Posts written by Tom Burbeck

A note on the LBC red list and on teamwork

Most of the 20 imperatives of the Living Building Challenge are, well, exactly that: a challenge. You have the net-zeroes – energy, water and waste – and these are made possible largely because of the strong team of specialists we have assembled.

For our project, with such a focus on passive solar design and the passive ventilation tower, the energy imperative seems quite manageable.

Water, with our rainwater harvesting strategy, is relatively easy, except that our local health and safety regulations are not designed to accommodate rainwater as potable water. A well was already dug on our land at purchase, so we have a Plan B for potable water if we can’t get approval for rainwater as a source for potable water.

Toilets and net zero waste: That’s another one that gives the county authorities the willies, but there are precedents in our county, and it appears that this one won’t be too difficult. Once again, we have a pre-dug septic field on the parcel, so we have a Plan B. Nevertheless, I cringe at the thought of putting in a large septic tank and field for such a small task; it also would be like throwing away valuable water and fertilizer so desperately needed by our worn out farm land.

But it’s the Red List that’s the onerous challenge. Thank God we have Eric Doyle and Catalyst Partners as our LBC project manager and Red List cops. It’s through his dogged pursuit of all those manufacturers, with assistance from interns attending nearby colleges, that we have any hope of vetting everything. Even our challenges with FSC compliance, with our solution to have the cabinet shop onsite since we cannot find FSC kitchen cabinets, pale in comparison to the task of vetting all materials against the LBC Red List.

Our LBC team is the only way we have a prayer of meeting the challenge. Without our team of impressively qualified professionals, I’d put this project in the “Hopeless” category. The core team – Michael, Brian, Eric, Bob and Shannan – are a delight and our lifeline. For me, it’s the friendships I’ve made among these professionals, and the enjoyment I experience in working with them, that brings new life in daily living long before our Living Building becomes tangible. Thank you for that, team!