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LEED v4
Neighborhood Development
Neighborhood Pattern & Design
Housing types and affordability

LEED CREDIT

ND-v4 NPDc4: Housing types and affordability 1-7 points

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© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.

Requirements

Meet the requirements of one or more of the following options.

Option 1. Diversity of housing types (1–3 points)
Include a sufficient variety of housing sizes and types in the project such that the total variety of planned and existing housing within the project achieves a Simpson Diversity Index score greater than 0.5, using the housing categories below. Projects of less than 125 acres (50.5 hectares) may calculate the Simpson Diversity Index for the area within ¼ mile (400 meters) of the project’s geographic center. The Simpson Diversity Index calculates the probability that any two randomly selected dwelling units in a project will be of a different type. Score = 1- ∑ (n/N)2 Where n = the total number of dwelling units in a single category, and N = the total number of dwelling units in all categories.
Table 1. Points for housing diversity

Simpson Diversity Index score

Points

> 0.5 to

1

≥ 0.6 to

2

≥ 0.7

3

Housing categories are defined by the dwelling unit’s net floor area, exclusive of any garage, as listed in Table 2.
Table 2. Housing categories

Type

Square feet

Square meters

Detached residential, large

> 1,250

> 116

Detached residential, small

≤ 1,250

≤ 116

Duplex or townhouse, large

> 1,250

> 116

Duplex or townhouse, small

≤ 1,250

≤ 116

Dwelling unit in multiunit building with no elevator, large

> 1,250

> 116

Dwelling unit in multiunit building with no elevator, medium

> 750 to ≤ 1,250

> 70 to ≤ 116

Dwelling unit in multiunit building with no elevator, small

≤ 750

≤ 70

Dwelling unit in multiunit building with elevator, 4 stories or fewer, large

> 1,250

> 116

Dwelling unit in multiunit building with elevator, 4 stories or fewer, medium

> 750 to ≤ 1,250

> 70 to ≤ 116

Dwelling unit in multiunit building with elevator, 4 stories or fewer, small

 ≤ 750

≤ 70

Dwelling unit in multiunit building with elevator, 5 to 8 stories, large

> 1,250

> 116

Dwelling unit in multiunit building with elevator, 5 to 8 stories, medium

> 750 to ≤ 1,250

> 70 to ≤ 116

Dwelling unit in multiunit building with elevator, 5 to 8 stories, small

≤ 750

≤ 70

Dwelling unit in multiunit building with elevator, 9 stories or more, large

> 1,250

> 116

Dwelling unit in multiunit building with elevator, 9 stories or more, medium

> 750 to ≤ 1,250

> 70 to ≤ 116

Dwelling unit in multiunit building with elevator, 9 stories or more, small

≤ 750

≤ 70

Live-work space, large

> 1,250

> 116

Live-work space, small

≤ 1,250

≤ 116

Accessory dwelling unit, large

> 1,250

> 116

Accessory dwelling unit, small

≤ 1,250

≤ 116

For the purposes of this credit, townhouse and live-work units may have individual ground-level entrances or be within a multiunit or mixed-use building. Double counting is prohibited; each dwelling may be classified in only one category. The number of stories in a building is inclusive of the ground floor regardless of its use.

AND/OR

Option 2. Affordable Housing (1–3 points)
Include a proportion of new rental and/or for-sale dwelling units priced for households earning less than the area median income (AMI). Rental units must be maintained at affordable levels for a minimum of 15 years. Existing dwelling units are exempt from requirement calculations. Meet any combination of thresholds in Table 3, up to a maximum of 3 points.
Table 3. Points for affordable housing

Rental dwelling units

For-sale dwelling units

Priced up to 60% AMI

Priced up to 80% AMI

Priced up to 100% AMI

Priced up to 120% AMI

Percentage of total rental units

Points

Percentage of total rental units

Points

Percentage of total for-sale units

Points

Percentage of total for-sale units

Points

5

1

10

1

5

1

8

1

10

2

15

2

10

2

12

2

15

3

25

3

15

3

AND/OR

Option 3. Housing types and affordable housing (1 point)
A project may earn an additional point by earning at least 2 points in Option 1 and at least 2 points in Option 2 (at least one of which must be for providing housing at or below 100% AMI). See all forum discussions about this credit »

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Our tab contains overall cost guidance, notes on what “soft costs” to expect, and a strategy-by-strategy breakdown of what to consider and what it might cost, in percentage premiums, actual costs, or both.

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USGBC logo

© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.

Requirements

Meet the requirements of one or more of the following options.

Option 1. Diversity of housing types (1–3 points)
Include a sufficient variety of housing sizes and types in the project such that the total variety of planned and existing housing within the project achieves a Simpson Diversity Index score greater than 0.5, using the housing categories below. Projects of less than 125 acres (50.5 hectares) may calculate the Simpson Diversity Index for the area within ¼ mile (400 meters) of the project’s geographic center. The Simpson Diversity Index calculates the probability that any two randomly selected dwelling units in a project will be of a different type. Score = 1- ∑ (n/N)2 Where n = the total number of dwelling units in a single category, and N = the total number of dwelling units in all categories.
Table 1. Points for housing diversity

Simpson Diversity Index score

Points

> 0.5 to

1

≥ 0.6 to

2

≥ 0.7

3

Housing categories are defined by the dwelling unit’s net floor area, exclusive of any garage, as listed in Table 2.
Table 2. Housing categories

Type

Square feet

Square meters

Detached residential, large

> 1,250

> 116

Detached residential, small

≤ 1,250

≤ 116

Duplex or townhouse, large

> 1,250

> 116

Duplex or townhouse, small

≤ 1,250

≤ 116

Dwelling unit in multiunit building with no elevator, large

> 1,250

> 116

Dwelling unit in multiunit building with no elevator, medium

> 750 to ≤ 1,250

> 70 to ≤ 116

Dwelling unit in multiunit building with no elevator, small

≤ 750

≤ 70

Dwelling unit in multiunit building with elevator, 4 stories or fewer, large

> 1,250

> 116

Dwelling unit in multiunit building with elevator, 4 stories or fewer, medium

> 750 to ≤ 1,250

> 70 to ≤ 116

Dwelling unit in multiunit building with elevator, 4 stories or fewer, small

 ≤ 750

≤ 70

Dwelling unit in multiunit building with elevator, 5 to 8 stories, large

> 1,250

> 116

Dwelling unit in multiunit building with elevator, 5 to 8 stories, medium

> 750 to ≤ 1,250

> 70 to ≤ 116

Dwelling unit in multiunit building with elevator, 5 to 8 stories, small

≤ 750

≤ 70

Dwelling unit in multiunit building with elevator, 9 stories or more, large

> 1,250

> 116

Dwelling unit in multiunit building with elevator, 9 stories or more, medium

> 750 to ≤ 1,250

> 70 to ≤ 116

Dwelling unit in multiunit building with elevator, 9 stories or more, small

≤ 750

≤ 70

Live-work space, large

> 1,250

> 116

Live-work space, small

≤ 1,250

≤ 116

Accessory dwelling unit, large

> 1,250

> 116

Accessory dwelling unit, small

≤ 1,250

≤ 116

For the purposes of this credit, townhouse and live-work units may have individual ground-level entrances or be within a multiunit or mixed-use building. Double counting is prohibited; each dwelling may be classified in only one category. The number of stories in a building is inclusive of the ground floor regardless of its use.

AND/OR

Option 2. Affordable Housing (1–3 points)
Include a proportion of new rental and/or for-sale dwelling units priced for households earning less than the area median income (AMI). Rental units must be maintained at affordable levels for a minimum of 15 years. Existing dwelling units are exempt from requirement calculations. Meet any combination of thresholds in Table 3, up to a maximum of 3 points.
Table 3. Points for affordable housing

Rental dwelling units

For-sale dwelling units

Priced up to 60% AMI

Priced up to 80% AMI

Priced up to 100% AMI

Priced up to 120% AMI

Percentage of total rental units

Points

Percentage of total rental units

Points

Percentage of total for-sale units

Points

Percentage of total for-sale units

Points

5

1

10

1

5

1

8

1

10

2

15

2

10

2

12

2

15

3

25

3

15

3

AND/OR

Option 3. Housing types and affordable housing (1 point)
A project may earn an additional point by earning at least 2 points in Option 1 and at least 2 points in Option 2 (at least one of which must be for providing housing at or below 100% AMI).
See all LEEDuser forum discussions about this credit » Subscribe to new discussions about ND-v4 NPDc4