We have a campus site site with areas, outside of construction limits, that contain many mature shade trees with turf grass underneath. The credit requirements on Page 177 state that a minimum of 25% of the required 30% open space "must be vegetated (turf grass does not count as vegetation) or have overhead vegetated canopy." However on Page 179 under the Design of Open Space Areas, the reference guide states: "turf areas, including turf areas under overhead tree canopies, can be counted in total open space but do not qualify as vegetated open space." Also on Page 179, overhead vegetation is described as "trees and shrubs."
This seems to indicate that the area of a tree's canopy can be counted toward the 25% vegetated space requirement, but limits it just to the tree's canopy, eliminating the counting of an entire area of a shaded lawn with areas of space open to the sky.
Is this correct?
emily reese moody
Sustainability Director, Certifications & ComplianceJacobs
LEEDuser Expert
452 thumbs up
September 27, 2018 - 3:46 pm
I believe your conclusion is correct: You can count the ground under the tree canopy toward the 25% requirement of vegetated space; the remainder of the turf area is open space towards the 30% overall requirement, but is not vegetated.
Sean Adams
3 thumbs up
April 25, 2019 - 1:52 pm
Did you have any issues with obtaining this credit using the canopy of the tree for vegetated space?
Paul Bierman-Lytle
Executive Director of Technical ServicesPaladino and Company
3 thumbs up
June 10, 2020 - 9:18 am
What diameter of a tree canopy is used for calculation for Heat Island Reduction, i.e. shading. 3-year growth, 5-year, 10-year, 20-year? Makes a difference.