Avoid delays by determining your zoning option early in the design process. Typically, planned unit developments (PUDs) or contract zones (with negotiated amounts of open space) have some gray areas surrounding zoning requirements in cases where such zoning requirements were negotiated with the zoning department. If you’re unsure of the correct compliance path, check with
If you have a small site, consider building up rather than out. This minimizes your building footprint and can help provide the open space needed for this credit and for SSc5.1: Site Development—Protect or Restore Habitat (if the vegetation is native or adapted).
The architect typically knows what the zoning requirements are. If not, check with local zoning office or city planning department. Some cities or counties provide this information online.
Research your site’s zoning requirements to see if you are required to provide open space; this will help you determine how much open space is required for credit compliance. The compliance path you follow is not open to choice—it depends strictly upon your local zoning regulations.
Select those strategies that are most suitable for your location. For example, evaporative cooling is very effective in a hot, dry climate but is not likely to be a good idea in the damper Northeast or Northwest.
Select those strategies that are most suitable for your project type and location. For example, evaporative cooling is very effective in a hot, dry climate but is not likely to be a good idea in the cooler, damper Northeast or Northwest. The list is a good summary of the best ways to reduce energy intensity, though some strategies may be more effective in offices and museums, while others are more helpful in hospitals and hotels.
Note that the credit language excludes three of the strategies of the Core Performance Guide from helping you earn the credit. This is because these areas are covered thoroughly by other LEED credits.
If you are installing a renewable energy system that provides at least 5% of your electricity, you already implemented one of the three strategies from the Core Performance Guide.
