Schematic Design

Projects ineligible for the building

The architect determines project eligibility for the building reuse credit based on pre-design assessment.

The architect determines project eligibility for the building reuse credit based on pre-design assessment.

Integrating the stormwater plan into the design at an early stage and calculating the pollution reduction percentages will decrease additional costs as the landscape and building infrastructure can be designed accordingly.

Some municipalities require documented stormwater management. The documentation for LEED requirements should not represent a significant soft cost premium.

In locations where local stormwater regulations are similar to or more stringent than LEED requirements, implementation of this credit will incur minimal additional cost for documentation purposes. In locations where it goes beyond standard practice, it may require additional design and documentation costs.

Depending on local regulations, this credit may be standard practice. For example, new developments following the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Stormwater Policy must provide at least 80% of TSS removal rates through BMPs. Also, any projects areas that are required to follow the U.S.

The civil engineer can conduct a cost-benefit analysis of stormwater-reduction strategies, including cisterns, porous pavement, rain gardens, parking garages (instead of parking lots), detention ponds, green roofs, sand filters, or detention tanks. Some of these strategies may be perceived as added costs, but this analysis may show that with reduced infrastructure, these environmental strategies are cost-neutral, or better.

Develop a project-wide

The civil engineer determines the degree of stormwater management required by LEED based on average annual rainfall. The engineer uses these calculations to determine the type and size of systems needed. Managing 90% of the average annual rainfall is equivalent to treating the amounts listed on this table.