As recently as version 04, the LEED Online form doesn't mention this option. We recommend that teams document it as an alternative compliance path, by providing a letter on letterhead that includes the EPA Level III Ecoregion, confirms the offsite conservation easement is in compliance with the Land Trust Standards, and notes the size of the designated area.
No. LEED Interpretation #5310 issued 3/4/2008, states that "Although living walls or vertical landscaping may provide limited habitat for certain species adapted to urban areas, the credit language does not currently allow for use of this approach in calculating area compliance." This Interpetation also notes that green walls cannot contribute to SSc5.2.
In order to comply with SSc5.1, green roofs must provide a diversity of native or adapted species that provide animal habitat. This means that extensive roofs with sedum monocultures won't contribute to this credit, as USGBC spelled out Iin LEED Interpretation #10231, issued 10/1/2012.
Projects that do divert 100% of landscaping waste have the easiest time showing compliance, and it’s usually an attainable goal. If you do not address 100% of waste through diversion, you’ll need to track the total quantity of green waste generated by landscaping activities and the quantity diverted from landfill disposal. Use these values to determine the overall percentage of waste diverted. You can quantify green waste either by weight or by volume; whichever is easiest for building staff or vendors to track consistently.
Regardless of any current construction plans, all projects must develop best practices for potential future construction projects.
Even if you have established landscaping, there are still many opportunities to assess your site and develop strategies for reducing erosion and sedimentation, or create protocol for quickly identifying and reacting to issues as they arise. Potential strategies to consider include:
Products not listed on the SF Pesticide Hazard Screening List may qualify as least toxic, but you’ll need to provide documentation demonstrating equivalency between the products used and the cited standard. Do not assume an unlisted product is least toxic.
For nearly all projects, all three major operational elements (IPM, landscape management, and erosion control) must be addressed by the plan. The most common exception is when there are no landscaped areas or planter boxes within the LEED Project Boundary. If this describes your project, you are still eligible to pursue the credit but you do not need to create a typical landscape management plan, since no landscape waste is generated and no fertilizers are applied onsite.
No. While the Core & Shell rating systems does allow projects to earn credits for future tenant work, those credits must be documented with a binding tenant lease or sales agreement. See Core & Shell Appendix 4 (“Tenant Lease or Sales Agreement”) in the LEED Reference Guide for more information on credits that can only be achieved through the use of a tenant lease or sales agreement.
No. For the purposes of this credit, tenant guidelines are for reference only.