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If you already have a site plan, this credit is cut-and-dried
Typically, projects have already determined their site plan by the time the team begins considering LEED certification; if this is the case, you either have the credit or you don’t.
If your project location has not yet been determined, you can use the credit requirements as an environmental screening process when choosing your site. If the site is determined but the site plan isn’t set, consider whether the placement of buildings, roads, and other hardscapes on the site will tip you to compliance or non-compliance.
Previously developed or not?
This credit is intended to protect sensitive land as defined in the credit language. It also encourages projects to use previously developed land, by allowing specific exemptions for the criteria on water bodies and...
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.
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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.
14 Comments
Awesome Resource
I am so grateful for this site. My project team's site is a multi-building site going after one certification documentation has taken a lot of hard work and time. Fortunately the resources on this page are outstanding and have helped me achieve the results I've been looking for in one hour flat. Thanks to whomever put this together.
Michelle, thanks—we're glad to hear it's helping your project team! Here is the team behind LEEDuser.
Submittal documentation for this credit
Our project site complies with the requirements for this credit. What specifically should I submit with the LEED form or is just checking the boxes enough? Should I include any type of narrative?
Rhandi, you basically just have to check the boxes. If they don't ask for it, don't provide it!
International Project
how do I document the this credit in case of an international project?
for the prime farm land requirement i got a letter from the Ministry of Agriculture confirming that the land is not a prime farmland, will that work?
what about the other requirements
The letter form the Ministry should be sufficient to confirm "No farmland". For the other items the best way to go about it is to submit map highlighting wetlands, lakes, rivers or any other water bodies as well as protected areas for endangered species. This can also several maps if you can't get it on one. For the 100 year flood line it very much depends on what's available. Again a map would be the preferred option but a letter of the local authorities or the extract from your building permit, stating where the flood line is located is fine also.
“Previously Developed Sites”:
Our project’s site is on a mulit-acre lot on a very large military base, and there is a question as to whether the site can be considered 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." or not (SSc1, and implications for a few other credits). There are both overhead power lines and underground utility lines that go through the site. There is also a small parking lot at one edge of the site. It does look like the site has been overtaken with nature since their installation. This raises the question at what point in time after any 'direct human activity' does the site revert back to a Greenfield?
Is the LEED NC v2.2 definition of “previously developed sites" to include utilities that just pass through the site? If we can provide proof of their existence in a campus drawing do you think we can achieve this credit?
The other argument that can be made is that since the project is within an existing campus, the site, while not yet built upon, was intended for future growth. Do you think this is a valid argument for defining the site as well?
Have you verified the wetlands and flood plain qualifiers? Both times '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." land' comes into play is in regards to their proximity to water or how prone the site is to flooding. If the land is more than 5 feet above the 100 year flood plain or more than 50 feet from a water body, you don't need to worry about the previous utility work on site.
Yes, I believe a dry riverbed identified as a "Waters of the US" is within 50 feet of the project.
We really need to determine whether the site is considered to be 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." due to the utility lines running through the project site. The small parking lot is less than 2% of the site area. Otherwise, nature has retaken the site.
Jeff, I think you will find the forum discussion on SSc5.1 useful. You are in a bit of a gray area, but you may find some direction from other projects there.
Prime farmland area
My site was really good rice paddy field but graded by government's new city plan. My project is to build new school in the developed area. I am wondering whether the credit for SS C1 can get or not.
I would say that earning SSc1 for your project will be difficult. Even graded areas can be considered prime farmland, and it seems like this area would be subject to that designation.
Another obstacle is the fact that if you're not in the U.S. (and it appears that you're not) this credit is difficult to document due to the U.S.-centric standards and mapping tools that are used. This issue is discussed in more detail in our guidance above.
Is Watercourse a wetland?
Hi,
I would like to know if a watercourse is considered a wetland on LEED compliance. The problem is we constructed a roadway through the watercourse but we had a watercourse alteration approved by local government. Can we still earn this credit due to the modification? We don't have a choice but to have an entrance road on that side of the site because of its gradual slope and the rest are already steep. Please advise. Thanks.
Tysa, a "water body" and a "wetland" are different, and are treated differently in the LEED requirements. See the credit language above for the different thresholds for each of these cases. You may not qualify, though.
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