The Living Community Challenge is a framework for master planning, design, and construction. It is a tool to create a symbiotic relationship between people and all aspects of the built environment.

The program is a call to action to governments, campuses, planners, developers and neighborhood groups to create communities that are as connected and beautiful as a forest.

With the Living Community Challenge framework you can create communities that are:

• Healthy for all elements of life
• Nurturing and generous places that promote healthy lifestyles for everyone
• Net Positive with respect to water and energy. Living Communities generate their own energy and capture and treat all the water they need.
• Designed using multipurpose elements. Nothing has only a single purpose; everything has multiple benefits to the community and environment
• Regenerative spaces for people and natural ecosystems
• Places that are walkable, bike-able, and have affordable public transportation.

The Living Community Challenge is organized into seven performance areas (Petals). Each performance area has a number of more detailed requirements (Imperatives).

PLACE PETAL
Restoring a healthy interrelationship with nature.

WATER PETAL
Creating developments that operate within the water balance of a given place and climate.

ENERGY PETAL
Relying only on current solar income.

HEALTH & HAPPINESS PETAL
Creating environments that optimize physical and psychological health and well being.

MATERIALS PETAL
Endorsing products that are safe for all species through time.

EQUITY PETAL
Supporting a just and equitable world.

BEAUTY PETAL
Celebrating plans that purpose transformative change.