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LEED v2009
New Construction
Sustainable Sites
Development Density and Community Connectivity

LEED CREDIT

NC-2009 SSc2: Development Density and Community Connectivity 5 points

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Credit language

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

Requirements

Option 1: Development density
Construct or renovate a building on a previously developed site AND in a community with a minimum density of 60,000 square feet per acre net (13,800 square meters per hectare net). The density calculation is based on a typical two-story downtown development and must include the area of the project being built.

OR

Option 2: Community connectivity
Construct or renovate a building on a site that meets the following criteria:
  • Is located on a previously developed site
  • Is within 1/2 mile of a residential area or neighborhood with an average density of 10 units per acre net
  • Is within 1/2 mile of at least 10 basic services
  • Has pedestrian access between the building and the services
For mixed-use projects, no more than 1 service within the project boundary may be counted as 1 of the 10 basic services, provided it is open to the public. No more than 2 of the 10 services required may be anticipated (i.e. at least 8 must be existing and operational). In addition, the anticipated services must demonstrate that they will be operational in the locations indicated within 1 year of occupation of the applicant project. Examples of basic services include the following:
  • Bank
  • Place of Worship
  • Convenience Grocery
  • Day Care Center
  • Cleaners
  • Fire Station
  • Beauty Salon
  • Hardware
  • Laundry
  • Library
  • Medical or Dental Office
  • Senior Care Facility
  • Park
  • Pharmacy
  • Post Office
  • Restaurant
  • School
  • Supermarket
  • Theater
  • Community Center
  • Fitness Center
  • Museum
Proximity is determined by drawing a 1/2-mile radius around a main building entrance on a site map and counting the services within that radius.
Credit substitution available
You may use the LEED v4 version of this credit on v2009 projects. For more information check out this article.
Streamlined path available
Achievement of this credit can be documented via a LEED ND v2009 submittal. For more information check out this article.
SITES-LEED Equivalency
This LEED credit (or a component of this credit) has been established as equivalent to a SITES v2 credit or component. For more information on using the equivalency as a substitution in your LEED or SITES project, see this article and guidance document.
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Frequently asked questions

Is my site previously developed?

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What exactly does LEED mean by residential neighborhood or area?

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Only a portion of my complying residential development lies within the ½-mile radius. Will this suffice for credit compliance?

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Where do I draw the radius from?

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Is one building or residential area enough to satisfy the residential density requirement?

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My project has access to services that seem to be basic, but are not listed in the LEED Reference Guide—like insurance company, nail salon, auto repair shop. Will these count?

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My project is on a base or campus where some services are available to the population of the project, but not the general public. Do these count?

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For Option 2, does the residential neighborhood with average density of 10 units per net acre have to be existing, or can planned neighborhoods count towards earning this option?

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What site area should be used for an interiors project when figuring out the density radius? The building site area, or building footprint?

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Addenda

11/3/2010Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
In the fifteenth line of Table 3 with the text "Total Building Space," add a "5" to the end of the number "1,018,36" so it becomes "1,018,365"
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
10/1/2013Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
Delete a sentence in Step 1 so it reads:
“Calculate the development density for the project by dividing the total square footage of the building by the total site area in acres (Equation 1).”
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
11/1/2011Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
Replace the definition of "Previously developed sites" with "Previously 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."
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
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Checklists

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Documentation toolkit

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LEEDuser’s Documentation Toolkit is loaded with calculators to help assess credit compliance, tracking spreadsheets for materials, sample templates to help guide your narratives and LEED Online submissions, and examples of actual submissions from certified LEED projects for you to check your work against. To get your plaque, start with the right toolkit.

Credit achievement rate

XX%

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LEEDuser expert

Ellen Mitchell

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USGBC logo

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

Requirements

Option 1: Development density
Construct or renovate a building on a previously developed site AND in a community with a minimum density of 60,000 square feet per acre net (13,800 square meters per hectare net). The density calculation is based on a typical two-story downtown development and must include the area of the project being built.

OR

Option 2: Community connectivity
Construct or renovate a building on a site that meets the following criteria:
  • Is located on a previously developed site
  • Is within 1/2 mile of a residential area or neighborhood with an average density of 10 units per acre net
  • Is within 1/2 mile of at least 10 basic services
  • Has pedestrian access between the building and the services
For mixed-use projects, no more than 1 service within the project boundary may be counted as 1 of the 10 basic services, provided it is open to the public. No more than 2 of the 10 services required may be anticipated (i.e. at least 8 must be existing and operational). In addition, the anticipated services must demonstrate that they will be operational in the locations indicated within 1 year of occupation of the applicant project. Examples of basic services include the following:
  • Bank
  • Place of Worship
  • Convenience Grocery
  • Day Care Center
  • Cleaners
  • Fire Station
  • Beauty Salon
  • Hardware
  • Laundry
  • Library
  • Medical or Dental Office
  • Senior Care Facility
  • Park
  • Pharmacy
  • Post Office
  • Restaurant
  • School
  • Supermarket
  • Theater
  • Community Center
  • Fitness Center
  • Museum
Proximity is determined by drawing a 1/2-mile radius around a main building entrance on a site map and counting the services within that radius.
Credit substitution available
You may use the LEED v4 version of this credit on v2009 projects. For more information check out this article.
Streamlined path available
Achievement of this credit can be documented via a LEED ND v2009 submittal. For more information check out this article.
SITES-LEED Equivalency
This LEED credit (or a component of this credit) has been established as equivalent to a SITES v2 credit or component. For more information on using the equivalency as a substitution in your LEED or SITES project, see this article and guidance document.

XX%

Upgrade to LEEDuser Premium to see how many projects achieved this credit. Try it free »

Got the gist of SSc2 but not sure how to actually achieve it? LEEDuser gives step-by-step help. Premium 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 of useful items from the Documentation Toolkit and Credit Language.

In the end, LEED is all about documentation. LEEDuser’s Documentation Toolkit, for premium members only, 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.

Is my site previously developed?

The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial »

(If you're already a premium member, log in here.)

What exactly does LEED mean by residential neighborhood or area?

The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial »

(If you're already a premium member, log in here.)

Only a portion of my complying residential development lies within the ½-mile radius. Will this suffice for credit compliance?

The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial »

(If you're already a premium member, log in here.)

Where do I draw the radius from?

The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial »

(If you're already a premium member, log in here.)

Is one building or residential area enough to satisfy the residential density requirement?

The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial »

(If you're already a premium member, log in here.)

My project has access to services that seem to be basic, but are not listed in the LEED Reference Guide—like insurance company, nail salon, auto repair shop. Will these count?

The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial »

(If you're already a premium member, log in here.)

My project is on a base or campus where some services are available to the population of the project, but not the general public. Do these count?

The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial »

(If you're already a premium member, log in here.)

For Option 2, does the residential neighborhood with average density of 10 units per net acre have to be existing, or can planned neighborhoods count towards earning this option?

The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial »

(If you're already a premium member, log in here.)

What site area should be used for an interiors project when figuring out the density radius? The building site area, or building footprint?

The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial »

(If you're already a premium member, log in here.)

11/3/2010Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
In the fifteenth line of Table 3 with the text "Total Building Space," add a "5" to the end of the number "1,018,36" so it becomes "1,018,365"
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
10/1/2013Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
Delete a sentence in Step 1 so it reads:
“Calculate the development density for the project by dividing the total square footage of the building by the total site area in acres (Equation 1).”
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
11/1/2011Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
Replace the definition of "Previously developed sites" with "Previously 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."
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No

LEEDuser expert

Ellen Mitchell

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