Best Practices

Review the LEED CI rating system to determine how the core-and-shell project could aid tenants pursuing LEED CI. If the core-and-shell building pursues the following credits you may aid in the tenants pursuing LEED-CI certification:

Installing signage to educate building occupants about the value of protected land helps ensure that natural areas remain respected and protected. 

Consider the use of a master site plan or legal mechanism to protect this open space. Organizations like the Trust for Public Land (see Resources) may be able to help with financing by purchasing a conservation easement on a portion of the land in order to maintain perpetual open space and offset the cost of the land that is not being built on.

To help with stormwater management (for SSc6.1 and SSc6.2) and to reduce the heat island effect (for SSc7.1), consider installing porous pavement for all hardscapes, designing wetlands for stormwater mitigation, and incorporating a green roof. 

To aid in restoring habitat (for SSc5.1) and providing a water-efficient landscape (for WEc1), consider using only native and adapted species that require little or no irrigation for some or all of the open space you provide. 

Consider limiting the surface area of sidewalks and other hardscapes, replacing them with vegetated areas. 

Consider eliminating or reducing the area of onsite surface parking. You can do this by placing parking under your building, building a parking garage instead of a lot, or sharing parking facilities with nearby buildings. These strategies can also help you earn SSc4.4: Alternative Transportation—Parking Capacity, SSc7.1: Heat Island Effect—Non-Roof, and SSc10: Joint Use of Facilities. 

Consider eliminating or reducing the area of onsite surface parking. You can do this by placing parking under your building, building a parking garage instead of a lot, or sharing parking facilities with nearby buildings. These strategies can also help you earn SSc4.4: Alternative Transportation—Parking Capacity and SSc7.1: Heat Island Effect—Non-Roof. 

Open-bottom, pervious planters count as open space; however, closed-bottom planters do not. (Closed-bottom planters are not thought to provide the same biodiversity that open-bottom planters can.) 

You can use ponds or wetlands as part of the open-space calculation, but only if they have vegetated slopes with an incline ratio of 1:4 (vertical: horizontal) or less. The rationale here is to avoid giving credit to projects with a fenced, concrete detention basin that does not enhance biodiversity or offer a recreational amenity.