For buildings that have landscaping above a podium, rather than at the ground level, how should the SS and WE credits be applied? For example, a common strategy is for parking to be located under a building, and for the ceiling of the parking deck to be used as a vegetated courtyard above. This vegetated courtyard built on a podium often serves as the majority of the landscape area for the project.
Landscaping that is built on a podium should generally be treated the same way as landscaping that is installed at ground level:
• SS 1.1 – This prerequisite still applies.
• SS 1.2 – Credit is available for part (d) only.
• SS 2.1 – This prerequisite still applies.
• SS 2.2- 2.5 – Credit is available.
• SS 3 (SS 3.1 in mid-rise) – Credit is available.
• SS 3.2 (midrise only) – Credit may not be awarded based on vegetated podium, but may be awarded based on vegetated roof coverings.
• SS 4.1 - Credit is available for vegetated podium if a project team member can verify that the vegetated area will be able to hold water from a 2-year 24-hour design storm and the system is not designed to drain to a municipal stormwater system.
• SS 4.2 – Credit is available.
• SS 4.3 (low-rise) – Credit is available. Part (b) or (c) may only be earned with vegetated roof coverings, not vegetated podium.
• SS 4.3 (mid-rise) – Credit is available.
• WE 1 – Credit is available for systems that serve the vegetated podium.
• WE 2 – Credit is available for systems that serve the vegetated podium.