The living building challenge is a program created by the International Living Future Institute (ILFI). It is about creating buildings that improve the planet and people by being built. It's very aspirational and pretty hard to achieve. That's why ILFA created a second certification program called the Core Green Building Certification that makes achieving a super healthy and sustainable home within reach.

I love the concept of building certifications because it provides goals and metrics to keep everyone accountable for creating better buildings. And I've found that the Core Green Building Certification is one of the best programs that encompasses all aspects of health, well-being and planetary health in a realistic, achievable way.

So if the idea of having goals and metrics to ensure you really are creating a home that supports your health and well-being, along with the planet, then this certification program is a great one to consider.

I'm going to discuss the 10 imperatives that combine to create the Core Green Building Certification requirements, and why I love this certification so much that I plan to follow this framework when I build my home.