GREEN BUILDING

ASSESSMENT

P. PRAVEEN
18011BB038
VI SEM
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 SUSTAINABLE SITES

The first category of LEED prerequisites and credits has to do with the location and piece of land
the project is built on. LEED Sustainable Sites credits deal with protecting natural habitat,
keeping open spaces, dealing with rainwater, and heat island and light pollution reduction.
Mission:
The Sustainable Sites (SS) credit category of LEED was created to ensure that a project’s natural
environment would be valued and respected throughout every step of the building process, from
planning to construction to management.
Projects that comply with SS credits can protect sensitive ecosystems by completing an early site
assessment and planning the locations of buildings and hardscape areas. These steps will help
avoid harming habitats, biodiversity, open space and water bodies.

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CREDIT CHECKLIST BD+C: NEW CONSTRUCTION

Measure Credit Points

Construction Activity Pollution Prevention Prerequisite Required
Site Assessment Credit 1
Site Development - Protect or Restore Habitat Credit 2
Open Space Credit 1
Rainwater Management Credit 3
Heat Island Reduction Credit 2
Light Pollution Reduction Credit 1

SUSTAINABLE SITES 10

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 PREREQ 1 : SSP1: CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY POLLUTION PREVENTION

Intent:

To reduce pollution from construction activities by controlling soil erosion, waterway sedimentation, and
airborne dust.

Requirements:

Create and implement an erosion and sedimentation control plan for all construction activities associated with
the project. The plan must conform to the erosion and sedimentation requirements of the EPA 2012
Construction General Permit or local requirements, whichever is more stringent.

To prevent loss of soil during construction by stormwater runoff and/or wind erosion, including protecting
topsoil by stockpiling for reuse.

To prevent sedimentation of storm sewers or receiving streams.

To prevent pollution of the air with dust and particulate matter.

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 POTENTIAL TECHNOLOGIES & STRATEGIES:

Vegetated Buffers Fiber Log Erosion Control Blanket

Temporary Seeding Earth Dikes Filter Bag

Permanent Seeding Silt Fencing Rock Construction Entrance

Mulching Sediment Trap/Basin Grade Breaks

Photo illustrating temporary seeding Photo illustrating a silt fence Photo illustrating an erosion control
blanket

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 CREDIT 1 : SS104: SITE ASSESSMENT POSSIBLE 1 POINTS

Intent:

To assess site conditions, environmental justice concerns, and cultural and social factors, before design to
evaluate sustainable options and inform related decisions about site design.

Requirements:

Complete and document a site survey or assessment that includes the following information:

Topography: Contour mapping, unique topographic features, slope stability risks.

Hydrology: Flood hazard areas, delineated wetlands, lakes, streams, shorelines, rainwater collection and
reuse opportunities.

Climate: Solar exposure, heat island effect potential, seasonal sun angles, prevailing winds, monthly
precipitation and temperature ranges.

Vegetation: Primary vegetation types, greenfield area, significant tree mapping, threatened or endangered
species, unique habitat, invasive plant species.

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 Soils: Natural Resources Conservation Service soils delineation, U.S. Department of Agriculture prime
farmland, healthy soils, previous development, disturbed soils.

Human use: Views, adjacent transportation infrastructure, adjacent properties, construction materials with
existing recycle or reuse potential.

Human health effects: Proximity of vulnerable populations, adjacent physical activity opportunities,
proximity to major sources of air pollution.

The survey or assessment should demonstrate the relationships between the site features and topics listed
above and how these features influenced the project design; give the reasons for not addressing any of those
topics. Below is the sample worksheet presentation:

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Photo illustrating Constraint Patterns of Development and Photo illustrating Distribution Pattern of the annual
Environmental Sensitivity in Egypt Rainfall on Egypt (mean mm/yr)

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 CREDIT 2 : SS105: SITE DEVELOPMENT-PROTECT OR RESTORE HABITAT POSSIBLE 2 POINTS

Intent:

To conserve existing natural areas and restore damaged areas to provide habitat and promote biodiversity.

Requirements:

Preserve and protect from all development and construction activity 40% of the greenfield area on the site (if
such areas exist).

AND

Option 1: On-site restoration (2 points except healthcare, 1 point healthcare)

Using native or adapted vegetation, restore 30% (including the building footprint) of all portions of the site
identified as previously disturbed. Projects that achieve a density of 1.5 floor-area ratio may include vegetated
roof surfaces in this calculation if the plants are native or adapted, provide habitat, and promote biodiversity.

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Restored soil must meet the criteria of reference soils in categories 1–3 and meet the criteria of either 4 or 5:

1. organic matter;

2. compaction;

3. infiltration rates;

4. soil biological function; and

5. soil chemical characteristics.

OR

Option 2: Financial support (1 point)

Provide financial support equivalent to at least $0.40 per square foot (US$4 per square meter) for the total site area
(including the building footprint).

Financial support must be provided to a nationally or locally recognized land trust or conservation organization within the
same EPA Level III ecoregion or the project’s state (or within 100 miles of the project [160 kilometers] for projects outside
the U.S.). For U.S. projects, the land trust must be accredited by the Land Trust Alliance.

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 POTENTIAL TECHNOLOGIES & STRATEGIES:

Survey greenfield sites to identify site elements and adopt a master plan for developing the project site.

Carefully site the building to minimize disruption to existing ecosystems and design the building to minimize
its footprint.

Strategies include:

Stacking the building program

Tuck-under parking and sharing parking facilities with neighbors

Establish clearly-marked construction boundaries to minimize disturbance of the existing site and restore
previously degraded areas to their natural state.

Native or adapted plants are plants indigenous to a locality or cultivars of native plants that are adapted to the
local climate and are not considered invasive species or noxious weeds.

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photo illustrating adaptation of
local plants

photo illustrating shared amenities in a building

photo illustrating stacking of
the building

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 CREDIT 3 : SS107: OPEN SPACE POSSIBLE 1 POINTS

Intent:

To create exterior open space that encourages interaction with the environment, social interaction, passive
recreation, and physical activities.

Requirements:

Provide outdoor space greater than or equal to 30% of the total site area (including building footprint).

At least 25% of the calculated outdoor open space must be vegetated space planted with two or more types of
vegetation or have overhead vegetated canopy.

The outdoor space must be physically accessible and be one or more of the following:

social area: a pedestrian-oriented paving or landscape area that accommodate outdoor social activities

recreational area: a recreation-oriented paving or landscape area that encourage physical activity;

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diverse green space: a landscape area with two or more types of vegetation that provide opportunities for
year-round visual interest;

garden: a garden space dedicated to community gardens or urban food production; or

habitat area: preserved or created habitat that meets the criteria of SS Credit Protect or Restore Habitat and
also includes elements of human interaction. These areas automatically meet the vegetation criteria of this
credit.

photo illustrating different FAR of the site

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 POTENTIAL TECHNOLOGIES & STRATEGIES:

Perform a site survey to identify site elements and adopt a master plan for developing the project site. Select a
suitable building location and design the building footprint to minimize site disruption. Strategies include
stacking the building program, tuck-under parking and sharing parking facilities with neighbors to maximize
the amount of open space on the site.

Development footprint is defined as the total area of the building footprint, hardscape, access roads and
parking.

photo illustrating open space in the project photo illustrating Tuck-Under parking

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 CREDIT 4 : SS108: RAINWATER MANAGEMENT POSSIBLE 3 POINTS

Intent:

To reduce runoff volume and improve water quality by replicating the natural hydrology and water balance of
the site, based on historical conditions and undeveloped ecosystems in the region to avoid contributing to
flooding downstream in frontline communities.

Requirements:

Option 1: Percentile of Rainfall Events (1-3 points except Healthcare, 1-2 points Healthcare)

In a manner best replicating natural site hydrology processes, retain on site the runoff from the associated
percentile of regional or local rainfall events. The percentile event volume must be retained (i.e. infiltrated,
evapotranspirated, or collected and reused) using low-impact development (LID)/green infrastructure (GI)
practices. These strategies can be either structural or non-structural. Points are awarded according to Table 1.

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OR

Option 2: Natural land cover conditions (3 points except Healthcare, 2 points Healthcare)

Calculate the difference between the projected runoff volume under the proposed design conditions and the
runoff volume under natural land cover conditions that existed prior to any disturbance. Retain (i.e. infiltrate,
evapotranspirate, or collect and reuse) on site the increase in runoff volume using LID and GI practices.

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 POTENTIAL TECHNOLOGIES & STRATEGIES:

Design the project site to maintain natural stormwater flows by promoting infiltration. Specify vegetated roofs,
pervious paving and other measures to minimize impervious surfaces. Reuse stormwater for non-potable uses
such as: landscape irrigation, toilet and urinal flushing, and custodial uses.

photo illustrating pervious paving

photo illustrating Rainwater Harvesting Diagram

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 CREDIT 5 : SS110: HEAT ISLAND REDUCTION POSSIBLE 2 POINTS

Intent:

To minimize inequitable effects on microclimates and human, especially frontline communities, and wildlife
habitats by reducing heat islands.

Requirements:

Option 1: Nonroof and Roof (2 points except Healthcare, 1 point Healthcare)

Meet the following criterion:

Alternatively, an SRI and SR weighted average approach may be used to calculate compliance. Use any
combination of the following strategies. Nonroof measures

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Use the existing plant material or install plants that provide shade over the paving areas on the site within 10 years of plant material
installation.

Provide shade with structures covered by energy generation systems, such as solar thermal collectors, photovoltaics, and wind turbines.

Provide shade with architectural devices or structures. If the device or structure is a roof, it shall have an aged solar reflectance (SR)
value of at least 0.28 as measured in accordance with ANSI/CRRC S100.

Provide shade with vegetated structures & use paving materials with an initial solar reflectance (SR) value of at least 0.33.

Use an open-grid pavement system (at least 50% unbound).

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Option 2: Parking under Cover (1 point)

Place a minimum of 75% of parking spaces under cover. Any roof used to shade or cover parking must (1) have a
three-year aged SRI of at least 32 (if three-year aged value information is not available, use materials with an
initial SRI of at least 39 at installation), (2) be a vegetated roof, or (3) be covered by energy generation systems,
such as solar thermal collectors, photovoltaics, and wind turbines.

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 POTENTIAL TECHNOLOGIES & STRATEGIES:

Non-Roof:

Employ strategies, materials and landscaping techniques that reduce the heat absorption of exterior materials.

Use shade (calculated on June 21, noon solar time) from native or adapted trees and large shrubs, vegetated trellises or other
exterior structures supporting vegetation.

Consider using new coatings and integral colorants for asphalt to achieve light-colored surfaces instead of blacktop. Position
photovoltaic cells to shade impervious surfaces.

Consider replacing constructed surfaces (e.g., roof, roads, sidewalks, etc.) with vegetated surfaces such as vegetated roofs and open
grid paving or specify high-albedo materials, such as concrete, to reduce heat absorption.

photo illustrating temperature difference between photo illustrating parking under cover
shaded and non-shaded path
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 POTENTIAL TECHNOLOGIES & STRATEGIES:

Roof:

Install a vegetated roof that covers at least 50% of the roof area.

Consider installing high-albedo and vegetated roofs.

photo illustrating vegetated roof

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 CREDIT 6 : SSC6: LIGHT POLLUTION REDUCTION POSSIBLE 1 POINTS

Intent:

To increase night sky access, improve nighttime visibility, and reduce the consequences of development for wildlife and
people.

Requirements:

Meet uplight and light trespass requirements, using either the backlight-uplight-glare (BUG) method or the calculation
method. Projects may use different options for uplight and light trespass.Meet these requirements for all exterior luminaires
located inside the project boundary (except those listed under “Exemptions”), based on the following:

the photometric characteristics of each luminaire when mounted in the same orientation and tilt as specified in the project
design; and

the lighting zone of the project property (at the time construction begins)

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Option 1: BUG rating method

photo illustrating BUG rating

method of selecting light fixture

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Option 2: calculation method

photo illustrating lighting calculation method

using DIALux software

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 POTENTIAL TECHNOLOGIES & STRATEGIES:

Adopt site lighting criteria to maintain safe light levels while avoiding off-site lighting and night sky
pollution.

Minimize site lighting where possible, and use computer software to model the site lighting.

Technologies to reduce light pollution include full cutoff luminaires, low-reflectance surfaces and low-angle
spotlights.

photo illustrating levels of light wastage

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“
Not only the buildings should be green, human
actions that affect the environment also need to
be green

-Praveen