The project is a 360-bed hospital and clinic development consisting of 3 sub-podium levels and 21 storeys. The gross total area of the hospital and clinic is 2,717,946 ft2. The development is situated on a 23.1 acre area of land which has partially been reclaimed from the sea for development, prior to acquisition by the client.The remainder of the site is previously developed desert, containing a number of structures and services serving the needs of port protection, and the nearby shoreline petroleum production facilities during the island\'s historical use as for military purposes.These structures/services are listed below:1. A tarmac road which crossed the site providing access to a naval installation that bordered the project\'s site boundary.2. An underground 11kV electrical wire west of the service road which supplied the military structures and facilities and was subsequently decommissioned during land reclamation.3. Military site offices and mess facilities.The client is seeking credit compliance for SS Credit 2 via Option 2 - Community Connectivity, and requires confirmation on the definition of a "previously developed site". SS Credit 1 and SS Credit 5.1 provide a definition of a previously developed site as those previously containing buildings, roadways, parking lots, or were graded or altered by direct human impact. It is therefore assumed that the definition for the purpose of SS Credit 2 is the same, despite the fact that this is not explicitly stated in the credit criteria.Based on the CIR for SS Credit 2 dated 8/25/2008 it is understood that the site cannot be defined as "previously developed" based solely on the fact that is it partially located on land reclaimed from the sea prior to the client\'s involvement with the site. However, the client believes that the site complies with the definition owing to the existing tarmac road, electrical wire and site offices/mess facilities. Given that a portion of the site has been previously developed, does this enable the whole site area to be classed as "previously developed" for the purpose of SS Credit 2?
The project is requesting clarification regarding the definition of a "previously developed" site as it pertains to a site which has been partially developed and partially reclaimed from the sea. The referenced CIR (LEED NCv2.1 SSc2 CIR dated 9/25/2008) involves a case in which the entire site has been reclaimed from the sea. Since the new site had only been graded, but did not contain any existing structural or infrastructural elements, it was ruled that this site did not qualify as being previously developed. This project is a combination of existing and reclaimed land. As long as the project team is able to document that 50% or more of the project site is existing and previously contained buildings, roadways, parking lots or other structural and infrastructural elements, the site may be considered "previously developed" for the purposes of this credit.