If you’re an architect, building owner or developer pursuing LEED certification on a project; either new or renovation, you’re in luck.
Any project that earns Sustainable SITES Gold certification or higher automatically captures all of the Sustainable SITES credits under LEED v4.
When pursuing LEED having a big chunk of the points handled by SITES can be a real money and time-saver for architects, developers and/or building owners.
Don’t just take our word for it. Via the USGB:
A building’s impact is not restricted to what’s inside it.
Strategies under Sustainable Sites (SS) address impacts by rewarding decisions about the environment surrounding the building, and emphasizing the vital relationships among buildings, ecosystems and ecosystem services. They focus on restoring project site elements, integrating the site with local and regional ecosystems, and preserving the biodiversity on which natural systems rely.
For example, LEED is changing the way we view runoff from precipitation. “Rainwater” is now seen as a resource that provides many environmental and economic benefits. Managing rainwater on site restores natural hydrologic conditions, reduces the possibility of flooding, and creates opportunities for onsite water reuse in applications like irrigation and landscape features.
Another example is found in the streamlined requirements of the Heat Island Reduction credit. A building’s roof and a building’s site area both influence the heat gain and retention of a project’s surroundings. By combining these elements into one credit, LEED holistically addresses microclimates impacted by heat islands.
Curious about the many synergies between SITES and LEED? Click here to learn more.
The most successful projects are the result of the project team working together. The answers to the question “What should a LEED project accomplish?” are very similar to the goals of SITES projects:
- Reverse Contribution to Global Climate Change
- Enhance Individual Human Health and Well-Being
- Protect and Restore Water Resources
- Protect, Enhance and Restore Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services
- Promote Sustainable and Regenerative Material Resources Cycles
- Build a Greener Economy
- Enhance Social Equity, Environmental Justice, and Community Quality of Life
NEED AN EXPERIENCED LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE FIRM DEDICATED TO SUSTAINABLE, HIGH-PERFORMANCE LANDSCAPE DESIGN ON YOUR TEAM?
Contact Us To see how we can help with your project’s sustainability efforts, LEED and/or SITES certification.
