Page 202 - Green Building Through Integrated Design

178 GETTING STARTED—PREDESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

4 Is the site located on prime agricultural land? Are there alternative sites that are
nearby but are not on such a critical resource? (Note: in certain areas, such as
California’s Central Valley, without building upward, it’s almost impossible to
avoid using prime agricultural land for development.)
5 Is the site located more than 5 feet above the 100-year flood plain on a previously
undeveloped site, to avoid both future flooding and impacts on neighboring build-
ings and land uses?
6 Is the site on land that provides habitat for a threatened or endangered plant or ani-
mal species? Have we performed a biological resources inventory of the site to
determine its unique biotic characteristics?
7 Is the site within 100 feet of any wetland? Is there a possibility of using existing
wetlands for stormwater management or wastewater management?
8 Is the site on current or previous public parkland (other than for parks projects)?
If so, are there alternative sites that won’t diminish the availability of parkland for
a growing population?
9 Is there a need to complete environmental assessments or environmental impact
reports on any of the sites under consideration?
10 Of the development sites we are considering, which are best served by existing or
planned (and funded) public transit?
11 Which sites are within a quarter-mile of two or more bus lines or within a half-
mile of a commuter rail, light rail, or subway station (existing or planned and
funded)?
12 Are there a significant number of community services nearby, or will building
occupants be compelled to drive for lunch, for errands, and for other frequently
used services?
13 Is there an existing building available that would serve the needs of the project,
which could be restored or reused? Are the costs comparable (for example, con-
sidering costs of required seismic or building code upgrades)?
14 Is the existing building on the National Register of Historic Places? Are sustain-
able design upgrades possible within the context of historic preservation?
15 What are the compromises with historic preservation, such as the inability to
upgrade the energy performance of the building?
16 Are there local or state government tax or development incentives that would be
important in deciding to reuse an existing building?
17 Are there “brownfield” sites that could be acquired and restored through the
development of this project? Would this serve long-term public needs better than
developing on a “greenfield” site?
18 Are there urban infill sites that would be appropriate for this project, in order to
reduce infrastructure impacts and support existing transit and urban settlement
patterns?
19 Do these infill sites contain a density of at least 60,000 square feet per acre (two-
story or higher buildings) in the immediate vicinity of the project site, to encour-
age compact development?