Accelerating Manufacturing Innovation in America
International Living Future Institute and Green Building Alliance Announce Opening of Living Product Hub in Pittsburgh
PITTSBURGH, March 15, 2017 /3BL Media/- Pittsburgh is the birthplace of American manufacturing and a city with a vision to reimagine itself as a center for innovation, green manufacturing, and job creation. The International Living Future Institute (ILFI) is partnering with Green Building Alliance (GBA) to help make this vision a reality through the creation of a Living Product “Hub”. Co-located at GBA’s office in Pittsburgh’s South Side neighborhood, the Hub will serve as a center of education and outreach, connecting innovative buildings, communities, and projects to the Institute’s network in order to accelerate regenerative buildings and manufacturing.
“The Hub will support Pittsburgh’s ongoing efforts to reinvent itself as a place where innovation and invention meet the future,” said James Connelly, Director of the Living Product Challenge for ILFI. “Through the Living Product Challenge—our aspirational framework for rethinking product design and manufacturing—and the Declare label program, we will provide hands-on assistance to companies who are committed to creating transparent, nontoxic and sustainable products.”
ILFI will partner with Green Building Alliance to implement the Living Product Hub and add regenerative content, GBA’s existing educational events, technical support, and resources. Through this mutually supportive collaboration, ILFI and GBA will advance their missions and accelerate sustainable development across Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and beyond.
“We are thrilled to be working with Green Building Alliance to help realize the next generation of regenerative Living Buildings, Communities, and Products”, added Amanda Sturgeon CEO of ILFI. “With world leading projects at Phipps Conservatory and the Frick Environmental Center--and innovative organizations like GBA, Pittsburgh is already ahead of the curve. We are excited to build on that success.”
“We are always working to advance green buildings and sustainable development for all through innovation,” said Dr. Aurora Sharrard, Executive Director of GBA. “We are excited to partner with the Institute to bring their vision, ideas, and programs to Pennsylvania in a manner that enhances past and existing efforts, while supporting product manufacturers and researchers in adding greater transparency and environmental intention to the built environment’s supply chain.”
ILFI will also create an advisory board for the Living Product Hub comprised of Pittsburgh sustainability leaders drawn from business, academia, government, nonprofits, and foundations. The advisory board will support the Hub by providing strategic advice, connection, and support to ensure the initiative’s success in supporting the Pittsburgh region’s ongoing transformational green story.
About the International Living Future Institute
The International Living Future Institute is an inspiring hub for visionary programs. Our mission is to lead and support the transformation toward communities that are socially just, culturally rich, and ecologically restorative. Composed of leading green building experts and thought-leaders, 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 runs the Living Building Challenge, Living Community Challenge, Living Product Challenge, Net Zero Energy Certification, the Cascadia Green Building Council, Ecotone Publishing, Declare, JUST, and other leading-edge programs. A global network of more than 400 volunteers across nearly 30 countries drive the local adoption of restorative principles in their communities.
About the Living Product Challenge
The Living Product Challenge re-imagines the design and construction of products to function as elegantly and efficiently as anything found in the natural world. The creation of this program kicked off a groundbreaking new event that brought together leading minds in the product industry to inspire a revolution in the way materials are designed, manufactured and delivered: the Living Product Expo.
The third annual Living Product EXPO, “Crafting the Future of Materials,” will be held in Pittsburgh, September 12-14, 2017, at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. Participants will share and discover disruptive new ideas and technologies that are reshaping the materials landscape, accelerating the pace of innovation and making Living Products possible today. For more information, visit the Living Product Expo website.
Green Building Alliance (GBA) inspires the creation of healthy, high performing places for everyone. GBA creates positive change by using the built environment as a lever to provide leadership that connects knowledge, transformative ideas, and collaborative action. Headquartered in Pittsburgh and serving the 26 counties of Western Pennsylvania, GBA advances its mission through a variety of initiatives, including: educational events, technical assistance, advocacy and policy, the Pittsburgh 2030 District, a Green & Healthy Schools Academy, and the Inspire Speakers Series. One of the oldest regional green building organizations, GBA was founded in 1993, is one of the oldest regional green building organizations, and is an U.S. Green Building Council affiliated chapter.
