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LEED v4.1

Retail – New Construction
Location & Transportation
Surrounding Density and Diverse Uses

LEED CREDIT

Retail-NC-v4.1 LTc4: Surrounding density and diverse uses 1-5 points

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Deborah Lucking

AIA, LEED AP BD+C

Fentress Architects
Director of Sustainability

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Post your questions on this credit in the forum, and click on the credit language tab to review to the LEED requirements.

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USGBC logo

© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.

Requirements

Option 1. Surrounding Density
Locate on a site whose surrounding existing density within a ¼-mile (400-meter) offset of the project boundary meets the values in Table 1. Use either the “separate residential and nonresidential densities” or the “combined density” values.
Table 1a. Points for average density within 1/4 mile of project site (IP units)

Combined density

Separate residential and nonresidential densities

Points
BD&C (except Core and Shell)

Points BD&C (Core and Shell)

Points
ID&C

Square feet per acre of buildable land

Residential density (DU/acre)

Nonresidential density (FAR)

 

 

 

22,000

7

0.5

2

2

3

35,000

12

0.8

3

4

6
Table 1b. Points for average density within 400 meters of project site (SI units)

Combined density

Separate residential and nonresidential densities

Points
BD&C (except Core and Shell)

Points BD&C
(Core and Shell)

Points
ID&C

Square meters per hectare of buildable land

Residential density (DU/hectare)

Nonresidential density (FAR)

 

 

 

5,050

17.5

0.5

2

2

3

8,035

30

0.8

3

4

6
DU = dwelling unit; FAR = floor-area ratio. AND/OR
Option 2. Diverse Uses (1–2 points)
Construct or renovate a building or a space within a building such that the building’s main entrance is within a ½-mile (800-meter) walking distance from the following number of uses (see Appendix 1), as listed below.
Table 1. Points for proximity to uses
Uses Points
4-7 1
≥ 8 2
The following restrictions apply.
  • A use counts as only one type (e.g., a retail store may be counted only once even if it sells products in several categories).
  • No more than two uses in each use type may be counted (e.g. if five restaurants are within walking distance, only two may be counted).
  • The counted uses must represent at least three of the five categories, exclusive of the building’s primary use.
OR
Option 3. Walkable Location (1-5 points BD+C except Healthcare and Core & Shell, 1 point Healthcare, 1-6 points Core & Shell)
Locate on a site with a Walk Score® or equivalent third-party walkability assessment for the following thresholds, as listed below.
Table 1. Points for walkable location
Walk Score Points Points (Core & Shell) Points (Healthcare)
90-100 5 6 -
80-89 4 4 -
70-79 3 3 -
60-69 2 2 -
50-59 1 1 -
≥ 50 - - 1
Projects attempting Option 3 are not eligible to earn points under Option 1 or Option 2. See all forum discussions about this credit »

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Addenda

4/9/2021 – Updated: 4/20/2021
Rating System Correction
Description of change:
Revise the below LT credit intents as follows:

LTc Sensitive Land Protection
"To cultivate community resilience, avoid the development of environmentally sensitive lands that provide critical ecosystem services and reduce the environmental impact from the location of a building on a site."

LTc High Priority Site and Equitable Development
"To build the economic and social vitality of communities, encourage project location in areas with development constraints and promote the ecological, cultural, and community health of the surrounding area while understanding the needs and goals of existing residents and businesses."

LTc Surrounding Density and Diverse Uses
"To conserve land and protect farmland and wildlife habitat by encouraging development in areas with existing infrastructure. To support neighborhood and local economies, promote walkability and low or no carbon transportation, and reduce vehicle distance traveled for all. To improve public health by encouraging daily physical activity."
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
11/9/2020 – Updated: 2/3/2021
Form Update
Description of change:
Added new "Option 3. Walkable Location"

Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
11/9/2020 – Updated: 12/2/2020
Rating System Correction
Description of change:
After Option 2 for the Healthcare adaptation insert the following new requirements for all projects:

All Projects

Option 3. Walkable Location (1-5 points BD+C except Healthcare, 1 point Healthcare)
Locate on a site with a Walk Score® or equivalent third-party walkability assessment for the following thresholds, as listed below.

Table 1. Points for walkable location
Walk Score® Points BD+C Points HC
90 to 100 5 -
80 to 89 4 -
70 to 79 3 -
60 to 69 2 -
50 to 59 1 -
≥ 50 - 1

Projects attempting Option 3 are not eligible to earn points under Option 1 or Option 2.

Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
11/9/2020 – Updated: 11/25/2020
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
Under Beta Update, after the first paragraph beginning "Updates clarify that surrounding existing density is measured within a 1/4-mile (400-meter) offset...", insert the following language:

A new option has been added for all projects to recognize the benefit of walkable locations as assessed by Walk Score® and equivalent walkability assessment tools. Walk Score® measures surrounding density, road network metrics, and destinations within walking distance and is a reasonable proxy for the metrics in Option 1 and Option 2.

Under Further Explanation, add the following language:

Walk Score measures the walkability of an address on the following scale:

Walk Score® Description
90-100 Walker's Paradise
Daily errands do not require a car.
70-89 Very Walkable
Most errands can be accomplished on foot.
50-69 Somewhat Walkable
Some errands can be accomplished on foot.
25-49 Car-Dependent
Most errands require a car.
0-24 Car-Dependent
Almost all errands require a car.
Source: Walk Score

While quantitative walkability assessment tools, including Walk Score, provide valuable insight into the relative potential for walking in a measured location, these tools have acknowledged limitations for reflecting the actual conditions on the ground and the safety and efficacy of walking. Project teams are encouraged to utilize other resources, including but not limited to multimodal transportation data collection and analysis, travel surveys, and pedestrian safety audits. For more information, refer to https://www.walkscore.com/methodology.shtml

In addition, a project’s design has the potential to influence walking and other active modes as alternatives to driving through the orientation of the building on the site and connectivity between the site and the surrounding street network, and by including high-quality sidewalks and crossing facilities that enhance multimodal travel on and around the project.

Under "Required Documentation" and a new bullet with the following language:

For projects attempting Option 3, attach a screenshot of the resulting Walk Score, making sure to include the project’s address and score.
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
See all forum discussions about this credit »

Documentation toolkit

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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.

LEEDuser expert

headshot

Deborah Lucking

AIA, LEED AP BD+C

Fentress Architects
Director of Sustainability

USGBC logo

© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.

Requirements

Option 1. Surrounding Density
Locate on a site whose surrounding existing density within a ¼-mile (400-meter) offset of the project boundary meets the values in Table 1. Use either the “separate residential and nonresidential densities” or the “combined density” values.
Table 1a. Points for average density within 1/4 mile of project site (IP units)

Combined density

Separate residential and nonresidential densities

Points
BD&C (except Core and Shell)

Points BD&C (Core and Shell)

Points
ID&C

Square feet per acre of buildable land

Residential density (DU/acre)

Nonresidential density (FAR)

 

 

 

22,000

7

0.5

2

2

3

35,000

12

0.8

3

4

6
Table 1b. Points for average density within 400 meters of project site (SI units)

Combined density

Separate residential and nonresidential densities

Points
BD&C (except Core and Shell)

Points BD&C
(Core and Shell)

Points
ID&C

Square meters per hectare of buildable land

Residential density (DU/hectare)

Nonresidential density (FAR)

 

 

 

5,050

17.5

0.5

2

2

3

8,035

30

0.8

3

4

6
DU = dwelling unit; FAR = floor-area ratio. AND/OR
Option 2. Diverse Uses (1–2 points)
Construct or renovate a building or a space within a building such that the building’s main entrance is within a ½-mile (800-meter) walking distance from the following number of uses (see Appendix 1), as listed below.
Table 1. Points for proximity to uses
Uses Points
4-7 1
≥ 8 2
The following restrictions apply.
  • A use counts as only one type (e.g., a retail store may be counted only once even if it sells products in several categories).
  • No more than two uses in each use type may be counted (e.g. if five restaurants are within walking distance, only two may be counted).
  • The counted uses must represent at least three of the five categories, exclusive of the building’s primary use.
OR
Option 3. Walkable Location (1-5 points BD+C except Healthcare and Core & Shell, 1 point Healthcare, 1-6 points Core & Shell)
Locate on a site with a Walk Score® or equivalent third-party walkability assessment for the following thresholds, as listed below.
Table 1. Points for walkable location
Walk Score Points Points (Core & Shell) Points (Healthcare)
90-100 5 6 -
80-89 4 4 -
70-79 3 3 -
60-69 2 2 -
50-59 1 1 -
≥ 50 - - 1
Projects attempting Option 3 are not eligible to earn points under Option 1 or Option 2.

In the end, LEED is all about documentation. LEEDuser’s Documentation Toolkit, for premium members only, saves you time and helps you avoid mistakes with:

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  • Tracking spreadsheets for materials purchases.
  • Spreadsheets and forms to give to subs and other team members.
  • Guidance documents on arcane LEED issues.
  • Sample templates to help guide your narratives and LEED Online submissions.
  • Examples of actual submissions from certified LEED projects.

LEEDuser expert

headshot

Deborah Lucking

AIA, LEED AP BD+C

Fentress Architects
Director of Sustainability

See all LEEDuser forum discussions about this credit » Subscribe to new discussions about Retail-NC-v4.1 LTc4