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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...
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15 Comments
Pedestrian Access
We have a project where we meet the Option 2 variation of this credit, but the pedestrian access is a bit of a challenge. It is a suburban Chicago site, without sidewallks. The streets are low-volume, certainly not freeways/highways as the definition in the reference guide notes, but they are streets non-the-less without a continuous sidewalk to and from services. There are no other barriers. There is a paved bike path that provides a partial connection between the new building and a semi-urban villiage center with 10+ services as required. I can't find anywhere that a continuous sidewalk is noted, but I have to assume that is the intent of this credit. Are continuous accessible sidewalk routes a requirement of this credit or not?
Help with Credit SS 2 - Development Density
I'm working on a new proposed LEED project for a continuing care retirement community. A new building with 100 units. The site is 20 acres. There are currently two buildings on this site. One has 175 resident apartment units, and the other is office space, and health and wellness center. The ex. buildings are owned by the same individual. The ex buildings and the new proposed building will have different address, due to how they are located in a corner. My question is, although the existing residents building is owned by the same client, and it's all on the same site, can I use this ex. building to count for the the development density requirement of 10 units per acre net. This is option 2, where the new building must be 1/2 mile of a residential area or neighborhood with an average density of 10 units per acre net? Does this ex, building qualify as a residential area?
Thank you,
Fabio
Yes.
Thank you Susan
Can amenities within your LEED Building count as services?
We are working on a Grocery Store. Within that grocery store is a bank, a pharmacy, dry cleaners and day care/child care service. Would these services be applicable or are they invalid b/c they are located within the project?
Nevermind, I found a coordinating CIRCredit Interpretation Ruling. Used by design team members experiencing difficulties in the application of a LEED prerequisite or credit to a project. Typically, difficulties arise when specific issues are not directly addressed by LEED information/guide that states it is not acceptable.
Template Issue
Is there a problem on this credit's template for LEED-NC 2.2? We are going under Option 2, Community Connectivity, and can't list more than 1 community service using either the template that we download from LEEDonline or from LEEDuser. Thanks for your help.
Elizabeth,
You should be able to list all 10 of your basic services within that one line. It's not intuitive and is a bit different from how other LEED templates are set up, but just create your own list within each of the spaces provide. Each cell will expand to accommodate your list. Maintain a numbering system in each column/cell and make sure it corresponds with the site vicinity plan that you upload and you should be set.
Community Connectivity
Are the services on a campus considered the same as the services in the community? Example: Can the chapel, student union (which may include a post office, barbershop, cafeteria), gym, dining hall, etc., count as community services proximate to the project site?
Peter, yes, I would say so, but there will be some gray areas and judgement involved and some things may not pan out.
I have the same situation as Peter. The Reference Guide states that services in a mixed-use project must be open to the public (RG p.28). To me that implies that all campus facilities must be open to the public as well, which they're presumably not. I think I'll submit this as is and hope the LEED review team approves it, but I'm skeptical...
Maura, that was one of the areas I was thinking of as an issue, as well. In a university campus a lot of these services will be typically open to anyone. At a smaller high school, probably not as much. Certainly let us know how this goes when you get your review.
I always try to be conservative – there might be services closer to the project but if they are questionable I would use a service farther away but still within the range.
Residential requirements: Is zoning enough?
If the zoning allows 10 units per acres (going for option 2), does that satisfy the requirements? The reference guide seems to suggest that, which is different from the commercial requirement.
If the above is not sufficient, could a dormitory be sufficient? It's a large house with lots of students living there, but not really divided into several 'units'.
Ben,
To your first question, I think you would have to demonstrate that there is planned development of 10 units per acre, not just that the zoning is in place. If this is a registered project, it would be worth an email to the GBCI.
As far as the "dormitory" you've described goes, my initial reaction is that it wouldn't fly. If it were an on campus dormitory with 10 units per acre that would make sense, but I don't think that a house with 10+ people living there meets the intent or requirements. This might still be worth an email to the GBCI as well.
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