LEEDuser’s viewpoint
Explore this LEED credit
Post your questions on this credit in the forum, and click on the credit language tab to review to the LEED requirements.
Credit language
© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.
Requirements
Option 1. Block orientation (1 point)
This option is for projects that earn at least 2 points under NPD Credit Compact Development. Design and orient the project or locate the project on existing blocks such that one axis of 75% or more of the blocks is within ±15 degrees of geographical east-west, and the east-west lengths of those blocks are at least as long as the north-south lengths.OR
Option 2. Building orientation (1 point)
Design and orient 75% or more of the project’s total building floor area (excluding existing buildings) such that one axis of each qualifying building is at least 1.5 times longer than the other, and the longer axis is within 15 degrees of geographical east-west. The length-to-width ratio applies only to walls enclosing conditioned spaces; walls enclosing unconditioned spaces, such as garages, arcades, or porches, cannot contribute to credit achievement. The surface area of equator-facing vertical surfaces and slopes of roofs of buildings counting toward credit achievement must not be more than 25% shaded at the time of initial occupancy, measured at noon on the winter solstice. See all forum discussions about this credit »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
The motherlode of cheat sheets
LEEDuser’s Documentation Toolkit is loaded with calculators to help assess credit compliance, tracking spreadsheets for materials, sample templates to help guide your narratives and LEED Online submissions, and examples of actual submissions from certified LEED projects for you to check your work against. To get your plaque, start with the right toolkit.
© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.
Requirements
Option 1. Block orientation (1 point)
This option is for projects that earn at least 2 points under NPD Credit Compact Development. Design and orient the project or locate the project on existing blocks such that one axis of 75% or more of the blocks is within ±15 degrees of geographical east-west, and the east-west lengths of those blocks are at least as long as the north-south lengths.OR
