-
Easier for dense urban sites
This credit addresses two basic issues: density of the surrounding neighborhood and occupant access to everyday services. It encourages use of existing infrastructure and tries to reduce environmental impacts of transportation. It’s easier for projects located in a densely built area or with a host of community services nearby.
This credit is not likely to drive the project location decision, but it does reward projects for locating in developed areas and for choosing infill instead of greenfield sites (you can’t earn the credit on a site that is not previously developedPreviously developed sites are those altered by paving, construction, and/or land use that...
Step-by-step credit help
Got the gist of the LEED credit but not sure how to actually achieve it? LEEDuser gives step-by-step help. Members get:
- Checklists covering all the key action steps you'll need to earn the credit.
- Hot tips to give you shortcuts and avoid pitfalls.
- Cost tips to assess what a credit will actually cost, and how to make it affordable.
- Ideas for going beyond LEED with best practices.
- All checklists organized by project phase.
- On-the-fly suggestions on useful items from the Documentation Toolkit, Resources, and Credit Language.
-
Credit language straight from USGBC
Need to check up on the exact LEED credit language from the LEED Rating System on the fly? LEEDuser includes the verbatim language. Members get:
- Easy access to the official LEED credit language with just a couple of clicks.
- On the jobsite without your bulky LEED Reference Guide? Check up on the credit language details here.
- Credit language content is used by permission of the U.S. Green Building Council.
Your credit-by-credit reference library
Why waste time chasing down referenced standards and supporting resources when LEEDuser links you directly to the ones you need? LEEDuser has gathered all the best tools out there and organized them by credit for easy reference. Members get links to:
- Organizations that can give information or help on a credit.
- Standards or studies that are key reference points for credits and prerequisites.
- Articles that help explain important topics.
- Key documents or references for credit inputs.
- Software tools you can use to run calculations or simulations.
Documentation Toolkit
In the end, LEED is all about documentation. LEEDuser’s Documentation Toolkit saves you time and helps you avoid mistakes with:
- Calculators to help assess credit compliance.
- Tracking spreadsheets for materials purchases.
- Spreadsheets and forms to give to subs and other team members.
- Guidance documents on arcane LEED issues.
- Sample templates to help guide your narratives and LEED Online submissions.
- Examples of actual submissions from certified LEED projects.
7 Comments
Community Connectivity - residential density
I am working on a project (LEED CS 2.0) that easily meets the services requirement, but I'm having a hard time with the residential density requirement. Looking at my aerial photo shows a neighborhood that is mostly single family homes. There are no apartment complexes that meet the 10 units/acre standard, however, there is a project that is in development and will be 50 units covering only a few acres. Can we use the future development option for residential density?
Hi Mark. A future residential development can count provided that you offer clear documentation that the development doesn't encroach on undeveloped/greenfield areas. More specifically, you'll need to document that the development is on or within previously existing urban infrastructure (i.e. roads, sewers, etc). You'll also need to quantify the proposed future density (as you've helpful done here).
Pedestrian Access by Residential Area
In using Option 2 - Community Connectivity, must the residential area have unimpeded pedestrian access to the project, as well as the project having unimpeded pedestrian access to the 10 basic services?
Karla,
The credit clearly states that there must be pedestrian access to the services, but no mention of the resi area. I would err on the side that access should be unimpeded. If there are multiple routes to a basic service all within the 1/2 mile radius you should be okay in meeting the credit intent, even if one path is impeded.
Thank you, Larry.
Previously developed site?
I am working on LEED documentation for a project that meets all the requirements in Option 2 for community connectivity. The site has never had a building on it, however it has been graded, there are utilities running through it and it is in the center of a master-planned university campus with surrounding buildings. Will this qualify as a previously developedPreviously developed sites are those altered by paving, construction, and/or land use that would typically have required regulatory permitting to have been initiated (alterations may exist now or in the past). Previously developed land includes a platted lot on which a building was constructed if the lot is no more than 1 acre; previous development on lots larger than 1 acre is defined as the development footprint and land alterations associated with the footprint. Land that is not previously developed and altered landscapes resulting from current or historical clearing or filling, agricultural or forestry use, or preserved natural area use are considered undeveloped land. The date of previous development permit issuance constitutes the date of previous development, but permit issuance in itself does not constitute previous development." site, and is there separate documentation required to prove this?
Hi Reid,
Yes, it's previously developedPreviously developed sites are those altered by paving, construction, and/or land use that would typically have required regulatory permitting to have been initiated (alterations may exist now or in the past). Previously developed land includes a platted lot on which a building was constructed if the lot is no more than 1 acre; previous development on lots larger than 1 acre is defined as the development footprint and land alterations associated with the footprint. Land that is not previously developed and altered landscapes resulting from current or historical clearing or filling, agricultural or forestry use, or preserved natural area use are considered undeveloped land. The date of previous development permit issuance constitutes the date of previous development, but permit issuance in itself does not constitute previous development.". The C&S Glossary defines "Previously Developed" as sites that "once had buildings, roadways, parking lots, or were graded or otherwise altered by direct human activities." In the past, I've provided an aerial image of the existing site, or a Phase II environmental assessment, to show that the site is previously graded.
Please register to use the forum.