Choose your option
For more general guidance on SSc2: Development Density and Community Connectivity, see the LEEDuser credit page (see NC, CS, CI, Schools, or NC v2.2 versions).
Typically, the requisite neighborhood density for Option 1 of 60,000 ft2 per acre can be met by two-story downtown development, or a denser area. The requirements for Option 2 can typically be met in a variety of settings, from dense urban areas to rural small towns with some density of services. Option 2 is usually easier to document, but Option 1 gives you the chance to aim for an extra point through Exemplary PerformanceIn LEED, certain credits have established thresholds beyond basic credit achievement. Meeting these thresholds can earn additional points through Innovation in Design (ID) or Innovation in Operations (IO) points. As a general rule of thumb, ID credits for exemplary performance are awarded for doubling the credit requirements and/or achieving the next incremental percentage threshold. However, this rule varies on a case by case basis, so check the credit requirements..
Instructions for both options are below.
SSc2 – Option 1: Development Density – How to draw the density boundary
1) In...
26 Comments
Previously developed ?
While the reference quide seems to state 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." quie openly, it there some kind of limit, how much of the site should be previoisly developed to fulfil the criteria.
I have a site with exiting retail ja residential, now designed for a school. However, the existing development is only a quarter of the site and rest is forest & field.
Could this be counted as a previously developed ?
SS c2 Development Density and Community Connectivity
Is there a way that we could have exemplary performanceIn LEED, certain credits have established thresholds beyond basic credit achievement. Meeting these thresholds can earn additional points through Innovation in Design (ID) or Innovation in Operations (IO) points. As a general rule of thumb, ID credits for exemplary performance are awarded for doubling the credit requirements and/or achieving the next incremental percentage threshold. However, this rule varies on a case by case basis, so check the credit requirements. under Option 2 (community Connectivity)
I read that it is just under Option 1, but what if i have documented Option 2 and I have a density at least double that of the average density within the calculated area , could we have EP?
Dario, you can only pursue EP through Option 1. LEED does not have flexibility on this kind of thing.
Below grade retail
Hi - how can i calculate an area of retail which is below the street and stretches much further out than the basement of the office buildings which surround it. The offices have already been added to the calculations separately. Should i include the gross floor areaGross floor area (based on ASHRAE definition) is the sum of the floor areas of the spaces within the building, including basements, mezzanine and intermediate‐floored tiers, and penthouses wi th headroom height of 7.5 ft (2.2 meters) or greater. Measurements m ust be taken from the exterior 39 faces of exterior walls OR from the centerline of walls separating buildings, OR (for LEED CI certifying spaces) from the centerline of walls separating spaces. Excludes non‐en closed (or non‐enclosable) roofed‐over areas such as exterior covered walkways, porches, terraces or steps, roof overhangs, and similar features. Excludes air shafts, pipe trenches, and chimneys. Excludes floor area dedicated to the parking and circulation of motor vehicles. ( Note that while excluded features may not be part of the gross floor area, and therefore technically not a part of the LEED project building, they may still be required to be a part of the overall LEED project and subject to MPRs, prerequisites, and credits.) and then have 0 as the site area ?
thanks
Vivien, that sounds like a solid approach to me.
Drawing a radius in Google Maps or Google Earth
Has Google recently discontinued this feature? The Ruler or Distance Measurement Tool doesn't appear to enable drawing a radius. If so, would you update your Tip Sheet directions. Thanks.
Hi Lewis,
Google has not discontinued the ruler feature, but it's sort of hidden now. To get it you have to click on the little gear in the top right hand corner of the screen, (a drop down will appear) then click on the green beaker (it says "New!" next to it). That will pull up a screen of things you can enable or disable within Google Maps. The ruler tool is first, click enable. Then click save changes. Now a little blue ruler button should appear in the lower left hand side of the map (next to the scale). Click on the little ruler to access the tool.
Hope this helps!
Emily, this will measure a linear path along a street, but won't draw a circle with a specific radius -- for LEED purposes, a 0.5 mile radius. Is there another method or resource to use? Thanks.
Try this link:
http://www.freemaptools.com/radius-around-point.htm
What about the hard part; calculating building density?
Is there an easy way to calculate square footage of sites and buildings? I haven't had any luck with Property Index Numbers nor found another public database with this information. Usually I avoid Option 1. Is there a way other than measuring the aerial and counting stories to get this information?
In short, I don't know of an easy answer. Some options and their pluses and minuses are discussed in more detail on our main SSc2 page.
With a little help from my friendly County Assessor's office I was finally able to get the online database to give me the info I wanted. I found a useful site that will give you any address by clicking on a Google map. http://digitalinspiration.com/community/location.html
So if you are working on a project in a jurisdiction that has online tax info and if you can search Property Index Numbers by address, this is a VERY useful website.
Density calc. is based on two-story downtown development?
Hi all,
For SS C2, Option 1. What does it mean with "The density calculation is based on a typical two-story downtown development.." Does it mean we must ignore the actual number of story and assume all surrounding buildings are two storey? Many thanks for the response
Cheers - Erika
To meet the requirement for Option 1, you have to demonstrate a density of 60,000 square feet per acre. This is roughly equivalent to a two-story downtown.
You must measure the actual density around your project and see if it meets that threshold.
Does that make sense?
Hi Tristan,
Thank you for the reply. That means, if my project's surrounding buildings are 9 storey buildings, I have to get the total building areas of the 9 storeys as part of the total square feet density. Is that correct?
Thank you so much.
Cheers - Erika
Yes, that's correct.
how do i take a "screenshot" of a map??
i've created my map in google but am unable to export it to my powerpoint presentation. there is mention of taking a "screenshot" but i haven't been able to figure out how to do so.
Alison and others,
You should be able to capture a screen shot of your Google Maps or Google Earth maps in several ways.
If you are a Mac user (like our office), you can use the Preview application to "grab" a screen shot. Look in the File menu in Preview.
If you are a Windows user, you can either hit the "print screen" button while viewing the map, and then paste the result directly into Powerpoint (Cntrl+V)... or... you can use one of several applications to grab a screen shot. Including, I believe, Photoshop and InDesign.
Hi Alison,
This depends if you are using a Mac or a PC.
For a Mac: press the apple key+shift key+4 and your cursor will turn into a + which allows you to select any portion of your screen. The selection automatically gets saved to your desktop as an image. Then you can just insert the image into PowerPoint.
For a PC: Make sure you have what you want to use displayed on your screen. Press the "Print Screen" ("prt sc" on some keyboards) key and an image of your screen is saved to your clip board. Then you can paste it into PowerPoint and edit it from there. (Though I am less familiar with doing this on a PC.)
Hope that helps!
- Emily
SSc2 – Option 2: How to draw the projec t boundary
In the credit requirements for Option 2 there is an additional requirement for School that is "Proximity is determined by drawing a 1/2-mile radius around any building entrance on a site map and counting the services within that radius." but in this case we have many radius as many the entrances!
The question is: do we have to consider the envelope area of the circles for counting the 10 units or each circle area must have 10 basic services?
It would seem logic to consider the envelope area that means : 10 basic services within 1/2 mile from at least one entrance of the school.
In the other case it would mean that 10 basic services must be within 1/2 from each entrance that it does not sound reasanable.
We actually found out the answer that is: in "...by drawing a 1/2-mile radius around any building entrance..." , "any" means "just one of all the available entrances" and not "every entrance" or "each entrance". Thus you can choose one entrance (the more convenient one if applicable) and draw the1/2 radius.
Few more words in the requirements text would help in clearness sometimes, expecially for foreigner countries using LEED U.S.!
Yes, that is often the case! I'm glad you found the language.
development density radius
Anybody have any suggestions on what size of area to cover for this credit?
Rona,
I think the answer you are looking for is covered in the SSc2 credit page on LEEDuser. Let me know if you have a more specific question and we can help you out.
Check that your project can comply, using these three steps:
1.Divide the total project square footage by the total site area in acres. (The minimum density required by this credit is 60,000 ft2 per acre).
2.Convert the total site area in acres to square feet (acres X 43,560 square feet) and find the square root of this number. Then multiply the result by 3 to determine the appropriate density radius in feet. Density Radius = 3 x √ [site area in acres x 43,560 ft2/acre].
3.Define a circle based on the density radius to serve as the density boundary. Add the square footage of all buildings within the boundary and divide by the total area of all sites in the density boundary in acres. Include both the entire floor area and entire site area for all properties within and intersected by the density boundary (i.e., where the radius boundary intersects a building, even if only partially). Be sure to include your project site as well. Parks and water bodies can be excluded from the density boundary area.
Best,
Shannon
thanks so much!
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