Herrera is thrilled to announce the BLOCK project has achieved Living Building Challenge Certification for six of the seven petals on BLOCK home 009 (BH009)! The Living Building Challenge (LBC) Certification recognizes regenerative buildings that connect occupants to the surrounding environment, while remaining self-sufficient and creating positive impact on the human and natural systems.
Starting in 2017, Facing Homelessness and BLOCK Architects took an innovative leap forward to address homelessness by introducing the BLOCK Project. This community-wide initiative aims to place a 125 sq ft BLOCK Home in the backyard of one single-family lot on every residentially zoned block within the city, providing healing and advancement to those currently unhoused. Each home is fully equipped with a kitchenette, bathroom, sleeping area, solar panels, and storage areas, creating a comfortable and environmentally sustainable living space. To minimize impacts to the environment and property owner, as well as foster a sense of pride in place for the occupant, BLOCK Homes strive to be self-sustaining for energy and water needs and are built with healthy, durable materials.
Herrera is proud to have collaborated with Facing Homelessness and BLOCK Architects to provide pro-bono net zero water consulting services, furthering the project’s goal of ending homelessness through off-grid, self-sufficient, and amenity-rich housing. Throughout this project, Herrera’s multidisciplinary team of engineers designed greywater, blackwater, and rainwater management solutions through onsite infiltration, composting toilet systems, and rainwater harvesting aiming to meet the imperatives of the Living Building Challenge. Herrera also worked with the International Living Future Institute to lead workshops with multiple agencies to collaborate on the design and identify permitting pathways for these systems.
As an LBC certified structure, BH009 has met the most advanced measures of sustainability in the built environment, paving the way for other BLOCK homes to become certified in the near future. Our team commends the BLOCK Project for their efforts to end homelessness by creating sustainable, affordable, and dignified housing for those in need.
Please contact Colleen Mitchell for more information on this project.
