Our natural history museum project site is an existing play field which will be landscaped with native plants on a drip irrigation system. This landscaping and storm water retention area will have exhibit signs to educate and demonstrate the variety of plant habitats in the region as well as the storm water system for the site. The exhibits will explain the importance of the habitat to the wildlife and the part man takes in preserving the environment. However, funding is limited and one section of the property will remain untouched throughout this stage of the museum\'s development. The existing turf and hedge will remain in that area. The proposal is currently to indicate that area as not a part of the project site. Is that exclusion acceptable? As such, this affects several credits in addition to this main credit where site calculations are required. If we exclude this untouched area, the site area that will be restored to natural habitat including landscaping with natives, planted retention basins, decomposed granite paths, and delta water areas are approximately 50% of the project site. Should we proceed with this interpretation of project site limits for this credit and/or should the native habitat education program be an innovative design credit?
Project teams are allowed to define the "LEED project site" boundary themselves. As such, it is acceptable to exclude areas of the site from the "LEED project site" boundary. Teams are encouraged to establish a reasonable and logical site boundary for LEED purposes. The project scope of work and the site area affected by the construction generally suffice to inform this definition. Once defined, the site boundary must be used consistently throughout all credits. Generally speaking, when different site boundaries are under consideration, it is advisable to analyze the impact on all affected credits to determine which site boundary definition is most beneficial. Given that no work is being done on the area of the site in question here, it seems logical that it could be excluded from the LEED project site boundary. With regards to the signage program described for the native landscaping and stormwater system: This effort would fall under Green Building Education and could be part of a comprehensive signage program to help earn an innovation credit for Green Building Education. Please see the Innovation CIR dated 9-24-01 for a full description of what is required to earn an innovation credit for Green Building Education. Applicable Internationally.