The Built Environment and Its Impact

The built environment accounts for 42% of all emissions (source). Shockingly, construction generates four times more waste than (source) all municipal waste streams combined.

The Problem

This waste contributes to a planet burdened by non-biodegradable and toxic materials, unhealthy air quality, and increasingly frequent and severe natural disasters. However, halting construction entirely is not a solution. Instead, we must build smarter to address the numerous challenges currently impacting us:

• Ensuring equal access to water, food, energy, housing, safety, hygiene, and community.
• Preparing for heatwaves, droughts, fires, and other disasters.
• Improving societies and systems for better living while healing the planet.

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Concrete Solutions

Buildings are central to solving these problems because they act as critical hubs for essential resources such as water, energy, and shelter. They are where we spend the majority of our time, influencing our health, productivity, and overall well-being. Beyond their role in daily life, buildings also have the greatest impact on our ecosystems, shaping energy use, waste generation, and carbon emissions. Additionally, with two-thirds of global net worth locked into real estate, they represent one of the most significant economic assets globally. Harnessing the potential of buildings allows us to create sustainable systems, improve life outcomes, and mitigate environmental damage. 

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The Mission

Our approach prioritizes:

1. Resilience against climate events.
2. Adaptability to change.
3. Regeneration of ecosystems.

By integrating systems internally and externally into ecosystems, we aim to protect those in immediate danger, adapt societies for the future, and regenerate the environment.

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We aim to address these challenges with a mission focused on three core principles:

Protect + Adapt + Heal

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Protect

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Our first priority is to protect people from the disasters already occurring. We are doing this in two significant ways:

1. Disaster-Resilient Homes:
   • Designed to protect against debris in minor storms and anchor against high winds.
   • Adapted to handle nuisance flooding, maintain air quality during smoke seasons, and withstand earthquakes.
   • Equipped to self-regulate temperature, preventing burst pipes or overheating.
   • Mobile and capable of evacuating during major disasters, navigating road obstacles if necessary.
2. These homes are especially vital for individuals with impairments or those unhoused, who are often left out of traditional evacuation plans. Our goal is to ensure that basic needs are always met, regardless of circumstances.
3. Affordable Living for the Unhoused:By creating homes that are affordable with low living costs, we empower individuals to regain control of their basic needs and protect themselves from standard weather conditions.

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Adapt

To foster a society adaptable to change, we focus on:

• Accessibility: Designing with inclusivity in mind to accommodate aging, injuries, and mental health struggles. Our designs promote equality in workplaces and homes.
• Future-Proofing: Disaster-resistant, upgradable, and repairable technologies ensure long-term resilience.
• Customizability: Allowing for community input, climate-specific designs, and evolving preferences.

An adaptable society can grow sustainably and renew itself without destruction.

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Heal

Our vision extends beyond sustainability to regeneration. We aim to heal ecosystems through local, regenerative networks of microfactories, homes, and businesses. Our approach includes:

• Direct Positive Impacts:
  • CO2 capture.
  • Compost generation.
  • Air purification.
  • Rainwater management via swales.
• Indirect Impact Reduction:
  • Lower CO2 emissions.
  • Reduction in microplastics and VOCs.

At an early scale of 500,000 homes per year, using a “replace not rebuild” model, we estimate saving 425 tons of CO2 per house—translating to 212 megatons of CO2 annually with 75% construction efficiency and 90% heating/cooling efficiency.

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Breaking Down the Vision

Broader Impacts:

Using our systems, we aim to:

• Ensure equality in housing, food, water, and energy.
• Enhance safety during climate disasters.
• Create regenerative environmental impacts.
• Provide access to internet and education.
• Generate healthier job opportunities.
• Improve government capacity for social care.

Commitment to Regenerative Practices

We prioritize materials that actively benefit the environment, such as:

• Eco-friendly insulation: Wool, fungi, and hemp with positive environmental impacts.
• Localized production: Recycling and sourcing materials locally to lower costs and improve affordability.
• Avoiding harmful substances: Building lightly on the land with movable, non-invasive homes.

Our LF villages regenerate land, provide clean energy, and facilitate disaster response. LightForms, our flagship product, are earthquake-proof, highly mobile, and designed for conservation efforts or disaster assistance. LF villages enable adaptation to unstable climate zones and seasonal migration, fostering like-minded communities.

By offering these homes to organizations like FEMA, conservationists, and smokejumpers, we can support large-scale efforts efficiently and sustainably.

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The Path Forward

Our integrated approach—focused on protection, adaptability, and healing—aims to create resilient, resource-conscious communities while positively impacting the environment. Together, we can shape a future where sustainability and regeneration coexist seamlessly.

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