Upload documentation to LEED Online. You need to provide a site plan that delineates the areas of open space, green roof, and pedestrian-oriented hardscape, as applicable. It is also a good idea to include the total project site area and the total open space area on the site plan.

Clearly define any areas of open space on project drawings; these need to be included with your LEED documentation. 

If you are relying on pedestrian-oriented hardscapes or green roofs to meet the open space requirements, verify that the requirements for SSc2 are still being met. 

Run calculations to verify that the credit requirements are being met. The requirements are based on your project zoning ordinances, and are influenced by the LEED project boundary and the achievement of SSc2. 

To help with stormwater management (for SSc6.1 and SSc6.2) and to reduce the heat island effect (for SSc7.1), consider installing porous pavement for all hardscapes, designing wetlands for stormwater mitigation, and incorporating a green roof. 

To aid in restoring habitat (for SSc5.1) and providing a water-efficient landscape (for WEc1), consider using only native and adapted species that require little or no irrigation for some or all of the open space you provide. 

Design your project with a small footprint, and provide open space for occupant use meeting or exceeding the credit requirements. 

The San Francisco Pesticide Hazard Screening List (see Resources) is a comprehensive list issued by the city of San Francisco that designates certain pesticides as “least-toxic,” meaning that they are safe enough so that building operators are not required to alert their occupants when these specific pesticides are applied at the project building. The IPM manager should understand how to review the list to determine if the pesticide in question is on the list and considered least-toxic.

At least one operations staff member with a solid understanding of the LEED requirements and the contents of the San Francisco Pesticide Hazard Screening List, should oversee IPM plan implementation. If no one has been designated the point person for pest-related issues, choose a staff person who has regular interactions with pest management vendors and is willing to learn about and implement nonchemical pest prevention and resolution measures.

Carefully examine pest management service offerings to verify that IPM is truly applied. Since IPM is still gaining traction in the industry, vendors often claim to practice IPM, even if they don’t fully understand the intent or requirements of it. Also, not all IPM programs are LEED-compliant. For example, if your vendor monitors pest populations, ensures that loading docks and trash receptacles are kept clean, and uses mechanical pest controls most of the time, but doesn’t provide universal notification when applying pesticides, their IPM program does not comply with the requirements.