Best Practices

Careful implementation of the stormwater pollution prevention plan (SWPPP) by the contractor should inform the design and installation of stormwater management systems onsite. This will enable those systems to be integrated to the greatest extent possible during construction, preventing unexpected stormwater discharges into receiving waterways.  

Retain as much of the existing vegetation as possible, not only to lower costs for replacements, but also to decrease the cost of structural controls.

Develop a site-wide, earth-moving schedule to minimize the impact on established vegetation and to stockpile topsoil and protect it from erosion. This can also complement your strategy to achieve SSc5.1: Site Development—Protect or Restore Habitat, by limiting site disturbance and maintaining native vegetation.  

Photos are likely the easiest way to demonstrate compliance, unless an inspection report has already been completed. 

It is best to include your ESC plan in both project drawings and project specifications so that the intention of the plan is clearly communicated to the project team, especially contractors and subcontractors. 

Ask your civil engineer about soil types and what type of drainage you will have once the topsoil and vegetation are disturbed.

Conduct a site evaluation to assess opportunities for minimizing the alteration of the natural stormwater runoff patterns of your site and the disruption of mature vegetation, especially trees. This will save money and time in terms of earth-moving and replanting vegetation. 

If your project site is located in a dense urban area where pollution is a concern, design your building to minimize potential air quality problems. Place outdoor air intakes away from sources of pollution as much as possible. Consider acoustics and other issues that might be associated with urban environments.

Per CIR 9/22/06, you can document Exemplary Performance as part of IDc1 through Option 1: Development Density using one of the following methods: 

Choosing to build a school in an urban area provides many opportunities for students and staff to be part of the urban fabric and have access to community services. Among other credits, this could make it easier to earn SSc10: Joint Use of Facilities.