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LEED v4
Existing Schools
Sustainable Sites

Site improvement plan

LEED CREDIT

Schools-EBOM-v4 SSc6: Site improvement plan 1 point

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WSP
Vice President

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Credit language

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

Requirements

Establishment

Develop a five-year site improvement plan that includes the following:
  • documentation of existing site conditions;
  • site improvement objectives;
  • performance standards to evaluate ongoing progress; and
  • monitoring protocols.
The improvement plan must address the following topics.
  • Hydrology. Protection and improvement of water bodies on-site, rainwater management and reuse opportunities, potable water-use reduction.
  • Vegetation. Documentation of existing vegetation on-site, turf area reduction, management of native and invasive plants, protection of threatened, endangered or unique species.
  • Soils. Documentation of general soil structure, preservation of healthy soils, remediation of compacted soils, identification of previously disturbed area.
The plan must be developed with professionals trained and experienced in the above disciplines.

Performance

Show that at least 5% of the site is vegetated. Implement all no-cost and low-cost measures. Develop a new improvement plan and implement all new no-cost and low-cost measures every five years. See all forum discussions about this credit »

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Cost estimates for this credit

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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.

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Frequently asked questions

The credit states that all no-cost and low-cost measures must be implemented. What counts as low-cost?

The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial »

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We don’t meet the 5% threshold but we really want to attempt this credit. What can we do?

The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial »

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See all forum discussions about this credit »

Addenda

7/1/2015Updated: 7/1/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
Edit the guidance to read:
"Group Approach
All buildings in the group may be documented as one.
Campus Approach
Ineligible."
Campus Applicable
Yes
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
7/1/2014Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
Last bullet under "The improvement plan must address the following topics." should read:
"•Soils. Documentation of general soil structure, preservation of healthy soils, remediation of compacted soils, identification of previously disturbed area."
Campus Applicable
Yes
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
7/1/2014Updated: 2/14/2015
Form Update
Description of change:
Under Establishment (site improvement plan checkbox), replaced the term “previously developed” with “previously disturbed.”
Campus Applicable
Yes
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
7/1/2014Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
Delete "previously developed" and its definition.

Add the term "previously disturbed":
"previously disturbed areas that have been graded, compacted, cleared, previously developed, or disturbed in any way. These are areas that do not qualify as 'greenfield.'"
Campus Applicable
Yes
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
7/1/2014Updated: 2/14/2015
Rating System Correction
Description of change:
Last bullet under "The improvement plan must address the following topics." should read:
"•Soils. Documentation of general soil structure, preservation of healthy soils, remediation of compacted soils, identification of previously disturbed area."
Campus Applicable
Yes
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
See all forum discussions about this credit »

Documentation toolkit

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LEEDuser expert

Jenny Carney

LEED Fellow, RESET AP, Fitwel Ambassador

WSP
Vice President

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USGBC logo

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

Requirements

Establishment

Develop a five-year site improvement plan that includes the following:
  • documentation of existing site conditions;
  • site improvement objectives;
  • performance standards to evaluate ongoing progress; and
  • monitoring protocols.
The improvement plan must address the following topics.
  • Hydrology. Protection and improvement of water bodies on-site, rainwater management and reuse opportunities, potable water-use reduction.
  • Vegetation. Documentation of existing vegetation on-site, turf area reduction, management of native and invasive plants, protection of threatened, endangered or unique species.
  • Soils. Documentation of general soil structure, preservation of healthy soils, remediation of compacted soils, identification of previously disturbed area.
The plan must be developed with professionals trained and experienced in the above disciplines.

Performance

Show that at least 5% of the site is vegetated. Implement all no-cost and low-cost measures. Develop a new improvement plan and implement all new no-cost and low-cost measures every five years.

The credit states that all no-cost and low-cost measures must be implemented. What counts as low-cost?

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.)

We don’t meet the 5% threshold but we really want to attempt this credit. What can we do?

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.)

7/1/2015Updated: 7/1/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
Edit the guidance to read:
"Group Approach
All buildings in the group may be documented as one.
Campus Approach
Ineligible."
Campus Applicable
Yes
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
7/1/2014Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
Last bullet under "The improvement plan must address the following topics." should read:
"•Soils. Documentation of general soil structure, preservation of healthy soils, remediation of compacted soils, identification of previously disturbed area."
Campus Applicable
Yes
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
7/1/2014Updated: 2/14/2015
Form Update
Description of change:
Under Establishment (site improvement plan checkbox), replaced the term “previously developed” with “previously disturbed.”
Campus Applicable
Yes
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
7/1/2014Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
Delete "previously developed" and its definition.

Add the term "previously disturbed":
"previously disturbed areas that have been graded, compacted, cleared, previously developed, or disturbed in any way. These are areas that do not qualify as 'greenfield.'"
Campus Applicable
Yes
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
7/1/2014Updated: 2/14/2015
Rating System Correction
Description of change:
Last bullet under "The improvement plan must address the following topics." should read:
"•Soils. Documentation of general soil structure, preservation of healthy soils, remediation of compacted soils, identification of previously disturbed area."
Campus Applicable
Yes
Internationally Applicable:
Yes

LEEDuser expert

Jenny Carney

LEED Fellow, RESET AP, Fitwel Ambassador

WSP
Vice President

See all LEEDuser forum discussions about this credit » Subscribe to new discussions about Schools-EBOM-v4 SSc6