Excerpt v4 ND

NEIGHBORHOOD
DEVELOPMENT
NEIGHBORHOOD
DEVELOPMENT
i
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LEED Reference Guide for Neighborhood Development
LEED v4 Edition
ISBN # 978-1-932444-49-0
ii
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The LEED Reference Guide for Neighborhood Development, LEED v4 Edition, has been made possible only through
the efforts of many dedicated volunteers, staff members, and others in the USGBC community. The Reference Guide
drafting was managed and implemented by USGBC staff and consultants and included review and suggestions by
many Technical Advisory Group (TAG) members. We extend our deepest gratitude to all of our LEED committee
members who participated in the development of this guide, for their tireless volunteer efforts and constant support
of USGBC’s mission:
LEED Steering Committee

Joel Todd, Chair Joel Ann Todd
Bryna Dunn, Vice-Chair Moseley Architects
Felipe Faria Green Building Council Brasil
Elaine Hsieh KEMA Services
Susan Kaplan BuildingWrx
Malcolm Lewis Cadmus Group
Muscoe Martin M2 Architecture
Lisa Matthiessen Integral Group
Brenda Morawa Integrated Environmental Solutions
Tim Murray Morris Architects
Sara O’Mara Choate Construction Company
Bruce Poe Modus Architecture Collaborative
Alfonso Ponce Deloitte Finance
David Sheridan Aqua Cura
Lynn Simon Thornton Tomasetti
Doug Gatlin (Non-voting) U.S. Green Building Council
Scot Horst (Non-voting) U.S. Green Building Council
Brendan Owens (Non-voting) U.S. Green Building Council
Peter Templeton (Non-voting) U.S. Green Building Council
LEED Technical Committee

Susan Kaplan, Chair BuildingWrx
Maureen McGeary Mahle, Vice-Chair Steven Winter Associates
Jennifer Atlee BuildingGreen
Steve Baer Five Winds International
Ted Bardacke Global Green USA
Steve Benz OLIN
Neal Billetdeaux SmithGroupJJR
David Bracciano Alliance for Water Efficiency
Daniel Bruck BRC Acoustics & Audiovisual Design
David Carlson Columbia University
Jenny Carney YR&G
Mark Frankel New Buildings Institute
Nathan Gauthier EA Buildings
George Brad Guy Catholic University of America
Michelle Halle Stern The Green Facilitator
Malcolm Lewis Cadmus Group
John McFarland Working Buildings LLC
Jessica Millman The Agora Group
Neil Rosen North Shore LIJ Health System
Thomas Scarola Tishman Speyer
Chris Schaffner The Green Engineer
Marcus Sheffer 7group
Sheila Sheridan Sheridan Associates
Bob Thompson U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Alfred Vick University of Georgia
iii
LEED Market Advisory Committee

Lisa Matthiessen, Chair Integral Group
Holley Henderson, Vice-Chair H2Ecodesign
Liana Berberidou-Kallivoka City of Austin
Jeffrey Cole Konstrukt
Walter Cuculic Pulte Homes
Rand Ekman Cannon Design
Richard Kleinman LaSalle Investment Management
Craig Kneeland NYSERDA
Muscoe Martin M2 Architecture
Cindy Quan Goldman Sachs & Co.
Matt Raimi Raimi + Associates
Jon Ratner Forest City Enterprises
Rebecca Stafford University of California, Office of President
Gary Thomas CB Richard Ellis
Keith Winn Catalyst Partners
Implementation Advisory Committee

Brenda Morawa, Chair Integrated Environmental Solutions
Adam Fransen, Vice-Chair CB Richard Ellis
Michelle Malanca Michelle Malanca Sustainability Consulting
Brad Pease Paladino and Co.
Ken Potts McGough
Richard Schneider U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center
Greg Shank Altura Associates
David Sheridan Aqua Cura
Natalie Terrill Viridian Energy & Environmental
Bill Worthen Urban Fabrick Design
Max Zahniser Praxis | Building Solutions
Location and Planning TAG

Jessica Millman, Chair The Agora Group
John Dalzell, Vice-Chair Boston Redevelopment Authority/ City of Boston
Eliot Allen Criterion Planners
Laurence Aurbach Office of Laurence Aurbach
Ted Bardacke Global Green USA
Erin Christensen Mithun
Andy Clarke League of American Bicyclists
Fred Dock City of Pasadena
Bruce Donnelly Auricity
Victor Dover Dover, Kohl, and Partners
Reid Ewing University of Utah
Doug Farr Farr & Associates
Lois Fisher Fisher Town Design
Tim Frank Sierra Club
Randy Hansell Earth Advantage Institute
Justin Horner Natural Resources Defense Council
Ron Kilcoyne Lane Transit District
Todd Litman Victoria Transport Policy Institute
Dana Little Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council
Art Lomenick Parsons Brinckerhoff
Steve Mouzon New Urban Guild
Lynn Richards U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Harrison Rue ICF International
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Shawn Seamen PN Hoffman

Anthony Sease Civitech
Laurie Volk Zimmerman/ Volk Associates
Patricia White Defenders of Wildlife
Sustainable Sites TAG

Jenny Carney, Chair YR&G
Neal Billetdeaux, Vice-Chair SmithGroupJJR
Michele Adams Meliora Environmental Design
Steve Benz OLIN
Joby Carlson University of Arkansas
Laura Case Southface Energy Institute
Stephen Cook VIKA
Richard Heinisch Acuity Brands Lighting
Heather Holdridge Lake | Flato Architects
Jason King Greenworks, PC
Katrina Rosa The EcoLogic Studio
Kyle Thomas Natural Systems Engineering
Alfred Vick University of Georgia
Teresa Watkins St. John’s Water Management District
Water Efficiency TAG

Neil Rosen, Chair North Shore LIJ Health System
Doug Bennett, Vice-Chair Las Vegas Valley Water District / Southern Nevada Water Authority
Damann Anderson Hazen & Sawyer
Gunnar Baldwin TOTO USA
Robert Benazzi Jaros Baum & Bolles
Steve Benz OLIN
Neal Billetdeaux SmithGroupJJR
David Bracciano Alliance for Water Efficiency
David Carlson Columbia University
Ron Hand E/FECT. Sustainable Design Solutions
Bill Hoffman H.W. Hoffman and Associates
Winston Huff SSR Engineers
Joanna Kind Eastern Research Group
Heather Kinkade Forgotten Rain
Gary Klein Affiliated International Management
John Koeller Koeller and Company
Shawn Martin International Code Council
Don Mills Clivus Multrum
Geoff Nara Civil & Environmental Consultants
Karen Poff Austin Energy
Shabbir Rawalpindiwala Kohler
Robert Rubin NCSU
Stephanie Tanner U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
David Viola International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials
Bill Wall Clivus New England
Daniel Yeh University of South Florida
Rob Zimmerman Kohler
v
Energy and Atmosphere TAG

Nathan Gauthier, Chair EA Buildings
Jeremy Poling, Vice-Chair Goby
John Adams General Services Administration
Amanda Bogner The Energy Studio
Kevin Bright Harvard University
Lane Burt Natural Resources Defense Council
Allan Daly Taylor Engineering
Charles Dorgan University of Wisconsin-Madison
Jay Enck Commissioning & Green Building Solutions
Ellen Franconi Rocky Mountain Institute
Scott Frank Jaros Baum & Bolles
Gail Hampsmire Low Energy Low Cost
Tia Heneghan ZIA for Buildings
Rusty Hodapp Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport Board
Brad Jones Sebesta Blomberg
Dan Katzenberger Engineering, Energy, and the Environment
Doug King King Sustainability
Chris Ladner Viridian
Richard Lord Carrier Corporation
Bob Maddox Sterling Planet
Rob Moody Organic Think
Brenda Morawa BVM Engineering
Paul Raymer Heyoka Solutions
Erik Ring LPA
David Roberts National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Michael Rosenberg Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Greg San Martin PG&E
Gordon Shymko G.F. Shymko & Associates
Jason Steinbock The Weidt Group
Jorge Torres Coto MBO
Tate Walker Energy Center of Wisconsin
Materials and Resources TAG

Steve Baer, Chair PE INTERNATIONAL / Five Winds Strategic Consulting
Brad Guy, Vice-Chair Material Reuse
Paul Bertram Kingspan Insulated Panels, North America
Paul Bierman-Lytle Pangeon/ iMCC Management Consulting
Steve Brauneis Rocky Mountain Institute
Amy Costello Armstrong World Industries
Chris Geiger San Francisco Department of the Environment
Barry Giles BuildingWise
Avi Golen Construction Waste Management
Lee Gros Lee Gros Architect and Artisan
Rick Levin Kahler Slater
Joep Meijer The Right Environment
Xhavin Sinha CH2M HILL
Raymond Smith U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Wes Sullens StopWaste.Org of Alameda County
Denise Van Valkenburg Eurofins
vi
Indoor Environmental Quality TAG

Daniel Bruck, Chair BRC Acoustics & Audiovisual Design
Michelle Halle Stern, Vice-Chair The Green Facilitator
Sahar Abbaszadeh The Cadmus Group
Terry Brennan Camroden Associates
Aida Carbo UL Environment
Randal Carter Steelcase
Wenhao Chen California Department of Public Health
Nancy Clanton Clanton & Associates
Dan Dempsey Carrier
Larry Dykhuis Herman Miller
Dwayne Fuhlhage PROSOCO
Stowe Hartridge Beam Scientific Certification Systems
Dan Int-Hout Krueger
Alexis Kurtz The Sextant Group
Matt Latchford Lam Partners
David Lubman David Lubman & Associates
Richard Master USG Corporation
John McFarland WorkingBuildings
Bud Offermann Indoor Environmental Engineering
Reinhard Oppl Eurofins Product Testing A/S
Ozgem Ornektekin New York University
Charles Salter Salter Associates
Dana Schneider Jones Lang LaSalle
Dennis Stanke Trane Commercial Systems
Don Stevens Panasonic Home and Environment Company
Bob Thompson U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Ellen Tohn Tohn Environmental Strategies
Prasad Vaidya The Weidt Group
Pilot Credit Library Working Group

Marc Cohen (Chair) The Cadmus Group
Lindsay Baker Mary Davidge Associates
Cheryl Baldwin GreenSeal
James Bogdan PPG Industries
Carlie Bullock-Jones Ecoworks Studio
Paul Firth UL Environment
Mick Schwedler Trane
Steve Taylor Taylor Engineering
Richard Young Fisher-Nickel
Integrative Process Task Group

Lindsay Baker Mary Davidge Associates
John Boecker 7group
Penny Bonda Ecoimpact Consulting
Jenny Carney YR&G
Bill Reed Integrative Design Collaborative
Heather Rosenberg The Cadmus Group
Linda Sorrento National Academy of Environmental Design
Joel Todd Joel Ann Todd
Keith Winn Catalyst Partners
Bill Worthen Urban Fabrik
Max Zahniser Praxis | Building Solutions
vii
A special thanks to USGBC and GBCI staff for their invaluable efforts in developing this reference guide, especially
to the following for their technical expertise: Emily Alvarez, Eric Anderson, Theresa Backhus, Lonny Blumenthal,
Amy Boyce, Steve Brauneis, Sarah Buffaloe, Sara Cederberg, Christopher Davis, Robyn Eason, Corey Enck, Sean Fish,
Asa Foss, Deon Glaser, Scott Haag, Gail Hampsmire, Jason Hercules, Jackie Hofmaenner, Theresa Hogerheide, Mika
Kania, Heather Langford, Christopher Law, Rebecca Lloyd, Emily Loquidis, Chrissy Macken, Chris Marshall, Batya
Metalitz, Larissa Oaks, Lauren Riggs, Jarrod Siegel, Micah Silvey, Ken Simpson, Megan Sparks, Rebecca Stahlnecker,
Matt Toper, Tim Williamson, and Ying Zhao.
A special thanks to Jessica Centella, Selina Holmes, and Dave Marcus for their graphics support and eye for
design.
A thank you also goes to Scot Horst, Doug Gatlin, and Brendan Owens for their vision and support, and
to Meghan Bogaerts for her hard work, attention to detail, and flair for writing. A very special thanks to Dara
Zycherman, staff lead on the development of the LEED v4 Reference Guide suite, for her unwavering commitment to
quality and her dedication to the production of the guides.
A special thanks to the consultant team, which included Arup, CBRE, C.C. Johnson & Malhotra, Criterion
Planners, Goby, Paladino & Co., Post Typography, West Main, and YR&G, and the unique artwork created for this
publication by RTKL Associates.
4
PREFACE
LEED REFERENCE GUIDE FOR NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT
THE CASE FOR GREEN

NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENTS
Green neighborhoods are an integral part of the people.2 Rapid urbanization and natural resource
solution to the environmental challenges facing the stresses will significantly shape urban redevelopment
planet. and greenfield growth in the decades ahead, and
Today we use the equivalent of 1.5 Earths to meet the the problems must be effectively addressed if
resource needs of everyday life and absorb the resulting communities are to become more sustainable.
wastes. This measure of our planet’s carrying capacity The impetus behind development of the
means that it takes Earth 18 months to regenerate what Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
is used in only 12 months. If current trends continue, (LEED) rating systems was recognition of those
estimates suggest, by the year 2030 we will need the problems, coupled with awareness that the design
equivalent of two planets.1 Turning resources into waste and construction industry already had the expertise,
faster than they can be regenerated puts the planet into tools, and technology to transform buildings and
ecological overshoot, a clearly unsustainable condition make significant advances toward a sustainable
that we all must address. planet. LEED projects throughout the world have
The forces driving this situation are numerous. demonstrated the benefits of taking a green design
Human population has increased exponentially in the approach that reduces the environmental harms of
past 60 years, from about 2.5 billion in 1950 to more buildings and restores the balance of natural systems.
than 7 billion today. Our linear use of resources, treating Since the bulk of urban growth is forecast to
outputs as waste, is responsible for the toxins that are occur in communities of 100,000 to 250,000 people,
accumulating in the atmosphere, in water, and on the neighborhoods will be the fundamental units of
ground. This pattern of extraction, use, and disposal has urban change and innovation. At the neighborhood
hastened depletion of finite supplies of nonrenewable level, these “drawing boards” can catalyze LEED
energy, water, and materials and is accelerating the pace for Neighborhood Development (ND) strategies,
of our greatest problem—climate change. such as affordable housing, climate protection,
The challenges are especially acute in cities, and improved public health. Rapid urbanization
which also face issues like food security, economic requires community planning processes that are
competitiveness, and fiscal austerity. More than half ideal for green intervention and transformation.
of the world’s population now lives in urban rather Opportunities for sustainable solutions range
than rural areas, and the urban share is predicted by from small green business start-ups to large-scale
the United Nations to rise to 70% by 2050, with the ecosystem services.
emergence of megacities of 10 million to 20 million Growing evidence points to a strong public
1 Global Footprint Network, footprintnetwork.org/en/index.php/gfn/page/world_footprint/, accessed September 11, 2012.

2 UN Habitat Global Report on Human Settlements, 2009.
5
preference for sustainable built environments, including LEED ND’s core elements of traditional neighborhood
design and multimodal travel. The National Association of Realtors recently found that two-thirds of households
would prefer a smaller home within walking distance of restaurants, shops, and schools over a large-lot property
farther away.3 With tools like LEED ND, neighborhoods can become exemplars of innovative leadership in achieving
sustainability goals.
PREFACE
ABOUT LEED
Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, LEED is a framework for identifying, implementing, and measuring
green building and neighborhood design, construction, operations, and maintenance. LEED is a voluntary, market-
THE CASE FOR GREEN NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENTS

driven, consensus-based tool that serves as a guideline and assessment mechanism. LEED rating systems address
commercial, institutional, and residential buildings and neighborhood developments.
LEED seeks to optimize the use of natural resources, promote regenerative and restorative strategies, maximize
the positive and minimize the negative environmental and human health consequences of the construction
industry, and provide high-quality indoor environments for building occupants. LEED emphasizes integrative
design, integration of existing technology, and state-of-the-art strategies to advance expertise in green building
and transform professional practice. The technical basis for LEED strikes a balance between requiring today’s best
practices and encouraging leadership strategies. LEED sets a challenging yet achievable set of benchmarks that
define green building for interior spaces, entire structures, and whole neighborhoods.
LEED for New Construction and Major Renovations was developed in 1998 for the commercial building
industry and has since been updated several times. Over the years, other rating systems have been developed to
meet the needs of different market sectors. The LEED ND rating system was launched in May 2009 after four years
of development and pilot testing by a partnership of the USGBC, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and the
Congress for the New Urbanism.
Since its launch, LEED has evolved to address new markets and building types, advances in practice and
technology, and greater understanding of the environmental and human health effects of the built environment.
These ongoing improvements, developed by USGBC member-based volunteer committees, subcommittees, and
working groups in conjunction with USGBC staff, have been reviewed by the LEED Steering Committee and the
USGBC Board of Directors before being submitted to USGBC members for a vote. The process is based on principles
of transparency, openness, and inclusiveness.
LEED’S GOALS
The LEED rating systems aim to promote a transformation of the construction industry through strategies designed
to achieve seven goals:
·· To reverse contribution to global climate change
·· To enhance individual human health and well-being
·· To protect and restore water resources
·· To protect, enhance, and restore biodiversity and ecosystem services
·· To promote sustainable and regenerative material resources cycles
·· To build a greener economy
·· To enhance social equity, environmental justice, community health, and quality of life
These goals are the basis for LEED’s prerequisites and credits. In the LEED ND rating system, the major
prerequisites and credits are categorized as Smart Location and Linkage (SLL), Neighborhood Pattern and Design
(NPD), and Green Infrastructure and Buildings (GIB).
The goals also drive the weighting of points toward certification. Each credit in the rating system is allocated
points based on the relative importance of its contribution to the goals. The result is a weighted average: credits
that most directly address the most important goals are given the greatest weight. Project teams that meet the
3 National Association of Realtors, 2011 Community Preference Survey.

6
prerequisites and earn enough credits to achieve certification have demonstrated performance that spans the goals
in an integrated way. Certification is awarded at four levels (Certified, Silver, Gold, Platinum) to incentivize higher
achievement and, in turn, faster progress toward the goals.
BENEFITS OF USING LEED

PREFACE
LEED is designed to address environmental challenges while responding to the needs of a competitive market.
Certification demonstrates leadership, innovation, environmental stewardship, and social responsibility. LEED
gives building owners and operators the tools they need to immediately improve both building performance and the
bottom line while providing healthful indoor spaces for a building’s occupants.
LEED-certified developments are designed to deliver the following benefits:

·· Lower operating costs and increased asset value
·· Reduced waste sent to landfills
·· Energy and water conservation
·· More healthful and productive environments for occupants
·· Reductions in greenhouse gas emissions
·· Qualification for tax rebates, zoning allowances, and other incentives in many cities
In particular, LEED ND benefits are distinguished by the following:

·· Scale. The sheer quantity of green benefits is magnified when captured at the neighborhood scale, often
including dozens or hundreds of buildings and thousands of occupants.
·· Comprehensiveness and synergies. Neighborhood planning is inherently comprehensive, and that all-
inclusive scope enables unique opportunities to capture synergistic benefits. An example is rainwater
management accomplished, in part, at an outdoor civic space that infiltrates runoff.
·· Longevity. Once designed and constructed, neighborhoods may persist for hundreds of years. A sustainable
neighborhood design, therefore, pays green dividends for generations, cumulatively a much larger return than
on most other green investments.
By participating in LEED, owners, operators, designers, and builders make a meaningful contribution to the green
building industry. By documenting and tracking resource use, they contribute to a growing body of knowledge that
will advance research in this rapidly evolving field. This will allow future projects to build on the successes of today’s
designs and bring innovations to the market.
LEED CERTIFICATION PROCESS

The process begins when the owner selects the rating system and registers the project (see Rating System Selection).
The project is then designed to meet the requirements for all prerequisites and for the credits the team has chosen
to pursue. After documentation has been submitted for certification, a project goes through preliminary and final
reviews. The preliminary review provides technical advice on credits that require additional work for achievement,
and the final review contains the project’s final score and certification level. The decision can be appealed if a team
believes additional consideration is warranted.
LEED has four levels of certification, depending on the point thresholds achieved:
·· Certified, 40–49 points
·· Silver, 50–59 points
·· Gold, 60–79 points
·· Platinum, 80 points and above
7
CERTIFICATION OPTIONS FOR LEED ND

The LEED for Neighborhood Development rating system comprises two adaptations, LEED ND: Plan and LEED ND:
Built Project, which have certification options unique to this rating system.
Smart Location & Linkage (SLL) and Neighborhood Pattern & Design (NPD) prerequisite review. If the
project team has any doubts about the project’s ability to achieve the SLL or NPD prerequisites, this optional
review can be a useful official determination before investing further in submission preparation. It is available to
PREFACE
both LEED ND: Plan and LEED ND: Built Project registered projects.
Letter of Support optional review. This full review of all prerequisites and credits is available to projects
registered under LEED ND: Plan that have not earned all land-use entitlements. Applicants seeking an early
THE CASE FOR GREEN NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENTS

design-phase award from USGBC to assist with local approvals may elect to undergo this review and will receive a
letter of support if successful.
REFERENCE GUIDE OVERVIEW
GUIDE STRUCTURE CREDIT STRUCTURE
GETTING STARTED Each credit category begins with an overview

provides a that discusses sustainability and market factors
recommended specific to the credit category. For each
PREFACE
process for achieving prerequisite and credit, readers will then find
certification and the following sections:
GETTING STARTED
addresses issues that
cut across the entire INTENT & REQUIREMENTS
MINIMUM PROGRAM outlines the rating system requirements for
rating system.
REQUIRMENTS
STARTED
GETTING
achieving the prerequisite or credit. They were

CATEGORY approved through the rating system development
OVERVIEWS RATING SYSTEM process and can also be found on the USGBC
SELECTION GUIDANCE website.
emphasize
sustainability topics,
CATEGORY OVERVIEW BEHIND THE INTENT
market factors, and

credit relationships connects credit achievement with larger
CREDITS sustainability issues and provides information
that are specific to a
single credit category on how the credit requirements meet the intent
and information stated in the rating system.
that is applicable to
multiple credits within STEP-BY-STEP GUIDANCE
that category. suggests the implementation and documentation
CATEGORY OVERVIEW steps that can be used by most projects, as well
as generally applicable tips and examples.
CREDITS CREDITS
contain content that FURTHER EXPLANATION
is specific to the provides guidance for lengthy calculations
achievement of that or for special project situations, such as tips
credit. for nonstandard project types or different
credit approaches. It sometimes includes an
International Tips section.
REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION
lists the items that must be submitted for
certification review.
RELATED CREDIT TIPS

identifies other credits that may affect a project
team’s decisions and strategies for the credit in
question; the relationships between credits may
imply synergies or trade-offs.
CHANGES FROM LEED 2009

ICONS THAT MAY APPEAR WITHIN EACH CREDIT is a quick reference of changes from the previous
REFER THE USER TO FOLLOWING SECTIONS: version of LEED.
REFERENCED STANDARDS
Getting Started (beginning of book) lists the technical standards related to the credit
and offers weblinks to find them.
Further Explanation (within same credit)
EXEMPLARY PERFORMANCE
identifies the threshold that must be met to earn
an exemplary performance point, if available.
DEFINITIONS
gives the meaning of terms used in the credit.
STARTED
GETTING
Getting Started
HOW TO USE THIS REFERENCE GUIDE
This reference guide is designed to elaborate upon and Within each section, information is organized to flow
work in conjunction with the rating system. Written from general guidance to more specific tips and finally
by expert users of LEED, it serves as a roadmap, to supporting references and other information.
describing the steps for meeting and documenting credit Sections have been designed with a parallel structure
requirements and offering advice on best practices. to support wayfinding and minimize repetition.
CREDIT CATEGORIES
SMART LOCATION AND LINKAGE NEIGHBORHOOD PATTERN AND DESIGN GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND BUILDINGS
(SLL) (NPD) (GIB)
INNOVATION REGIONAL PRIORITY

(IN) (RP)
10
PROJECTS OUTSIDE THE U.S.

The International Tips section offers advice on determining equivalency to U.S. standards or using non-U.S.
standards referenced in the rating system. It is meant to complement, not replace, the other sections of the credit.
Helpful advice for projects outside the U.S. may also appear in the Step-by-Step Guidance section of each credit. When
no tips are needed or available, the International Tips heading does not appear.
Units of measurement are given in both Inch-Pound (IP) and International System of Units (SI). IP refers to
the system of measurements based on the inch, pound, and gallon, historically derived from the English system and
commonly used in the U.S. SI is the modern metric system used in most other parts of the world and defined by the
General Conference on Weights and Measures.
Where “local equivalent” is specified, it means an alternative to a LEED referenced standard that is specific to a
project’s locality. This standard must be widely used and accepted by industry experts and when applied, must meet
the credit’s intent leading to similar or better outcomes.
STARTED
GETTING
Where “USGBC-approved local equivalent” is specified, it means a local standard deemed equivalent to the listed
standard by the U.S. Green Building Council through its process for establishing non-U.S. equivalencies in LEED.
TAKING AN INTEGRATIVE APPROACH TO NEIGHBORHOOD

DEVELOPMENT
PROJECT GOALS
An important starting point for project certification is the formulation of overarching goals to guide the project
team’s work toward successful certification. To set valid goals, start by expressing objectives that are derived from or
responsive to the following:
·· The developer’s mission. One of the strongest motivations for project certification should be the developer’s
values and organizational aims. Whether the project is undertaken by for-profit investors or nonprofit
community interest organizations, LEED ND strategies can be tailored to make a strong triple-bottom-line
case for certification.
·· The project’s environmental setting. The degree of environmental sensitivity on and around a project site
creates both responsibilities and opportunities for leadership and innovation. LEED ND offers a full set of
natural resource measures for demonstrating stewardship and helping achieve local environmental goals.
·· The project’s community context. The social and economic conditions of the surrounding community, and
its overall sustainability goals, are factors that should influence project goal-setting and credit selection. LEED
ND strategies can be applied to such community issues as jobs and housing balance, affordable housing, and
universal visitability.
TEAM MEMBERS AND RELEVANT ORGANIZATIONS

For the purposes of LEED ND, the project team has three major components: the applicant acting as team leader,
a multidisciplinary group of design professionals, and local supporting partners. The applicant is the entity that
decides to certify a project under LEED ND. This can be a property owner or developer composed of individuals or
companies that control a majority of the area within a project boundary, either through ownership and/or options to
purchase. A property owner or developer can join with any combination of the following as joint applicants: another
property owner or developer, a nonprofit organization, a homeowners association, or a public or quasi-public agency,
such as a housing authority, redevelopment authority, or business improvement district.
Because the rating system integrates smart growth, new urbanism, social equity, and green building practices,
a successful LEED ND submission draws on the diverse skills of a comprehensive team of professionals. The rating
system can require expertise in many professions, depending on project characteristics and credits attempted.
11
Ensuring that a team has appropriate technical skills is crucial for successful projects and certifications, and the
owner or developer should consider which of the following professions need to be represented on the project team:
·· Urban planning
·· Architecture
·· Civil engineering
·· Transportation planning
·· Mechanical and electrical engineering
·· Landscape architecture
·· Biology and botany
At least one member of the project team should be a LEED ND Accredited Professional experienced in certifying the
kind of project being proposed. Having qualified LEED ND knowledge and insight on the team will aid considerably
in efficient and accurate preparation of submission documentation.
STARTED
GETTING
In addition to assembling a multidisciplinary and LEED ND–experienced project team, it is also important to
consider local partners—the public agencies with authority or services that affect certain credits, or interested
nonprofits with allied goals—when starting a submission. Project teams should identify local partners during
credit selection, make them aware of the project, and seek their assistance with submission documentation where
HOW TO USE THIS REFERENCE GUIDE

appropriate.
12
DEVISING A LEED WORK PLAN
It is recommended that LEED applicants follow a series of steps to certification.
STEP 1. IDENTIFY PROJECT SITE AND PREPARE PRELIMINARY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

Site selection is normally done with general development objectives in mind, along with information
about available properties and market conditions in a given area. USGBC encourages the informal use
of LEED ND location criteria in the site selection process. Properties chosen with LEED ND in mind and
sites that already align with LEED ND principles will be easier to certify. Standard protocol is to prepare
a preliminary development program once a prospective site is identified, and if a financial assessment
of that program indicates project feasibility, control of the site is acquired through purchase, option to
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purchase, lease, or equivalent agreements.
STEP 2. SELECT RATING SYSTEM

The LEED system comprises 21 adaptations designed to accommodate the needs of a variety of market
sectors (see Rating System Selection Guidance). The project team leader should confirm that LEED
ND is the most suitable LEED rating system for the project. Some projects pursue LEED ND as well as
several LEED building rating systems simultaneously. Certain multiple-building projects may want to
investigate the USGBC Campus Program, which is not a rating system but a certification process.
Assuming LEED ND is the appropriate choice, the project team leader should also confirm which of two
LEED ND rating systems is applicable to the project:
·· LEED ND: Plan. A project must use the LEED ND Plan rating system if it is in a planning stage or has
constructed less than 75% of its total building floor area.
·· LEED ND: Built Project. If a project is at full build-out, it must use the LEED ND rating system.
The LEED ND: Plan and LEED ND: Built Project rating systems have identical credit requirements but
differing documentation requirements and awards.
STEP 3. ASSEMBLE PROJECT TEAM AND IDENTIFY RELEVANT ORGANIZATIONS

Site acquisition and the preliminary development program will define the project type (residential,
nonresidential, mixed-use), physical setting (e.g., urban infill versus suburban greenfield), and scale
(amount of land, buildings, infrastructure). These characteristics influence the professional disciplines
required for a LEED ND project team. If possible, the team should include a LEED ND Accredited
Professional with experience certifying the kind of project envisioned for the site. This step should also
identify public agencies with authority over the site and nongovernmental organizations with interests
in the area or the project’s goals. As credit selection and documentation proceed, having a working
relationship with these entities is likely to be valuable.
STEP 4. CHECK MINIMUM PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS AND PREREQUISITES

Review the prerequisites and the minimum program requirements (see Minimum Program
Requirements) against the project site and preliminary development program. Ensure that there
are no obvious obstacles to project eligibility or prerequisite achievement.
STEP 5. FINALIZE PROJECT BOUNDARY AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

Two fundamental descriptors of a LEED ND project must be finalized at this point:
·· Project boundary. This boundary determines the land area of a project, including its buildable and
nonbuildable portions. Review the minimum program requirement regarding the delineation of a
project boundary.
·· Development program. This is a summary of project land and subareas and the number of buildings
by type and construction timing. The preliminary program initiated at site selection is finalized at
this point for LEED ND purposes. Although development programs sometimes change over time, an
operative set of land and floor area quantities needs to be used for documenting and verifying credit
achievement. If a change occurs during certification review, the team should provide USGBC with
amended values as soon as they are available.
13
STEP 6. RECONFIRM MINIMUM PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS AND PREREQUISITE

COMPLIANCE
Return to Step 4 prerequisites and confirm the project’s compliance with certainty, now using the final
project boundary and development program. For project teams that have any doubts about meeting
the SLL or NPD prerequisites, this is the point at which a formal prerequisite review can be useful.
STEP 7. DEVELOP LEED SCORECARD

Use the project goals to identify the credits and options that should be attempted by the team. The
Behind the Intent sections offer insight into what each credit is intended to achieve and may help
teams align goals with credits that bring value to the owner, environment, and community of the
project.
This process should focus the team on those credits with the highest value for the project over the
long term. Once the high-priority credits have been selected, identify related credits that reinforce the
priority strategies and provide synergistic benefits.
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Finally, establish the target LEED certification level (Certified, Silver, Gold, or Platinum) and identify
additional credits needed to achieve it. Make sure that all prerequisites can be met and include a buffer
of several points above the minimum in case of changes during design and construction.
LEED WORK PLAN

STEP 8. ASSIGN ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Itemize required documentation and calculations and assign responsibility for their preparation to team
members.
STEP 9. DEVELOP CONSISTENT DOCUMENTATION

Submission work begins with two critical tasks that underpin the balance of the submission:
·· Base mapping. A submission typically requires several credit-specific maps on one of two required
base maps: (1) the project site, and (2) the vicinity within a mile of the project site. Land development
projects often use standardized maps and drawings, and USGBC encourages project teams to adapt
them for LEED ND base mapping purposes.
·· Cross-cutting calculations. The rating system has multiple credits that require the same calculations.
Performing them at the outset of submission preparation improves consistency and speeds up
subsequent credit work. See the next section, Maintaining Consistency in the Application.
With base mapping and cross-cutting calculations in hand, team members will be able to complete
the balance of the submission. If feasible, teams should adapt and reuse project information compiled
for other purposes. However, when adapting such materials, it is best to highlight or excerpt only the
portions relevant to LEED certification.
STEP 10. PERFORM QUALITY ASSURANCE REVIEW AND SUBMIT FOR CERTIFICATION
A quality assurance review is an essential part of the work program. A thorough quality control check
can improve clarity and consistency of the project’s LEED documentation, thereby avoiding errors
that require time and expense to correct later in the certification process. The submission should
be thoroughly proofread and checked for completeness. In particular, numeric values that appear
throughout the submission (e.g., site area) must be consistent across credits.
14
MAINTAINING CONSISTENCY IN THE APPLICATION
PROJECT BOUNDARY
The project boundary defines the land and water area that is reviewed for certification (see Minimum Program
Requirements).
Figure 1 illustrates how a project boundary may encompass a parcel, a parcel plus adjacent rights-of-way, or
multiple parcels and rights-of-way. If a project team elects to include rights-of-way, the entire width of the rights-of-
way must be within the boundary (Figure 1).
LEED PROJECT BOUNDARY Property lines

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Public street Public alley
Figure 1. Example project boundary
When drawing the project boundary, teams should consider the impact of boundary location in relation to credit
requirements. Inclusion or exclusion of features on the periphery of a project site may affect credit applicability
and scoring. For example, the distances between through-connections on a project boundary under NPD Credit
Connected and Open Community can be affected by the inclusion or exclusion of adjacent street rights-of-way.
Because some credit requirements apply to existing uses as well as new construction (see Table 6), carefully consider
whether the inclusion of existing areas will help or hinder the project’s achievement.
SITEGuide
USGBC LEED TYPE Illustrations GS1
Project
A project is categorized by site type depending Boundary
on where (Getting
its boundary is set,Started
the statusFigure 1) the boundary,
of land inside
and the status of properties surrounding the boundary. The following site types may apply: previously developed,
infill, adjacent. The subsections below define these terms and explain their use.
Previously Developed
previously developed altered by paving, construction, and/or land use that would typically have required
regulatory permitting to have been initiated (alterations may exist now or in the past). Land that is not previously
developed and landscapes altered by current or historical clearing or filling, agricultural or forestry use, or
preserved natural area use are considered undeveloped land. The date of previous development permit issuance
constitutes the date of previous development, but permit issuance in itself does not constitute
previous development.
previously developed site a site that, prior to the project, consisted of at least 75% previously developed land
15
LEED ND project teams may consider platted lots of less than 1 acre (0.4 hectares) previously developed if a building
was constructed somewhere on the lot. The purpose of this allowance is to prevent teams from having to individually
assess small home lots to determine the amount of land under the building footprint versus the yard space. For any
lots larger than 1 acre, the team must separate the land into previously developed and undeveloped portions.
Previously developed property status can apply to a project site itself, which carries benefits under several
credits, and to surrounding properties. Assessing properties with few buildings present may be confusing, however.
If the land previously had buildings, it is considered previously developed even if those buildings have since been
torn down. Another frequently confusing situation is parkland. Improved parks with manicured landscaping and
constructed features like playgrounds (e.g., a city park) are considered previously developed. Land that has only
been cleared or graded, with no additional improvements, is not considered previously developed. Land maintained
in a natural state (e.g., a forest preserve) is not considered previously developed, even if minor features like walking
paths are present.
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75% minimum previously developed LEED PROJECT BOUNDARY

Developed
Undeveloped
Figure 2. Example map of previously developed area within project
Infill Site
infill site a site that meets any of the following four conditions:
a. At least 75% of its boundary borders parcels that individually are at least 50% previously developed, and that
in aggregate are at least 75% previously developed.
b. The site, in combination with bordering parcels, forms an aggregate parcel whose boundary is 75% bounded
by parcels that individually are at least 50% previously developed, and that in aggregate are at least 75%
USGBC LEED Guide Illustrations GS2
previously developed.
Previously Developed (Getting Started Figure 2)
c. At least 75% of the land area, exclusive of rights-of-way, within 1/2 mile (800 meters) of the project boundary
is previously developed.
16
d. The lands within 1/2 mile (800 meters) of the project boundary have a preproject connectivity of at least
140 intersections per square mile (54 intersections per square kilometer).
The circulation network itself does not constitute previously developed land; it is the status of property
on the other side of the segment of circulation network that matters. For conditions (a) and (b) above, any
fraction of the perimeter that borders a water body is excluded from the calculation.
As defined above and illustrated in the accompanying diagrams, there are four circumstances in which a LEED
ND project can be considered an infill site. In all instances, the characteristics of land around the project are
important. Conditions (a) and (b) involve the parcels bordering or close to the LEED ND project boundary;
conditions (c) and (d) involve characteristics of the area within a 1/2-mile (0.8 km) distance of the project
boundary. For a parcel to qualify as “bordering,” it must share a linear section of boundary; a parcel that adjoins
the project at only a single point (e.g., kitty-corner) is not considered bordering.
Calculations for condition (a): Previous development on adjacent parcels
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Step 1. On a vicinity map, identify parcels adjacent to the project perimeter. For each parcel, calculate the
area that is previously developed. Determine the percentage of the parcel that is previously developed by
dividing the previously developed area by the entire parcel area and multiplying by 100 (Equation 1). Each
adjacent parcel that is at least 50% previously developed is then considered a qualifying parcel in these
calculations.
EQUATION 1. Previously developed percentage of parcel
% of adjacent Area of parcel that is previously developed

parcel previously = × 100
developed Total area of parcel
Step 2. Sum the previously developed land area of each qualifying parcel identified in Step 1, divide by the
total land area of all qualifying parcels (Equation 2), and multiply by 100. The result must be 75% or higher.
EQUATION 2. Previously developed percentage of all qualifying parcels
% previously developed Total previously developed area of qualifying parcels

area of combined = × 100
qualifying parcels Total area of qualifying parcels
Step 3. Measure the total project perimeter, any portion adjacent to waterfront, and the length of portions
adjacent to qualifying parcels, from Step 1. After subtracting waterfront length from the total perimeter
length, divide the perimeter length adjacent to all qualifying parcels by the total net perimeter length, and
multiply by 100 to obtain the percentage of the perimeter bordering previously developed parcels
(Equation 3). The result must be 75% or more.
EQUATION 3. Percentage of perimeter adjacent to qualifying parcels
% of perimeter Perimeter length adjacent to qualifying parcels

adjacent to = × 100
qualifying parcels Total perimeter length – waterfront length
17
Undeveloped area
Exclude as waterfront LEED PROJECT BOUNDARY
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Previously developed parcels
Adjacent to undeveloped parcel
Adjacent to previously developed parcel
Exclude as waterfront
River
Figure 3. Infill condition (a)
Calculations for condition (b): Previous development on adjacent parcels using aggregate method
This is the same as condition (a) except that the expanded boundary is used in place of the project boundary.
The boundary can encompass the project plus any parcels that directly border the project site.
D Guide Illustrations GS13
Infill (Getting Started Figure 3-6 and Definitions)
18
LEED PROJECT BOUNDARY
Aggregate parcel boundary

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LEED PROJECT BOUNDARY Aggregate parcel boundary
Previously developed parcels

Adjacent parcels included in the expanded project boundary
River
Expanded parcel boundary
Figure 4. Infill condition (b)
LEED Guide Illustrations GS14

19
Calculations for condition (c): Previous development in surrounding area

1/2 mile
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(804m)

Previously developed parcel (minimum 75% of land area within 1/2 mile, 804m of project site)
Undeveloped land
Rights-of-way
LEED Project
River
Figure 5. Infill condition (c)
EQUATION 4. Percentage of previous development within 1/2-mile (800-meter) buffer around project boundary
USGBC LEED Guide Illustrations GS15within buffer

Area of all previously developed parcels
% of area within buffer = (Getting Started Figure 3-6 and Definitions)
Infill
Total land area within buffer — area of rights-of-way within buffer
Calculations for condition (d): Connectivity in surrounding area

See Connectivity (Intersection Density).
20

Street to street intersection
Cul-de-sac entrance
1/2 mile
(804m)
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Alley to alley Driveway entrance

intersection
Street to alley intersection
Noneligible intersections
Eligible intersections
LEED Project
River
Figure 6. Infill condition (d)
Infill Example
Projects need to meet only one of the four conditions to qualify as an infill site, but for the sake of illustration,
the following example project is tested against (and meets) all four criteria. The calculations are presented in
IP units but are the same for project teams using SI.
A 35-acre project site is evaluated for its status as an infill parcel. The project team evaluates each parcel
of land adjacent to the project boundary and collects information about the land uses within 1/2-mile of the
project boundary (Table 1).
21
TABLE 1. Infill site determination

Total project site perimeter (excluding waterfront) 5,000 ft
Perimeter portion adjacent to parcels that are each > 50% developed 4,300 ft
Total area of adjacent parcels > 50% developed 70 acres
Total previously developed portion of all parcels > 50% developed 55 acres

Total perimeter of project site and additional bordering parcels 16,000 ft
Perimeter portion adjacent to parcels that are each > 50% developed 13,500 ft
Total area of parcels >50% developed adjacent to site and bordering parcels 125 acres
Total previously developed area of > 50% developed parcels adjacent to site and bordering parcels 105 acres

Land area within 1/2 mi of project site boundary (after exclusions) 345 acres
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Previously developed land area within 1/2 mi of site boundary 270 acres

Qualifying intersections within 1/2 mi of project site boundary 100 intersections

The project meets infill condition (a) (previous development on parcels adjacent to site perimeter) because
the portion of the perimeter that borders parcels that are more than 50% previously developed is 86%
(Equation 3):
4,300
× 100 = 86%
5,000
In addition, the adjacent parcels are in aggregate 78% previously developed (Equation 2):
55
× 100 = 78%
70
The project meets infill condition (b) (previous development on parcels adjacent to the project site and any
number of bordering parcels “borrowed” to create the “aggregate parcel”) because the aggregate parcel’s
perimeter portion adjoining parcels that are more than 50% previously developed is 84% (Equation 3):
13,500
× 100 = 84%
16,000
In addition, the parcels adjacent to the aggregate parcel are in total 84% previously developed (Equation 2):
105
× 100 = 84%
125
The project meets infill condition (c) (previous development on surrounding land) because the land within
1/2 mile of the project perimeter is 78% previously developed.
270
× 100 = 78%
345
The project meets infill condition (d) (connectivity of surrounding land) because the land within 1/2 mile of
the project perimeter has more than 140 intersections per square mile:
345 acres
= 0.54 square miles
640 acres per square mile
100 intersections 185 intersections

=
0.54 square mile square mile
22
Adjacent Site
adjacent site a site having at least a continuous 25% of its boundary bordering parcels that are previously
developed sites. Only consider bordering parcels, not intervening rights-of-way. Any fraction of the boundary
that borders a water body is excluded from the calculation.
To be an adjacent site (Figure 7), the project site needs to border previously developed land along at least 25% of its
boundary.
A LEED ND project site can be considered adjacent even if a narrow greenway or undeveloped, permanently
protected land separates it from previously developed parcels. The greenway or undeveloped land may average
no more than 400 feet (125 meters) in width and be no more than 500 feet (155 meters) wide in any one place.
The undeveloped land must be protected from residential and nonresidential construction by easement, deed
restriction, or other enforceable legal instrument.
For a project site to qualify as an adjacent site for SLL Prerequisite Smart Location, Option 2, the greenway or
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other protected open space must allow through-connections to the previously developed land.
Open space LEED PROJECT BOUNDARY

.
ax
)m
4m
2.
(15
0'
50
g.
) av
1.9m
' (12
400
Previously developed parcel
Figure 7. Adjacent site
When determining infill and adjacent status, if the project site is next to a street right-of-way, the team must consider
the previous development status of property on the other side. Parks with physical improvements are considered
previously developed; legally dedicated land in its natural state is considered undeveloped. When waterfront occurs
on the other side of a street right-of-way, the length of that waterfront may be excluded from the calculation.
USGBC LEED Guide
Once a Illustrations
project boundary has been established, the project team should assemble informationGS4 on the type and
Adjacent Site (Getting Started Figure
location of previous development within the boundary to determine whether the site itself 7 and
qualifies as a previously
developed site. Definitions)
23
BUILDABLE LAND
buildable land the portion of the site where construction can occur, including land voluntarily set aside and
not constructed on. When used in density calculations, buildable land excludes public rights-of-way and land
excluded from development by codified law or LEED for Neighborhood Development prerequisites.
Buildable land (Figure 8) is an important element of a project because it is the denominator in the calculation of
land-use densities. First, determine the base amount of buildable land in the project. Then, if additional land is
voluntarily set aside and protected from development, it may be moved into the nonbuildable category, not to exceed
15% of the base amount of buildable land. To be considered nonbuildable under this provision, the land must be
protected from construction by easement, deed restriction, or other enforceable legal instrument. Any additional
land that is voluntarily set aside and not built on, such as open space, must be considered buildable (after the first
15%) because it was available for construction but set aside voluntarily.
For example, in a 20-acre project with a 4-acre park required by local government code, the base buildable land
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would be 16 acres. Should the developer wish to set aside additional land for permanent protection, up to 15% of the
base 16 acres (i.e., up to 2.4 acres) could be set aside and also considered nonbuildable.
Parking garage (buildable)

Required park (non-buildable) Streets (non-buildable)
Habitat (non-buildable) Plaza (buildable) LEED PROJECT BOUNDARY
Unconstrained land (buildable)
Wetlands (non-buildable)
Buildable land with buildings

Buildable land without buildings
Non-buildable locations
Figure 8. Buildable and nonbuildable land

Buildable Land (Getting Started Figure 8)
24
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
The development program is a tabular presentation typically prepared by a developer detailing land uses and the
demolition, construction, renovation, or retention of buildings within the project boundary. The development
program should account for all land and water within the boundary according to the buildable and nonbuildable
categories, discussed above. In preparing the development program, teams should consider the following:
New construction. A majority of a project’s square footage should be new construction or major renovation.
When an existing building undergoes major renovations as part of a project, it is typically considered new
construction, but the determination varies by credit. For example, GIB Prerequisite Indoor Water Use
Reduction lumps major renovations in with new construction because replacing water fixtures is common
practice in a major renovation. Please refer to individual credit sections of this guide for more information.
Major renovation is defined as follows:
STARTED
Major renovation. Extensive alteration work in addition to work on the exterior shell of the building and/
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or primary structural components and/or the core and peripheral MEP and service systems and/or site
work. Typically, the extent and nature of the work is such that the primary function space cannot be used
for its intended purpose while the work is in progress and where a new certificate of occupancy is required
before the work area can be reoccupied.
Existing buildings. As used in LEED ND, existing refers to buildings undergoing no alterations and those
undergoing minor renovations. If existing buildings are included in a project, the project team should carefully
review each prerequisite and credit for its applicability: some credit calculations include existing buildings and
some do not. Table 6 summarizes treatment of existing and planned project features by credit.
DEVELOPMENT TIMELINE
Several provisions of the rating system are tied to milestone dates on a project’s development timeline, beginning
with property acquisition and extending through build-out and occupancy. Some rating system provisions must
be applied in perpetuity. It is critical that the project team understand the timeline concepts within LEED ND. The
following milestone dates should be carefully considered in the LEED ND context:
·· Property acquisition is the date that the project developer purchased or took equivalent control of a majority
of the land area inside the project boundary.
·· Preproject conditions are those present on the date the developer acquired rights to a majority of its
buildable land through purchase or option to purchase.
·· Existing conditions are those present on the date of certification submission. However, a built feature is not
considered existing if it was constructed by the project developer as part of the LEED ND project (this will
come into play only for projects under construction).
·· Build-out is the time at which all habitable buildings on the project are complete and ready for occupancy.
25
Tables 2–4 show major milestones for credits on a timeline that assumes concurrent build-out and occupancy.
TABLE 2. Credit requirements with deadlines
Prerequisite, Credit Title Commitment Meet credit requirement by….
Buildings not more than

GIB Credit Solar Orientation 1st building occupancy
25% shaded
Provide private transit or
NPD Credit Transportation Demand Management 20% occupancy
vehicle sharing
NPD Credit Mixed-Use Neighborhoods Businesses open 50% occupancy
SLL Prerequisite Smart Location Future transit operational 50% occupancy
NPD Credit Local Food Production Future farmers market open 50% occupancy
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NPD Credit Neighborhood Schools New school open 50% residential occupancy
NPD Prerequisite Compact Development Meet minimum density 5 years after 1st building occupied

GIB Credit Heat Island Reduction Provide shade from trees 10 years after plant installation
NPD Credit Tree-Lined and Shaded Streetscapes Provide shade from trees 10 years after plant installation
TABLE 3. Credit requirements with defined time commitments
Credit Title Commitment Maintain requirement for….
NPD Credit Local Food Production CSA shares provided 2 years after occupancy
Site Design for Habitat or Wetland

SLL Credit Maintenance of natural areas 3 years after buildout
and Water Body Conservation
Restoration of Habitat or Wetlands
and Water Bodies
NPD Credit Transportation Demand Management Provide private transit 3 years after buildout
Long-Term Conservation Management of

Habitat or Wetlands and Water Bodies
NPD Credit Housing Types and Affordability Affordability of rental housing 15 years after units are built
TABLE 4. Credits with perpetual commitments
Prerequisite, Credit Title Commitment
Imperiled Species and Ecological

SLL Prerequisite Protect habitat
Communities Conservation
SLL Prerequisite Agricultural Land Conservation Protect agricultural land
SLL Credit Steep Slope Protection Protect steep slopes
Site Design for Habitat or Wetland

SLL Credit Protect sensitive areas
and Water Body Conservation
Restoration of Habitat or Wetlands
SLL Credit Protect sensitive areas
and Water Bodies
NPD Credit Walkable Streets Prohibit shutters on retail windows
NPD Credit Local Food Production Allow growing spaces in yards
GIB Credit Minimized Site Disturbance Protect undisturbed areas
GIB Credit Light Pollution Reduction Adhere to light pollution measures

26
MAPPING
Because of the numerous geographic provisions and calculations in the rating system, mapping is an important part
of documenting project characteristics and verifying credit achievement. Project teams should use the following
types of maps (Figure 9):
Project site. A standardized project site base map should be used throughout the submission to illustrate site-
level features relevant to individual credits.
Vicinity. A standardized vicinity base map should be used throughout the submission to illustrate relevant
surrounding features for up to 1 mile (1.6 km) around the project boundary.
Special maps. Certain credits require information that is more feasibly shown on special maps instead of the
standard base maps. For example, maps of the high-priority redevelopment areas under Option 3 of SLL Credit
Preferred Locations may cover large parts of communities.
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Visual verification of credit documentation is an important element of LEED ND certification. Each map should have
a title with the applicable credit name, northpoint, scale, and the relevant features clearly labeled and dimensioned
in sufficient detail to enable verification of credit compliance. Maps and other drawings should be concise, clear,
and of sufficiently high resolution to allow detailed review of project features. Overly large documents, however, are
difficult to manage; create concise maps that document only the relevant credit requirements.
Project Site
Project Site
Smart Location
and Linkage
Smart Location
Legend
Vicinity
Smart Location
and Linkage
Smart Location
Legend
Figure 9. Example maps

Composite of Mapping Techniques (Getting
Started Figure 10)
27
WALKING AND BICYCLING DISTANCES

The second most common set of metrics in the rating system is the distances traveled by pedestrians and bicyclists
from origins, such as dwellings, to destinations, such as schools. Walking and biking distances must be measured
along pedestrian and bicycle networks that comply with the following LEED definitions:
walk distance the distance that a pedestrian must travel between origins and destinations without obstruction,
in a safe and comfortable environment on a continuous network of sidewalks, all weather-surface footpaths,
crosswalks, or equivalent pedestrian facilities. The walking distance must be drawn from an entrance that is
accessible to all building users.
bicycle network a continuous network consisting of any combination of the following: (1) off-street bicycle
paths or trails at least 8 feet (2.5 meters) wide for a two-way path and at least 5 feet (1.5 meters) wide for a
one-way path, (2) physically designated on-street bicycle lanes at least 5 feet (1.5 meters) wide, and (3) streets
designed for a target speed of 25 mph (40 kmh)
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Sometimes known as shortest path analysis, the measurement is the distance a pedestrian or bicyclist would
travel from an origin point to the closest destination of a given type, such as the closest bus stop (Figure 10). The
term walkshed denotes an area created from a compilation of walk distances from an origin, such as a polygon

encompassing all possible pathways within 1/4-mile walking distance. Walksheds can sometimes be used as a way to
assess compliance with credits.
Dwellings or businesses accessed through common building entries are counted according to the number of
dwelling units or business establishments reached through such entrances. For example, a multifamily building
entrance used to access 20 dwelling units counts as 20 origin points. A nonresidential building entrance leading to 10
office tenants and two retail tenants counts as 12 origin points.
28
Walking route (1/2 mile, 402m) distance) LEED PROJECT BOUNDARY

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Building entrances within 1/2 mile (804m) walking distance Walking route (1/4 mile, 804m distance)
Building entrances within 1/4 mile (402m) walking distance
Figure 10. Walking distance
LAND-USE
USGBC LEED Guide DENSITIES
Illustrations GS9
Walking
The rating system measures land-use densityDistance (Getting
in two categories, Startedand
residential Figure 12)
nonresidential. Density is calculated
according to the following definitions:
density the amount of building structures constructed on the project site, measured for residential buildings
as dwelling units per acre of buildable land available for residential uses, and for nonresidential buildings as
the floor-area ratio of buildable land area available for nonresidential uses. In both cases, structured parking is
excluded.
floor-area ratio (FAR) the density of nonresidential land use, exclusive of structured parking, measured as
the total nonresidential building floor area divided by the total buildable land area available for nonresidential
buildings.
To be considered a dwelling unit (for the purpose of inclusion in a residential density calculation), the space should
be intended for long-term occupancy and provide facilities for cooking, sleeping, and sanitation. Hotel rooms, for
example, are not dwelling units.
29
Determine densities as follows:

Step 1. Sum the amounts of buildable land area by these categories:
·· Residential
·· Nonresidential
·· Mixed-use (a combination of residential and nonresidential)
·· Other (e.g., voluntary set-asides of open space)
The total must equal 100% of the project’s buildable land.
Step 2. For mixed-use buildings, assign proportional shares of the associated land area to residential and
nonresidential categories using the following equations:
EQUATION 5. Residential percentage of floor area
Residential floor area
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Residential percentage of floor area =
Total floor area
EQUATION 6. Nonresidential percentage of floor area
Nonresidential floor area

Nonresidential percentage of floor area =
Total floor area
EQUATION 7. Mixed-use land area assigned to residential category
Mixed-use land Residential

Mixed-use
area assigned to = land area
× percentage
residential category of floor area
EQUATION 8. Mixed-use land area assigned to nonresidential category
Mixed-use land Nonresidential

Mixed-use
area assigned to = land area
× percentage of
nonresidential category floor area
Step 3. Add the land area of the “other” buildable land category to the nonresidential land category.
Step 4. Sum the residential and nonresidential land areas from above to obtain their respective total land areas
for the entire project.
Step 5. Divide the project’s total dwelling units or total nonresidential floor area by the total residential or
nonresidential land area, respectively. This gives residential density as dwelling units per acre (hectare) of
residential buildable land, and nonresidential density as a floor area ratio for nonresidential buildable land.
The project’s base land-use densities may be adjusted in two instances: (1) the buildable land adjustment when
extra protected areas are set aside (see Buildable Land, above), and (2) under SLL Prerequisite Agricultural Land
Conservation, where provision of a community garden enables a density increase. The latter adjustment applies only
to that prerequisite.
DEVELOPMENT FOOTPRINT
A project’s development footprint is essentially all of its impervious surfaces. The footprint calculation is used in
seven credits where imperviousness is a consideration, such as GIB Credit Rainwater Management. Development
footprint is defined as follows:
development footprint the total land area of a project site covered by buildings, streets, parking areas, and other
typically impermeable surfaces constructed as part of the project.
Surfaces paved with permeable pavement (at least 50% permeable) are excluded from the development footprint.
30
Parking
Park Streets
LEED PROJECT BOUNDARY Plaza Pervious pavers

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Development footprint (impervious surface)
Figure 11. Development footprint
TRANSIT SERVICE
Another common cross-cutting metric is transit service, expressed in daily trips at stops. An important partner in
projects with a transit component is the transit agency serving the site. Transit-related credits should be reviewed
with the agency during goal setting and credit selection, and if possible, submission documentation should be
reviewed with the agency before submission.
Development Footprint (Getting Started Figure 9)
Steps for calculating and documenting transit service are as follows (including some special procedures
depending on the prerequisite or credit):
Step 1. Identify dwelling units and nonresidential use entrances within project boundary
On a site map, indicate the location of all building entrances and dwelling units.
·· See Walking and Bicycling Distances.
Step 2. Determine whether any new transit is planned
Research transit plans for the area to determine whether any new transit is planned near or within the project.
Stops along the planned routes qualify only if they meet one of the three criteria outlined in the rating system:
·· A funding agreement with the Federal Transit Administration (or equivalent national-level agency for
projects outside the U.S.)
·· Approval in an agency budget
·· Preliminary engineering for a rail line and allocated funding
31
Step 3. Identify transit stops within 1/4 mile (400 meters) or 1/2 mile (800 meters)
On a map, identify the locations of existing and planned transit stops (planned stops must meet the
requirements in Step 2) that are within a 1/4-mile (400-meter) or 1/2-mile (800-meter) walking distance of the
project’s dwelling units or nonresidential use entrances, based on vehicle type. Bus, streetcar, or rideshare stops
qualify if they are within 1/4 mile of at least one project building entrance. Bus rapid transit, light or heavy rail,
commuter rail, or ferry stops qualify if they are within 1/2 mile of at least one project building entrance.
Each point at which a transit vehicle stops to receive or discharge passengers is considered a separate transit
stop; this includes stops facing each other on opposite sides of a street. This method of counting is specific to
LEED for Neighborhood Development; the LEED Building Design and Construction rating system uses another
method.
Step 4. Identify transit vehicle types
Identify the type of transit vehicles that serve each qualifying transit stop: bus, streetcar, bus rapid transit, rail, or
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ferry.
Step 5. Create walk route and distance map
Calculate walk routes and distances from the project’s dwelling units and nonresidential use entrances to transit

stops. The routes must comply with the rating system’s requirements for pedestrian facilities. See Walking and
Bicycling Distances.
·· Count the number of dwelling units and nonresidential use entrances within a 1/4-mile (400-meter) walk of
a bus or streetcar stop or within a 1/4-mile (800-meter) walk of a rail, bus rapid transit or ferry stop.
·· Confirm that at least 50% of the project’s dwelling units and nonresidential use entrances are within the
required walking distance of one or more transit stops.
Step 6. Count trips at each qualifying transit stop
A trip is defined as the moment a transit vehicle stops at a stop. If a single vehicle stops at multiple stops along a
route, each stop is considered a trip.
For each transit stop that is within the required walking distance, review transit service schedules to
determine the following:
·· The number of transit vehicle rides on a weekday. If service varies by weekday, count the weekday with the
lowest number of trips.
·· The number of transit vehicle trips on each weekend day. If counts per weekend day are different, use an
average; however, no day may have zero trips.
·· An individual transit stop can be counted only once, regardless of the number of dwelling units or
nonresidential use entrances within walking distance of it.
·· Total the trips provided at all qualifying transit stops and determine whether the number meets the daily
transit service threshold for both weekday and weekend trips, as noted in the credit requirements.
Step 7. Assess achievement of relevant prerequisites and credits
Transit service thresholds vary by prerequisite and credit. The following credits contain transit calculations:
·· SLL Prerequisite Smart Location
·· SLL Prerequisite Agricultural Land Conservation
·· SLL Credit Access to Quality Transit
·· NPD Prerequisite Compact Development
·· NPD Credit Mixed-Use Neighborhoods
·· NPD Credit Transportation Demand Management
Transit service example for SLL Prerequisite Smart Location

A 5-acre project involves new construction of 75 dwellings and 10 businesses plus two existing nonresidential
buildings. Twenty-five of the dwellings are in a multifamily building, and the remainder are detached single-family
units. Of the businesses, five share a building, and the others are in their own buildings. This gives a total of
32
51 residential buildings and eight nonresidential buildings, for a project total of 59 buildings. For the sake of brevity,
it is assumed that each of the 59 buildings has a single entrance and that the project and vicinity pedestrian networks
comply with rating system requirements.
The project team does a preliminary assessment of transit service in the area and finds one rail station with two
platforms (essentially two stops) and six bus lines near the project. The six bus lines have a total of 20 stops near the
project.
Closer assessment reveals that four of the bus stops cannot be reached by any existing or planned project
building within a 1/4-mile walking distance, so these are eliminated from consideration. For the remaining two rail
stops and 16 bus stops, all qualify because at least one existing or planned project building entrance is within the
allowed walking distances.
Additionally, a new bus line is planned that has the required funding commitments. Six new bus stops will be
within walking distance of the project, bringing the total to 22 qualifying bus stops.
The team calculates the number of dwelling and nonresidential entrances within walking distance of at least
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one of the 22 bus stops. Using shortest path analysis, the team finds that 40 of the 59 building entrances are within
the required distance of at least one bus stop, then calculates the percentage: 40 / 59 = 0.68%. Because 68% of the
entrances have access to transit, the project exceeds the required threshold (50% of total origin points).
Next, the team counts the number of daily transit trips at the 22 stops for each day of the week. Based on
timetables, the team finds that the stops, in aggregate, have 400 trips per weekday, 250 Saturday trips, and 100 trips
on Sunday. Because Saturday and Sunday trip numbers are different, the team must use their average: 250 + 100 = 350,
and 350 / 2 = 175. (Although the Saturday and Sunday trips can be different, neither can be zero.)
With 400 daily weekday trips and an average 175 daily weekend trips, the project exceeds the prerequisite’s
thresholds of 60 and 40, respectively.
CONNECTIVITY (INTERSECTION DENSITY)

Another rating system metric is connectivity, expressed as intersections per square mile (square kilometer).
Connectivity is an important objective of LEED ND because it enables multimodal travel that, in turn, reduces
energy use and emissions of pollutants, including greenhouse gases, while improving public health and equitable
access.
Connectivity can be calculated internally (within the project boundary) or in the area surrounding the project
(within a specified distance of the project boundary).
For both internal and surrounding connectivity, eligible and ineligible intersections are as follows (Figure 12):
·· Count publicly accessible intersections of the circulation network, including intersections of streets with
dedicated alleys and transit rights-of-way, and intersections of streets with nonmotorized rights-of-way.
·· If one must both enter and exit an area through the same intersection, exclude that intersection and any
intersections beyond that point; intersections leading only to culs-de-sac are also not counted.
Assemble maps of existing and planned streets and rights-of-way inside the project boundary (internal connectivity)
or existing streets and rights-of-way in the vicinity (surrounding connectivity). Use mapped street data from GIS or
CAD files of right-of-way centerlines, normally available from the local government.
Exclude ineligible intersections (as listed above) and count the remaining qualifying intersections. Sum the
number of qualifying intersections for the project site area (internal connectivity) or the area within a 1/4-mile
(400-meter) distance of the project boundary (surrounding connectivity).
When determining area, include street rights-of-way. Exclude the area of water bodies, parks larger than 1/2 acre
(0.2 hectare), public facility campuses, airports, rail yards, slopes over 15%, and areas nonbuildable under codified
law or the rating system.
Finally, prorate the eligible intersections in the area to the equivalent of a square mile or square kilometer. For
example, 50 intersections in a 0.75-square-mile (1.9-square-kilometer) project site equates to 67 intersections per
square mile (174 intersections per square kilometer).
The results of Equation 9 determine compliance with the connectivity prerequisite and credit.
EQUATION 9. Intersections per square mile (square kilometer)
Intersections Qualifying intersections

=
mi2 or km2 Land area minus any exclusions
33
Public non-motorized ROW (path)
Street to street intersection Driveway Cul-de-sac

entrance entrance
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Alley to alley intersection Street to alley intersection
Noneligible intersections
Eligible intersections
Figure 12. Eligible and ineligible intersections for determining connectivity
PROJECT GEOGRAPHIC CENTER

Several credits require measuring the Counting
distance from a project’s geographic
Intersections (Gettingcenter to certain features, such as farmers
Started
markets. In CAD or GIS terms, the project’s geographic center is the “centroid” of the
Figure 11)polygon created by the project
boundary.
THROUGH CONNECTIONS AND RIGHT-OF-WAY INTERSECTS

SLL Prerequisite Smart Location and two NPD credits require the measurement of distances between the points
where internal right-of-way centerlines pass through or terminate at the project boundary. Figure 13 shows how
rights-of-way may intersect a project boundary. NPD Prerequisite Connected and Open Community and NPD Credit
Connected and Open Community allow rights-of-way to terminate at the project boundary, as well as pass through
it. As shown in Figures 15–18, the points where the centerlines of rights-of-way intersect the project boundary are the
points used to measure interval distances between those points along the boundary. Maximum allowable distances
between intersect points are stipulated in each credit.
34
Internal ROW (new/existing) LEED PROJECT BOUNDARY External ROW (existing)
CL CL
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Intersect of boundary (through boundary)

Internal ROW (new/existing) LEED PROJECT BOUNDARY
External ROW (existing)

CL
CL
CL
Intersect of boundary (through boundary)
Figure 13. Through connections

ROW Intersecting Boundary
(Figures 13 and 14, a and b)
35
STARTED
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Figure 14. No through connections
Intersect interval distance
CL
CL
(Figures 13 and 14, c)
Figure 15. Through connections, two-block project

36
CL
CL CL
STARTED
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CL
Intersect interval distance
Figure 16. Through connections, four-block project
CL CL CL
CL CL

CL CL
(Figures 13 and 14, e)
CL CL
CL CL CL
Intersect interval
distance
Figure 17. Through connection, four-block project including bordering streets

37
CL
CL
STARTED
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CL
River Intersect interval distance
Exempt boundary
Figure 18. Through connection with exempt boundary portion
CIRCULATION NETWORK AND BLOCK FRONTAGES

Three NPD credits stipulate requirements for circulation networks, block length, and building frontages. Circulation
network and block length are defined as follows:
circulation network all motorized, nonmotorized, and mixed-mode travel ways permanently accessible to the
public, not including driveways, parking lots, highway access ramps, and rights-of-way exclusively dedicated to
rail. It is measured in linear feet.
block length the distance along a block face; specifically, the distance from an intersecting right-of-way edge
USGBC LEED Guidealong
Illustrations GS10
a block face, when that face is adjacent to a qualifying circulation network segment, to the next ROW edge
intersecting that block face, except for intersecting alley ROWs.
(Figures
The applicability of these terms to a typical streetscape is shown in Figure 19. 13 and 14, g)
Sidewalks are usually (but not always) located within the circulation network right-of-way. When measuring
the length of the circulation network using the above definition, count a right-of-way only once, regardless of how
many travel modes or lanes use it. For example, a street segment containing four vehicular lanes, a bicycle lane, and
a bordering sidewalk is considered a single length of circulation network. If, however, a pedestrian-only right-of-way
does not occur along a street but stands alone, its length is counted separately for the circulation network.
The dividing line between the right-of-way and block frontage is the property line, regardless of sidewalk
location.
Some elements of a project, such as a plaza or square, may occasionally allow vehicular passage but are not part of
the circulation network. For example, a plaza serving primarily as a public meeting space is not considered part of the
dedicated circulation network, even if emergency vehicles are allowed to drive through it.
38
CL CL
Building Facade
Sidewalk Length
ROW Block Length (north side) ROW

CL CL
ROW
ROW
Circulation Network Length
Curb Length
Block Length (south side)

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Figure 19. Measuring the circulation network and frontages
OCCUPANCY
Many kinds of people use a typical LEED building, and the mix varies by project type. Occupants are sometimes
referred to in a general sense; for example, “Publicize the availability of subsidized transit passes to project
occupants.” In other instances, occupants must be counted for calculations. Definitions of occupant types are
general guidelines that may be modified or superseded in a particular credit when appropriate (such changes are
noted in each credit’s reference guide section). Most credits group users into two categories, regular building
occupants and visitors.
Regular Building Occupants

Regular building occupants are habitual users of a LEED project. All of the following are considered regular building
occupants.
Employees include part-time and full-time employees, and totals are calculated using full-time equivalency (FTE).
A typical project can count FTE employees by adding full-time employees and part-time employees, adjusted for
their hours of work (Equation 1o).
EQUATION 1O.
Street Block Frontage (Getting Started)
daily part-time employee hours
FTE employees = Full-time employees +
8
For buildings with more unusual occupancy patterns, calculate the FTE building occupants based on a standard
eight-hour occupancy period (Equation 11).
EQUATION 11.
all employee hours

FTE employees =
8
Staff is synonymous with employees for the purpose of LEED calculations.

Volunteers who regularly use a building are synonymous with employees for the purpose of LEED calculations.
39
Residents of a project are considered regular building occupants. This includes residents of a dormitory. If
actual resident count is not known, use a default equal to the number of bedrooms in the dwelling unit plus one,
multiplied by the number of such dwelling units.
Primary and secondary school students are typically regular building occupants (see the exception in SLL
Credit Bicycle Facilities).
Hotel guests are typically considered regular building occupants, with some credit-specific exceptions.
Calculate the number of overnight hotel guests based on the number and size of units in the project. Assume 1.5
occupants per guest room and multiply the resulting total by 60% (average hotel occupancy). Alternatively, the
number of hotel guest occupants may be derived from actual or historical occupancy.
Inpatients are medical, surgical, maternity, specialty, and intensive-care unit patients whose length of stay
exceeds 23 hours. Peak inpatients are the highest number of inpatients at a given point in a typical 24-hour
period.
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Visitors
Visitors (also “transients”) intermittently use a LEED project. All of the following are considered visitors.
Retail customers are considered visitors. In water-related credits, retail customers are considered separately

from other kinds of visitors and should not be included in the total average daily visitors.
Outpatients visit a hospital, clinic, or associated health care facility for diagnosis or treatment that lasts 23 hours
or less.
Peak outpatients are the highest number of outpatients at a given point in a typical 24-hour period.
Volunteers who periodically use a building (e.g., once per week) are considered visitors.
Higher-education students are considered visitors to most buildings, except when they are residents of a dorm,
in which case they are residents.
In calculations, occupant types are typically counted in two ways:

Daily averages take into account all the occupants of a given type for a typical 24-hour day of operation.
Peak totals are measured at the moment in a typical 24-hour period when the highest number of a given
occupant type is present.
Whenever possible, use actual or predicted occupancies. If occupancy cannot be accurately predicted, use one of the
following resources to estimate occupancy:
a. Default occupant density from ASHRAE 62.1–2010, Table 6-1
b. Default occupant density from CEN Standard EN 15251, Table B.2
c. Appendix 2 Default Occupancy Counts
d. Results from applicable studies.
If numbers vary seasonally, use occupancy numbers that are a representative daily average over the entire operating
season of the building.
If occupancy patterns are atypical (shift overlap, significant seasonal variation), explain such patterns when
submitting documentation for certification.
The following LEED ND credits reference occupancy:

·· SLL Credit Bicycle Facilities
·· NPD Credit Transportation Demand Management
·· NPD Credit Local Food Production
·· GIB Prerequisite and Credit Indoor Water Use Reduction
·· GIB Credit Solid Waste Management
40
QUICK REFERENCE
TABLE 5. Scorecard and policy areas
Prerequisite/ Exemplary
Credit name Points
Credit performance Climate Infrastructure
protection efficiency
SLL
Smart Location and Linkage
P Smart Location Required X X
P Imperiled Species and Ecological Communities Conservation Required
P Wetland and Water Body Conservation Required

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P Agricultural Land Conservation Required
P Floodplain Avoidance Required
C Preferred Locations 10 Y X X
C Brownfield Remediation 2
C Access to Quality Transit 7 Y X X
C Bicycle Facilities 1 X X
C Housing and Jobs Proximity 3 X X
C Steep Slope Protection 1
C Site Design for Habitat or Wetland and Water Body Conservation 1
C Restoration of Habitat or Wetlands and Water Bodies 1 Y
C Long-Term Conservation Management of Habitat or Wetlands and Water Bodies 1
NPD
Neighborhood Pattern and Design
P Walkable Streets Required X X
P Compact Development Required X X
P Connected and Open Community Required X X
C Walkable Streets 12 Y X X
C Compact Development 6 X X
C Mixed-Use Neighborhoods 4 Y X X
C Housing Types and Affordability 7 Y
C Reduced Parking Footprint 1 X
C Connected and Open Community 2 X X
C Transit Facilities 1 X X
C Transportation Demand Management 2 X X
C Access to Civic and Public Space 1 X X
C Access to Recreation Facilities 1 X X
C Visitability and Universal Design 1 Y
C Community Outreach and Involvement 2
C Local Food Production 1 Y X
C Tree-Lined and Shaded Streetscapes 2 Y X
C Neighborhood Schools 1 X X
41
Policy-oriented credit sets

Cross-credit
policy synergies
Public health Walkable amenties Water protection Smart growth Social equity Natural resource protection
X X X X X X 8
X X X 3
X X X 3
STARTED
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X X 2
X X X 3
X X X 5
QUICK REFERENCE
X X X X 5
X X X X 6
X X X X 7
X X X X 6
X X X 3
X X 2
X X 2
X X 2
X X 4
X X 4
X X X X 6
X X 4
X X 4
X X X 5
X X 2
X 2
X X X X 6
X X 4
X X 5
X X X X 6
X X X X 6
X X 2
X X X 5
X 2
X X X 5
42
TABLE 5 (CONTINUED). Scorecard and policy areas
Prerequisite/ Exemplary
Credit name Points
Credit performance Climate Infrastructure
protection efficiency
GIB
Green Infrastructure and Buildings
P Certified Green Building Required X X
P Minimum Building Energy Performance Required X X
P Indoor Water Use Reduction Required X X
P Construction Activity Pollution Prevention Required
C Certified Green Buildings 5 Y X X

STARTED
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C Optimize Building Energy Performance 2 Y X X
C Indoor Water Use Reduction 1 Y X X
C Outdoor Water Use Reduction 1 Y X X

C Building Reuse 1 Y X X
C Historic Resource Preservation and Adaptive Reuse 1 Y X
C Minimized Site Disturbance 1
C Rainwater Management 4 Y X X
C Heat Island Reduction 1 Y X X
C Solar Orientation 1 Y X X
C Renewable Energy Production 3 Y X X
C District Heating and Cooling 2 Y X X
C Infrastructure Energy Efficiency 1 Y X X
C Wastewater Management 2 Y X X
C Recycled and Reused Infrastructure 1 Y X X
C Solid Waste Management 1 X X
C Light Pollution Reduction 1 X

43
Policy-oriented credit sets

Cross-credit
policy synergies
Public health Walkable amenties Water protection Smart growth Social equity Natural resource protection
X X 5
X 4
X X X 4
X X 4
STARTED
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3
X 4
X 4
QUICK REFERENCE
X 3
X 2
X X 2
X X 5
X 4
X 4
X X 5
X 2
44
TABLE 6. Applicability of requirements to planned versus existing features
Prerequisite/
Credit name Case or option Planned features Existing features
Credit
SLL
Intersections, circulation
2. Adjacent Sites with Connectivity —
network
P Smart Location
3. Transit Corridor Buildings, transit Buildings, transit
4. Sites with Nearby Neighborhood Assets Buildings Buildings, uses
Wetland and Water Body
P 2. Sites with Wetlands, Water Bodies Land-use densities Land-use densities
Conservation
P Agricultural Land Conservation 5. Sites with Affected Soils Land-use densities Land-use densities
C Access to Quality Transit 1. Transit-Served Location Buildings, transit Buildings, transit
All Projects: Bicycle Storage Dwellings, uses —
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1. Bikable Location — Bicycle network, uses

C Bicycle Facilities
Dwellings, uses, bicycle Dwellings, uses, bicycle
2. Bicycle Network
network network
1. Project with Affordable Residential
Buildings Buildings, jobs
Component
C Housing and Jobs Proximity 2. Project with Residential Component Buildings Buildings, jobs
3. Infill Project with Nonresidential Buildings, transit,
Buildings, jobs
Component dwellings
C Steep Slope Protection All Projects — Slopes
NPD
a. Functional Entry Buildings —
b. Building-Height-to-Street-Centerline Buildings, circulation Buildings, circulation
P Walkable Streets Ratio network network
c. Sidewalks Sidewalks —
d. Garage Frontages Circulation network Circulation network
1. Projects with Access to Quality Transit Land uses, transit Land uses, transit
P Compact Development
2. All Other Projects Land uses, transit Land uses, transit
Circulation network,
1. Surrounding Connectivity —
Connected and Open intersections
P
Community Circulation network, Circulation network,
2. Internal Connectivity
intersections intersections
a. 25-Foot Setback Buildings Buildings
b. 18-Foot Setback Buildings Buildings
c. 1-Foot Setback Buildings Buildings
d. Entries Every 75 Feet Buildings Buildings
e. Entries Every 30 Feet Buildings Buildings
f. Ground-Level Glass Buildings Buildings
g. Minimal Blank Walls Buildings Buildings
h. Unshuttered Retail Windows Buildings Buildings
C Walkable Streets
i. On-street Parking Circulation network Circulation network
j. Continuous Sidewalks Circulation network Circulation network
k. Ground-Floor Dwelling Units Buildings Buildings
l. Ground-Floor Retail Buildings Buildings
m. Building-Height-to-Street-Width Ratio Buildings Buildings
n. 20-mph Streets Circulation network —
o. 25-mph Streets Circulation network —
p. Minimal Driveways Circulation network Circulation network
C Compact Development All Projects Land-use densities Land-use densities
All Projects Dwellings, uses Dwellings, uses
C Mixed-Use Neighborhoods
2 2
Projects with >150,000 ft (13 935 m ) Retail Buildings, transit Buildings, transit
45
TABLE 6 (CONTINUED). Applicability of requirements to planned versus existing features
Prerequisite/
Credit name Case or option Planned features Existing features
Credit
NPD (continued)
1. Diversity of Housing Types Dwellings Dwellings
C Housing Types and Affordability
2. Affordable Housing Dwellings —
C Reduced Parking Footprint All Projects Buildings —
Connected and Open Culs-de-sac, intersections, Intersections, circulation
C All Projects
Community circulation network network
C Transit Facilities All Projects Transit Transit
Transportation Demand 3. Vehicle Sharing Buildings Buildings

C
Management 4. Unbundling of Parking Buildings Buildings
STARTED
Access to Civic and Public
GETTING
C All Projects Buildings Buildings
Space
C Access to Recreation Facilities Proximity to Outdoor Facilities Buildings Buildings
1. Projects with Dwelling Units Dwellings —
C Visitability and Universal Design
2. Projects with Noncompliant ROWs Circulation network Circulation network
QUICK REFERENCE
1. Neighborhood Gardens Dwellings —
C Local Food Production 2. Community-Supported Agriculture Dwellings —
3. Proximity to Farmers Market Buildings Buildings
Tree-Lined and Shaded
C All Projects Buildings, block length Buildings, block length
Streetscapes
Schools, buildings, Buildings, circulation
C Neighborhood Schools All Projects
circulation network network
GIB
P Certified Green Building All Projects Buildings Major renovations
Minimum Building Energy
P All Projects Buildings Major renovations
Performance
P Indoor Water Use Reduction All Projects Buildings Major renovations
1. Projects with 10 or Fewer Habitable
Buildings Buildings
C Certified Green Buildings Buildings
2. Projects of All Sizes Buildings Buildings
Optimize Building Energy
C All Projects Buildings Renovations
Performance
C Indoor Water Use Reduction All Projects Buildings Renovations
C Building Reuse All Projects — Major renovations
Historic Resource Preservation
C All Projects — Buildings
and Adaptive Reuse
C Minimized Site Disturbance 2. Undeveloped Area Is Undisturbed Land uses Land uses
1. Nonroof Measures Nonroof hardscape Nonroof hardscape
2. High-Reflectance and Vegetated Roofs Buildings —
C Heat Island Reduction
Nonroof hardscape, Nonroof hardscape,
3. Mixed Roof and Nonroof Measures
buildings buildings
1. Block Orientation Blocks Blocks
C Solar Orientation
2. Building Orientation Buildings —
C Renewable Energy Production All Projects Buildings —
C District Heating and Cooling All Projects Buildings —
C Infrastructure Energy Efficiency All Projects Infrastructure —
C Wastewater Management All Projects Buildings —
C Light Pollution Reduction All Projects Land uses, buildings Land uses, buildings
46
TABLE 7. Cross-cutting calculations
Circulation
Walking, Project ROW
Prerequisite/ Land-use Development Transit Intersection network,
Credit name biking geographic boundary
Credit density footprint service density block
distances center intersects
frontage
SLL
P Smart Location X X X X X X
Wetland and Water Body

P X
Conservation
Agricultural Land
P X X X
Conservation
C Preferred Locations X
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C Access to Quality Transit X X
C Bicycle Facilities X
Housing and Jobs

C X X
Proximity
C Steep Slope Protection X
Restoration of Habitat or
C X
Wetlands and Water Bodies
NPD
P Walkable Streets X
P Compact Development X
Connected and Open

P X X
Community
C Walkable Streets X
C Compact Development X
C Mixed-Use Neighborhoods X X
Housing Types and

C X
Affordability
C Reduced Parking Footprint X X
Connected and Open

C X X
Community
C Transit Facilities X
Transportation Demand
C X X
Management
Access to Civic and Public
C X
Space
Access to Recreation
C X
Facilities
C Local Food Production X X X
C Neighborhood Schools X
GIB
C Minimized Site Disturbance X X
C Rainwater Management X X
49
Minimum Program
Requirements
MPR
MINIMUM PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
INTRODUCTION
The Minimum Program Requirements (MPRs) are the minimum characteristics or conditions that make a project
appropriate to pursue LEED certification. These requirements are foundational to all LEED projects and define the
types of buildings, spaces, and neighborhoods that the LEED rating system is designed to evaluate.
50
1. MUST BE IN A PERMANENT LOCATION ON EXISTING LAND

INTENT
The LEED rating system is designed to evaluate buildings, spaces, and neighborhoods in the context of their
surroundings. A significant portion of LEED requirements are dependent on the project’s location, therefore
it is important that LEED projects are evaluated as permanent structures. Locating projects on existing land is
important to avoid artificial land masses that have the potential to displace and disrupt ecosystems.
REQUIREMENTS
All LEED projects must be constructed and operated on a permanent location on existing land. No project that is
designed to move at any point in its lifetime may pursue LEED certification. This requirement applies to all land
within the LEED project.
ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE
Permanent location
·· Movable buildings are not eligible for LEED. This includes boats and mobile homes.
·· Prefabricated or modular structures and building elements may be certified once permanently installed as part
of the LEED project.
Existing land
MPR
·· Buildings located on previously constructed docks, piers, jetties, infill, and other manufactured structures
in or above water are permissible, provided that the artificial land is previously developed, such that the land
once supported another building or hardscape constructed for a purpose other than the LEED project.
2. MUST USE REASONABLE LEED BOUNDARIES

INTENT
The LEED rating system is designed to evaluate buildings, spaces, or neighborhoods, and all environmental impacts
associated with those projects. Defining a reasonable LEED boundary ensures that project is accurately evaluated.
REQUIREMENTS
The LEED project boundary must include all contiguous land that is associated with the project and supports its
typical operations. This includes land altered as a result of construction and features used primarily by the project’s
occupants, such as hardscape (parking and sidewalks), septic or stormwater treatment equipment, and landscaping.
The LEED boundary may not unreasonably exclude portions of the building, space, or site to give the project an
advantage in complying with credit requirements. The LEED project must accurately communicate the scope of the
certifying project in all promotional and descriptive materials and distinguish it from any non-certifying space.
ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE
Site
·· Non-contiguous parcels of land may be included within the LEED project boundary if the parcels directly
support or are associated with normal building operations of the LEED project and are accessible to the LEED
project’s occupants.
·· Facilities (such as parking lots, bicycle storage, shower/changing facilities, and/or on-site renewable energy)
that are outside of the LEED project boundary may be included in certain prerequisites and credits if they
directly serve the LEED project and are not double-counted for other LEED projects. The project team must
also have permission to use these facilities.
51
·· The LEED project boundary may include other buildings.

°° If another building or structure within the LEED project boundary is ineligible for LEED certification, it may
be included in the certification of the LEED project. It may also be excluded.
°° If another building within the LEED project boundary is eligible for LEED certification, it may be included in
the certification if USGBC’s multiple building guidance is followed. It may also be excluded.
·· Projects that are phased sites with a master plan for multiple buildings must designate a LEED project
boundary for each building or follow USGBC’s master site guidance.
·· The gross floor area of the LEED project should be no less than 2% of the gross land area within the LEED
project boundary.
Building
·· The LEED project should include the complete scope of work of the building or interior space.
·· The LEED project can be delineated by ownership, management, lease, or party wall separation.
·· Buildings or structures primarily dedicated to parking are not eligible for LEED certification. Parking that
serves an eligible LEED project should be included in the certification.
·· If the project consists of multiple structures physically connected only by circulation, parking or mechanical/
storage rooms, it may be considered a single building for LEED purposes if the structures have programmatic
dependency (spaces, not personnel, within the building cannot function independently without the other
building) or architectural cohesiveness (the building was designed to appear as one building).
MPR
·· An addition to an existing building may certify independently, excluding the existing building in its entirety.
Alternatively, the addition and the entire existing building may certify as one project.
Interiors
MINIMUM PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

·· If a single entity owns, manages, or occupies an entire building and wishes to certify a renovated portion of the
building that is not separated by ownership, management, lease, or party wall separation, they may do so if the
project boundary includes 100% of the construction scope and is drawn at a clear, physical barrier.
Neighborhood
·· The LEED neighborhood includes the land, water, and construction within the LEED project boundary.
·· The LEED boundary is usually defined by the platted property line of the project, including all land and water
within it.
°° Projects located on publicly owned campuses that do not have internal property lines must delineate a
sphere-of-influence line to be used instead.
°° Projects may have enclaves of non-project properties that are not subject to the rating system, but cannot
exceed 2% of the total project area and cannot be described as certified.
°° Projects must not contain non-contiguous parcels, but parcels can be separated by public rights-of-way.
·· The project developer, which can include several property owners, should control a majority of the buildable
land within the boundary, but does not have to control the entire area.
3. MUST COMPLY WITH PROJECT SIZE REQUIREMENTS

INTENT
The LEED rating system is designed to evaluate buildings, spaces, or neighborhoods of a certain size. The LEED
requirements do not accurately assess the performance of projects outside of these size requirements.
REQUIREMENTS
All LEED projects must meet the size requirements listed below.
LEED BD+C and LEED O+M Rating Systems
The LEED project must include a minimum of 1,000 square feet (93 square meters) of gross floor area.
52
LEED ID+C Rating Systems

The LEED project must include a minimum of 250 square feet (22 square meters) of gross floor area.
LEED for Neighborhood Development Rating Systems
The LEED project should contain at least two habitable buildings and be no larger than 1500 acres.
LEED for Homes Rating Systems
The LEED project must be defined as a “dwelling unit” by all applicable codes. This requirement includes, but
is not limited to, the International Residential Code stipulation that a dwelling unit must include “permanent
provisions for living, sleeping, eating, cooking, and sanitation.”
MPR
55
Rating System
Selection Guidance
INTRODUCTION
SELECTION
SYSTEM
This document provides guidance to help project teams select a LEED rating system. Projects are required to use the
rating system that is most appropriate. However, when the decision is not clear, it is the responsibility of the project
team to make a reasonable decision in selecting a rating system before registering their project. The project teams
RATING SYSTEM SELECTION GUIDANCE

should first identify an appropriate rating system, and then determine the best adaptation. Occasionally, USGBC
recognizes that an entirely inappropriate rating system has been chosen. In this case, the project team will be asked
to change the designated rating system for their registered project. Please review this guidance carefully and contact
USGBC if it is not clear which rating system to use.
56
RATING SYSTEM DESCRIPTIONS

LEED FOR BUILDING DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION
Buildings that are new construction or major renovation. In addition, at least 60% of the project’s gross floor area
must be complete by the time of certification (except for LEED BD+C: Core and Shell).
·· LEED BD+C: New Construction and Major Renovation. New construction or major renovation of buildings
that do not primarily serve K-12 educational, retail, data centers, warehouses and distribution centers,
hospitality, or healthcare uses. New construction also includes high-rise residential buildings 9 stories or
more.
·· LEED BD+C: Core and Shell Development. Buildings that are new construction or major renovation for
the exterior shell and core mechanical, electrical, and plumbing units, but not a complete interior fit-out.
LEED BD+C: Core and Shell is the appropriate rating system to use if more than 40% of the gross floor area is
incomplete at the time of certification.
·· LEED BD+C: Schools. Buildings made up of core and ancillary learning spaces on K-12 school grounds. LEED
BD+C: Schools may optionally be used for higher education and non-academic buildings on school campuses.
·· LEED BD+C: Retail. Buildings used to conduct the retail sale of consumer product goods. Includes both direct
customer service areas (showroom) and preparation or storage areas that support customer service.
·· LEED BD+C: Data Centers. Buildings specifically designed and equipped to meet the needs of high density
computing equipment such as server racks, used for data storage and processing. LEED BD+C: Data Centers
only addresses whole building data centers (greater than 60%).
·· LEED BD+C: Warehouses and Distribution Centers. Buildings used to store goods, manufactured products,
merchandise, raw materials, or personal belongings, such as self-storage.
·· LEED BD+C: Hospitality. Buildings dedicated to hotels, motels, inns, or other businesses within the service
industry that provide transitional or short-term lodging with or without food.
SELECTION
SYSTEM
·· LEED BD+C: Healthcare. Hospitals that operate twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week and provide
inpatient medical treatment, including acute and long-term care.
·· LEED BD+C: Homes and Multifamily Lowrise. Single-family homes and multi-family residential buildings
of 1 to 3 stories. Projects 3 to 5 stories may choose the Homes rating system that corresponds to the ENERGY
STAR program in which they are participating.

·· LEED BD+C: Multifamily Midrise. Multi-family residential buildings of 4 to 8 occupiable stories above grade.
The building must have 50% or more residential space. Buildings near 8 stories can inquire with USGBC about
using Midrise or New Construction, if appropriate.
LEED FOR INTERIOR DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION.

Interior spaces that are a complete interior fit-out. In addition, at least 60% of the project’s gross floor area must be
complete by the time of certification.
·· LEED ID+C: Commercial Interiors. Interior spaces dedicated to functions other than retail or hospitality.
·· LEED ID+C: Retail. Interior spaces used to conduct the retail sale of consumer product goods. Includes both
direct customer service areas (showroom) and preparation or storage areas that support customer service.
·· LEED ID+C: Hospitality. Interior spaces dedicated to hotels, motels, inns, or other businesses within the
service industry that provide transitional or short-term lodging with or without food.
LEED FOR BUILDING OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE.

Existing buildings that are undergoing improvement work or little to no construction.
·· LEED O+M: Existing Buildings. Existing buildings that do not primarily serve K-12 educational, retail, data
centers, warehouses and distribution centers, or hospitality uses.
·· LEED O+M: Retail. Existing buildings used to conduct the retail sale of consumer product goods. Includes
both direct customer service areas (showroom) and preparation or storage areas that support customer
service.
57
·· LEED O+M: Schools. Existing buildings made up of core and ancillary learning spaces on K-12 school grounds.
May also be used for higher education and non-academic buildings on school campuses.
·· LEED O+M: Hospitality. Existing buildings dedicated to hotels, motels, inns, or other businesses within the
service industry that provide transitional or short-term lodging with or without food.
·· LEED O+M: Data Centers. Existing buildings specifically designed and equipped to meet the needs of high
density computing equipment such as server racks, used for data storage and processing. LEED O+M: Data
Centers only addresses whole building data centers.
·· LEED O+M: Warehouses and Distribution Centers. Existing buildings used to store goods, manufactured
products, merchandise, raw materials, or personal belongings (such as self-storage).
LEED FOR NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT

New land development projects or redevelopment projects containing residential uses, nonresidential uses, or a
mix. Projects may be at any stage of the development process, from conceptual planning through construction. It
is recommended that at least 50% of total building floor area be new construction or major renovation. Buildings
within the project and features in the public realm are evaluated.
·· LEED ND: Plan. Projects in conceptual planning or master planning phases, or under construction.
·· LEED ND: Built Project. Completed development projects.
CHOOSING BETWEEN RATING SYSTEMS

The following 40/60 rule provides guidance for making a decision when several rating systems appear to be
appropriate for a project. To use this rule, first assign a rating system to each square foot or square meter of the
building. Then, choose the most appropriate rating system based on the resulting percentages.
SELECTION
SYSTEM
The entire gross floor area of a LEED project must be certified under a single rating system and is subject to all
prerequisites and attempted credits in that rating system, regardless of mixed construction or space usage type.
RATING SYSTEM SELECTION GUIDANCE

PERCENTAGE OF FLOOR AREA APPROPRIATE
FOR A PARTICULAR RATING SYSTEM
<40% 40% - 60% >60%

SHOULD NOT USE PROJECT’S TEAM SHOULD USE
THAT RATING SYSTEM CHOICE THAT RATING SYSTEM
·· If a rating system is appropriate for less than 40% of the gross floor area of a LEED project building or space,
then that rating system should not be used.
·· If a rating system is appropriate for more than 60% of the gross floor area of a LEED project building or space,
then that rating system should be used.
·· If an appropriate rating system falls between 40% and 60% of the gross floor area, project teams must
independently assess their situation and decide which rating system is most applicable.
59
SLL
SMART LOCATION AND LINKAGE
Smart Location
and Linkage (SLL)
OVERVIEW
Smart Location and Linkage focuses on selection of sites that minimize the adverse environmental effects of new
development and avoid contributing to sprawl and its consequences. Typical sprawl development—low-density,
segregated housing and commercial uses located in automobile-dependent outlying areas—can harm the natural
environment: it can consume forestland, destroy or fragment wildlife habitat, degrade water quality by draining
wetlands and increasing rainwater runoff, pollute the air and emit greenhouse gases through increased automobile
travel, and often displace agriculture from prime farmland to locations where food production requires more energy
and chemical inputs. In addition to these direct environmental effects, leapfrog development (a land-use pattern
in which new development does not connect coherently to existing development, often leaving haphazard tracts of
undeveloped land) can also harm the environment indirectly by promoting additional development in previously
undeveloped areas.
Increased automobile travel is one of the most damaging consequences of sprawl. People living and working in
outlying areas tend to drive greater distances, spend more time driving, own more cars, face a greater risk of traffic
fatalities, and walk less. Vehicle emissions contribute to climate change, smog, and particulate pollution, which all
are harmful to human health and natural ecosystems. In addition, the parking and roadway surfaces required to
support vehicular travel consume land and nonrenewable resources, disrupt natural rainwater flow, and enlarge
urban heat islands.
Choosing a smart location can make a substantial difference. Transportation surveys conducted by many
metropolitan planning organizations across the country show that residents of close-in locations may drive only a
third to half as much, on average, as residents of the most far-flung locations in a metro region.
To reduce the effects of sprawl and create more livable communities, preference should be given to locations
close to existing town and city centers, sites with good transit access, infill sites, previously developed sites, and sites
adjacent to existing development. Selecting these sites avoids development of outlying greenfield sites. In addition,
these sites often have utilities, roads, and other infrastructure in place, reducing the need to build new infrastructure
and minimizing the expansion of impervious surfaces that increase harmful rainwater runoff. In the locations that
perform better environmentally, the benefits can often be multiple and reinforcing: convenient transportation
60
choices, such as buses, light rail, heavy trains, car and van pools, bicycle lanes, and sidewalks, are generally more
available near downtowns, neighborhood centers, and town centers, which are also the locations associated with
shorter automobile trips. Research has shown that living in a mixed-use environment within walking distance of
shops and services encourages walking and bicycling, which improve cardiovascular and respiratory health and
reduce the risk of hypertension and obesity.
An additional benefit of locations that require less driving is that households may be able to own fewer
automobiles and cut transportation expenses. For commercial development, fewer automobiles may mean
less investment in parking infrastructure, which can reduce the amount of land needed for a project and lower
SLL
construction costs. Abundant transportation choices can increase the value and marketability of a neighborhood
development as well. More than 14.6 million households are expected to prefer housing within a half-mile of rail
transit stops by 2025—more than double the number of households living in such locations today.1
Beyond the environmental damage caused by increased automobile dependence, fragmentation and loss of
habitat to sprawl are major threats to many imperiled species. Selection of sites that are within or adjacent to
existing development can minimize habitat fragmentation and also help preserve areas for recreation. Wetlands and
floodplains tend to be biologically rich, and their conversion presents particularly serious environmental challenges:
in addition to altering wildlife habitat, it can reduce water quality and increase the likelihood of flooding and
associated consequences, such as erosion and loss of property. Left alone, these natural areas retain rainwater and
floodwater for slow release into river systems and aquifers, and they protect lakes and streams by trapping sediment.
Another important concern is development intrusion onto prime agricultural lands, which typically require
less fertilization and irrigation and are therefore the most resource efficient and environmentally sound locations
for farming. Leapfrog patterns of development not only take these lands out of agricultural production but can also
fragment farming communities and consequently reduce the economic viability of the local agricultural economy.
Many potential building sites in urban locations have been abandoned because of real or potential contamination
from previous industrial or municipal activities. Remediation and reclamation of contaminated brownfield sites
make them safer for the community and can also contribute to social and economic revitalization of depressed
or disadvantaged neighborhoods. Development of these sites spares greenfields and makes use of existing
infrastructure.
Finally, smart location choice also offers opportunities to repair the fabric of communities that are disjointed and
sprawling. Suburban locations typically contain excellent redevelopment opportunities on grayfield sites, such as old
airports, abandoned or underutilized shopping malls, and closed factories.
1 Center for Transit-Oriented Development, Hidden in Plain Sight: Capturing the Demand for Housing Near Transit (2004).
169
NPD
Neighborhood Pattern
NEIGHBORHOOD PATTERN AND DESIGN

and Design (NPD)
OVERVIEW
Neighborhood Pattern and Design emphasizes the creation of compact, walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods with
good connections to nearby communities. These vibrant neighborhoods provide many important benefits to
residents, employees, and visitors and to the environment.
In particular, because compact neighborhoods use land and infrastructure efficiently, they avoid fragmentation
of wildlife habitat and farmland loss, conserve economic resources, and slow the spread of low-density development
across a region’s landscape. Residents enjoy convenient access to shops, services, and public spaces within walking
and bicycling distance, and when people choose to drive, they take shorter automobile trips, saving time and
avoiding emissions. Compact development also facilitates access to public transportation because transit becomes
more economically viable when supported by higher concentrations of population.
In addition, the small block sizes associated with compact neighborhoods encourage walking and bicycling
because of increased connectivity, shorter travel distances, slower automobile traffic, and a more inviting pedestrian
environment. The slower traffic speeds typically found in dense developments also can reduce injury rates. The
environmental and public health benefits that accompany increased transportation choices and reduced rates of
driving are further discussed in the introduction to Smart Location and Linkage.
Features such as sidewalks and trails, street trees, inviting building façades, small setbacks, minimal parking lot
area, and measures to slow automobiles also increase pedestrian activity. Public spaces, such as parks, plazas, and
playing fields, can encourage social interaction and active recreation while helping control rainwater runoff and
reducing urban heat island effects. Community gardens also promote social interaction and physical activity while
increasing access to fresh, locally grown produce.
Communities with diverse housing types that accommodate a range of incomes, ages, and physical abilities
permit residents to live closer to their workplaces, help the community retain residents, and allow families to remain
in the neighborhood as their circumstances change over time.
A community’s involvement in project design and planning can help the project complement adjacent
neighborhoods, meet the needs of residents and workers, and nurture a cooperative relationship with the project’s
neighbors.
305
Green Infrastructure
and Buildings (GIB)
GIB
GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE & BUILDINGS
OVERVIEW
Green Infrastructure and Buildings focuses on measures that can reduce the environmental consequences of the
construction and operation of buildings and neighborhood infrastructure. In the U.S., buildings account for large
shares of energy consumption and water use. Globally, construction consumes a major part of the stone, gravel,
sand, and virgin wood used in the world. Sustainable building technologies reduce waste and use energy, water, and
materials more efficiently than conventional building practices.
Including certified green buildings in projects is one way to reduce negative environmental effects. These
buildings achieve substantially better performance across a range of environmental measures, and in many cases the
cost per square foot can be comparable to that of conventional buildings.
Energy efficiency is an essential strategy for reducing pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, which are possibly
the most negative environmental consequences of building and infrastructure operation. Production of electricity
from fossil fuels is responsible for air pollution, water pollution, and more than one-third of U.S. greenhouse gas
emissions; hydroelectric generation plants can degrade river habitats; and nuclear power presents waste disposal
problems and safety concerns. Building systems—electrical, lighting, heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, and
others—can be designed to significantly reduce energy consumption compared with conventional designs and
practices. The same gains are possible with neighborhood-scale infrastructure components like street lights, traffic
signals, and water and wastewater pumps.
District heating and cooling systems are an example of neighborhood-scale infrastructure that can improve
energy efficiency because large plants are typically more efficient than building-based equipment. District systems
can also take advantage of waste heat from on-site energy generation, improving efficiency.
On-site power generation is another energy management strategy for either individual buildings or
neighborhood-scale installations. These systems reduce transmission losses, and they may increase power reliability
and decrease energy costs by supplementing or replacing utility-supplied electricity. Use of renewable energy in on-
site generation further reduces environmental harms.
Solar orientation can also reduce energy consumption in buildings through passive or active systems. And
applications like photovoltaic systems can be scaled up to neighborhood levels.
306
The environmental consequences of building construction can be lessened through the reuse of existing
buildings. Reuse avoids the environmental effects associated with the extraction, manufacture, and transportation
of raw materials, and it reduces the volume of construction and demolition waste, lowering disposal costs and
extending landfill life. Reuse of existing components and infrastructure systems can also reduce the cost of
construction.
Using materials with recycled content conserves raw materials and supports recycling of construction wastes
so that they can be diverted from landfills. Many commonly used products are now available with recycled content,
including metals, concrete, masonry, acoustic tile, carpet, ceramic tile, and insulation. Most recycled-content
products exhibit performance similar to products containing only virgin materials and can be easily incorporated
into building projects at little or no additional cost.
Conventional building practices typically alter watershed hydrology and impair local water resources and
ecosystems. Changes to hydrology may deplete aquifers, reduce stream base flow, and cause thermal stress, flooding,
and stream channel erosion. New developments can be designed to minimize changes to natural hydrology and
stream health by reducing the velocity, volume, temperature, and pollutant content of rainwater runoff.
Urban heat islands are another consequence of standard development patterns and practices. The use of dark,
nonreflective materials for parking, roofs, walkways, and other surfaces raises ambient temperatures when radiation
from the sun is absorbed and transferred through convection and conduction back to surrounding areas. As a
result, ambient temperatures in urban areas can be artificially elevated by more than 10°F (5.5°C) compared with
surrounding undeveloped areas. This increases cooling loads in summer, requiring larger HVAC equipment and
consuming additional electricity, which in turn exacerbates air pollution and contributes to the formation of smog.
GIB
Heat islands are also detrimental to wildlife habitat: plants and animals are sensitive to high temperatures and may
not thrive when temperatures increase.
Water use can also be reduced through improved design and technologies that conserve water and ease demands
on water supply. Indoors, potable water consumption can be reduced by using low-flow plumbing fixtures and
waterless urinals. Outdoor water use, primarily for landscape maintenance, accounts for a large share of U.S. water
consumption and can be reduced through careful plant selection and landscape design. Wastewater can also be
reused for landscape maintenance.
Water conservation protects the natural water cycle and saves water resources for future generations by reducing
amounts withdrawn from rivers, streams, underground aquifers, and other water bodies. Another benefit of water
conservation is reduced energy and chemical use at wastewater treatment facilities. In addition to conserving
precious potable water, wastewater reuse reduces the amount of wastewater released into environmentally stressed
streams and rivers and lessen demands on overburdened wastewater treatment systems.
Site design provides another opportunity to reduce the environmental consequences of development. Site plans
should preserve the existing tree canopy and native vegetation to the extent possible while accommodating compact
development. Preserving existing vegetation can reduce rainwater runoff, mitigate the urban heat island effect,
reduce the energy needed for heating and cooling, and reduce landscaping installation and maintenance costs. Trees
also reduce air pollution, provide wildlife habitat, and make outdoor areas more pleasant for walking and recreation.
The construction process itself is often damaging to site ecology, indigenous plants, and animal populations.
This problem can be minimized by confining construction activities to certain areas on the site and restricting the
development footprint. Protection of open space and sensitive areas through the use of strict boundaries reduces
damage to the site ecology and preserves trees, native vegetation, and wildlife habitat. Construction can also cause
soil erosion by wind and water, and soil that leaves the site can cause water and air pollution. Loss of topsoil may
increase rainwater runoff, which pollutes nearby water bodies, and may necessitate use of more irrigation, fertilizer,
and pesticides. These problems can be prevented by implementing an erosion and sedimentation control plan.
485
Innovation (in)
OVERVIEW
Sustainable design strategies and measures are constantly evolving and improving. The purpose of this LEED
category is to recognize projects for innovative planning practices and sustainable building features.
Occasionally, a strategy results in a project’s performance that greatly exceeds what is required in an existing
IN
LEED credit. Other strategies may not be addressed by any LEED prerequisite or credit but warrant consideration
for their sustainability benefits. In addition, LEED is most effectively implemented as part of a cohesive team, and
this category addresses the role of a LEED Accredited Professional in facilitating that process.
INNOVATION
497
Regional Priority (rp)

OVERVIEW
Because some environmental issues are particular to a locale, volunteers from USGBC chapters and the LEED
REGIONAL PRIORITY
International Roundtable have identified distinct environmental priorities within their areas and the credits that
address those issues. These Regional Priority credits encourage project teams to focus on their local environmental
priorities.
USGBC established a process that identified six RP credits for every location and every rating system within
chapter or country boundaries. Participants were asked to determine which environmental issues were most salient
in their chapter area or country. The issues could be naturally occurring (e.g., water shortages) or man-made (e.g.,
polluted watersheds) and could reflect environmental concerns (e.g., water shortages) or environmental assets (e.g.,
abundant sunlight). The areas, or zones, were defined by a combination of priority issues—for example, an urban
RP
area with an impaired watershed versus an urban area with an intact watershed. The participants then prioritized
credits to address the important issues of given locations.
The ultimate goal of RP credits is to enhance the ability of LEED project teams to address critical environmental
issues across the country and around the world.
503
APPENDICES
APPENDIX 1. USE TYPES AND CATEGORIES
TABLE 1. Use Types and Categories
Category Use type
Food retail Supermarket
Grocery with produce section
Community-serving retail Convenience store
Farmers market
Hardware store
Pharmacy
Other retail
Services Bank
Family entertainment venue (e.g., theater, sports)
Gym, health club, exercise studio
Hair care
Laundry, dry cleaner
Restaurant, café, diner (excluding those with only drive-thru

service)
Civic and community facilities Adult or senior care (licensed)
Child care (licensed)
Community or recreation center
Cultural arts facility (museum, performing arts)
Education facility (e.g., K—12 school, university, adult

education center, vocational school, community college)
Government office that serves public on-site
Medical clinic or office that treats patients
Place of worship
Police or fire station
Post office APPENDICES
Public library
Public park
Social services center
Community anchor uses (BD+C and ID+C only) Commercial office (100 or more full-time equivalent jobs)
Adapted from Criterion Planners, INDEX neighborhood completeness indicator, 2005.

504
APPENDIX 2. DEFAULT OCCUPANCY COUNTS
Use Table 1 to calculate default occupancy counts. Only use the occupancy estimates if occupancy is unknown.
For the calculation, use gross floor area, not net or leasable floor area. Gross floor area is defined as the sum of
all areas on all floors of a building included within the outside faces of the exterior wall, including common areas,
mechanical spaces, circulation areas, and all floor penetrations that connect one floor to another. To determine gross
floor area, multiply the building footprint (in square feet or square meters) by the number of floors in the building.
Exclude underground or structured parking from the calculation.
TABLE 1. Default Occupancy Numbers
Gross square feet per occupant Gross square meters per occupant
Employees Transients Employees Transients
General office 250 0 23 0
Retail, general 550 130 51 12
Retail or service (e.g., financial, 600 130 56 12

auto)
Restaurant 435 95 40 9
Grocery store 550 115 51 11
Medical office 225 330 21 31
R&D or laboratory 400 0 37 0

Warehouse, distribution 2,500 0 232 0
Warehouse, storage 20,000 0 1860 0
Hotel 1,500 700 139 65
Educational, daycare 630 105 59 10
Educational, K–12 1,300 140 121 13
Educational, postsecondary 2,100 150 195 14
Sources:
·· ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1–2004 (Atlanta, GA, 2004).
·· 2001 Uniform Plumbing Code (Los Angeles, CA)
·· California Public Utilities Commission, 2004–2005 Database for Energy Efficiency Resources (DEER) Update
Study (2008).
·· California State University, Capital Planning, Design and Construction Section VI, Standards for Campus
Development Programs (Long Beach, CA, 2002).
·· City of Boulder Planning Department, Projecting Future Employment—How Much Space per Person
(Boulder, 2002).
APPENDICES
·· Metro, 1999 Employment Density Study (Portland, OR 1999).

·· American Hotel and Lodging Association, Lodging Industry Profile Washington, DC, 2008.
·· LEED for Core & Shell Core Committee, personal communication (2003 - 2006).
·· LEED for Retail Core Committee, personal communication (2007)
·· OWP/P, Medical Office Building Project Averages (Chicago, 2008).
·· OWP/P, University Master Plan Projects (Chicago, 2008).
·· U.S. General Services Administration, Childcare Center Design Guide (Washington, DC, 2003).
505
APPENDIX 3. RETAIL PROCESS LOAD BASELINES
TABLE 1A. Commercial kitchen appliance prescriptive measures and baseline for energy cost budget (IP units)
Baseline energy usage for energy modeling path Levels for prescriptive path
Baseline Baseline Prescriptive Prescriptive

Appliance Type Fuel Function
Efficiency Idle Rate Efficiency Idle Rate
Broiler, underfired Gas Cooking 30% 16,000 Btu/h/ 35% 12,000 Btu/h/ft2
ft2 peak input peak input
Combination ovens, Elec Cooking 40% steam 0.37P+4.5 kW 50% steam mode 0.133P+0.6400 kW
steam mode mode
(P = pan capacity)
Combination ovens, Gas Cooking 20% steam 1,210P+35,810 38% steam mode 200P+6,511 Btu/h
steam mode mode Btu/h
Combination ovens, Elec Cooking 65% 0.1P+1.5 kW 70% convection mode 0.080P+0.4989 kW
convection mode convection
mode
Combination ovens, Gas Cooking 35% 322P+13,563 44% convection mode 150P+5,425 Btu/h
convection mode convection Btu/h
mode
Convection oven, Elec Cooking 65% 2.0 kW 71% 1.6 kW

full-size
Convection oven, Gas Cooking 30% 18,000 Btu/h 46% 12,000 Btu/h
full-size

half-size
Conveyor oven, > Gas Cooking 20% 70,000 Btu/h 42% 57,000 Btu/h
25-inch belt
Conveyor oven, ≤ Gas Cooking 20% 45,000 Btu/h 42% 29,000 Btu/h
25-inch belt
Fryer Elec Cooking 75% 1.05 kW 80% 1.0 kW
Fryer Gas Cooking 35% 14,000 Btu/h 50% 9,000 Btu/h

2
Griddle (based on Elec Cooking 60% 400 W/ft 70% 320 W/ft2
3 ft model)
Griddle (based on Gas Cooking 30% 3,500 Btu/h/ 38% 2,650 Btu/h/ft2
3 ft model) ft2
Hot food holding Elec Cooking na 40 W/ft3 na 21.5V Watts

cabinets (excluding
drawer warmers
and heated display)
0 < V < 13 ft³ (V =
volume)
Hot food holding Elec Cooking na 40 W/ft3 na 2.0V + 254 Watts

cabinets (excluding
APPENDICES
drawer warmers
and heated display)
13 ≤ V < 28 ft³
Hot food holding Elec Cooking na 40 W/ft3 na 3.8V + 203.5 Watts

cabinets (excluding
drawer warmers
and heated display)
28 ft³ ≤ V
Large vat fryer Elec Cooking 75% 1.35 kW 80% 1.1 kW

506
TABLE 1A (CONTINUED). Commercial kitchen appliance prescriptive measures and baseline for energy cost budget (IP units)

Large vat fryer Gas Cooking 35% 20,000 Btu/h 50% 12,000 Btu/h
Rack oven, double Gas Cooking 30% 65,000 Btu/h 50% 35,000 Btu/h
Rack oven, single Gas Cooking 30% 43,000 Btu/h 50% 29,000 Btu/h
Range Elec Cooking 70% 80%
Range Gas Cooking 35% na 40% and no standing na

pilots
Steam cooker, Elec Cooking 26% 200 W/pan 50% 135 W/pan
batch cooking
Steam cooker, Gas Cooking 15% 2,500 Btu/h/ 38% 2,100 Btu/h/pan
batch cooking pan
Steam cooker, high Elec Cooking 26% 330 W/pan 50% 275 W/pan
production or cook
to order
Steam cooker, high Gas Cooking 15% 5,000 Btu/h/ 38% 4,300 Btu/h/pan
production or cook pan
to order
Toaster Elec Cooking na 1.8 kW average na 1.2 kW average

operating operating energy
energy rate rate
Ice machine, IMH Elec Ice 6.89 – na 37.72*H-0.298 kWh/100 na

(ice-making head, 0.0011H lb ice
H = harvest ice), H kWh/100
≥ 450 lb/day lb ice
Ice machine, IMH Elec Ice 10.26 – na 37.72*H-0.298 kWh/100 na

(ice-making head), 0.0086H lb ice
H < 450 lb/day kWh/100
lb ice
Ice machine Elec Ice 8.85 – na 22.95*H-0.258 + 1.00 na

RCU (remote 0.0038H kWh/100 lb ice
condensing unit, kWh/100lb
w/o remote ice
compressor), H <
1,000 lb/day
Ice machine Elec Ice 5.10 na 22.95*H-0.258 + 1.00 na

RCU (remote kWh/100 kWh/100 lb ice
condensing unit), lb ice
1600 > H ≥ 1000
lb/day
Ice machine Elec Ice 5.10 na -0.00011*H + 4.60 na

RCU (remote kWh/100 kWh/100 lb ice
condensing unit), lb ice
APPENDICES
H ≥ 1600 lb/day
Ice machine SCU Elec Ice 18.0 – na 48.66*H-0.326 + 0.08 na

(self-contained 0.0469H kWh/100 lb ice
unit), H < 175 lb/day kWh/100
lb ice
Ice machine self- Elec Ice 9.80 na 48.66*H-0.326 + 0.08 na

contained unit, H ≥ kWh/100 kWh/100 lb ice
175 lb/day lb ice
507

Ice machine, water- Elec Ice 4.0 na 3.68 kWh/100 lb ice na

cooled ice-making kWh/100
head, H ≥ 1436 lb/ lb ice
day (must be on
chilled loop)
Ice machine, water- Elec Ice 5.58 – na 5.13 – 0.001H kWh/100 na

cooled ice-making 0.0011H lb ice
head, 500 lb/day < kWh/100
H < 1436 (must be lb ice
on chilled loop)
Ice machine, water- Elec Ice 7.80 – na 7.02 – 0.0049H na

cooled ice-making 0.0055H kWh/100 lb ice
head, H < 500 lb/ kWh/100
day (must be on lb ice
chilled loop)
Ice machine Elec Ice Banned Banned Banned Banned

water-cooled once-
through (open
loop)
Ice machine, water- Elec Ice 11.4 – na 10.6 – 0.177H kWh/100 na

cooled SCU (self- 0.0190H lb ice
contained unit), H kWh/100
< 200 lb/day (must lb ice
be on chilled loop)
Ice machine, Elec Ice 7.6 na 7.07 kWh/100 lb ice na

water-cooled self- kWh/100
contained unit, H ≥ lb ice
200 lb/day (must
be on chilled loop)
Chest freezer, solid Elec Refrig 0.45V + na ≤ 0.270V + 0.130 kWh/ na

or glass door 0.943 kWh/ day
day
Chest refrigerator, Elec Refrig 0.1V + 2.04 na ≤ 0.125V + 0.475 kWh/ na

solid or glass door kWh/day day
Glass-door reach-in Elec Refrig 0.75V + 4.10 na ≤ 0.607V + 0.893 kWh/ na

freezer 0 < V < kWh/day day
15 ft³
Glass-door reach-in Elec Refrig 0.75V + 4.10 na ≤ 0.733V – 1.00 kWh/ na

freezer 15 ≤ V < kWh/day day
30 ft³

freezer, 30 ≤ V < kWh/day day
50 ft³

APPENDICES
freezer, 50 ≤ V ft³ kWh/day day

refrigerator, 0 < V kWh/day day
< 15 ft³

refrigerator, 15 ≤ V kWh/day day
< 30 ft³

< 50 ft³
508


refrigerator, 50 ≤ kWh/day day
V ft³
Solid-door reach-in Elec Refrig 0.4V + 1.38 na ≤ 0.250V + 1.25 kWh/ na

freezer, 0 < V < kWh/day day
15 ft³
Solid-door reach-in Elec Refrig 0.4V + 1.38 na ≤ 0.400V – 1.000 kWh/ na

30 ft³

50 ft³

freezer, 50 ≤ V ft³ kWh/day day

refrigerator, 0 < V kWh/day day
< 15 ft³

< 30 ft³


< 50 ft³

refrigerator, 50 ≤ kWh/day day
V ft³
Clothes washer Gas Sanitation 1.72 MEF na 2.00 MEF na
Door-type dish Elec Sanitation na 1.0 kW na 0.70 kW

machine, high temp
Door-type dish Elec Sanitation na 0.6 kW na 0.6 kW

machine, low temp
Multitank rack Elec Sanitation na 2.6 kW na 2.25 kW

conveyor dish
machine, high temp
Multitank rack Elec Sanitation na 2.0 kW na 2.0 kW

conveyor dish
machine, low temp
Single-tank rack Elec Sanitation na 2.0 kW na 1.5 kW

conveyor dish
machine, high temp
APPENDICES

conveyor dish
machine, low temp
Undercounter dish Elec Sanitation na 0.9 kW na 0.5 kW

machine, high temp

machine, low temp
509
The energy efficiency, idle energy rates, and water use requirements, where applicable, are based on the following test methods:
ASTM F1275 Standard Test Method for Performance of Griddles
ASTM F1361 Standard Test Method for Performance of Open Deep Fat Fryers
ASTM F1484 Standard Test Methods for Performance of Steam Cookers
ASTM F1496 Standard Test Method for Performance of Convection Ovens
ASTM F1521 Standard Test Methods for Performance of Range Tops
ASTM F1605 Standard Test Method for Performance of Double-Sided Griddles
ASTM F1639 Standard Test Method for Performance of Combination Ovens
ASTM F1695 Standard Test Method for Performance of Underfired Broilers
ASTM F1696 Standard Test Method for Energy Performance of Single-Rack Hot Water Sanitizing, ASTM Door-Type Commercial Dishwashing
Machines
ASTM F1704 Standard Test Method for Capture and Containment Performance of Commercial Kitchen Exhaust Ventilation Systems
ASTM F1817 Standard Test Method for Performance of Conveyor Ovens
ASTM F1920 Standard Test Method for Energy Performance of Rack Conveyor, Hot Water Sanitizing, Commercial Dishwashing Machines
ASTM F2093 Standard Test Method for Performance of Rack Ovens
ASTM F2140 Standard Test Method for Performance of Hot Food Holding Cabinets
ASTM F2144 Standard Test Method for Performance of Large Open Vat Fryers
ASTM F2324 Standard Test Method for Prerinse Spray Valves
ASTM F2380 Standard Test Method for Performance of Conveyor Toasters
ARI 810-2007: Performance Rating of Automatic Commercial Ice Makers
ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 72–2005: Method of Testing Commercial Refrigerators and Freezers with temperature setpoints at 38°F for medium-
temp refrigerators, 0°F for low-temp freezers, and -15°F for ice cream freezers
TABLE 1B. Commercial Kitchen Appliance Prescriptive Measures and Baseline for Energy Cost Budget (SI units)

Appliance type Fuel Function
Efficiency idle Rate Efficiency idle Rate
Broiler, underfired Gas Cooking 30% 50.5 kW/m2 35% 37.9 kW/m2
Combination oven, Elec Cooking 40% steam 0.37P + 4.5 kW 50% steam mode 0.133P + 0.6400
steam mode (P = pan mode kW
capacity)
Combination oven, Gas Cooking 20% steam (1 210P + 38% steam mode (200P + 6 511)/
steam mode mode 35 810)/3 412 3 412 kW
kW
Combination oven, Elec Cooking 65% 0.1P + 1.5 kW 70% convection mode 0.080P + 0.4989
convection mode convection kW
mode
Combination oven, Gas Cooking 35% (322P + 44% convection mode (150P + 5 425)/
convection mode convection 13 563)/3 412 3 412 kW
mode kW

full-size
Convection oven, Gas Cooking 30% 5.3 kW 46% 3.5 kW

full-size
APPENDICES
half-size
Conveyor oven, > 63.5- Gas Cooking 20% 20.5 kW 42% 16.7 kW
cm belt
Conveyor oven, < 63.5- Gas Cooking 20% 13.2 kW 42% 8.5 kW
cm belt
Fryer Elec Cooking 75% 1.05 kW 80% 1.0 kW
Fryer Gas Cooking 35% 4.1 kW 50% 2.64 kW
Griddle (based on 90- Elec Cooking 60% 4.3 kW/m2 70% 3.45 kW/m2
cm model)
510
TABLE 1B (CONTINUED). Commercial Kitchen Appliance Prescriptive Measures and Baseline for Energy Cost Budget (SI units)

Griddle (based on 90- Gas Cooking 30% 11 kW/m2 33% 8.35 kW/m2
cm model)
Hot food holding Elec Cooking na 1.4 kW/m3 na (21.5*V)/0.0283

cabinets (excluding kW/m3
drawer warmers and
heated display) 0 < V <
0.368 m3 (V = volume)
Hot food holding Elec Cooking na 1.4 kW/m3 na (2.0*V +

cabinets (excluding 254)/0.0283 kW/m3
drawer warmers and
heated display) 0.368 ≤
V < 0.793 m3
Hot food holding Elec Cooking na 1.4 kW/m3 na (3.8*V +

cabinets (excluding 203.5)/0.0283
drawer warmers and kW/m3
heated display) 0.793
m3 ≤ V
Large vat fryer Elec Cooking 75% 1.35 kW 80% 1.1 kW
Large vat fryer Gas Cooking 35% 5.86 kW 50% 3.5 kW
Rack oven, double Gas Cooking 30% 19 kW 50% 10.25 kW
Rack oven, single Gas Cooking 30% 12.6 kW 50% 8.5 kW

Range Elec Cooking 70% na 80% na
Range Gas Cooking 35% na 40% and no standing na

pilots
Steam cooker, batch Elec Cooking 26% 200 W/pan 50% 135 W/pan
cooking
Steam cooker, batch Gas Cooking 15% 733 W/pan 38% 615 W/pan
cooking
Steam cooker, high Elec Cooking 26% 330 W/pan 50% 275 W/pan
production or cook to
order
Steam cooker, high Gas Cooking 15% 1.47 kW/pan 38% 1.26 kW/pan
production or cook to
order
Toaster Elec Cooking na 1.8 kW average na 1.2 kW average

operating operating energy
energy rate rate
Ice machine IMH (ice- Elec Ice 0.0015 – na— ≤ 13.52*H-0.298 kWh/100 na
making head, H = ice 5.3464E-07 kg ice
harvest) H ≥ 204 kg/day kWh/kg ice
APPENDICES
Ice machine IMH (ice Elec Ice 0.2262 – na ≤ 13.52*H-0.298 kWh/100 na

making head) ice- 4.18E-04 kg ice
making head, H < 204 kWh/kg ice
kg/day
Ice machine, RCU Elec Ice 0.1951 – na ≤ 111.5835*H-0.258 + 2.205 na

(remote condensing 1.85E-04 kWh/100 kg ice
unit, w/o remote kWh/kg ice
compressor) H < 454
kg/day
511

Ice machine RCU Elec Ice 0.1124 kWh/ na ≤ 111.5835*H-0.258 + 2.205 na

(remote condensing kg ice kWh/100 kg ice
unit) 726 > H ≥ 454
kg/day
Ice machine RCU Elec Ice 0.1124 kWh/ na ≤ -0.00024H + 4.60 na

(remote condensing kg ice kWh/100 kg ice
unit) H ≥ 726 kg/day
Ice machine SCU (self Elec Ice 0.3968 – na 236.59*H-0.326 + 0.176 na

contained unit), H < 79 2.28E-03 kWh/100 kg ice
kg/day kWh/kg ice
Ice machine SCU (self- Elec Ice 0.2161 kWh/ na 236.59*H-0.326 + 0.176 na
contained unit), H ≥ 79 kg ice kWh/100 kg ice
kg/day
Ice machine, water- Elec Ice 0.0882 na ≤ 8.11 kWh/100 kg ice na

cooled ice-making head, kWh/kg ice
H ≥ 651 kg/day (must be
on a chilled loop)
Ice machine, water- Elec Ice 0.1230 – na ≤ 11.31 – 0.065H na

cooled ice-making head, 5.35E-05 kWh/100 kg ice
227 ≤ H < 651 kg/day kWh/kg ice
(must be on a chilled
loop)
Ice machine, water- Elec Ice 0.1720 – na ≤ 15.48 – 0.0238H na

cooled ice-making head, 2.67E-04 kWh/100 kg ice
H < 227 kg/day (must be kWh/kg ice
on a chilled loop)
Ice machine, water- Elec Ice Banned Banned Banned Banned

cooled once-through
(open loop)
Ice machine water- Elec Ice 0.2513 – na ≤ 23.37 – 0.086H na

cooled SCU (self- 29.23E-04 kWh/100 kg ice
contained unit) H < 91 kWh/kg ice
kg/day (must be on a
chilled loop)
Ice machine, water- Elec Ice 0.1676 kWh/ na 15.57 kWh/100 kg ice na
cooled SCU (self- kg ice
contained unit) H ≥ 91
kg/day (must be on a
chilled loop)
Chest freezer, solid or Elec Refrig 15.90V + na 9.541V + 0.130 kWh/day na

glass door 0.943 kWh/
day
Chest refrigerator, solid Elec Refrig 3.53V + na ≤ 4.417V + 0.475 kWh/ na

or glass door 2.04 kWh/ day
APPENDICES
day

freezer, 0 < V < 0.42 m3 kWh/day day
Glass-door reach-in Elec Refrig 26.50V + 4.1 na ≤ 25.901V – 1.00 kWh/ na

freezer, 0.42 ≤ V < kWh/day day
0.85 m3

1.42 m3
512


freezer, 1.42 ≤ V m3 kWh/day day
Glass-door reach-in Elec Refrig 4.24V + na ≤ 4.169V + 1.382 kWh/ na

refrigerator, 0 < V < 3.34 kWh/ day
0.42 m3 day

refrigerator, 0.42 ≤ V < 3.34 kWh/ day
0.85 m3 day

1.42 m3 day

refrigerator, 1.42 ≤ V m3 3.34 kWh/ day
day

freezer, 0 < V < 0.42 m3 kWh/day day
Solid-door reach-in Elec Refrig 14.13V + 1.38 na ≤ 4.819V – 1.000 kWh/ na

freezer, 0.42 < V < kWh/day day
0.85 m3

1.42 m3

freezer, 1.42 ≤ V m3 kWh/day day
Solid-door reach-in Elec Refrig 3.53V + na ≤ 3.145V + 1.411 kWh/day na

refrigerator, 0 < V < 2.04 kWh/
0.42 m3 day
Solid-door reach-in Elec Refrig 3.53V + na ≤ 1.307V + 2.200 kWh/ na

0.85 m3 day

1.42 m3 day

refrigerator, 1.42 ≤ V m3 2.04 kWh/ day
day
Clothes washer Gas Sanitation 1.72 MEF 2.00 MEF
Door-type dish machine, Elec Sanitation na 1.0 kW na 0.70 kW

high temp
Door-type dish machine, Elec Sanitation na 0.6 kW na 0.6 kW

APPENDICES
low temp
Multitank rack conveyor Elec Sanitation na 2.6 kW na 2.25 kW

dish machine, high temp
Multitank rack conveyor Elec Sanitation na 2.0 kW na 2.0 kW

dish machine, low temp

conveyor dish machine,
high temp
513


conveyor dish machine,
low temp

machine, high temp

machine, low temp
The energy efficiency, idle energy rates, and water use requirements, where applicable, are based on the following test methods:
ASTM F1275 Standard Test Method for Performance of Griddles
ASTM F1361 Standard Test Method for Performance of Open Deep Fat Fryers
ASTM F1484 Standard Test Methods for Performance of Steam Cookers
ASTM F1496 Standard Test Method for Performance of Convection Ovens
ASTM F1521 Standard Test Methods for Performance of Range Tops
ASTM F1605 Standard Test Method for Performance of Double-Sided Griddles
ASTM F1639 Standard Test Method for Performance of Combination Ovens
ASTM F1695 Standard Test Method for Performance of Underfired Broilers
ASTM F1696 Standard Test Method for Energy Performance of Single-Rack Hot Water Sanitizing, ASTM Door-Type Commercial Dishwashing Machines
ASTM F1704 Standard Test Method for Capture and Containment Performance of Commercial Kitchen Exhaust Ventilation Systems
ASTM F1817 Standard Test Method for Performance of Conveyor Ovens
ASTM F1920 Standard Test Method for Energy Performance of Rack Conveyor, Hot Water Sanitizing, Commercial Dishwashing Machines
ASTM F2093 Standard Test Method for Performance of Rack Ovens
ASTM F2140 Standard Test Method for Performance of Hot Food Holding Cabinets
ASTM F2144 Standard Test Method for Performance of Large Open Vat Fryers
ASTM F2324 Standard Test Method for Prerinse Spray Valves
ASTM F2380 Standard Test Method for Performance of Conveyor Toasters
ARI 810-2007: Performance Rating of Automatic Commercial Ice Makers
ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 72–2005: Method of Testing Commercial Refrigerators and Freezers with temperature setpoints at 3°C for mediumtemp
refrigerators, -18°C for low-temp freezers, and -26°C for ice cream freezers.
TABLE 2. Supermarket refrigeration prescriptive measures and baseline for energy cost budget
Prescriptive Baseline for

Item Attribute
Measure Energy Modeling Path
Commercial Refrigerator and Energy Use Limits ASHRAE 90.1-2010 ASHRAE 90.1-2010 Addendum g.
Freezers Addendum g. Table 6.8.1L Table 6.8.1L
Commercial Refrigeration Energy Use Limits ASHRAE 90.1-2010 ASHRAE 90.1-2010 Addendum g.
Equipment Addendum g. Table 6.8.1M Table 6.8.1M
TABLE 3. Walk-in coolers and freezers prescriptive measures and baseline for energy cost budget
APPENDICES
Baseline for
Item Attribute Prescriptive Measure
Energy Modeling Path
Envelope Freezer insulation R-46 R-36
Cooler insulation R-36 R-20
Automatic closer Yes No

doors
High-efficiency low- 40W/ft (130W/m) of door 40W/ft (130W/m) of door frame (low
or no-heat reach-in frame (low temperature), 17W/ temperature), 17W/ft (55W/m) of door frame
doors ft (55W/m) of door frame (medium temperature)
(medium temperature)
514
Evaporator Evaporator fan motor Shaded pole and split phase Constant-speed fan
and control motors prohibited; use PSC or
EMC motors
Hot gas defrost No electric defrosting Electric defrosting
Condenser Air-cooled condenser Shaded pole and split phase Cycling one-speed fan
fan motor and motors prohibited; use PSC or
control EMC motors; add condenser
fan controllers
Air-cooled condenser Floating head pressure controls 10°F (-12°C) to 15°F

design approach or ambient subcooling (-9°C) dependent on suction temperature
Lighting Lighting power 0.6 W/sq.ft. 0.6 W/sq.ft.

density (W/sq.ft.) (6.5 W/sq. meter) (6.5 W/sq. meter)
Commercial Refrigerator and Energy Use Limits na Use an Exceptional Calculation Method if
Freezers attempting to take savings
Commercial Refrigerator and Energy Use Limits na Use an Exceptional Calculation Method if
Freezers attempting to take savings
TABLE 4. Commercial kitchen ventilation prescriptive measures and baseline for energy cost budget
Strategies Prescriptive Measure Baseline
Kitchen hood control ASHRAE 90.1-2010 Section 6.5.7.1, except that ASHRAE 90.1-2010 Section 6.5.7.1 and Section G3.1.1
Section 6.5.7.1.3 and Section 6.5.7.1.4 shall apply Exception (d) where applicable
if the total kitchen exhaust airflow rate exceeds
2,000 cfm (960 L/s) (as opposed to 5,000 cfm
(2,400 L/s) noted in the ASHRAE 90.1-2010
requirements)
APPENDICES
515
APPENDIX 4. BUILDING ENERGY PERFORMANCE GUIDELINES
INTRODUCTION 516
OPTION 1. WHOLE-BUILDING ENERGY SIMULATION 516

Step-by-Step Guidance...........................................................................................................................................................................516
ASHRAE 90.1–2010 versus 90.1–2007..............................................................................................................................................518
Energy Modeler’s Qualifications.........................................................................................................................................................519
Developing a Preliminary Energy Model.........................................................................................................................................519
Modeling HVAC Systems...................................................................................................................................................................... 520
Building the Proposed Energy Model............................................................................................................................................ 520
Building the Baseline Energy Model............................................................................................................................................... 520
Finalizing the Energy Models............................................................................................................................................................... 521
Modeling with the Exceptional Calculation Method................................................................................................................ 522
Common Issues with Energy Modeling..........................................................................................................................................525
Modeling Schedules................................................................................................................................................................................ 530
Modeling Building Type Variations.................................................................................................................................................. 530
Core and Shell................................................................................................................................................................................ 530
Retail................................................................................................................................................................................................... 530
Data Centers..................................................................................................................................................................................... 531
Modeling District Energy Systems....................................................................................................................................................533
Option 1, Path 1. ASHRAE 90.1–2010, Appendix G........................................................................................................533
Option 1, Path 2. Full DES Performance Accounting...................................................................................................534
Option 1, Path 3. Streamlined DES Modeling...................................................................................................................535
Combined Heat and Power Plants........................................................................................................................................536
Special Situations for DES Energy Models.......................................................................................................................539
OPTION 2. PRESCRIPTIVE COMPLIANCE: 540

ASHRAE 50% ADVANCED ENERGY DESIGN GUIDE
OPTION 3. PRESCRIPTIVE COMPLIANCE: 541

ADVANCED BUILDINGS™ CORE PERFORMANCE™ GUIDE APPENDICES
516
INTRODUCTION
This appendix guides teams through the details of meeting GIB Prerequisite Minimum Building Energy Performance
and earning points under GIB Credit Optimize Building Energy Performance.
The first section below, for teams using Option 1, Whole-Building Energy Simulation, explains how to create
the baseline and proposed models, lists common errors in energy modeling, and discusses special cases, including
building type variations and district energy systems.
The sections on Options 2 and 3, the prescriptive approaches, provide details on complying with the ASHRAE
50% Advanced Energy Design Guide and the Advanced Buildings Core Performance Guide.
ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1–2010, with errata, is the basis for the LEED energy efficiency requirements;
projects outside the U.S. may use a USGBC-approved equivalent standard. Read through Sections 5.4, 6.4, 7.4, 8.4, 9.4,
and 10.4 to understand how the building design must address these requirements.
Typically, the architect is responsible for Section 5.4, Building Envelope; the mechanical engineer and plumbing
designer are responsible for Sections 6.4, HVAC, and 7.4, Service Water Heating; and the electrical engineer is
responsible for Sections 8.4, Power, and 9.4, Lighting. Compliance with Section 10.4 requires coordination across
multiple disciplines.
Ensure that the project complies with the mandatory measures throughout the design, construction, and
commissioning process, particularly when major design decisions are implemented. Confirm that compliant
components are included in the final construction documents.
OPTION 1. WHOLE-BUILDING ENERGY SIMULATION

Before undertaking energy modeling (the performance path), consider the timing of the simulation preparation
and presentation, and understand the costs and benefits of energy modeling as it relates to the project. When
energy modeling is conducted late in design, its value is very limited except as a compliance tool: the model can only
estimate the energy savings of the design.
In contrast, if initiated early and updated throughout the design process, energy modeling can be a decision-
making tool, giving feedback as part of the larger analysis of building systems and components. The best value
comes from using energy modeling as a tool in an integrated design process to inform the selection of cost-effective
efficiency strategies.
Develop clear expectations for the presentations of modeling results and their integration into the project
schedule. Ideally, iterations of the model will be presented to the team during each stage of design, beginning as
early as possible, when the project goals are incorporated into preliminary plans. Updates should be presented as the
design is developed further to incorporate engineering and architectural details, and again when the construction
documents are being prepared.
Regardless of the project design phases, energy modeling can still be performed as the design progresses.
However, the potential benefit of energy modeling decreases as the design becomes finalized and opportunities
for incorporating changes are lost. Ask the project’s energy modeler to provide a schedule that integrates energy
modeling into the design process, with appropriate milestones.
The energy modeler should read and understand ASHRAE 90.1–2010 (Appendix G in particular) in its entirety,
not just the portions that apply to the project. This will enable a more complete understanding of the energy
modeling protocols and methodologies required for LEED projects (see ASHRAE 90.1–2010 versus 90.1–2007, below).
APPENDICES
The energy modeler should also consider reading the ASHRAE 90.1–2010 User’s Manual, which expands on the
Appendix G requirements.
STEP-BY-STEP GUIDANCE
Step 1. Identify energy modeler

Engage an energy modeler to perform the energy analysis.
·· It is recommended that the qualifications of the energy modeler be carefully reviewed to ensure that the
simulation will be performed accurately and according to the prerequisite requirements.
517
·· Qualified energy modelers who have experience with numerous simulations for a variety of building types
can help the design team interpret the results and develop an efficient building design (see Energy Modeler’s
Qualifications, below).
Step 2. Develop preliminary energy model or models

Buildings of the same type (new construction, major renovation, or core and shell) may be grouped into separate
models. Analyze all buildings in a single model if the building type is consistent across the project, or if the team
wishes to achieve the average improvement required by this prerequisite.
·· Consider creating preliminary energy models to analyze building design strategies that may be applied to each
group of buildings. The preliminary models use information from the design to roughly project energy usage in
various scenarios (see Developing a Preliminary Energy Model, below).
·· A preliminary energy model is not required; however, developing an early model of the proposed design will
help the design team explore the energy consequences of design options and will provide an early estimate of
overall energy performance for each group of buildings.
·· An analysis of various efficiency measures, which may take the form of a preliminary model, is necessary for the
achievement of the related credit.
·· When evaluating energy usage in different scenarios, consider strategies for lighting and daylighting, envelope,
orientation, and passive conditioning and ventilating systems in terms of projected energy savings and capital
costs as they relate to all building systems.
Step 3. Model potential HVAC system types

After building design configuration and load reduction strategies have been assessed and implemented, use the
energy model to analyze the performance of HVAC system alternatives (see Modeling HVAC Systems, below).
·· For best HVAC system performance, ensure that the system is properly sized. More effective system types,
such as radiant heating and cooling or displacement ventilation, may be feasible when loads are smaller, so
begin the analysis by exploring ways to reduce the load.
·· Analysis of HVAC systems in early design is optional for this prerequisite but is required for achievement of the
related credit.
Step 4. Develop energy model for proposed design

Once the HVAC system and other design parameters are established, build or update the proposed building energy
model to reflect the anticipated design (see Building the Proposed Energy Model, below).
·· Update the proposed model to reflect changes that occur throughout the design process to optimize energy
performance and assist with design decisions.
·· Ensure that all efficiency strategies are analyzed well before design documents are finalized.
Step 5. Create baseline energy model

Build a baseline model that reflects the minimum requirements in ASHRAE 90.1–2010, Appendix G (see Building the
Baseline Energy Model, below).
·· When modifications are made to the proposed energy model, update the baseline accordingly.
·· Consider constructing the baseline model early in the design process so that the design team can see the effect
of design changes on the percentage savings relative to ASHRAE 90.1.
·· Use the energy modeling inputs and quality control checklists spreadsheet (Appendix G) to help create the APPENDICES
baseline model. This tool was designed to help project teams create a baseline model that aligns with Appendix
G requirements.
Step 6. Update baseline and proposed models based on final design

Update the proposed energy model to reflect final construction details and specifications and make any necessary
corresponding updates to the baseline model (see Finalizing the Energy Models, below).
·· For elements or systems that cannot be readily modeled, use the exceptional calculation method or COMNET
modeling guidelines for unregulated loads (see Modeling with the Exceptional Calculation Method and Common
Issues with Energy Modeling, below).
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ASHRAE 90.1–2010 VS. 90.1–2007

The referenced standard for building the baseline model for this prerequisite has been updated to ASHRAE 90.1–
2010, which represents a substantial increase in efficiency from the previous version, ASHRAE 90.1–2007. The major
changes are described in Table 1 and 2.
TABLE 1. Comparison of ASHRAE 90.1 mandatory requirements, 2007 and 2010
Building envelope requirement ASHRAE 90.1–2007 ASHRAE 90.1–2010
Air barriers
NA Continuous on entire building envelope
5.4.3.1.2
HVAC requirement ASHRAE 90.1–2007 ASHRAE 90.1–2010
Garage fans Auto-adjust fan speed with contaminant

NA
6.4.3.4.5 levels to 50% or less of capacity
Chiller efficiencies
NA Increased for all chiller types
6.4.1.1
Required to have VFD or two-speed motors
Single-zone VAV
NA for DX >9.2 tons (32.3 kW), and chilled
6.4.3.10
water AHUs >5 hp (3.7 kW) fan motors
Water and evaporatively cooled unitary
AC units and heat pump efficiency NA 3–5% more stringent
Table 6.8.1A and B
PTAC and PTHP efficiency increased
12 EER (3.52 COP) 13.8 EER (4.05 COP)
6.4.1.1; Table 6.8.1D
Water to water heat pump, CRAC,
and VRF Table 6.8.1B; Table 6.8.1K; Not covered Now covered by 90.1
Table 6.8.1J respectively
Power requirement ASHRAE 90.1–2007 ASHRAE 90.1–2010

At least 50% of all receptacles installed

Automatic receptacle control in private offices, open offices, and
NA
8.4.2 computer classrooms must be controlled
by automatic control device
Lighting requirement ASHRAE 90.1–2007 ASHRAE 90.1–2010
Alterations that involve less than 50% of

connected lighting load in space or area need
Threshold for retrofit compliance
not comply with lighting power density or Less than 10% of connected load
9.1.2
auto-shutoff requirements, provided that such
alterations do not increase installed LPD
Lighting power density Reduced; average 17% in space types, more
NA
9.4.5; 9.4.6 for retail display lighting
Automatic shutoff
Required in buildings >5,000 ft2 (465 m2) Required in all spaces
9.4.1.1
All spaces are required to have vacancy

Additional control All spaces to have general lighting controls,
sensors or occupancy sensors to 50% or
9.4.1 manual or automatic
less of lighting power
Classrooms, conference rooms, and break More space types added, including offices,
Space controls
rooms must have occupancy sensor or time restrooms, dressing rooms, and training,
9.4.1.2
switch that turns light off within 30 minutes copy, and storage rooms
Spaces must have controls that reduce
Light level reduction
None power level by 30–70% of connected load in
APPENDICES
9.4.1.2
addition to off mode.
Automatic, multilevel daylighting controls
Lighting in daylit zones
None installed in sidelit areas >250 ft2 (23 m2) and
9.4.1.4
toplit areas >900 ft2 (84 m2)
Auto-shutoff, power must be reduced by
Parking garage lighting
None 30% when no motion for 30 minutes,
9.4.1.3
auto-daylight control on perimeter
Exterior lighting Lighting must be controlled by At night light must either be off or operated
9.4.1.7 photosensor or time switch at reduced level
Functional testing
None All installed controls must be tested
9.4.4
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TABLE 2. Comparison of ASHRAE 90.1 prescriptive requirements, 2007 and 2010
Requirement ASHRAE 90.1–2007 ASHRAE 90.1–2010
For all HVAC system types,

Economizer exemptions Only for unitary equipment, EER/SEER (COP/
must meet % efficiency improvement,
Table 6.3.2 SCOP) rating
now required in most climate zones
Lighting power density Reduced, average 17% in space types,

NA
9.2.1 more for retail display lighting
ENERGY MODELER’S QUALIFICATIONS

The energy modeler should have the following competences:
·· Comprehensive understanding of all the building systems related to energy performance and the information
needed to construct a model using the selected software
·· Ability to understand and explain capabilities and limitations of modeling software for the strategies the team
would like to pursue
·· Awareness of how much time the design team needs to provide information, feedback, and responses to the
modeling exercise
·· Experience with design phase modeling
·· Ability to demonstrate how energy modeling can be used to perform cost-benefit analysis
·· Experience in modeling projects using ASHRAE 90.1, Appendix G, or a thorough understanding of this approach
·· Ability to perform quality control to ensure that the modeling inputs accurately reflect the proposed design
and Appendix G baseline
·· Ability to evaluate the simulation results for reasonableness in relation to the energy modeling inputs,
including energy consumption by end use, cost, and the performance savings claimed
·· Ability to validate the model through review of actual utility bills during occupancy
DEVELOPING A PRELIMINARY ENERGY MODEL

Although not required for this prerequisite, preparation of a preliminary model can facilitate achievement of the
related credit, which requires analysis of efficiency measures. Past analyses of similar buildings or published data,
such as the ASHRAE Advanced Energy Design Guides, may also be used to inform decision making, though the
results will be less project specific. A preliminary model includes design elements identified during schematic design
and design development and generates a preliminary estimate of energy consumption and an end-use profile.
Evaluate how changes to the following elements affect HVAC sizing, energy consumption, lighting, renewable
energy opportunities, and other aspects of energy performance:
·· Program and operations (multifunction spaces, operating schedules, space allotment per person, teleworking,
reduction of building area, operations and maintenance)
·· Site conditions (shading, exterior lighting, hardscape, landscaping, adjacent site conditions)
·· Massing and orientation
·· Envelope (insulation values, window-to-wall ratios, glazing characteristics, shading, and window operability)
·· Lighting levels and interior surface reflectance
·· Thermal comfort range options
APPENDICES
·· Passive conditioning and natural ventilation strategies
When examining alternative strategies, also consider the effect on human performance and comfort. For example,
increasing daylighting may cause glare.
Typical steps in preliminary energy modeling are as follows:

1. Gather information about building loads and systems. Investigate case studies of similar buildings in similar
climates and contact local utilities for energy rates and demand charges. Determine applicable building energy
codes, including any local variations. For existing buildings, review drawings, specifications, operations and
maintenance manuals, commissioning reports, energy audit reports, and utility bills. The AEDGs provide
useful information regarding design practices specific to some building types and climate zones.
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2. Engage the design team early to investigate opportunities for load reduction. Coordinate with the architect
to identify options for envelope insulation values, building orientation, and shading—variables that can
affect load, especially on external load–dominated buildings. Some strategies, such as building massing and
orientation, are most effectively evaluated during the concept phase of design, before the preliminary energy
model, and are not required for this prerequisite.
3. Analyze several design alternatives to investigate the combined load reduction potential of multiple
strategies. How strategies alter energy consumption varies by building type and climate zone. Examine energy
consumption by end use and heating and cooling load distribution to identify effective load reduction and
energy efficiency opportunities.
4. Investigate interconnected strategies. The additional costs of high-performance envelope elements may
be offset by smaller, less costly HVAC systems. For example, energy modeling could evaluate the effect of a
fenestration and shading configuration, with daylight harvesting controls, on cooling, heating and fan loads,
HVAC system capacities, and total building energy consumption and cost. A life-cycle cost analysis for this
scenario would indicate the net increase or decrease in capital costs and the potential savings over time.
When evaluating the capital cost, consider trade-offs between the higher capital cost for the shading and
daylight harvesting controls and the lower capital cost for a smaller HVAC system.
5. Use the model to compare potential performance with the project’s energy goals.
MODELING HVAC SYSTEMS

Although not required for the energy performance prerequisite, an evaluation of HVAC system alternatives can help
the design team optimize energy consumption. This exercise is a requirement for achievement of points under the
related credit.
The modeler should analyze the performance of several efficient HVAC systems to understand the potential
energy savings associated with each one. This information enables the design team to compare life-cycle costs,
rather than just first costs. The life-cycle cost analysis should follow the analysis of load reductions, which may affect
the life-cycle cost.
The chosen HVAC system can then be further optimized through additional energy modeling that analyzes the
potential efficiency gains of the system components and/or assigns different systems to different zones.
Typical steps for HVAC system type modeling include the following:
·· Coordinate with the mechanical engineer, since decreased loads may affect mechanical system sizing or
potential system types. Compare high-efficiency HVAC systems with typical systems for reductions in
operating costs (energy, maintenance). Weigh this against the higher first cost of more efficient equipment.
Evaluate the potential for reducing the first cost of HVAC equipment by reducing the loads. Include not only
the smaller equipment but also the infrastructure related to HVAC—ductwork, piping, controls, and in some
cases, building volume or floor area for these components.
·· For the selected system, analyze and optimize additional HVAC energy efficiency measures, including
equipment efficiency, energy recovery, economizers, and demand-controlled ventilation.
·· Coordinate with the architect and structural engineer, since different system types may influence space,
height, or structural requirements. For example, under-floor air-conditioning may influence the exterior
envelope design and could increase or decrease the height of the building.
BUILDING THE PROPOSED ENERGY MODEL

APPENDICES
An energy model of the proposed design is required for prerequisite compliance under Option 1. A team that has
already prepared a preliminary model may update it throughout the project.
Create or update proposed building characteristics based on the latest design and specifications for systems,
assemblies, and equipment. The initial model can be created as early as design development to estimate projected
savings, then be updated when the construction documents are complete. Analyze remaining efficiency strategies
that the team would like to consider before the design documents are finalized. For example, the proposed energy
model could be used to evaluate the performance and cost implications of value engineering decisions.
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BUILDING THE BASELINE ENERGY MODEL

Developing the baseline energy model is a detailed process that requires a good working knowledge of ASHRAE
90.1–2010, Appendix G, and the associated sections of the standard. The baseline model represents a typical design
for a building of the same size and use as the proposed building. This hypothetical building meets but does not
exceed the performance requirements of ASHRAE 90.1–2010 and is used as a comparison to calculate the percentage
energy cost savings for the project design.
In general, baseline development begins by changing the inputs for all the components, assemblies, and systems
of the proposed design to minimally compliant input values, in accordance with Appendix G. Determine or update
baseline values for each system, assembly, and piece of equipment for the project’s climate zone, building type, and
fuel type(s).
If the energy simulation software automates some or all of the baseline generation, review the automated
baseline model inputs against the expected baseline values and confirm consistency (see Common Issues with Energy
Modeling, below).
Preparation of the initial baseline model is best undertaken after major design decisions have been made so
that modeling can evaluate whether the project is likely to meet energy savings targets (or achieve points under the
related credit). The baseline model will typically need to be updated based on the final building design.
FINALIZING THE ENERGY MODELS

Update the proposed model based on the information and specifications for systems, assemblies, and equipment
in the final construction documents. Confirm that all efficiency measures claimed have been incorporated into the
design. Include all energy consumption and costs associated with the building.
Ensure that assumptions used in earlier versions of the model are replaced with actual data from the
construction documents. For example, if proposed chiller control sequences were assumed in the preliminary
model, use the actual control sequences from the construction documents for the final version. Update the baseline
model as necessary based on the project’s final construction documents, including changes in occupant density,
required outdoor airflow, thermostat setpoints, and system or fuel types. The model will have to be updated again if
any changes during construction affect efficiency measures.
Schedules must be modeled correctly for both the proposed and baseline models (see Modeling Schedules, below).
Perform a quality control check to verify that all Appendix G and LEED modeling guidelines have been followed.
Record both the proposed and baseline values in the Appendix G energy modeling inputs and quality control
checklists spreadsheet. This record of energy conservation measures is a good tool for confirming that proposed
building characteristics and baseline values have been selected properly.
Document the input assumptions for receptacle and process loads. These loads should be modeled accurately
to reflect the actual expected energy consumption of the building. Per ASHRAE 90.1–2010, Table G3.1-12, receptacle
and process loads must be modeled identically in both the baseline and the proposed models, unless there are
specific efficiency requirements listed in Sections 5 through 10 that allow a less stringent baseline requirement (e.g.,
motor efficiency).
If the project claims savings for variations in power requirements, schedules, or control sequences, the burden
of proof is on the project team to document that the design represents a significant departure from conventional
practice. If an energy efficiency measure cannot be explicitly modeled, the team may use Section G2.5, Exceptional
Calculation Method (see Modeling with the Exceptional Calculation Method, below).
Verify the energy modeling results. Evaluate the energy savings by end use for reasonableness based on the APPENDICES
differences in the modeling inputs between the baseline and proposed models. Use Figure 1 to perform a step-by-
step verification.
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PROJECT AND CONTENT
Check space summary for the Check for simulation program,

building size, space types, climate zone, weather file, Check total points Check narratives are
conditioned vs. unconditioned reference standard used, heating attempted and included describing
spaces. Check the number source, whether project includes target finder score special conditions
of stories existing renovation
INPUTS
Check HVAC Evaluate

Check building Check lighting Check process special cases
envelope input input energy input and DNW
(DES & CHP)
system input
OUTPUTS
Check unmet load hours and Check unmet load hours and Verify if the results of 4 orientations
simulation output reports simulation output reports were reported where required
END-USE CONSISTENCY
Evaluate whether Identify efficiency Evaluate whether

Verify that energy consumption Verify whether measures and verify if
end-use demand energy consumption and
and demand differences savings are justified for demand savings are
and energy use between proposed consumption is the measures with
are consistent reasonable for consistent between
and baseline cases highest absolute
linked end uses
with inputs are justified major end uses savings
BUILDING LEVEL CONSISTENCY SPECIAL OUTPUTS
Cross-check with For each fuel type, if cost and enery savings Review Verify
benchmark differ significantly, verify that virtual utility rates exceptional renewable energy
consumption are justified based on utility rate schedule calculations calculations
Model Inputs Model Output Consistency
Figure 1. Steps to verify proposed energy savings
MODELING WITH THE EXCEPTIONAL CALCULATION METHOD

In ASHRAE 90.1–2010, Appendix G, Section G2.5, an exceptional calculation method (ECM) is used when the
simulation program that is generating the energy model is incapable of modeling a certain design, material, or
device of the proposed design. LEED has adopted and slightly expanded use of exceptional calculations to cover
any savings claimed for a nonregulated load, defined as any building load, end use, or control without an Appendix G
baseline modeling requirement that allows the load, end use, or control to be modeled differently in the proposed
APPENDICES
and baseline buildings.

Energy savings limitations. Section G2.5 indicates that exceptional calculation methods cannot constitute
more than half of the difference (i.e., savings) between the proposed and baseline buildings. This will be enforced
for the ASHRAE definition of an ECM. However, in LEED, this rule will not be applied to savings attempted on
nonregulated loads unless the nonregulated load cannot be modeled in the simulation program.
Elements that cannot be simulated by modeling program. One type of ECM is representing an element that
cannot be modeled directly by the chosen energy modeling software. Examples include innovative external shading
devices, under-floor air systems, and the heat recovery performance of a variable refrigerant flow system. Whether
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a particular strategy warrants an ECM may depend on the modeling program and whether the energy modeler
can simulate an approximation of the system in the software. If the methodology for approximation has not been
previously published by ASHRAE or USGBC as an acceptable modeling path, it is the responsibility of the energy
modeler to submit a narrative explaining the simulation and provide any calculations for the energy savings.
Documentation for nonregulated loads. Examples of nonregulated load savings include manufacturing
equipment not regulated by ASHRAE 90.1–2010, a unique manufacturing process, or any refrigeration or kitchen
equipment (including operation) not specifically covered in Appendix 3, Retail Process Load Baselines, Tables
1–4. Energy savings for nonregulated loads require additional documentation. ASHRAE 90.1–2010, Table G3.1-
12, indicates that “variations of the power requirements, schedules, or control sequences” are allowed by the
“rating authority,” provided the proposed design “represents a significant verifiable departure from documented
conventional practice.” Project teams must document the following information to prove that the savings represent
a departure from conventional practice and are not required by local code:
·· A narrative describing all baseline and proposed assumptions
·· The methodology used to calculate the savings
·· A document verifying that the efficiency measure is not conventional practice. This is generally accomplished
either by documenting the baseline comparison system, schedule, or control as standard practice, or by
showing that the savings claimed for the efficiency measure are incentivized by a local utility program.
Examples of documents used to verify that the efficiency measure is not conventional practice may include the
following:
°° A recent study with researched tabulations or monitored data establishing standard practice for the given
application in similar newly constructed facilities
°° A utility company or government program that provides incentives for the measure in new construction
°° A document showing the systems used to perform the same function in similar facilities built within the past
five years; these systems are treated as the baseline system in the analysis, and evidence must show how the
energy use for the baseline and proposed buildings is determined
Alternatively, the project team may use any of the prescriptive requirements from ASHRAE 90.1–2010 as the baseline
requirement without further justification to substantiate conventional practice, but only for the specific component.
Additional guidance. Sources of typical efficiency measures include the COMNET manual, which has a
methodology for calculating savings for process or receptacle loads, especially savings from ENERGY STAR
equipment. Refer to the manual’s Section 6.4.5, Receptacle and Process Loads, and Appendix B.
Provide a narrative explanation of the methodology used to calculate savings for any exceptional calculation
methods. Separate calculations are not necessary when the energy savings are apparent in the modeling results.
Changes from earlier versions of ASHRAE and LEED. Some efficiency measures that no longer need to be
modeled using an exceptional calculation method include garage fan demand-controlled ventilation, low-flow water
fixtures, kitchen equipment, and kitchen ventilation.
·· Enclosed parking garage ventilation. Modulating fan airflow rates based on contaminant levels are now
required to be installed, unless certain exceptions apply, per Section 6.4.3.4.5. Any design that goes beyond
these minimum baseline requirements may be counted. Two factors can affect the energy consumption:
°° The baseline fan power (in energy per flow) must be consistent with the proposed installed fan power at
full-load conditions. The project team may count higher fan motor efficiencies in the proposed building.
°° The ventilation rate, and thus fan power, can also be reduced if the design allows the fans to reduce the APPENDICES
ventilation rate below 50%. The baseline ventilation rate must be set at the minimum requirement of
ASHRAE 62.1–2010, which is 0.75 cfm per square foot (3.8 L/s per square meter). This must be the baseline
ventilation rate, regardless of any local code.
The same requirements apply to demand-controlled ventilation for outdoor air control sequences that provide
ventilation for building occupants.
·· Low-flow service water-heating fixtures. The flow rates given in GIB Credit Indoor Water Use Reduction set
the allowable baseline values. Provide sufficient information to justify energy savings from efficient fixtures
and appliances that use hot water.
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·· Kitchen equipment. All project types may count energy savings from efficient refrigeration equipment,
cooking and food preparation, clothes washing, and other major support appliances. See Appendix 3, Retail
Process Load Baselines, Tables 1–4, for the defined baseline conditions. Provide sufficient information to justify
all the savings. Savings for a piece of equipment (or its operation) not covered in Appendix 3 must be modeled
using the ECM described above.
·· Kitchen ventilation. ASHRAE 90.1–2010 now addresses kitchen ventilation, so it is no longer considered
a nonregulated load. Section G3.1.1, exception (d), requires a kitchen with more than 5,000 cfm (2360 L/s)
of total exhaust airflow to be modeled with its own separate system. Include demand ventilation on 75%
of the exhaust air, and reduce exhaust and replacement air by 50% for half the kitchen’s occupied hours in
the baseline design. Additionally, the maximum exhaust flow rates for hoods must meet the requirements
of Section 6.5.7.1.3. The exhaust flow rate must be modeled identically in the baseline and proposed cases
at design conditions unless Appendix G indicates otherwise. Any design that goes beyond these minimum
baseline requirements may be counted. Provide sufficient information to justify all kitchen ventilation savings,
with consistent assumptions and operating schedules. Project teams that count kitchen ventilation savings
must separate the savings from each end use (e.g., fan, heating, cooling) when reporting the energy outputs.
APPENDICES
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COMMON ISSUES WITH ENERGY MODELING

Thoroughly review both ASHRAE 90.1–2010 and the 90.1–2010 User’s Manual. The manual presents extended
explanations and also includes examples of the concepts and requirements within the standard. Table 3 addresses
many of the most common issues but is not a comprehensive list.
TABLE 3. Common issues with energy modeling, by ASHRAE 90.1 section
Scope
Inclusion of Unfinished spaces must be included in the energy model if they are part of the project scope of work. In core and
unfinished spaces shell projects, a large portion of the space may be unfinished; in new construction and major renovation projects
in project scope these spaces must not make up more than 40% of the total space. In addition, all projects other than core and shell
that have incomplete spaces must submit a letter of commitment, signed by the owner, confirming that the remaining
incomplete spaces will satisfy the requirements of each prerequisite and credit achieved by this project if and when
completed by the owner.
Modeling HVAC, Refer to ASHRAE 90.1–2010, Tables G3.1.6(c), G3.1.10(c) and (d), and G3.1.11(c), for unfinished space modeling
lighting, hot requirements. If a lighting, HVAC, or service hot water system has not yet been designed, the system required in the
water systems baseline building for that unfinished space must also be modeled in the proposed building. Refer to Table G3.1.8 on
for unfinished how to model thermal zones for such space.
spaces Example 1. A two-story office building has a ground-floor retail area that is entirely unfinished. The building contains
a chase for future ductwork and a location on the roof for the mechanical equipment for the future tenant, but no
system exists or has been specified.
In this case, the proposed HVAC system for that space must be modeled using the same HVAC system type, capacity
ratios, efficiencies, and controls as those modeled for the baseline building.
Example 2. The same hypothetical two-story office building now includes chilled and hot water connections for the
future unfinished retail space. A portion of the HVAC system has been designed.
The proposed building may be modeled as a system that uses the chilled and heating hot water (e.g., 4-pipe fan coil
unit). However, because the air-handling units and terminal distribution have not yet been designed, the cooling and
heating capacities, design fan volume, minimum volume, fan power, fan controls, etc., must be modeled identically in
both the baseline and proposed model, and equal to the requirements of the baseline model.
Additions to Project teams wishing to certify an addition to an existing building must follow the Appendix G requirements in Table
existing buildings G3.1.2, the most important of which is (b). If the existing building will be excluded, then the HVAC system serving the
addition to the building must be entirely separate from the systems serving the existing building. Refer to the table
for all requirements.
Building envelope
Baseline Construction type and maximum U-factors for baseline walls, roofs, and floors are specified by Table G3.1-5 Baseline
building (b). The constructions for walls, roofs, and floors are specified by the standard and do not depend on the proposed
envelope design. For example, if a building will have concrete masonry walls, the baseline model will still have steel-framed walls.
Existing building For an existing building that was conditioned before major renovation and will be conditioned postrenovation, the
envelope baseline building envelope should reflect the existing conditions, before the scope of work (Table G3.1-5 Baseline (f)).
However, for an existing building (or spaces in the building) that was previously unconditioned and is being renovated
to include conditioning, the baseline building envelope (or the envelope for any previously unconditioned spaces in the
building) must be modeled as if the building is new construction (i.e., according to Table 5.5).
Proposed model The proposed model must reflect the building as designed or built. To the extent possible, construction assemblies
U-values need to match the dimension and U-value inputs in the model.
Apply Appendix A to the proposed envelope. Provide the assembly U-value, rather than a point U-value, by
determining the overall construction assembly U-value that takes into account for thermal bridging as shown in
Appendix A.
Ensure that window U-values are input as the assembly U-value, which takes into account the U-value of the framing
system. The center-of-glass value is not acceptable.
APPENDICES
Baseline model For the baseline envelope properties, use the semiheated requirements to model surfaces that adjoin unconditioned
U-values, semi- spaces to conditioned spaces (e.g., a wall separating a semiheated warehouse from a conditioned office) or
exterior surfaces semiheated space to conditioned space (e.g., the slab separating an unconditioned parking garage from the
conditioned ground floor of the building). Figure 5.1 in 90.1–2010 illustrates this requirement.
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TABLE 3 (CONTINUED). Common issues with energy modeling, by ASHRAE 90.1 section
HVAC
Baseline HVAC The HVAC system for the baseline model must be selected based on requirements in ASHRAE 90.1–2010, Section
system selection G3.1.1. The system selected will depend on the proposed building type, size, and heat source. Building type must
be based on predominant conditions (i.e., those that account for the majority or plurality of the building area), and
no space types can be excluded from the model. Building size is determined from conditioned area. Once the floor
area of the predominant condition is known, consult Table G3.1.1A to determine the predominant baseline HVAC
system.
Section G3.1.1 also specifies whether HVAC systems must be modeled with a system per floor or a system per
thermal block. Systems 1–4 are modeled with one system per thermal block and systems 5–10 with one system per
floor, using systems 9 and 10 where applicable.
When multiple floors have identical thermal blocks, those floors may be combined in the energy model.
Note that a floor with a roof and a floor without a roof do not have identical thermal blocks and cannot be
combined. A multistory building with identical thermal blocks would need to be modeled with no fewer than three
floors: a ground floor, a middle floor with appropriate multiplier, and a top floor.
There are six exceptions to the baseline HVAC system determination. These exceptions are mandatory and must be
taken if they are applicable to the project.
G3.1.1 exception (a). Check for nonpredominant conditions, such as nonresidential in a primarily residential
building, or where a portion of a building is supplied by electric heat but the rest is from fossil fuels. The area of
nonpredominant conditions can be deducted from the total area when determining the baseline HVAC system. If
nonpredominant conditions apply to more than 20,000 ft2 (1860 m2), use exception (a) and select an additional
baseline HVAC system type to serve those spaces.
Example. A 210,000 ft2 (19 510 m2) multifamily high-rise has 23,000 ft2 (2140 m2) of ground-floor retail space. The
residential units are served by heat pump units with supplemental electric heat, and the retail areas are served by a
split DX unit with fossil fuel furnace. The required baseline HVAC system for the residential spaces would be System
2–PTHP, but for the retail areas it would be System 3–Packaged DX with fossil fuel furnace, since the nonresidential
spaces meet the 20,000 ft2 (1860 m2) exception (a) in G3.1.1.
G3.1.1 exception (b). If using systems 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10, individual zones with atypical thermal loads or occupancy
profiles must be modeled with individual single-zone systems of type 3 or 4, according to exception (b). Examples
for this include computer server rooms, natatoriums, and school gymnasiums.
If this exception is not properly incorporated into the baseline model, the model results may show an unusually
high number of unmet load hours or significantly oversize the baseline case systems. A good practice is to check
the baseline output reports and verify that the thermal loads for each thermal block do not vary by more than 10
Btuh/ft2 (31.5 W/m2) from the average of the other thermal zones on the floor, and adjust the baseline model as
necessary to include this exception.
Baseline HVAC G3.1.1 exception (c). If laboratory spaces in the building have a total laboratory exhaust rate greater than 5,000 cfm
system selection (2360 L/s), a single system of type 5 or 7 must be modeled to serve only those spaces. Section G3.1.2.11 requires
(laboratory spaces) exhaust air energy recovery in accordance with Section 6.5.6.1, which is likely to include laboratories.
Baseline HVAC G3.1.1 exception (d). If kitchens in the building have a total exhaust hood airflow rate greater than 5,000 cfm (2360
system selection L/s), system type 5 or 7 must be modeled and must include demand-controlled ventilation.
(kitchens)
Baseline HVAC G3.1.1 exception (e). Heating-only systems serving rooms not exhausting or transferring air from mechanically
system selection: cooled spaces, such as storage rooms, stairwells, or mechanical rooms, should be modeled as system 9 or 10.
heated-only G3.1.1 exception (f). When the predominant system is type 9 or 10, any fully conditioned spaces (such as an small,
storage or fully conditioned office in a heated-only warehouse) should be modeled using the appropriate system type for the
circulation spaces size, number of floors, occupancy type, and heating type for the nonpredominant area of the building.
Baseline HVAC Any project with a combination of fossil fuel and electric heat serving the same space must use the fossil fuel
system fuel type baseline HVAC system (systems 1, 3, 5, and 7) unless it meets one of the exceptions to G3.1.1.
Example. A building has been designed with electric water-source heat pumps for the space loads. A 100% outdoor
air gas-fired rooftop unit provides ventilation. The spaces are served by both electric heating from the heat pumps
and ventilation air from the gas-fired unit; therefore, the spaces are considered hybrid heating and must model the
baseline HVAC system type as “Fossil Fuel, Fossil/Electric Hybrid, and Purchased Heat” (from Table G3.1.1a).
APPENDICES
In the case of electric heating equipment designed with a fossil fuel preheat coil, or a backup fossil fuel boiler, the
intent is that the equipment will be used; thus it is considered hybrid heating, and the team must use the fossil fuel
baseline heating system.
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HVAC (Continued)
Baseline fan power The baseline fan power is calculated according to Section G3.1.2.10, which indicates that the system fan power
is based on the supply airflow and distributed to supply, return, exhaust, and relief fans. If the proposed system
has additional return, exhaust, and/or relief fans, the team may not adjust the baseline model to account for the
additional fan power. Section G3.1.2.10 also includes Table G3.1.2.9, whose value A is calculated according to Section
6.5.3.1.1 using pressure drop adjustments. Pressure drop adjustments may not be taken for system types 1, 2, 9, or
10.
The calculations are straightforward, but a common issue involves pressure credits. Table G3.1.2.9 allows pressure
drop adjustments for evaporative coolers or heat recovery devices only when they are required in the baseline
building system. Also, the pressure drop adjustment is applicable only to the design airflow through each device.
For example, if only the ventilation air is filtered with a MERV 13 filter, then only the ventilation airflow rate may
apply the 0.9 in. w.c. (224.2 Pa) adjustment, not the entire supply airflow rate.
Pressure credit may be taken only for those systems present in the proposed building.
For fully ducted return or exhaust air systems, the credit for fan power allowance cannot be based on plenum
return. The credit can be applied only when the return is fully ducted; systems that have a combination of ducted
and nonducted may not use this pressure credit.
For return or exhaust airflow control devices (which maintain a specific pressurization relative to other spaces),
a project team claiming this credit in spaces other than a laboratory, hospital, or similar space type must provide
evidence of this control device. The credit may be applied only for the amount of airflow passing through the
control device.
A project team using the modeling software to automatically determine the baseline building fan power must
ensure that the correct allowance has been calculated. Publicly available fan power calculators can be used to verify
and determine the correct fan power.
Proposed HVAC Table G3.1.1(a) requires that the proposed building be consistent with the design documents, including envelope,
system sizing lighting, HVAC, and service hot water systems. Additionally, all end-use load components within and associated
with the building must be modeled.
Table G3.1.10(b) requires that the HVAC model be consistent with the design documents. All modeled HVAC system
parameters (e.g., fan volumes, fan powers, efficiencies, heating and cooling capacities) must be consistent with the
mechanical schedules and drawings. The simulation should never be allowed to automatically size the HVAC system
for the proposed case model when there is a complete design.
Heat pumps Section G3.1.3.1 describes the operation of baseline building heat pumps. The heat pump and auxiliary heat should
(operation) operate together at low-temperature conditions, with the compressor as the lead machine. The outside air cutoff
temperature for the compressor must be no greater than the temperature associated with the low-temperature
heating efficiency requirements of Table 6.8.1B (17°F) (–8.3°C). The HSPF rating for packaged heat pump units
smaller than 65,000 Btu/h (19 kW) and packaged terminal heat pumps accounts for electric auxiliary operation
and includes test conditions at 17 degrees F (–8.3°C). The heat pump efficiency curves in the model should reflect
the heat pump ratings that account for simultaneous operation of the electric resistance and heat pump elements
below 40°F (4.4°C).
Unitary heating and Use the correct Table 6.8.1 to determine equipment efficiencies:
cooling efficiencies Table 6.8.1A for system types 3, 5 and 6
Table 6.8.1B (with electric resistance heating section) for system Type 4
Table 6.8.1D for system types 1 and 2
These efficiencies are based on the capacity of each system individually, not a sum of all units. It is important
to correctly adjust efficiencies of each piece of equipment to separate fan power at AHRI rating conditions, per
Section G3.1.2.1. Most simulation software programs can perform this step automatically.
Humidity controls Humidification must be modeled identically in the baseline and the proposed models, since it is not addressed in
Appendix G. Use the exceptional calculation method if claiming savings.
If the proposed design includes dehumidification controls, they must be modeled as designed. Dehumidification
controls may be modeled in the baseline only if one of the exceptions to Section 6.5.2.3 applies. Exception (d) for
process dehumidification does not apply to computer rooms. APPENDICES
Table G3.1.4 requires that identical schedules be used in both models, and this includes humidity setpoints. A
problem may arise if the proposed building has a dedicated outdoor air system (DOAS) that maintains proper
humidity. PTAC or small DX systems in the baseline design may not be able to maintain both temperature and
humidity simultaneously in the same way that the proposed system can. The project team may then incur a penalty
for higher humidity levels in the baseline building.
In this situation, model a DOAS in the baseline design using the same volume of outdoor air as for the proposed
design, but with the same efficiency and efficiency curves as the baseline HVAC systems. Additionally, the baseline
fan power allowance would be separated between the DOAS and the baseline system using the same ratio as the
proposed system.
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Ventilation
Ventilation rate Table G3.1.10(b) requires that the proposed building ventilation rate be consistent with the rate indicated on the
inputs mechanical schedule. Section G3.1.2.6 requires that the ventilation rate be identical between the proposed and
baseline buildings and states that reduced ventilation “is not considered an opportunity for energy savings under
the Performance Rating Method”; ventilation is energy neutral, per the User’s Manual. However, there are exceptions
to this requirement.
Ventilation (above Exception (c) penalizes projects for providing more ventilation air to the space than is required by ASHRAE 62.1–
minimum required) 2010 or a local code, whichever requires more ventilation air. If the proposed project provides outdoor air in excess
of the amount required, the baseline must be modeled with the required ventilation rates, which will be lower than
the proposed ventilation rate. This creates an “energy penalty” for the additional fan and conditioning energy.
For various reasons, however, it is common practice to specify slightly more ventilation air than required. A project
team that has specified up to 5% more total ventilation air than required may model identical ventilation rates.
If exhaust requirements dictate the amount of ventilation air that must be provided to the building, as indicated in
Section 5.9.2 of ASHRAE 62.1–2010, provide an explanation, documentation, and calculations as necessary to show
that exhaust requirements exceed the minimum ventilation flows, and model the ventilation rate identically in both
buildings.
Demand-control Exception (a) allows credit for demand-control ventilation when it is not required by Sections 6.3.2(p) or 6.4.3.9.
ventilation If demand-control ventilation is being modeled for credit, Table G3.1.4 (baseline) indicates that schedules may be
and nighttime modified and allowed to differ to take it into account, provided the schedules are approved by the rating authority.
ventilation In this instance, project teams must submit both proposed and baseline ventilation schedules.
requirements ASHRAE 90.1, Section 6.4.3.4.3, requires shutoff dampers that automatically shut during unoccupied periods when
the HVAC system cycles on and off to meet loads except when ventilation reduces energy costs (e.g., night purge),
or when ventilation must be supplied to meet local requirements (such as minimum flow requirements for hospital
or chemical storage rooms during unoccupied periods).
Therefore, the demand-control ventilation schedules presented for both the baseline and proposed cases should
show zero outside airflow during unoccupied periods unless the supplemental documentation supports that
ventilation during unoccupied periods reduces energy cost or is required by local code, in which case the baseline
and proposed ventilation rates during unoccupied periods must be modeled with identical flow rates. Additionally,
the baseline ventilation flow must be modeling using minimum required rates.
Ventilation (zone Exception (b) allows for lower ventilation rates in the proposed building for efficient ventilation system designs that
air distribution have high zone air distribution effectiveness (Ez >1.0), as determined by ASHRAE 62.1–2010.
effectiveness) In this case, the baseline ventilation levels can be based on the proposed calculations, only with reduced zone air
distribution effectiveness (Ez = 1.0). This makes the baseline outdoor airflow rates higher than the proposed outdoor
airflow rates, so ventilation calculations must be submitted to claim the exception for a higher Ez in the proposed
case.
If a lower ventilation flow rate is an aspect of the design, the project team must provide ventilation rate procedure
calculations for both the proposed and baseline designs, with the proposed design using the actual Ez value and
the baseline design using an Ez value of 1.0 in each zone where the Ez value is greater than 1.0, but equal to the
proposed building for all other zones where the Ez value is not greater than 1.0.
If ASHRAE 62.1, Section 6.2, Ventilation Rate Procedure, is not used for the ventilation design, then this exception
may not be used.
Credit may not be taken, via ventilation flows, for any other ventilation design, such as a 100% outdoor air unit.
Additionally, credit may not be taken for increased system ventilation efficiency, Ev, of a proposed ventilation
system compared with a baseline ventilation system; Appendix G does not allow this. The only exception would be
a different Ev value due to an Ez greater than 1.0, as described above.
Natural ventilation The ASHRAE User’s Manual indicates that an exceptional calculation method is not required for natural ventilation
and gives some further examples.
Perform sufficient analysis to document that loads can be met when credit is taken for passive cooling and natural
ventilation using a simulation tool capable of ensuring thermal conditions are met with natural ventilation. A simple
load calculation is not sufficient.
APPENDICES
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Service water heating
Hot water demand Hot water demand savings from low-flow fixtures must be derived from WE Prerequisite or Credit Indoor Water Use
Reduction calculations.
Lighting
Lighting power Lighting power must be determined using the same categorization procedure (building area or space-by-space
density, method method) in both the proposed and baseline designs.
Lighting power ASHRAE 90.1–2010 does not allow credit for lighting within dwelling units. Therefore, the lighting within these
density, multifamily units must be modeled identically in both cases unless an exceptional calculation method is pursued. If credit is
attempted, the lighting must meet prescribed illuminance levels. Refer to the ENERGY STAR’s Multifamily High Rise
Program Simulation Guidelines for examples.
Lighting power Table G3.1.6 requires that the proposed lighting power include all components shown on the plans and be
density, luminaire determined in accordance with Sections 9.1.3 and 9.1.4. Ensure that the lighting calculations include all task lighting
wattage except where specifically exempted by ASHRAE 90.1 and that all power used by the luminaires, including lamps,
ballasts, transformers, and controls, is taken into account. For track and other flexible lighting systems, use the
specified wattage of the transformer supplying the system. The sum of lamp wattages will not necessarily meet the
requirements of G3.1.6.
Lighting power ASHRAE 90.1, Section 9.6.2, addresses the use of additional lighting power for decorative lighting, in retail areas, or
density, additional when additional controls have been installed.
lighting power Additional lighting is allowed only when using the space-by-space method and if it is “installed and automatically
controlled, separately from the general lighting, to be turned off during nonbusiness hours.”
Therefore, the general lighting system must be separate and capable of providing general illumination to the space,
and the additional lighting must have automated controls that shut it off during nonbusiness hours even when the
general lighting remains on.
In retail applications, a common mistake is that the lighting may not be used for any purpose other than to highlight
the merchandise.
Project teams can model the additional lighting power up to what has actually been designed, and no more; the
baseline building must be modeled equal to what has been designed or up to the lighting allowance from ASHRAE
90.1, Section 9.6.2, whichever is less (i.e., credit may not be taken for unclaimed additional lighting power).
Note that only the sales area can be used in the lighting power allowance. For example, do not use the entire
project floor area (which may include space with other purposes, such as checkout areas, corridors, or dressing
rooms) to determine the allowance.
ASHRAE 90.1–2010 now allows an additional lighting power allowance based on the application of additional
controls and using the control factors found in Table 9.6.2. This additional allowance may be used anywhere in the
building and is based on the total wattage in the given space to which the control method is being applied.
Unlike the retail allowance, this allowance is earned with the application of the control methods and may be added
to the baseline whether or not the project designs up to the full allowance.
Automatic lighting ASHRAE 90.1, Table G3.1(g), indicates that only automatic lighting controls, such as occupancy sensors, that are in
controls addition to the required minimum control (Section 9.4.1) may be taken for credit.
One of the most common errors is taking credit for an occupancy sensor located in a conference room; this is
already a requirement of the baseline building. ASHRAE 90.1–2010 lists additional spaces that must have occupant
sensors or timer switches that automatically turn off lighting.
ASHRAE 90.1–2010 has added requirements for the lighting system and controls for buildings. Project teams are
encouraged to read the standard, the User’s Manual, and the lighting compliance forms to ensure that all mandatory
measures have been met; these are prerequisites to LEED certification.
Exterior lighting Exterior lighting is divided into allowances for tradable and nontradable surfaces. No credit may be taken for
lighting reductions on nontradable surfaces. A lighting power allowance cannot be claimed in the baseline building
for surfaces that are not provided with lighting in the actual design, and lighting fixtures cannot be double-counted
for different exterior surfaces. APPENDICES
Energy rates
Energy rates Project teams must consistently use either actual utility rates or their state’s average energy prices, published by
the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Information Administration for commercial building customers. The sources
may not be mixed.
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MODELING SCHEDULES
For optimal results, ensure that the schedule inputs into the model accurately reflect the project building’s
operation. If anticipated operating schedules are unknown, helpful guidance for determining model inputs for
occupancy, lighting, HVAC system, receptacle power, and service hot water consumption values can be found in the
ASHRAE 90.1–2010 User’s Manual, Appendix G.
Schedules must be identical in both the baseline and the proposed cases unless documented in an exceptional
calculation or specifically allowed by ASHRAE 90.1–2010, Appendix G (see Modeling with the Exceptional Calculation
Method, above).
Certain space types may require specific schedules based on anticipated operation and may vary by space type.
For example, a server room may have different temperature schedules than an occupied space.
Exceptions to Section G3.1.1 may require modeling a different baseline HVAC system type in spaces with
schedules that vary significantly from the rest of the building.
Different lighting schedules may be used for a project with both office and retail occupancy when the space-by-
space method is used or when the building area method is used with multiple building type classifications. Different
schedules cannot be used, however, if an average lighting power density is applied to the whole project.
Ventilation and infiltration schedules should also be adjusted to ensure the same amount of outside air delivery
and infiltration between baseline and proposed cases, except for specific exceptions allowed by Appendix G.
MODELING BUILDING TYPE VARIATIONS

Core and Shell
Energy cost savings are based on a building’s total annual energy consumption, rather than on the owner’s scope of
work, so the owner of a core and shell project may have only a limited opportunity to improve energy savings.
In a typical core and shell building, the owner provides base-building HVAC, whereas the tenant often installs
light fixtures and other equipment. If the energy use of the base-building HVAC accounts for only a third of the
overall building energy use, the building owner must find sufficient savings within that third to meet the prerequisite
or require additional savings of the tenant in the lease agreement (see Common Issues with Energy Modeling, above).
Because the owner cannot control the effect of future improvements on the total energy consumption of the core
and shell project, for LEED energy modeling, items such as lighting or equipment loads for areas that are under the
tenants’ control must be identical in the proposed building and in the baseline, as specified by Appendix G. However,
projects can claim credit for energy reductions in tenant spaces if those reductions (such as lighting power density
reductions or improved HVAC efficiency) are required through a tenant lease agreement or other legally binding
document. For example, if a 20% reduction in lighting power density is required by the tenant lease agreement, those
savings can be claimed in the proposed model.
Zoning must be identical between the baseline and the proposed models. If HVAC zones are not defined in a
tenant space, energy modelers should follow ASHRAE 90.1–2010, Table G.3.1.8:
·· A typical rectangular floor plate must have at least five zones: one perimeter zone for each orientation and one
interior zone.
·· Spaces that can be confidently identified as differing from typical tenant use, such as mechanical rooms or
bathrooms, should be separately zoned.
·· To easily distinguish between energy use from owner and tenant spaces, projects must model separate electric
meters for tenant lighting and plug loads.
APPENDICES
Retail
For projects using whole-building energy simulation, include all relevant process loads in the energy model and
ensure that they are modeled accurately. Typical retail process loads include refrigeration equipment, cooking
and food preparation, ice machines, display lighting for merchandise, clothes washing, and other major support
appliances. Compare the energy consumption of each piece of equipment with the value indicated in Appendix 3,
Tables 1–4. If the item is not included and the project team wishes to take credit, the exceptional calculation method
must be followed.
For hard-wired refrigeration, the modeling software may be used if the system can be modeled explicitly.
Otherwise, a thermodynamically similar component model must be used, in accordance with Table G3.1.13. An
example of this would be an analysis prepared using 8760 hourly weather data.
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For commercial kitchen equipment and refrigeration defined Appendix 3, Tables 1–4, no additional
documentation is necessary to substantiate these predefined baseline systems as industry standard. Supporting
documentation is still needed to verify that the proposed equipment includes the claimed energy-efficient features.
Data Centers
The guidance in this section is geared toward dedicated data centers and is not applicable to server closets or other
small computer rooms. Mixed-use data centers, in which the data center takes up only a portion of the building
space, may use this information as the basis for an exceptional calculation method.
The power requirements and energy use of the IT equipment in a data center typically dwarf the energy use
of the cooling system and must be considered for optimizing energy performance. The energy consumption of a
data center’s cooling system typically ranges from 15% to 25% of its total energy use, whereas in other commercial
buildings, the HVAC energy consumption approaches 50% of the total energy consumption.1
Data centers use special systems and equipment, such as large uninterruptible power supply (UPS), whose
energy efficiency requirements are not defined by ASHRAE 90.1. Some of these systems will cause inefficiencies
that can cascade through the power delivery chain, leading to increased energy usage in systems beyond those that
support IT and, in most cases, creating additional cooling loads.
Stipulations for equipment reliability and maintenance often result in redundant equipment and systems. And
the typical phased installation schedule for IT equipment (e.g., servers, storage, and networking gear) results in
power and cooling systems that operate at a fraction of the design load. To gain a more accurate understanding of
energy usage, teams should demonstrate the effects of partial-load conditions on the overall energy efficiency of the
data center.
Modeling requirements for IT equipment. Because of the high process loads associated with IT equipment
and its electrical infrastructure, many project teams look to these traditionally unregulated uses for energy savings.
Though not required, if the project team is attempting to claim energy savings from these end uses, the data center
calculator (see below) may provide a simplified method.
The reduced energy consumption of the IT and electrical equipment can help reduce HVAC energy usage. Project
teams have the option of claiming the process load savings in isolation or creating an additional energy model based
on the adjusted loads to capture the associated HVAC energy savings.
To determine total energy cost savings, it may be necessary to create one or more of the following, in addition to
the required two energy models. The specific requirements of each model are detailed below.
1. Proposed model with full IT loading (normal performance rating method model)
2. ASHRAE model with full IT loading (normal performance rating method model)
3. ASHRAE model with “baseline” IT loading (optional)
If the project team is claiming energy savings related to the IT systems, the total energy savings are calculated as the
difference between models 1 and 3.
Model 1. Proposed model with full IT loading. The model of the building’s energy cost must include all
regulated energy end uses as listed in the prerequisite criteria, as well as any unregulated energy that is specific to
the building. The proposed design must use the IT loads and schedule developed for the project. The IT loads should
be at the values for the intended final build-out of the facility. All electrical system components—examples include
incoming transformers, switchgear, UPS systems, and power distribution units—must be modeled. Power losses
associated with this equipment should be assigned to the spaces that house the equipment as an electrical load and
as a thermal load input to the energy model. Model the quantity of power and cooling equipment designed to run
during normal operation to include the effects of operating redundant equipment at partial loading on energy use.
APPENDICES
In addition to the ASHRAE 90.1 mandatory compliance requirements, provide energy efficiency data for the
following items:
·· Generator block heaters (wattage required to keep the block at the design temperature)
·· Power distribution wiring
·· Battery charging
1 U.S. Department of Energy, 2011 Buildings Energy Data Book (March 2012).
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Submit documentation for the following items, showing efficiency data at initial and full system loading points
(loading values are a percentage of total IT load):
·· Service transformers
·· Switchgear
·· Uninterruptible power systems
·· Power distribution units
Model 2. ASHRAE model with full IT loading. For the baseline models, the air temperature at the inlet of the
server should be within ASHRAE’s recommended values, from 80.6°F (27°C) dry bulb and 59.0°F (15°C) dew point
to 64.4°F (18°C) dry bulb and 41.9°F (5.5°C) dew point, unless justification is provided for an alternative minimum
supply air temperature at the server inlet. The baseline system airflow must be sized based on a 20°F (approximately
11°C) difference between the supply air and the return air.
Model 3. ASHRAE model with “baseline” IT loading. This model is used to calculate IT energy savings due
to low-energy servers, virtualization, and efficient electrical system design. In contrast to the standard application
of exceptional calculation methods to the proposed model, for data center projects, the exceptional calculation
is applied to the baseline (model 3). Rather than reducing the energy used in the proposed design, the baseline is
increased to reflect the energy usage typical of a data center.
For IT equipment, the USGBC data center calculator provides baseline documentation; if used, additional
justification for the baseline IT loads is not necessary. IT equipment input is defined as the IT load as measured at the
point of connection of the IT device to the electrical power system. IT equipment input captures the actual power
load of the IT device exclusive of any power distribution losses and loads beyond IT devices, such as rack-mounted
fans.
The losses associated with all UPS equipment, including that which serves mechanical equipment to achieve
continuous cooling during a loss of power (e.g., pumps, air-handling units, and compressors), are considered not
part of the IT energy usage but part of the energy consumption required to operate the data center.
If a hydronic cooling system is used for IT cabinets or computers, the energy consumed by the fans built into the
cabinet and coolant distribution pumps should be considered HVAC energy use, not IT energy use.
USGBC data center calculator. The data center calculator provided by USGBC creates a representative IT
energy baseline based on the proposed design. The calculator consists of two main modules: one for the efficiency
of the server equipment that comprises the IT system and one for the efficiency of the electrical system that delivers
power to the IT system.
The calculator provides values that can be used as inputs for the electrical system energy consumption and heat
loss for the proposed model with initial IT loading to calculate the initial power usage effectiveness (PUE). The
calculator generates the following two sets of values that may be used to determine energy savings:
·· Annual energy consumption savings values, which can then be claimed directly, in isolation of any effects the
reduced electrical load would have on the HVAC system
·· Input values for the ASHRAE model with “baseline” IT loading and the ASHRAE model with initial IT loading
that can then be used during simulation
The calculator’s IT systems module compares energy use of a proposed IT equipment design with a predefined
baseline. The calculator analyzes energy use of computer servers only. Mainframes, storage, and networking
equipment are not included in the overall energy demand calculation (as it relates to the reduction in energy). To
claim savings from other types of IT equipment, teams must use the exceptional calculation method.
APPENDICES
Based on the entered values for total IT load and percentage breakdowns, the calculator generates kilowatt (kW)
values for servers, storage, and networking equipment. The kW number for the servers, combined with the server
utilization and the average power draw of the server, is used to calculate the number of physical servers that will be
in the data center. Server power is based on ENERGY STAR’s computer server qualified product list. If the number of
physical servers and their power draw are known, enter these values.
Next, enter the percentage of servers that will host virtual machines in the data center and the average
consolidation ratio. This rate of virtualization is used to calculate the server utilization percentage and then
compared with a typical virtualization rate, which is used to calculate the number of servers in the baseline case.
Finally, indicate whether a power management strategy will be used. This input takes the percentage of servers
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that can go into sleep mode and the percentage of the time those servers can be in sleep mode. With these inputs, the
calculator determines the energy demand for the IT system in kW and also generates the annual energy use in kWh of
both the baseline case and the proposed case.
If desired, the calculated server demand value for the baseline IT load can be entered into the ASHRAE model,
with baseline IT loading as the server demand in the data center. The baseline model should use the same schedules
as the proposed model.
The data center calculator’s electrical systems module uses the peak demand of the IT system to determine
the size and power draw of the equipment. Peak IT demand values are automatically imported from the IT systems
module. For the purposes of the calculator, the electrical system comprises the following elements:
·· Incoming utility service transformer
·· Uninterruptible power supply
·· Power distribution unit
Based on the topology selected by the user, some of the energy that flows through the component is lost as heat,
which must be included in the building energy model.
The heat loss differs at varying loads. Although it is important to benchmark operation at 100% load, it may
be more important to benchmark at partial loads because electrical and cooling equipment, especially legacy
equipment, will have much lower efficiencies at partial loads.
After determining the efficiency of the baseline electrical system, the calculator provides annual energy
consumption in kWh. If desired, the losses associated with the system can be assigned to the supporting
infrastructure rooms of the appropriate energy models.
Power usage effectiveness. PUE is the metric for characterizing and reporting the overall infrastructure
efficiency of a building. Determine the PUE value of the proposed design using Equation 2.
EQUATION 1. Power usage effectiveness
Total data center energy consumption or power

PUE =
IT energy consumption or power
For example, if a facility uses 2,000,000 kWh of total energy, of which 1,600,000 kWh is attributable to IT
equipment, its PUE is as follows:
2,000,000 kWh
PUE = = 1.25
1,600,000 kWh
MODELING DISTRICT ENERGY SYSTEMS

All downstream equipment must be included in the scope of GIB Prerequisite Minimum Building Energy
Performance and GIB Credit Optimize Building Energy Performance. Downstream equipment includes heat
exchangers, steam pressure reduction stations, pumps, valves, pipes, building electrical services, and controls.
Upstream equipment is included or excluded depending on the chosen option and path.
Whenever possible, incorporate system and equipment performance parameters directly into the energy
simulation. Potential methods include developing efficiency curves and scheduling equipment operation and curves.
APPENDICES
Postprocessing of DES performance is acceptable if reasonable simulation methods are not available or are too
onerous. All postprocessing methodologies must be fully documented.
Teams that are modeling DES can choose one of three paths.
Option 1, Path 1. ASHRAE 90.1–2010, Appendix G

Model the proposed and baseline designs using purchased energy according to ASHRAE 90.1–2010, Appendix G.
All virtual DES energy rates must be identical in the baseline and proposed cases. If tariffs or rates are not
available from the district plant serving the project, such as for campus or military plants, calculate the rates based
on the virtual electric and fossil fuel rates from the model.
If a flat rate structure, in which the cost per unit of energy is the same throughout the year and there are no
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demand charges, is being used for all energy sources, then those flat rates become the virtual energy rates for the
project.
If all energy rate structures are not flat, a preliminary run of the Option 1 baseline case energy model must first be
completed to identify the virtual electric and fossil fuel rates for the project. For this preliminary run only, the rate
for the DES-supplied energy may be left blank or entered as any value.
Once all the virtual energy rates are known for electricity and fossil fuel, calculate the virtual DES rates for both
the baseline and proposed cases per the values in the minimum energy performance calculator.
Exception: to obtain the virtual fuel rate when the connected building does not use fossil fuel but the DES central
plant does, use a flat rate consistent with the central plant’s rates or the historical average local market rates. No
preliminary model run is needed. Input the virtual DES rates into the modeling software for each DES source and use
them for the remainder of the process. Alternatively, calculate the DES energy costs directly by multiplying the DES
energy consumption for each DES source by its virtual DES rate.
Option 1, Path 2. Full DES Performance Accounting

Path 2 is available if the project is connected to a DES and the team wishes to account for average efficiency across
a smaller time step. The energy model scope accounts for both downstream and upstream equipment and requires
calculation of the district energy average efficiencies using either modeling or monitoring.
Energy rates. All DES energy rates must be identical in both the baseline and the proposed cases. Use local rates
as they would normally apply to the building for the energy sources under consideration. For energy sources used
by the DES but not normally available to the building, such as diesel fuel, use the rates charged to the DES. If this
information is not available, use representative market rates.
Exception: for DES plants that operate under specific and atypical rate structures and actively take advantage of
those rates through strategies such as load management or energy storage, use the rate structures as they apply to
the DES.
Baseline building plant. Model the baseline case with an on-site plant that is compliant with ASHRAE 90.1–
2010, Appendix G, baseline requirements for site-generated thermal energy. Model the baseline building plant
with conventional equipment using performance parameters and efficiencies per ASHRAE 90.1–2010, using energy
sources corresponding to the DES.
Proposed building plant. Model the proposed case with a virtual DES-equivalent plant. Model a virtual plant
with the same efficiencies as the entire upstream DES heating, cooling, and combined heat and power (CHP)
systems, including all distribution losses and energy use. Equipment efficiencies, distribution losses, and
distribution pumping energy may be determined using any of the following methods:
·· Monitored data
·· Engineering analysis
·· Default values
Efficiencies and losses may be determined and modeled at any level of time resolution, from hourly to annual.
However, the time resolution must be sufficiently granular to capture and reasonably represent any significant time-
or load-dependent interactions between systems, such as thermal storage or CHP.
Monitoring and analytical methods may be combined as necessary and appropriate.
Monitoring data for heating, cooling, pumping, and cogeneration may be used only if the thermal loads that are
monitored represent at least 90% of the predicted load on the campus or district plant after building occupancy.
Whether the team is using monitoring or an analytical method, the methodologies must be fully documented.
APPENDICES
The following specific requirements apply.

Heating and cooling plants. Efficiencies, whether determined through monitoring or analytically, must include
all operational effects, such as standby, equipment cycling, partial-load operation, internal pumping, and thermal
losses.
535
Thermal distribution losses. Use monitored data or an engineering analysis. Monitored data account for the
distribution losses for the DES by comparing the total thermal energy leaving the plant with the total thermal energy
used by the buildings connected to the DES. Rate the plant efficiency accordingly in the energy model:
Modified plant efficiency = Plant efficiency (%) × 100% – Distribution loss (%)
An engineering analysis takes into consideration all distribution losses between the DES and the building. For
distribution main losses, use a prorated amount based on load. For dedicated branch losses, use the total losses of
the branch that feeds the building, including heat losses and steam trap losses. Compare the total losses with the
total load of the building to get a percentage distribution loss relative to load and downgrade the plant’s efficiency
accordingly in the energy model.
Pumping energy. Whether through monitored data or engineering analysis, determine pumping energy for
the project by prorating the total pump energy of the DES by the ratio of the annual thermal load of the building
to the total annual DES thermal load. Model the pump energy as auxiliary electrical load. Pumping energy must be
determined or estimated; there is no default value.
Default efficiencies and losses. Actual efficiency performance information on the DES serving the project
building is preferred. If the project team cannot obtain or determine the actual performance data, use the following
default values. These values are conservative and are intended to represent a DES with relatively low efficiency; a
well-designed, well-operated DES generally performs better.
·· DES heating plant: 70% (higher heating value) for the total boiler plant average efficiency
·· DES cooling plant: coefficient of performance (COP) of 4.4 for the total cooling plant average efficiency
(including cooling towers and primary pumps)
·· Thermal distribution losses, including minor leaks or condensate losses:
°° Chilled water district cooling, 5%
°° Hot water district heating, 10%
°° Closed-loop steam systems, 15%
°° Open-loop steam systems, 25%
For steam systems that are partially open and partially closed, prorate between the above 15% and 25% losses in
accordance with the fraction of expected or actual condensate loss.
The above guidance assumes that DES-generated heat is used for heat in the connected building, and DES-
generated cooling is used for cooling in the connected building. If the DES produces heating that is then converted
to cooling for the connected building using absorption chillers or other similar technology, this guidance must be
modified (see CHP Modeling Guidance).
Option 1, Path 3. Streamlined DES Modeling

Path 3 is applicable for simple district energy systems. The energy model scope accounts for both downstream
equipment and upstream equipment and also requires calculation of the district energy average efficiencies using
either modeling or monitoring.
Energy rates. Use the streamlined DES modeling in the calculator provided by USGBC to allocate the energy
costs to the results of the model for each district energy source, in lieu of the purchased energy rates, to determine
APPENDICES
the baseline and proposed case energy costs.

Baseline building plant. Calculate the average annual efficiency values for each district energy fuel source used
to generate and distribute the thermal energy based on ASHRAE 90.1–2010, Appendix G, baseline case requirements.
These values depend on the ASHRAE 90.1–2010 system type that would be selected for the building if the baseline
case were modeled with on-site equipment. The calculations for baseline cost per district energy source are the same
as those for the proposed case model, except that the average efficiency is constant.
536
Proposed building plant. Determine a single value for average annual efficiency, including thermal losses and
distribution energy, for each district fuel energy source used to generate and distribute the thermal energy. For
example, for chilled water:
COST (CHW)BUILDING = CHWBUILDING × ∑ ( Cost i × η i )

i
where
COST(CHW) = proposed case cost of chilled water
BUILDING
CHWBUILDING = building energy model metered data for chilled water consumption
i = ach fuel source used at the district plant to generate or distribute chilled water (e.g.
e
electricity, diesel oil)
Cost = irtual energy rate for each fuel source (in $/unit energy). This should match the
v
i
proposed case virtual energy rate for fuel sources present in the building, and should
be supported by local energy tariffs for fuel sources not present in the building.
ηi = average efficiency calculated for each fuel source
Combined Heat and Power Plants

The baseline case is modeled as described in ASHRAE 90.1, Appendix G, and as summarized in the steps for each path
(above). The baseline model assumes separate production of electricity and thermal energy. Although not modeled
as CHP, the baseline case is charged with extra energy use for CHP energy accounting purposes in some situations.
The proposed case may be modeled in various ways.
·· The average electricity generation, fuel input, and heat recovery of the CHP must be determined, or the defaults
for electric and thermal efficiency (below) must be used in conjunction with capacity ratings of the equipment.
·· Calculate annual electricity generation using one of the following methods:

°° Monitor the total annual gross electricity generation. Also monitor the total annual parasitic loads, such
as the annual electricity used for cooling the intake air for a turbine. Calculate the net annual electricity
generation by subtracting all parasitic loads from the annual gross electricity generated.
°° Model the generators in energy simulation software per Appendix G. Use peak electricity efficiencies and
generator curves that match the installed generators. Apply measured or estimated load profiles as process
loads to reflect the estimated total electric and thermal loads on the district energy CHP system. Use the
total energy generated and total fuel input from this analysis. Any parasitic loads must be included in the
analysis and subtracted from the annual electricity generation.
·· Calculate annual fuel input using one of the following methods:
°° Monitor the total annual fuel input to the generators.
generator curves that match the installed generators.
·· Calculate waste heat recovery using one of the following methods:
°° Monitor the total waste heat recovered.
generator curves that match the installed generators. Model the thermal equipment served by the CHP
APPENDICES
waste heat, such as boilers and absorption chillers, using the installed equipment capacities, efficiencies,
and efficiency curves, and reflecting the total heating and cooling loads on the plant as a process load. Use
the energy modeling outputs to identify the total heat recovered.
For baseline CHP electricity output, follow the general procedures described in this section for the proposed case,
and adjust the results as follows depending on the results of the DES electricity allocation and the total modeled
electricity use of the building in the Path 2 or Path 3 proposed case, including the electricity consumption of district
plant equipment serving the building:
·· Scenario A. If the building’s allocation of CHP-generated electricity is less than or equal to its modeled
electricity consumption, no adjustment is necessary. The baseline building is charged with the energy used by
its (non-CHP) systems at market rates using standard procedures.
537
·· Scenario B. If the building’s allocation of CHP-generated electricity exceeds its modeled electricity
consumption, the amount of excess CHP electricity allocated to the building is considered process energy
in the energy model. Adjust the input fuel associated with this excess CHP electricity in the baseline case as
described in CHP fuel input.
For the proposed design’s CHP electricity output, allocate the electricity generation to the building based on the
fraction of thermal loads to the building for the DES sources that use recovered waste heat. For each DES source
supplied to the building, determine the fraction of the recovered waste heat applied to that source as well as the
amount serving the project building. For relatively simple DES systems, in which the recovered waste heat is used
directly in the DES, and for which waste heat serves only heating loads in the connected buildings, use the formula
for simple systems:
CHP_ELECBLDG (simple systems) = (XHEAT × BLDGHEAT ) × CHP_ELECTOTAL
where
CHP_ELECBLDG = CHP electricity generation allocated to building
XHEAT = fraction of CHP plant’s total production of waste heat applied to the DES directly
BLDGHEAT = fraction of total district heat provided to building
CHP_ELECTOTAL = total CHP electricity generated at DES plant
For CHP plants in which a portion of the recovered heat is used to drive absorption chillers that provide cooling
through a DES chilled-water loop, or a portion of the recovered heat is used for a third, separate district energy
source (e.g., if the building connects to both a steam loop and a hot-water loop), calculate the electricity generation
assigned to each building using the formula for heat recovery-driven chillers.
CHP_ELECBLDG (heat recovery-driven chillers) = ( XHEAT × BLDGHEAT ) + ( YCHW × BLDGCHW ) + ( ZSOURCE × BLDGSOURCE ) × CHP_ELECTOTAL
where
CHP_ELECBLDG = CHP electricity generation allocated to building
XHEAT = fraction of CHP plant’s total production of waste heat applied to the DES
directly
BLDGHEAT = fraction of total district heat provided to building
YCHW = fraction of CHP plant’s total production of waste heat applied to producing
chilled water in DES
BLDGCHW = fraction of total district chilled water provided to building
ZSOURCE = fraction of third district energy source provided to building
BLDGSOURCE = fraction of third district energy source provided to building
When modeling CHP fuel input, allocate the CHP input fuel to the project building based on a proration and
APPENDICES
assignment of the total input fuel according to the results of the CHP electricity allocation described above for CHP
electricity output. Use the prevailing energy rates as they apply to the project. Any additional energy used by the
proposed design is also charged at market rates.
For the proposed case (all projects), calculate the CHP input fuel allocated to the building as follows:
Proposed BLDGFUEL =
( CHP_ELECBLDG
CHP_ELECTOTAL ) × CHPFUEL
538
where
Proposed CHP_ELECBLDG = proposed case CHP input fuel allocated to building
CHP_ELECTOTAL = CHP electricity generation allocated to building (from previous calculations)
CHPFUEL = total CHP electricity generated at DES plant
CHP_ELECTOTAL = total CHP fuel input for electricity generation at DES plant
For the baseline (scenario B in CHP electricity output only), calculate the CHP input fuel allocated to the
building as follows:
Baseline BLDGFUEL
with
=
( PROCESS_ELECBLDG
CHP_ELECTOTAL ) × CHPFUEL
PROCESS_ELECBLDG = CHP_ELECBLDG - PROPOSED_ELECBLDG
where
Baseline BLDGFUEL = baseline case CHP input fuel charged to building

PROCESS_ELECBLDG = amount of allocated CHP electricity in excess of building’s modeled annual
electricity consumption (treated as process energy in model)
CHPFUEL = total CHP fuel input for electricity generation at DES plant
CHP_ELECBLDG = CHP electricity generation allocated to building (from previous calculations)
PROPOSED_ = modeled electricity consumption for building from proposed case

ELECBLDG
The model must include CHP generator default efficiencies. Actual efficiency performance data on the
CHP serving the project building are preferred, based on either ongoing operations (existing CHP) or design
specifications (new CHP). If the project team cannot obtain the actual performance data, use the following default
seasonal performance values. These values are conservative, intended to represent a CHP system with relatively low
efficiency. A well-designed, well-maintained CHP system will generally offer better performance.
·· Generator electrical efficiency, 22%
·· Generator thermal efficiency, 25%
·· Single-effect absorption chillers, 0.60 COP
·· Double-effect absorption chillers, 0.90 COP
·· Absorption cooling plant electrical efficiency, including cooling towers and primary pumps, 40 COP
APPENDICES
539
Special Situations for DES Energy Models

Service water heating. If service water is heated in full or in part by DES-supplied heat, consider modeling the
energy source as purchased energy to hold the DES cost-neutral for service water heating. If desired, project teams
using Path 2 or Path 3 may use an exceptional calculation method to document DES-related savings from service
water heating. Project teams that elect to document savings must fully justify and support the annual energy
consumption and cost in both the baseline and the proposed models. Use a reasonable, well-founded purchased
energy rate in the models, such as the actual rate paid to the DES supplier or a virtual rate.
Heating converted to cooling. Sometimes the district or campus system heating energy supply is converted
to chilled water using absorption chillers or other similar technologies to serve cooling loads. In this circumstance,
the equipment that converts heating to cooling may reside within the DES itself (i.e., DES provides cooling to the
building) or within the connected buildings (i.e., DES provides heating to the building, and the building converts
heating to cooling). When the equipment that converts DES-supplied heat into cooling is part of the LEED project’s
scope of work, the DES guidance is modified for Option 1, Whole Building Simulation.
·· Model the district heating source servicing the chilled water generation equipment as follows:
°° For Path 1, use purchased heat in both the baseline and the proposed cases.
°° For Path 2 or 3, use a virtual upstream DES plant for the proposed case and compare it with code-compliant
on-site equipment for the baseline case.
·· For Path 1, model absorption chillers in the baseline case as follows:
°° When the purchased heating is hot water with average supply temperatures below 300°F (148.9°C), the
chillers must be modeled as single-effect absorption chillers (0.7 COP).
°° When the purchased heating is steam or hot water with average temperatures of 300°F (148.9°C) or higher,
the chillers must be modeled as double-effect absorption chillers (1.0 COP).
°° If the building peak cooling load is less than 300 tons (1050 kW), model one water-cooled absorption chiller.
°° If the building peak cooling load is 300 to 600 tons (1050 to 2100 kW), model two water-cooled absorption
chillers, sized equally.
°° If the building peak cooling load is more than 600 tons (2100 kW), model a minimum of two water-cooled
absorption chillers, with chillers added such that no chiller is larger than 800 tons (2800 kW), all sized
equally.
°° For a project with both absorption chillers driven by purchased hot water and electric chillers on site, the
type and quantity of absorption chillers must be as identified above, and the type and quantity of electric
chillers must be as in ASHRAE 90.1–2010, Table G3.1.3.7 (or DX equipment as specified), but the total
capacity ratio of electric to absorption cooling must be identical to that of the proposed design.
°° For a project with both district chilled water and absorption chillers on site driven by purchased heating,
the type and quantity of absorption chillers must be as identified above, and purchased cooling must also be
modeled in accordance with the district energy modeling guidance. However, the total capacity ratio of the
on-site cooling to purchased cooling must be identical to that of the proposed design.
·· Model the baseline case cooling towers, pumps, chilled water loop configurations, and loop temperature
controls as indicated in ASHRAE 90.1–2010, Appendix G.
·· Model the absorption chillers in the proposed case based on the as-designed type and capacity of chillers.
Other atypical systems. Incorporate any unconventional DES features, such as thermal storage, ground or surface
water cooling, and waste heat recovery, into the proposed virtual plant to the greatest extent practical, using the
APPENDICES
general principles presented here.

540
OPTION 2. PRESCRIPTIVE COMPLIANCE: ASHRAE 50% ADVANCED

ENERGY DESIGN GUIDE
Step 1. Select appropriate guide and ensure area requirements are met
Choose the appropriate building type (office, retail, school, or hospital) from the ASHRAE 50% Advanced Energy
Design Guides (AEDGs) and review the area requirements. If any buildings do not meet both building type and size
criteria, the team must select Option 1 or Option 3.
Step 2. Assess ASHRAE prescriptive requirements

Work with the architect and engineers to assess the prescriptive requirements of ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard
90.1–2010, with errata (or a USGBC-approved equivalent standard for projects outside the U.S.), and ensure that the
design will comply with envelope, HVAC, service water-heating, and lighting requirements, per Sections 5.5, 6.5, 7.5,
and 9.2.2.
·· The ASHRAE 90.1–2010 prescriptive requirements should not be confused with the requirements of the
AEDGs. Although projects must meet only the HVAC and service water-heating prescriptive requirements of
the applicable AEDG to earn this prerequisite, all the ASHRAE 90.1–2010 prescriptive requirements must be
met, including building envelope, HVAC, service water heating, and lighting.
·· Ensure that the lighting calculations include all task lighting except where specifically exempted by ASHRAE
90.1, and appropriately account for the total luminaire wattage for each fixture consistent with ASHRAE 90.1
requirements. Note that the luminaire wattage is not necessarily the sum of the lamp wattages but accounts for
the ballast factor (standard luminaires) and the total circuit power or current-limited power (track lighting).
·· For retail buildings, if the project team intends to earn points under the related credit, also comply with
the prescriptive measures in Appendix 3, Tables 1–4, for 90% of total energy consumption for all process
equipment.
Step 3. Assess AEDG requirements for HVAC and service water-heating equipment
Work with the mechanical and plumbing engineer to ensure that the project’s HVAC and service water-heating
equipment will meet all the prescriptive AEDG requirements. Specify qualifying equipment in the construction
documents.
·· The HVAC scope includes equipment efficiency, economizers, ventilation, and ducts and dampers as discussed
in AEDG, Chapter 4, Design Strategies and Recommendations by Climate Zone.
·· Consider the capacity needs for the project and identify potential equipment that will meet those
requirements. AEDG does not address some types and sizes of equipment, and these constraints may make
certain equipment inappropriate for the project.
·· As a best practice, use the AEDG compliance checklists to track the requirements, review this list with the
project team, and include these requirements in the owner’s project requirements.
·· Once the design is complete, a project that cannot meet all AEDG requirements will find it difficult to switch to
Option 1 or Option 3; therefore, these requirements should be established early in design.
Step 4. Confirm that credit criteria will be met, if applicable

If the project team is planning to achieve points using Option 2 under the related credit, consider the additional
AEDG requirements not included in the prerequisite.
APPENDICES
541
OPTION 3. PRESCRIPTIVE COMPLIANCE: ADVANCED BUILDINGS™

CORE PERFORMANCE™ GUIDE
Step 1. Assess ASHRAE prescriptive requirements
Work with the design team to understand the prescriptive requirements of ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard
90.1–2010 to ensure that the design will comply. This also includes Sections 5.5 (envelope), 6.5 (HVAC), 7.5 (service
water heating), and 9.2.2 (lighting).
Step 2. Review requirements in Section 1, Design Process Strategies

Develop an implementation strategy for achieving the requirements for Section 1, Design Process Strategies, as
outlined in the Core Performance Guide (CPG).
·· Consider the scheduling necessary to accommodate additional meetings and design time during the design
process.
·· Consider the scheduling and resource implications of postconstruction activities, such as system verification,
operator training and documentation, and ongoing measurement.
·· Projects that select Option 3 must meet all criteria listed in Section 1 of the CPG.
Step 3. Discuss CPG requirements and implementation in design team meetings

Engage the design team in discussions about meeting the requirements of all three sections of the CPG,
implementing strategies for achieving the ENERGY STAR Target Finder goal, and documenting the process to
ensure that the design intent is clearly communicated.
Step 4. Review prescriptive requirements

Starting early in the design process, review the required prescriptive elements outlined in Section 2, Core
Performance Requirements, and the three required elements from Section 3, Enhanced Performance Strategies.
Consider alternatives for lighting, HVAC, envelope, and water-heating systems.
·· Engage design team members to confirm compliance with each prescriptive criterion. Projects must meet all
prescriptive requirements.
·· Consider the effects of continuous air barriers, below-grade exterior insulation, and enhanced economizer
operation as well as common upgrades, such as improved insulation for walls, roofs, and windows.
·· In addition to meeting the requirements of the CPG, buildings must meet all local energy code requirements
or the prescriptive requirements of ASHRAE 90.1–2010, whichever are more stringent. Where standards
conflict, follow the more stringent requirements: either the CPG and ASHRAE 90.1–2010, or CPG and the local
energy code.
Step 5. Analyze passive and active energy load reduction opportunities

As described in Section 1 of the CPG, as part of design development, analyze at least three alternative building
configurations to maximize passive reduction of energy loads. When a preferred configuration has been selected,
perform an analysis of the mechanical systems.
·· Undertake and document load calculations. Consider referencing ASHRAE 55 to identify thermal comfort
design conditions.
·· In the first iteration of load calculations, include fan sizing calculations based on zone-by-zone loads.
APPENDICES
·· Perform a second set of load calculations using partial-load conditions. Describe features of the design that
will enable efficient operation at these conditions.
·· Conduct the passive and active analyses and calculations according to Sections 1.3 and 1.4 of the CPG.
542
Step 6. Design to meet Section 2, Core Performance Requirements

Select the optimal design indicated by the load calculations and confirm that each of the requirements listed in
Section 2 of the CPG has been met or exceeded. If any design revisions require upgrades to envelope or lighting
components, redo HVAC load calculations.
·· Confirm with the architect that envelope-related efficiency measures included in the plans and specifications
meet or exceed the CPG requirements.
·· Confirm with the mechanical engineer that the specifications of the mechanical system meet or exceed the
CPG requirements.
·· Confirm with the electrical engineer or lighting designer that lighting power density calculations do not
exceed the CPG requirements.
·· Sections 2.7 and 2.9 are already mandated through the prescriptive requirements of ASHRAE 90.1–2010, as
indicated in the criteria for Option 3 of this prerequisite.
Step 7. Design for compliance with Section 3, Enhanced Performance Strategies

Work with the mechanical engineer to include the following three strategies from the CPG Section 3, Enhanced
Performance Strategies, in the plans and specifications, as applicable:
·· 3.5 Supply Air Temperature Reset (VAV). Confirm that the selected air-handling units can reset temperature
and that the building automation system (BAS) can process inputs that allow proper reset operation, such as
humidity, outdoor air temperature, and VAV damper position.
·· 3.9 Premium Economizer Performance. Confirm that the controls can accommodate a dedicated thermostat
stage, that appropriate sensors are installed in the correct location within the air streams, and that the BAS can
adequately implement the requirements.
·· 3.10 Variable Speed Control. Confirm that pumps serving variable flow systems and VAV fans having a motor
of 5 horsepower (3.73 kW) or larger can be upgraded to VFD with performance characteristics matching those
listed in the standard.

APPENDICES

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NEIGHBORHOOD

NOTE: for downloads of the Reference Guide:

U.S. Green Building Council

LEED Steering Committee

LEED Technical Committee

LEED Market Advisory Committee

Implementation Advisory Committee

Location and Planning TAG

Shawn Seamen PN Hoffman

Sustainable Sites TAG

Water Efficiency TAG

Energy and Atmosphere TAG

Materials and Resources TAG

Indoor Environmental Quality TAG

Pilot Credit Library Working Group

Integrative Process Task Group

THE CASE FOR GREEN

1 Global Footprint Network, footprintnetwork.org/en/index.php/gfn/page/world_footprint/, accessed September 11, 2012.

THE CASE FOR GREEN NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENTS

3 National Association of Realtors, 2011 Community Preference Survey.

BENEFITS OF USING LEED

LEED-certified developments are designed to deliver the following benefits:

In particular, LEED ND benefits are distinguished by the following:

LEED CERTIFICATION PROCESS

CERTIFICATION OPTIONS FOR LEED ND

THE CASE FOR GREEN NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENTS

GUIDE STRUCTURE CREDIT STRUCTURE

GETTING STARTED Each credit category begins with an overview

achieving the prerequisite or credit. They were

market factors, and

RELATED CREDIT TIPS

CHANGES FROM LEED 2009

INNOVATION REGIONAL PRIORITY

PROJECTS OUTSIDE THE U.S.

TAKING AN INTEGRATIVE APPROACH TO NEIGHBORHOOD

TEAM MEMBERS AND RELEVANT ORGANIZATIONS

HOW TO USE THIS REFERENCE GUIDE

DEVISING A LEED WORK PLAN

It is recommended that LEED applicants follow a series of steps to certification.

STEP 1. IDENTIFY PROJECT SITE AND PREPARE PRELIMINARY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

purchase, lease, or equivalent agreements.

STEP 2. SELECT RATING SYSTEM

STEP 3. ASSEMBLE PROJECT TEAM AND IDENTIFY RELEVANT ORGANIZATIONS

STEP 4. CHECK MINIMUM PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS AND PREREQUISITES

STEP 5. FINALIZE PROJECT BOUNDARY AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

STEP 6. RECONFIRM MINIMUM PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS AND PREREQUISITE

STEP 7. DEVELOP LEED SCORECARD

LEED WORK PLAN

STEP 9. DEVELOP CONSISTENT DOCUMENTATION

MAINTAINING CONSISTENCY IN THE APPLICATION

LEED PROJECT BOUNDARY Property lines

Public street Public alley

Figure 1. Example project boundary

MAINTAINING CONSISTENCY IN THE APPLICATION

Figure 2. Example map of previously developed area within project

EQUATION 1. Previously developed percentage of parcel

% of adjacent Area of parcel that is previously developed

% previously developed Total previously developed area of qualifying parcels

% of perimeter Perimeter length adjacent to qualifying parcels