Site Selection (SS) Flashcards
What information must be
inventoried for a site
assessment?
-Topography
-Hydrology
-Climate
-Vegetation
-Soils
-Human use
-Human health effects
What should be used to
estimate the water storage
capacity of a site during a site
assessment?
Urban Hydrology for Small
Watersheds Technical
Release 55 (TR-55)
or
local
equivalent for projects
outside the U.S.
What is a three-year aged
SR (or SRI)?
A solar reflectance or solar
reflectance index rating that
is measured after three
years of weather exposure
What should be used to
designate a site as prime
farmland and identify its soil
classification?
Natural Resources
Conservation Service (or
local equivalent)
What are the three options
for high priority sites?
Option 1. Historic district
Option 2. Priority
designation
Option 3. Brownfield
remediation
What type of location must
a historic district project be
located in for High-Priority
Site?
On an infill location
What are the priority
designations for High-
Priority Site?
-Site listed by the EPA National Priorities List
-Federal Empowerment Zone site
-Federal Enterprise Community site
-Federal Renewal Community site
-Department of the Treasury Community
Development Financial Institutions Fund
Qualified Low-Income Community
-Site in a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development’s Qualified Census Tract or
Difficult Development Area
-Local equivalent program administered at the
national level for projects outside the U.S.
What percent of Open Space
must be vegetated?
25% minimum
How much outdoor space must
be provided for Open Space?
30% of the total site area
(including the building
footprint) or greater.
What must outdoor space
be to qualify for Open
Space?
Physically accessible
What types of outdoor spaces
qualify for Open Space?
-paving or turf that
accommodates outdoor social
activities
-paving or turf that encourages
physical activity
-year-round garden space
-community gardens
-preserved or created habitat
When can a vegetated roof
count towards vegetation
for Open Space?
When a project has a density of 1.5 FAR
How much rainfall must be
managed for a project with a
zero-lot-line with a minimum
density of 1.5 FAR?
85th Percentile
What are some ways to capture
rainwater to prevent runoff?
LID and green infrastructure
For a project with open space
what minimum rainfall must
be managed?
95th Percentile
When managing rainwater
using natural land cover
condtions what must be
done?
Manage on site the annual
increase in runoff volume
from the natural land cover
condition to the
postdeveloped condition.
When managing a
percentile of rainfall events
what minimum amount of
historical rainfall data is
required?
10 years worth
What percent of runoff must
be managed for the 95th
percentile rainfall event?
100%
What minimum percent of
parking spaces must be
placed under cover for
Heat Island Reduction
Option 2. Parking Under
Cover?
75%
Shade and architectural devices
used for Heat Island Reduction
must have at least what three-
year aged solar reflectance?
0.28. If the three-year aged
value information is not
available use materials with an
initial SR of at least 0.33
How is the total vehicle parking
spaces calculated for Heat
Island Reduction?
The number of parking spaces
in the LEED project boundary
(includes motorcycle parking).
Do not count bicycle parking
spaces.
Any roof used to shade
covered parking for Heat
Island Reduction must meet
what requirements?
-1. Three year aged SRI of at
least 32
-2. Or a vegetated roof
-3. Or covered by energy
generation systems
What are the light pollution
reduction requirements for
internally illuminated exterior
signs?
Do not exceed a luminance
of 200 cd/m2 (nits) during
nighttime hours and 2000
cd/m2 (nits) during daytime
hours.
What exterior lighting is
exempted from uplight and
light tresspass
requirements?
-Specialized lighting for transportation
-Lighting for façade and landscape
lighting in MLO lighting zones 3 and 4
-Lighting for theatrical purposes
-Government-mandated roadway lighting
-Hospital emergency departments,
including associated helipads
-Lighting for the national flag in MLO
lighting zones 2, 3, or 4
-Internally illuminated signage
How many conditions are
there where the lighting
boundary can be different
than the property
boundary?
There are 3 conditions. The
exceptions are not listed
here due to their length (see
the reference guide).
When using the calculation
method for light pollution
reduction how far apart can the
calculation points be?
No more than 5 feet (1.5
meters) apart.
If the BUG rating method is
used to meet the Uplight
requirements does the
method have to be used to
meet the Light Tresspass
requirements?
No. Project teams can use the
BUG method or calculation
method for Uplight, and use the
same or different method for
Light Tresspass.
What is a BUG rating?
A luminaire classification system
that classifies luminaires in terms
of backlight (B), uplight (U), and
glare (G) (taken from IES/IDA
Model Lighting Ordinance). BUG
ratings supersede the former
cutoff ratings.
What must your erosion control
plan adhere to?
2003 EPA Construction General
Permit (or local standards,
whichever is more stringent)
What is a Phase I
Environmental Site
Assessment?
A report prepared for a real
estate holding that identifies
potential or existing
environmental contamination
liabilities
How is a Phase Il
Environmental Site
Assessment more in depth?
A further investigation that
collects original samples of
soil, groundwater, or
building materials to
analyze for quantitative
What are the types of
sensitive sites to avoid
building on?
-Prime farmland
-Flood plain
-Endangered species habitat
-Land within 50’ (15 meters) of
wetlands
-Land within 100’ (30 meters) of a
water body
Who defines Prime
Farmland?
The U.S. Department of
Agriculture
What is the building
requirement for projects in
places without legally
adopted flood hazard map?
Cannot build on a floodplain
subject to a 1% or greater
chance of flooding in any
given year
For previously developed or
graded sites, how much
habitat needs to be
restored?
30% (including the building
footprint) of all portions of
the site
What is an example of a
monoculture planting, which
would not help with
restoring/protecting habitat?
Turf grass
What areas can be excluded
from the vegetation and soil
requirements to
restore/protect habitat?
Vegetated landscape areas
that are constructed to
accommodate rainwater
infiltration.
For school projects what
areas can be excluded from
soil restoration criteria to
restore/protect habitat?
Athletic fields
What amount of financial
support can be provided to
restore/protect habitat?
$0.40 / SF ($4 / m2)
What are the distance
limitations when providing
financial support to
protect/restore habitat?
Financial support must be provided to a nationally or locally recognized land trust or conservation organization within the same EPA Level Ill 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.
What should be included in
a sustainable landscape
plan?
List of all plant species, noting
whether or not they are
native/adapted; info about
invasive species and pests
those plants may harbor; best
maintenance practices for the
chosen plants, and site maps
showing boudaries for the
protected habitat areas