for a healthy world. The Institute’s mission is to advance communities that are socially just, culturally rich, and ecologically restorative. ILFI operates the Living Building Challenge, the world’s most ambitious, advanced, and holistic performance standard for green, resilient, and healthy buildings. It is also a hub for many other visionary programs that support the transformation toward--and provide a compelling vision for--a living future accessible to all. Learn more at www.living-future.org.

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