Page 46 - The Engineering Guide to LEED-New Construction Sustainable Construction for Engineers

CHAPTER 2

LEED Sustainable Sites

he Sustainable Sites category of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) rating
system for new construction version 2.2 (LEED-NC 2.2) and 2009 (LEED-NC 2009)
Tconsist of one prerequisite and eight credit subcategories, some of which are
further divided into credit sections which together may earn a possible 14 points in
version 2.2 and 26 points in version 2009, not including exemplary performance points.
The notation format for the prerequisites and credits is, for example, SSp1 for Sustainable
Sites prerequisite 1 and SSc1 for Sustainable Sites credit 1. Also, in this chapter, to facilitate
easier cross-referencing between this text and the USGBC rating system, the second digit
in a section heading, equation, table, or figure number represents the credit subcategory
number for sections that deal directly with a USGBC LEED-NC 2009 credit subcategory.
The Sustainable Sites (SS) portion deals with issues outside of the building,
including some of the building exterior, the land that is being developed, and the
surrounding community. It is not the only category that includes factors outside of
the building, but comprises those exterior issues that do not fit readily into the
other categories and those that have a direct impact on the local community or
microenvironment. The intent of the Sustainable Sites portion is summarized in
LEED-NC 2.2 as follows, and overall has not changed significantly in LEED 2009:

Project teams undertaking building projects should be cognizant of the inherent impacts of
development on the following:
• land consumption
• ecosystems
• natural resources
• energy use
Preference should be given to buildings with high performance attributes in locations that
enhance existing neighborhoods, transportation networks and urban infrastructures. During
initial project scoping, preference should be given to sites and land use plans that preserve
natural ecosystem functions and enhance the health of the surrounding community.
In summary, the Sustainable Sites category encourages revitalizing and using existing
infrastructure, and impacting the environment and natural resources as little as possible
in the local area (community) near or within the proposed development.
The prerequisite and 14 credit subsections available in the Sustainable Sites category
are as follows:
• SS Prerequisite 1 (SSp1): Construction Activity Pollution Prevention (previously
referred to as Erosion and Sedimentation Control in LEED-NC 2.1)
• SS Credit 1 (SSc1): Site Selection

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