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Credit language
© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.
Intent
This is a pilot credit. To use any pilot credit on your LEED project, be sure to register here. Documentation requirements and additional questions are listed below.
To promote projects that are well connected to the community at large. To encourage development within existing communities that minimizes vehicle miles traveled. To improve public health by encouraging daily physical activity.
Pilot Credit Closed
This pilot credit was closed to new pilot credit registrations on 3/1/2015. It is now available in the LEED Innovation Catalog for ongoing use by project teams as an innovation point rather than a pilot credit.
Requirements
* This credit language is drawn from the LEED v4 draft. Where other point totals are noted, this pilot credit is worth 1 point in total. *
Option 4. Street network (1 point)
Locate the project in an area of high intersection density, defined as an area whose existing streets and sidewalks create at least 90 intersections per square mile (35 intersections per square kilometer). When determining the number of intersections, include the following:- intersections within a ¼ mile (400 meter) radius of project boundary;
- streets and sidewalks that are available for general public use and not gated;
- sidewalk intersections provided they are a unique right of way (i.e., a sidewalk through a city park); and
- publicly accessible alleys.
- intersections in gated areas, which are not considered available for public use, with the exception of education and health care campuses and military bases where gates are used for security purposes;
- water bodies and public parks; and
- intersections leading only to a dead end or cul-de-sac.
General Pilot Documentation Requirements
Register for the pilot credit- Participate in the LEEDuser pilot credit forum
- Complete the feedback survey:
Credit specific
To gain credit, submit an aerial map of the project and surrounding area. Create a circle with a ¼ mile radius, and mark each intersection within that radius with the following caveats:- All streets and sidewalks that are counted toward the connectivity requirement must be available for general public use and not gated. Gated areas are not considered available for public use, with the exception of education and health care campuses and military bases where gates are used for security purposes.
- Sidewalk intersections may be counted only if they are a unique and dedicated right of way
- Publicly accessible alleys may be counted.
- Intersections leading to cul-de-sacs are not counted.
Additional questions:
- Did you find that the number of intersections near your project was an effective measure of project connectivity to the local community?
- If the number of intersections was low, can you identify a reason (rural setting, proximity to a large open space etc.)
- Do you think the requirement thresholds should be increased or decreased? Why?
- Would you consider your project site to be well connected (i.e., meets the intent of this credit)? Is this reflected in your intersection count?
LEED for Homes Review Process
LEED for Homes projects: When complete, submit documentation here.Changes:
- Changes made 11/01/2010: Changed Applicable Rating Systems: removed NC, CI, CS, Schools, Retail, Healthcare and EB:O&M, added Homes Mid-Rise Added metric for 1 square mile of intersections 2nd bullet: changed “unique” to “unique and dedicated” 4th bullet: changed “intersections with” to “intersections leading to” Added example submittal graphic
- Changes made 3/1/2011: Changed title from “Open and Connected Community” Eliminated higher threshold, and changed the lower threshold from 300 intersections per square mile to 90. 1st bullet: changed “all weather pathways” to “sidewalks”
- Changes made 3/1/2012: Changed title to Street Network
- Changes made 1/15/2013: Minor edits to align with LEED v4 5th Public Comment version of LT Site Selection – Option 4: Street Network
What does it cost?
Cost estimates for this credit
On each BD+C v4 credit, LEEDuser offers the wisdom of a team of architects, engineers, cost estimators, and LEED experts with hundreds of LEED projects between then. They analyzed the sustainable design strategies associated with each LEED credit, but also to assign actual costs to those strategies.
Our tab contains overall cost guidance, notes on what “soft costs” to expect, and a strategy-by-strategy breakdown of what to consider and what it might cost, in percentage premiums, actual costs, or both.
This information is also available in a full PDF download in The Cost of LEED v4 report.
Learn more about The Cost of LEED v4 »Frequently asked questions
See all forum discussions about this credit »Documentation toolkit
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© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.
Intent
This is a pilot credit. To use any pilot credit on your LEED project, be sure to register here. Documentation requirements and additional questions are listed below.
To promote projects that are well connected to the community at large. To encourage development within existing communities that minimizes vehicle miles traveled. To improve public health by encouraging daily physical activity.
Pilot Credit Closed
This pilot credit was closed to new pilot credit registrations on 3/1/2015. It is now available in the LEED Innovation Catalog for ongoing use by project teams as an innovation point rather than a pilot credit.
Requirements
* This credit language is drawn from the LEED v4 draft. Where other point totals are noted, this pilot credit is worth 1 point in total. *
Option 4. Street network (1 point)
Locate the project in an area of high intersection density, defined as an area whose existing streets and sidewalks create at least 90 intersections per square mile (35 intersections per square kilometer). When determining the number of intersections, include the following:- intersections within a ¼ mile (400 meter) radius of project boundary;
- streets and sidewalks that are available for general public use and not gated;
- sidewalk intersections provided they are a unique right of way (i.e., a sidewalk through a city park); and
- publicly accessible alleys.
- intersections in gated areas, which are not considered available for public use, with the exception of education and health care campuses and military bases where gates are used for security purposes;
- water bodies and public parks; and
- intersections leading only to a dead end or cul-de-sac.
General Pilot Documentation Requirements
Register for the pilot credit- Participate in the LEEDuser pilot credit forum
- Complete the feedback survey:
Credit specific
To gain credit, submit an aerial map of the project and surrounding area. Create a circle with a ¼ mile radius, and mark each intersection within that radius with the following caveats:- All streets and sidewalks that are counted toward the connectivity requirement must be available for general public use and not gated. Gated areas are not considered available for public use, with the exception of education and health care campuses and military bases where gates are used for security purposes.
- Sidewalk intersections may be counted only if they are a unique and dedicated right of way
- Publicly accessible alleys may be counted.
- Intersections leading to cul-de-sacs are not counted.
Additional questions:
- Did you find that the number of intersections near your project was an effective measure of project connectivity to the local community?
- If the number of intersections was low, can you identify a reason (rural setting, proximity to a large open space etc.)
- Do you think the requirement thresholds should be increased or decreased? Why?
- Would you consider your project site to be well connected (i.e., meets the intent of this credit)? Is this reflected in your intersection count?
LEED for Homes Review Process
LEED for Homes projects: When complete, submit documentation here.Changes:
- Changes made 11/01/2010: Changed Applicable Rating Systems: removed NC, CI, CS, Schools, Retail, Healthcare and EB:O&M, added Homes Mid-Rise Added metric for 1 square mile of intersections 2nd bullet: changed “unique” to “unique and dedicated” 4th bullet: changed “intersections with” to “intersections leading to” Added example submittal graphic
- Changes made 3/1/2011: Changed title from “Open and Connected Community” Eliminated higher threshold, and changed the lower threshold from 300 intersections per square mile to 90. 1st bullet: changed “all weather pathways” to “sidewalks”
- Changes made 3/1/2012: Changed title to Street Network
- Changes made 1/15/2013: Minor edits to align with LEED v4 5th Public Comment version of LT Site Selection – Option 4: Street Network
