ND-v2009 SLLp1: Smart location Required
LEEDuser overview
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.
Intent
To encourage development within and near existing communities and public transit infrastructure. To encourage improvement and redevelopment of existing cities, suburbs, and towns while limiting the expansion of the development footprint in the region to appropriate circumstances. To reduce vehicle trips and vehicle distance traveled. To reduce the incidence of obesity, heart disease, and hypertension by encouraging daily physical activity associated with walking and bicycling.Requirements
For all projects
Either (a) locate the project on a site served by existing water and wastewater infrastructure or (b) locate the project within a legally adopted, publicly owned, planned water and wastewater service area, and provide new water and wastewater infrastructure for the project.AND
Option 1. Infill sites
Locate the project on an infill site.OR
Option 2. Adjacent sites with connectivity
Locate the project on an adjacent site (i.e., a site that is adjacent to previously developed land; see Definitions) where the connectivity of the site and adjacent land is at least 90 intersections/square mile (35 intersections/ square kilometer) as measured within a 1/2-mile (800 meters) distance of a continuous segment of the project boundary, equal to or greater than 25% of the project boundary, that is adjacent to previous development. Existing external and internal intersections may be counted if they were not constructed or funded by the project developer within the past ten years. Locate and/or design the project such that a through-street and/or nonmotorized right-of-way intersects the project boundary at least every 600 feet (180 meters) on average, and at least every 800 feet (245 meters), connecting it with an existing street and/or right of way outside the project; nonmotorized rights-of-way may count for no more than 20% of the total. The exemptions listed in NPD Prerequisite 3, Connected and Open Community, do not apply to this option.
Figure 1. Adjacent and connected project site based on minimum 25% of perimeter adjacent to previously developed parcels and at least 90 eligible intersections per square mile (35 intersections/square kilometer) within 1/2 mile (800 meters) of boundary segment adjacent to previous development
Figure 2. Project site with through-street right-of-way intersecting project boundary at least every 600 feet (180 meters) on average
OR
Option 3. Transit corridor or route with adequate transit service
Locate the project on a site with existing and/or planned transit service such that at least 50% of dwelling units and nonresidential building entrances (inclusive of existing buildings) are within a 1/4 mile (400 meters) walk distance of bus and/or streetcar stops, or within a 1/2 mile (800 meters) walk distance of bus rapid transit stops, light or heavy rail stations, and/or ferry terminals, and the transit service at those stops in aggregate meets the minimums listed in Table 1 (both weekday and weekend trip minimums must be met). Projects must meet the requirements for both weekday and weekend trips and provide service every day. Commuter rail must serve more than one metropolitan statistical area (MSA) and/or the area surrounding the core of an MSA (or a local equivalent for projects outside the U.S.) . Table 1. Minimum daily transit service|
Weekday trips |
Weekend trips |
|
|
Projects with multiple transit types (bus, streetcar, rail, or ferry) |
60 |
40 |
|
Projects with commuter rail or ferry service only |
24 |
6 |
- The relevant transit agency has a signed full funding grant agreement with the Federal Transit Administration (or equivalent national agency for project outside the U.S.) that includes a revenue operations date for the start of transit service. The revenue operations date must be no later than the occupancy date of 50% of the project’s total building floor area.
- For bus, streetcar, bus rapid transit, or ferry service, the transit agency must certify that it has an approved budget that includes specifically allocated funds sufficient to provide the planned service at the levels listed above and that service at these levels will commence no later than occupancy of 50% of the project’s total building floor area.
- For rail service other than streetcars, the transit agency must certify that preliminary engineering for a rail line has commenced. In addition, the service must meet either of these two requirements:
- A state legislature or local subdivision of the state has authorized the transit agency to expend funds to establish rail transit service that will commence no later than occupancy of 50% of the project’s total building floor area. OR
- A local government has dedicated funding or reimbursement commitments from future tax revenue for the development of stations, platforms, or other rail transit infrastructure that will service the project no later than occupancy of 50% of the project’s total building floor area.
OR
Option 4. Sites with nearby neighborhood assets
Include a residential component equaling at least 30% of the project’s total building floor area (exclusive of portions of parking structures devoted exclusively to parking), and locate the project near existing neighborhood shops, services, and facilities (“diverse uses”; see Appendix) such that the project boundary is within 1/4-mile (400 meters) walk distance of at least five diverse uses, or such that the project’s geographic center is within 1/2-mile (800 meters) walk distance of at least seven diverse uses. In either case the qualifying uses must include at least one food retail establishment and at least one use from each of two other categories, with the following limitations:- A single establishment may not be counted in two categories (e.g., a place of worship may be counted only once even if it also contains a daycare facility, and a retail store may be counted only once even if it sells products in several categories).
- Establishments in a mixed-use building may each count if they are distinctly operated enterprises with separate exterior entrances, but no more than half of the minimum number of diverse uses can be situated in a single building or under a common roof.
- Only two establishments in a single category may be counted (e.g., if five restaurants are within the required distance, only two may be counted).
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 »For full access, sign up now for LEEDuser Premium
Already a premium member? Log in now
Checklists
Step by step to LEED certification
LEEDuser’s checklists walk you through the key action steps you need to earn a credit, including how to avoid common pitfalls and save money.
For full access, sign up now for LEEDuser Premium
Already a premium member? Log in now
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.
For full access, sign up now for LEEDuser Premium
Already a premium member? Log in now
Credit language
© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.
Intent
To encourage development within and near existing communities and public transit infrastructure. To encourage improvement and redevelopment of existing cities, suburbs, and towns while limiting the expansion of the development footprint in the region to appropriate circumstances. To reduce vehicle trips and vehicle distance traveled. To reduce the incidence of obesity, heart disease, and hypertension by encouraging daily physical activity associated with walking and bicycling.Requirements
For all projects
Either (a) locate the project on a site served by existing water and wastewater infrastructure or (b) locate the project within a legally adopted, publicly owned, planned water and wastewater service area, and provide new water and wastewater infrastructure for the project.AND
Option 1. Infill sites
Locate the project on an infill site.OR
Option 2. Adjacent sites with connectivity
Locate the project on an adjacent site (i.e., a site that is adjacent to previously developed land; see Definitions) where the connectivity of the site and adjacent land is at least 90 intersections/square mile (35 intersections/ square kilometer) as measured within a 1/2-mile (800 meters) distance of a continuous segment of the project boundary, equal to or greater than 25% of the project boundary, that is adjacent to previous development. Existing external and internal intersections may be counted if they were not constructed or funded by the project developer within the past ten years. Locate and/or design the project such that a through-street and/or nonmotorized right-of-way intersects the project boundary at least every 600 feet (180 meters) on average, and at least every 800 feet (245 meters), connecting it with an existing street and/or right of way outside the project; nonmotorized rights-of-way may count for no more than 20% of the total. The exemptions listed in NPD Prerequisite 3, Connected and Open Community, do not apply to this option.
Figure 1. Adjacent and connected project site based on minimum 25% of perimeter adjacent to previously developed parcels and at least 90 eligible intersections per square mile (35 intersections/square kilometer) within 1/2 mile (800 meters) of boundary segment adjacent to previous development
Figure 2. Project site with through-street right-of-way intersecting project boundary at least every 600 feet (180 meters) on average
OR
Option 3. Transit corridor or route with adequate transit service
Locate the project on a site with existing and/or planned transit service such that at least 50% of dwelling units and nonresidential building entrances (inclusive of existing buildings) are within a 1/4 mile (400 meters) walk distance of bus and/or streetcar stops, or within a 1/2 mile (800 meters) walk distance of bus rapid transit stops, light or heavy rail stations, and/or ferry terminals, and the transit service at those stops in aggregate meets the minimums listed in Table 1 (both weekday and weekend trip minimums must be met). Projects must meet the requirements for both weekday and weekend trips and provide service every day. Commuter rail must serve more than one metropolitan statistical area (MSA) and/or the area surrounding the core of an MSA (or a local equivalent for projects outside the U.S.) . Table 1. Minimum daily transit service|
Weekday trips |
Weekend trips |
|
|
Projects with multiple transit types (bus, streetcar, rail, or ferry) |
60 |
40 |
|
Projects with commuter rail or ferry service only |
24 |
6 |
- The relevant transit agency has a signed full funding grant agreement with the Federal Transit Administration (or equivalent national agency for project outside the U.S.) that includes a revenue operations date for the start of transit service. The revenue operations date must be no later than the occupancy date of 50% of the project’s total building floor area.
- For bus, streetcar, bus rapid transit, or ferry service, the transit agency must certify that it has an approved budget that includes specifically allocated funds sufficient to provide the planned service at the levels listed above and that service at these levels will commence no later than occupancy of 50% of the project’s total building floor area.
- For rail service other than streetcars, the transit agency must certify that preliminary engineering for a rail line has commenced. In addition, the service must meet either of these two requirements:
- A state legislature or local subdivision of the state has authorized the transit agency to expend funds to establish rail transit service that will commence no later than occupancy of 50% of the project’s total building floor area. OR
- A local government has dedicated funding or reimbursement commitments from future tax revenue for the development of stations, platforms, or other rail transit infrastructure that will service the project no later than occupancy of 50% of the project’s total building floor area.
OR
Option 4. Sites with nearby neighborhood assets
Include a residential component equaling at least 30% of the project’s total building floor area (exclusive of portions of parking structures devoted exclusively to parking), and locate the project near existing neighborhood shops, services, and facilities (“diverse uses”; see Appendix) such that the project boundary is within 1/4-mile (400 meters) walk distance of at least five diverse uses, or such that the project’s geographic center is within 1/2-mile (800 meters) walk distance of at least seven diverse uses. In either case the qualifying uses must include at least one food retail establishment and at least one use from each of two other categories, with the following limitations:- A single establishment may not be counted in two categories (e.g., a place of worship may be counted only once even if it also contains a daycare facility, and a retail store may be counted only once even if it sells products in several categories).
- Establishments in a mixed-use building may each count if they are distinctly operated enterprises with separate exterior entrances, but no more than half of the minimum number of diverse uses can be situated in a single building or under a common roof.
- Only two establishments in a single category may be counted (e.g., if five restaurants are within the required distance, only two may be counted).