We would like to establish a precedent for using the LEED Innovation in Design (ID) Credit: Design for Health Through Increased Physical Activity on LEED projects across LEED Rating Systems. 1. Intent of CreditPromote the health and fitness of residents and staff through building design and operation, while achieving synergistic environmental benefits.2. Why this Credit is NeededRegular physical activity is associated with reduced rates of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, some cancers and reduced health care costs. Obesity, and with it type 2 diabetes, are epidemic in adults and children, and are rising rapidly in the U.S. These conditions, along with cardiovascular disease and cancer, are leading causes of death and health care costs in the U.S. Physical inactivity and poor diets are second only to tobacco. LEED has taken an early leadership role in banning indoor smoking to control environmental tobacco smoke as a perquisite in 2000. As the leading causes of premature deaths in the U.S. Cardiovascular diseases have also now overtaken infectious diseases as the leading causes of death globally, physical activity in our built environment can help slow society\'s second biggest killer, inactivity.Research has shown that improvements in building design and operation have measurable impacts on occupant physical activity, and are important, alongside neighborhood design, for reducing health problems associated with physical inactivity. 3. LEED Projects Already Approved with ID Credit: Design for Health Through Increased Physical ActivityThe LEED (ID) Credit: Design for Health Through Increased Physical Activity has already been implemented and approved on several LEED projects such as Via Verde & Riverside Health Center, which were both LEED NC projects, and 2 Gotham which was a LEED CI project. Sample Submittals for LEED (ID) Credit: Design for Health Through Increased Physical Activity:http://brightpower.biz/greenbuilding/ID-designforhealth http://www.1100architect.com/ (see "Burn Calories not Energy" in the "Sustainability" section)4. Development of CreditThis ID Credit was developed as part of the Active Design Guidelines (www.nyc.gov/adg) by an interagency team including the Active Design Team, which provides technical assistance to LEED projects to assist them in implementing Active Design and The LEED (ID) Credit: Design for Health Through Increased Physical Activity on LEED projects.5. Synergistic Benefits in the Design For Health Through Increased Physical Activity Strategies:* Recreation time spent in physical activity rather than TV viewing lowers energy consumption as TVs are projected to overtake refrigerators as the main source of household appliance electricity use in New York State* Elevators routinely account for 3-10% of a building\'s total energy use, by promoting use of pedestrian modes of vertical circulation such as stairs and ramps over motorized modes of vertical circulation such as elevators, escalators, and moving platforms, energy use can be greatly reduced. In Riverside Healthcare, which previously earned this LEED ID Credit Design For Health Through Increased Physical Activity, the facility found that elevator energy use during non-operational times (10 pm to 6 am) was 35% of elevator energy use during building operation times, suggesting an energy savings of up 65%, if elevators are not routinely used. * Energy savings are expected to be a supplement to the other primary benefits of this proposal, which are health benefits for occupants and the surrounding community, and benefits to society in reducing health burdens and health care costs (akin to the LEED Prerequisites for Environmental Tobacco Smoke and credits for Low-VOC finishes).Articles documenting benefits related to Green Building & Physical Activity:http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=77#public_health Quantifiable Benefits Matrix &Associated Reference List:http://brightpower.biz/files/Quantitative%20Benefits%20Matrix.pdf http://brightpower.biz/files/Design%20for%20Health%20-%20Reference%20Lis... 6. Further Information about Health & Active Design in Green BuildingThe Active Design Team recently hosted a webinar from USGBC\'s headquarters in D.C. about the LEED (ID) Credit: Design for Health Through Increased Physical Activity and benefits of physical activity through routine daily use of our built environment.Health and Active Design through Green Building Webinar:https://video.webcasts.com/events/usgb001/37845