Once the current project is complete and LEED-certified, there is no “LEED police” checking that you followed the master plan. However, after investing the time and energy in the master plan and the credit calculations, it only makes sense to follow through with the intent of the site master plan. 

When planning construction activities, refer to the site master plan to verify that the LEED site credits are still being achieved. If construction activities deviate from the proposed site master plan, alterations may be required to the site master plan to maintain compliance with the sustainability measures. 

Ensure that the site master plan and details associated with the relevant LEED credits are followed.

Upload credit documentation to LEED Online. You must write a narrative describing the collaborative efforts that took place to develop the site master plan, upload the site master plan, and provide the appropriate documentation for each of the four credits that will be maintained in the site master plan. Below is a summary of the LEED Online requirements for all seven credits. Click through to the full LEEDuser credit guidance for more detail and sample documentation.

If your recalculations for the stormwater credits indicate that the project needs to build additional stormwater treatment facilities to continue meeting the credit requirements, consider doing so for the current design rather than redesigning an additional system for future buildings. Also, include future capacity requirements for infrastructure and site improvements in your current design.

The site master plan must include all previously existing infrastructure (unless it will be demolished during the current plan)—parking lots, walkways, utilities, and plans for future infrastructure. 

For example, if you are attempting the stormwater credits SSc6.1 or SSc6.2 in the current project and have chosen to recalculate them for compliance with SSc9, you will need to calculate the stormwater rate and quantity for pre-development conditions (same existing conditions as for credits SSc6.1 and SSc6.2), as well as the stormwater rate and quantity for post-development of the site master plan. Essentially, these calculations must be run twice, once for the current design, to earn SSc6.1 or SSc6.2 and again for the site master plan, to earn SSc9.

As soon as the calculations for the current design are solidified, recalculate the four credits you decide upon within the master site plan (in addition to the calculations for the design you are currently submitting). Doing so while the calculation methods and site master plan design are fresh in your mind will help minimize time spent on documentation. 

The need to accommodate future stormwater management needs may increase costs, especially if the project is pursuing one or both of the stormwater credits. Either you will need to include extra stormwater infrastructure in the current design to accommodate future development, or plan on adding infrastructure later, which could be less cost-effective in the long run than over-sizing it now. 

Generally, you don’t need to anticipate additional hard costs with this credit; however, the time required to develop the site master plan and recalculate the credits, including the paid time of engineers and consultants, can really add up.