Sustainable site practices alleviate the impact of the construction process, landscaping and building exterior on the ecosystem and the region. These measures simplify maintenance, reduce disturbance of habitats and water and help to revitalize urban areas. They also mitigate the Urban Heat Island Effect, encourage redevelopment of brownfield sites, steer new development toward existing transportation corridors and infrastructure and promote biodiversity. For more detailed information on LEED requirements, please refer to the USGBC’s LEED Rating System.

Prerequisite: Erosion & Sedimentation Control – design a plan that conforms to best management practices of EPA’s Storm Water Management for Construction Activities or local standards and codes, whichever is more stringent.

1. Site selection – avoid development on inappropriate sites such as farmlands, flood plains, endangered species habitats, wetlands, and public parklands (1 point)
2. Urban redevelopment – channel development to urban areas with minimum development density of 60,000 ft2/acre (1 point)
3. Brownfield redevelopment – choose a damaged site or a site classified as a brownfield and redevelop (1 point)
4. Alternative Transportation – Reduce need for automobile use:
   1. Locate site within ½ mile of rail or subway station or ¼ mile of 2 or more bus lines (1 point)
   2. Provide for bicycles, changing/shower areas for 5% or more of building occupants (1 point)
   3. Install alternative fuel refueling stations for 3% or more of parking capacity (1 point)
   4. Size parking not to exceed minimum requirements AND provide preferred carpool parking for 5% of occupants OR add no new parking for rehab projects AND provide preferred carpool parking for 5% of occupants (1 point)
5. Reduced site disturbance – conserve natural areas and restore damaged areas:
   1. Limit site disturbance to 40 ft. from building perimeter, 5 ft. from road/walkways and utility trenches and 25 ft. from pervious paving OR for redevelopment restore minimum of 50% to native or adapted vegetation (1 point)
   2. Reduce development footprint to exceed local open space requirement by 25% (1 point)
6. Stormwater management – Implement a plan that results in:
   1. No net increase in stormwater runoff OR if existing imperviousness >50% decrease stormwater runoff rate and quantity by 25% (1 point)
   2. A treatment system to remove 80% of post development total suspended solids and 40% of phosphorous (1 point)
7. Landscape and exterior design to reduce heat islands:
   1. Provide shade (w/in 5 yr.) on >30% of non-roof impervious surfaces OR use light-colored/high-albedo material for >30% non-roof impervious surfaces OR place >50% of parking underground OR use open-grid pavement for >50% of parking area (1 point)
   2. Use high-reflectance, high-emissivity roofing for >75% of roof OR install “green” roof for >50% of roof (1 point)
8. Light pollution reduction – Do not exceed Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) in Recommended Practice Manual AND design for zero direct-beam illumination leaving the site (1 point)

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