What ILS certifies, and what it does not.
The Inclusive Living Standard is a residential standard. The scope is defined deliberately and narrowly. Projects outside the residential scope fall under separate frameworks.
Within scope.
ILS certifies residential and mixed-use developments. The standard applies to:
- Single-family homes, villas, and detached residential units.
- Multi-family residential developments, including condominiums and apartment buildings.
- Mixed-use developments where the residential component is the dominant program.
- Branded residences and serviced residential developments.
- Residential renovations and adaptive reuse projects, where the program remains residential.
- Hospitality projects that include long-stay residential units.
Both new construction and renovation projects can be certified. Existing buildings can be evaluated against the standard, but the certification level reflects the building's current performance, not its theoretical potential after future intervention.
Outside scope.
ILS does not certify projects whose primary program is not residential. Out of scope:
- Hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare facilities.
- Schools, universities, and educational facilities.
- Office buildings, retail, and commercial spaces.
- Public infrastructure, transit, and civic buildings.
- Industrial and logistics facilities.
- Pure hospitality projects without residential units (short-stay hotels).
These project types are governed by their own regulatory frameworks. Some are addressed by parallel standards within Inclusive Living International. The Inclusive Living Standard remains residential.
What is evaluated within a residential project.
Within a residential project, the ILS evaluation covers the dwelling unit, the immediate access route, and the shared common areas of the development. For single-family projects, this includes the dwelling, the lot, and the approach from the street. For multi-unit projects, this includes the units, the common circulation, the shared amenities, and the access from the property line.
The evaluation does not extend beyond the property line. Public sidewalks, transit access, and external infrastructure are noted in the report but do not factor into the certification score.
Where a project includes outdoor amenities (pools, patios, gardens, parking), these are evaluated for their integration with the residential program and their alignment with the standard's accessibility and usability criteria.