The Living Future Institute of Australia (LFIA) has launched their highly-anticipated ILLUMANATE Living Building Challenge (LBC) — a sustainable building design competition in partnership with Development Victoria.
All architects, designers and students in Australia and New Zealand are eligible to join as they are invited to re-design a heritage-listed building, ensuring that it is as sustainable and restorative as possible.
ILLUMANATE competition guidelines specify that the building must meet specific self-sustaining standards, which includes generating its own energy in addition to capturing and filtering clean water.
“The most sustainable building is one that already exists. So we need to embrace the idea of retrofitting and reimagining an existing building to create regenerative spaces. We can’t always start from scratch,” said Chair of the LFIA board Vanessa Trowell.
Built for the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works (MMBW) during the 1970s and located in Sunshine North, the heritage building is included in Development Victoria’s broader sustainability plan to achieve net zero by 2050.
The Living Building Design Challenge aims to show that older buildings can also be restorative and sustainable.
LFIA CEO Laura Hamilton-O’Hara said: “We’re here to maximise the positive. Usually the focus for the industry is on doing less bad, but actually it’s about doing better, for both society and the planet.
“A Living Building generates its own energy using renewables, acts as part of the hydrological cycle of the site, and takes into account embodied energy in materials and tools used. Regenerative Buildings are our theory of change and what they do is create people who can see the world differently. They can see what’s possible, pushing the boundaries of design and architecture to become truly regenerative.”
LFIA is actively improving the built environment focusing on regenerative design principles, as part of a global movement lead by the International Living Future Institute (ILFI).
Apart from the Living Building Challenge, LFIA has also lead other projects such as the Biophilic Design Initiative, Just: The Social Justice Label and Declare which aims to replenish resources, foster a deep connection with nature and regenerate life itself.
All LBC participants must register on the official LFIA website and pay the registration fee as listed:
- Professional Individuals or Duos (1-2 people): A$100.00
- Professional Team (teams of 3+): A$250.00
- University Student Individuals or teams: A$25.00
The fee amounts shown do not include GST.
Individuals must be above 18 years of age to join and competitors are encouraged to collaborate with professions not usually operating in the built environment.
Development Victoria CEO Angela Skandarajah has stated that the organisation is delighted to partner with LFIA for this challenge.
“We’re proud of Development Victoria’s strong and clear commitment to creating a sustainable future. Our aim is to ensure we leave a strong legacy across our portfolio, through best practice sustainable construction and development,” said Skandarajah.
Image Credit: Burwood Brickworks Shopping Centre Exterior by Dianna Snape.
The previous LBC design competition took place in 2016 and resulted in the creation of the Burwood Brickworks Shopping Centre in Melbourne.
Over 40 organisations and 100 individuals participated in this green building competition to create the most sustainable shopping centre in the world.
