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Open Space

The cost of this credit is project-specific.

Credit requirements

This credit requires projects to provide outdoor space greater than or equal to 30% of the total site area. A minimum of 25% of that outdoor space must be vegetated (turf grass does not count) or have overhead vegetated canopy. LEED v4 also specifically calls for one of several strategies for use of that space, including:

  • paving or turf area which promotes outdoor social activity, and/or physical activity

  • garden space with diverse vegetation types providing year-round interest

  • garden space dedicated to community groups or food production

  • preserve/restore native habitat (see SSc2)

Project-specific costs

Due to the many ways to meet these requirements, we consider any LEED-related costs to be project-specific.

Also note that the amenities that contribute to credit compliance here also have other very strong LEED synergies (see below), they add value to buildings (in the case of plazas and vegetated roofs), and they can become defining elements within their developments.

Rural, urban, or suburban?

Rural or campus sites with abundant existing open space will likely have a much easier time obtaining these credits, sometimes by default. This might require low-cost grade- only improvements, such as through landscaping and pedestrian-oriented paving or turf areas. In these cases, the credit can be used to promote land and habitat conservation.

For urban sites, where space is a scarce commodity, credit compliance can become more reliant on higher-cost building-integrated and/or rooftop strategies, including vegetative roofs, roof terraces, winter gardens, public courts, etc. While the credit can be achieved by creating more public space at grade, it is more common that to get to the high percentage required (30%), a project would choose strategies that increase the cost of the building envelope, particularly the rooftop and supporting structure. Despite the added costs, there can be very strong cost synergies with other LEED credits (see below).

Suburban scenarios may offer the greatest potential to utilize the intent of the credit creatively because their programs can fit comfortably onto a site, with space left over. Where this is the case, look for open space features that may even reduce overall costs through synergies with other LEED credits.

For example, a project might seek a variance from municipal parking requirements by turning the square footage that would have been paved into a public green space. While the up-front cost of this green space is higher than asphalt paving, the amenity could increase the value of the property, attract business, and reduce the cost of attaining other LEED credits. 

Cost Synergies

Look for particularly strong cost synergies here with rainwater management and heat island reduction.

LTc2: Sensitive Land Protection
LTc3: High Priority Site
LTc4: Surrounding Density & Diverse Uses
LTc7: Reduced Parking Footprint
SSc1: Site Assessment
SSc2: Site Development—Protect or Restore Habitat SSc4: Rainwater Management
SSc5: Heat Island Reduction
WEp1/c1: Outdoor Water Use Reduction
EAp2/c2: Optimize Energy Performance

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