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Sustainable SiteDevelopment
Water Efficiency
Energy & Atmosphere
Materials and Resources
Indoor Environmental Quality
Innovation and Design Process

The LEED project checklist for Sustainable Sites includes one pre-requisite and 14 possible credits toward the certification process. The intent of this category is to ensure environmentally responsible considerations and practices throughout the construction phase as well as for long-term sustainability of the site itself. While each credit is detailed as to intent and requirements, only a brief description is listed here. More details are available upon request.

SS Prerequisite 1: Construction Activity Pollution Prevention (Required)
An erosion control plan, developed prior to construction, is necessary and is to include contols intended to minimize air, water and soil pollution and erosion.

SS Credit 1: Site Selection
The choice of a building site should consider nearby wildlife habitats, bodies of water, wetlands, parklands, farmland and previously undeveloped land.

SS Credit 2: Development Density & Community Connectivity
Building in an urban area on a previously developed site will maximize existing infrastructure including utilities, thoroughfares, and public services. Building in such an area also fosters community.

SS Credit 3: Brownfield Redevelopment
If possible, utilize environmentally damaged building sites by incorporating remediation and rehabilitation measures into the construction process

SS Credit 4.1: Alternative Transportation: Public Transportation Access
Locate the project close to public transportation to encourage reduction of impact from automobile use.

SS Credit 4.2: Alternative Transportation: Bicycle Storage & Changing Rooms
Provide bicycle storage racks and shower facilities for 5% of the building's occupants (at peak use period) to discourage use of automobiles.

SS Credit 4.3: Alternative Transportation: Low Emitting Fuel Efficient Vehicles
Provide low-emitting and fuel-efficient vehicles for 3% of Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) occupants and also provide preferential parking spaces for these vehicles.

SS Credit 4.4: Alternative Transportation: Parking Capacity
Provide preferential parking for carpool and vanpool vehicles and minimize parking in general to encourage high-occupancy use of vehicles

SS Credit 5.1: Site Development: Protect or Restore Habitat
Identify natural ecosystems within and around the immediate site. For greenfield sites (those not previously developed), identify ecosystems and minimize the extent of site disturbance, keeping within specified boundaries. In previously developed sites, plant native vegetation to restore a minimum of 50% of the area (not including the building footprint).

SS Credit 5.2: Site Development: Maximize Open Space
Provide open space in at least 20-25% of the site, depending on local zoning ordinances with the goal of achieving "a high ratio of open space to development footprint." Pedestrian areas, wetlands or ponds, and vegetated roof spaces qualify for this credit.

SS Credit 6.1: Stormwater Design: Quantity Control
Manage stormwater flows in and around the site to minimize runoff, overflow, and contamination of surrounding water systems

SS Credit 6.2: Stormwater Design: Quality Control
Manage stormwater flows, collect and treat to reduce pollutants.

SS Credit 7.1: Heat Island Effect: Non-Roof
Mimize heat islands by providing shade and designing parking areas with high-reflectance materials that do not absorb heat.

SS Credit 7.2: Heat Island Efffect: Roof
Install a vegetative roof, or use reflective roofing materials to reduce the absorbption of heat, thereby minimizing the heat island effect.

SS Credit 8: Light Pollution Reduction
Reducing light pollution allows more visibility of the night sky and lessens the impact of humans on the surrounding night environment. Automatic controls to turn off lights when areas are not in use will minimize the amount of indoor light escaping to the outdoors at night. Outdoors, depending on the zone of use, the number and placement of lights and the amonunt of illuminescence can be lowered to provide for both safety and the environment.