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
Include in the project a residential component that constitutes at least 30% of the project’s total building floor area, and locate or design the project such that at least 50% of the dwelling units are within a ½-mile (800-meter) walking distance of the functional entry of an existing or new elementary or middle school or within a 1-mile (1600-meter) walking distance of the functional entry of an existing or new high school. For any new school, the school authority must commit that the school will be open by the time 50% of the project dwelling units are occupied. A legally binding warrant committing to open the school by this time must be provided at the time of first building occupancy. Portions of the circulation network within or bordering the project boundary that lead from dwelling units to the school site must have (1) a complete network of sidewalks on both sides and (2) either continuous bicycle lanes or a combination of traffic control and calming measures (alleys may be exempted). If the school is planned as part of the project, it must be designed such that pedestrians and cyclists can easily reach building entrances without crossing bus zones, parking entrances, and student drop-off areas. New school campuses within the project boundary must not exceed the following limits:
- high school (15 - 18 years old), 15 acres (6 hectares);
- middle school (11 - 14 years old), 10 acres (4 hectares); and
- elementary school (6 - 10 years old), 5 acres (2 hectares).
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
Include in the project a residential component that constitutes at least 30% of the project’s total building floor area, and locate or design the project such that at least 50% of the dwelling units are within a ½-mile (800-meter) walking distance of the functional entry of an existing or new elementary or middle school or within a 1-mile (1600-meter) walking distance of the functional entry of an existing or new high school. For any new school, the school authority must commit that the school will be open by the time 50% of the project dwelling units are occupied. A legally binding warrant committing to open the school by this time must be provided at the time of first building occupancy. Portions of the circulation network within or bordering the project boundary that lead from dwelling units to the school site must have (1) a complete network of sidewalks on both sides and (2) either continuous bicycle lanes or a combination of traffic control and calming measures (alleys may be exempted). If the school is planned as part of the project, it must be designed such that pedestrians and cyclists can easily reach building entrances without crossing bus zones, parking entrances, and student drop-off areas. New school campuses within the project boundary must not exceed the following limits:
- high school (15 - 18 years old), 15 acres (6 hectares);
- middle school (11 - 14 years old), 10 acres (4 hectares); and
- elementary school (6 - 10 years old), 5 acres (2 hectares).
