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LEEDuser expert
Ellen Mitchell
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Credit language
© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.
Requirements
Option 1: Development density
Construct or renovate a building on a previously developed site AND in a community with a minimum density of 60,000 square feet per acre net (13,800 square meters per hectare net). The density calculation is based on a typical two-story downtown development and must include the area of the project being built.For the purposes of this option, physical education spaces that are part of the project site, such as playing fields and associated buildings used during sporting events only (e.g., concession stands) and playgrounds with play equipment, are excluded from the development density calculations.OR
Option 2: Community connectivity
Construct or renovate a building on a site that meets the following criteria:- Is located on a previously developed site
- Is within 1/2 mile of a residential area or neighborhood with an average density of 10 units per acre net
- Is within 1/2 mile of at least 10 basic services
- Has pedestrian access between the building and the services
- Bank
- Place of Worship
- Convenience Grocery
- Day Care Center
- Cleaners
- Fire Station
- Beauty Salon
- Hardware
- Laundry
- Library
- Medical or Dental Office
- Senior Care Facility
- Park
- Pharmacy
- Post Office
- Restaurant
- School
- Supermarket
- Theater
- Community Center
- Fitness Center
- Museum
Streamlined path available
Achievement of this credit can be documented via a LEED ND v2009 submittal. For more information check out this article.SITES-LEED Equivalency
This LEED credit (or a component of this credit) has been established as equivalent to a SITES v2 credit or component. For more information on using the equivalency as a substitution in your LEED or SITES project, see this article and guidance document.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
Is one building or residential area enough to satisfy the residential density requirement?The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial » (If you're already a premium member, log in here.) |
My project has access to services that seem to be basic, but are not listed in the LEED Reference Guide—like insurance company, nail salon, auto repair shop. Will these count?The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial » (If you're already a premium member, log in here.) |
My project is on a base or campus where some services are available to the population of the project, but not the general public. Do these count?The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial » (If you're already a premium member, log in here.) |
For Option 2, does the residential neighborhood with average density of 10 units per net acre have to be existing, or can planned neighborhoods count towards earning this option?The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial » (If you're already a premium member, log in here.) |
What site area should be used for an interiors project when figuring out the density radius? The building site area, or building footprint?The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial » (If you're already a premium member, log in here.) |
Is my site previously developed?The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial » (If you're already a premium member, log in here.) |
What exactly does LEED mean by residential neighborhood or area?The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial » (If you're already a premium member, log in here.) |
Only a portion of my complying residential development lies within the ½-mile radius. Will this suffice for credit compliance?The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial » (If you're already a premium member, log in here.) |
Where do I draw the radius from?The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial » (If you're already a premium member, log in here.) |
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© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.
Requirements
Option 1: Development density
Construct or renovate a building on a previously developed site AND in a community with a minimum density of 60,000 square feet per acre net (13,800 square meters per hectare net). The density calculation is based on a typical two-story downtown development and must include the area of the project being built.For the purposes of this option, physical education spaces that are part of the project site, such as playing fields and associated buildings used during sporting events only (e.g., concession stands) and playgrounds with play equipment, are excluded from the development density calculations.OR
Option 2: Community connectivity
Construct or renovate a building on a site that meets the following criteria:- Is located on a previously developed site
- Is within 1/2 mile of a residential area or neighborhood with an average density of 10 units per acre net
- Is within 1/2 mile of at least 10 basic services
- Has pedestrian access between the building and the services
- Bank
- Place of Worship
- Convenience Grocery
- Day Care Center
- Cleaners
- Fire Station
- Beauty Salon
- Hardware
- Laundry
- Library
- Medical or Dental Office
- Senior Care Facility
- Park
- Pharmacy
- Post Office
- Restaurant
- School
- Supermarket
- Theater
- Community Center
- Fitness Center
- Museum
Streamlined path available
Achievement of this credit can be documented via a LEED ND v2009 submittal. For more information check out this article.SITES-LEED Equivalency
This LEED credit (or a component of this credit) has been established as equivalent to a SITES v2 credit or component. For more information on using the equivalency as a substitution in your LEED or SITES project, see this article and guidance document.XX%
Upgrade to LEEDuser Premium to see how many projects achieved this credit. Try it free »
Got the gist of SSc2 but not sure how to actually achieve it? LEEDuser gives step-by-step help. Premium members get:
- Checklists covering all the key action steps you'll need to earn the credit.
- Hot tips to give you shortcuts and avoid pitfalls.
- Cost tips to assess what a credit will actually cost, and how to make it affordable.
- Ideas for going beyond LEED with best practices.
- All checklists organized by project phase.
- On-the-fly suggestions of useful items from the Documentation Toolkit and Credit Language.
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:
- Calculators to help assess credit compliance.
- 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.
Is one building or residential area enough to satisfy the residential density requirement?The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial » (If you're already a premium member, log in here.) |
My project has access to services that seem to be basic, but are not listed in the LEED Reference Guide—like insurance company, nail salon, auto repair shop. Will these count?The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial » (If you're already a premium member, log in here.) |
My project is on a base or campus where some services are available to the population of the project, but not the general public. Do these count?The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial » (If you're already a premium member, log in here.) |
For Option 2, does the residential neighborhood with average density of 10 units per net acre have to be existing, or can planned neighborhoods count towards earning this option?The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial » (If you're already a premium member, log in here.) |
What site area should be used for an interiors project when figuring out the density radius? The building site area, or building footprint?The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial » (If you're already a premium member, log in here.) |
Is my site previously developed?The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial » (If you're already a premium member, log in here.) |
What exactly does LEED mean by residential neighborhood or area?The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial » (If you're already a premium member, log in here.) |
Only a portion of my complying residential development lies within the ½-mile radius. Will this suffice for credit compliance?The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial » (If you're already a premium member, log in here.) |
Where do I draw the radius from?The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial » (If you're already a premium member, log in here.) |
LEEDuser expert
Ellen Mitchell
