Sustainable Site Flashcards
Sustainable Site Intent
Maximize consideration for environment surrounding the building site, as it pertains to organic life, ecosystems, and biodiversity.
Sustainable Site Credits
Construction Activity Pollution Prevention (0) points - required. Environmental Site Assessment (1) point Site Development - Protect/Restore Habitat - (2) points max Open Space (1) Point Rainwater Management (3) points max Heat Island Reduction (2) points max Light Pollution Reduction (1) point Tenant Design and Construction Guidelines (1) point Core and Shell Site Master Plan (1) point Schools Joint Use of Facilities (1) point Schools Places of Respite (1) point Healthcare Direct Exterior Access (1) point Healthcare
Rating systems these credits apply to?
New Construction, Schools, Core & Shell, Retail, Healthcare, Data Centers, Hospitality, Warehouses/Distribution Centers.
Does not include:
commercial interiors, existing buildings, homes and multifamily lowrise, multifamily mid-rise, plan, and built project systems
Sustainable Sites Construction Activity Pollution Prevention Purpose/Requirements/Notes
Purpose: Reduce the impact of construction activities on the surrounding environment.
Requirements: Create and implement ESCP for all construction activities. 1) 2012 EPA Construction General Permit or 2) Local erosion and sediment codes.
Sustainable Sites Site Assessment Purpose/Requirements/Notes
Purpose: Before commencing design evaluate the site and/or surrounding site area features that may be impacted by the project.
Requirements: Complete and document a site survey or assessment including topography, hydrology, climate, vegetation, soils, human use and or human health effects.
Sustainable Sites Site Development Purpose/Requirements/Notes
Purpose: Maintain at least 40% of any Greenfield land on site. 1) Restore 30% of all portions of the site identifies as previously developed or 2) Provide financial support equivalent to at least $.40 cents per square foot for the total site area to a nationally or locally recognized land trust or conservation organization within the same EPA ecoregion or the project’s state.
Notes: Doubling the requirements of option 1 or 2 may gain an additional point.
Sustainable Site Open Space Purpose/Requirements/Notes
Purpose: Connecting the project with the environment to encourage human interaction, physical movement and social interaction through open spaces.
Requirements: Provide outdoor space greater than or equal to 30% of total site area. Minimum of 35% of that outdoor space must be vegetated or have overhead vegetated canopy.
Notes: remaining 75% of site area may be paved, but is preferred to use permeable surfaces that also encourage social activities, physical activity and visual interest.
Sustainable Sites Rainwater Management
Purpose/Requirements/Notes
Purpose: to reduce stormwater and or rainwater runoff volume.
Requirements: 1) use Low Impact Development (LID) and Green Infrastructure (GI) or 2) Manage the post project construction runoff to pre-construction levels.
Notes: Includes minimizing land disturbance, preserving vegetation, using vegetated swales, adding bio retention areas, porous pervious paving, rain gardens and pervasive decking.
(1) Additional point may be gained by managing 100% of rainwater within the project boundaries.
Sustainable Site Heat Island Reduction Definitions
3 Year SRI or SR: Material’s ability to reject solar heat may degrade over time. LEED V4 accommodates for such by measuring SRI and SR over time.
Albedo/Reflectance: Ability of surfact to reflect sunlight on a scale of 0-1, 0 least reflective.
Emissivity: The ratio fo radiation emitted by a surfact to radiation emitted by a blackbody at the same temperature. It is measured on a scale of 0-1. 0 most reflective.
Emittance: Ability of a surface to shed thermal radiation of a scale of 0-1 with 0 emitting the least.
Heat Island: The difference in thermal gradient between developed and undeveloped areas.
Heat Island Effect: Absorption of heat by hardscapes such as dark, non reflective pavement and buildings, and its radiation to surroundings.
Solar Reflectance: For non-roofing materials such as vegetation, shading devises, or other less reflective components, SR is used. SR is more appropriate way to measure no roof materials which have more thermal mass.
Solar Reflectance Index: the most effect measure of roofing material’s ability to reject solar heat, SR measures the ability of a surface to reflect solar heat on a scale of 0-100. The higher the SRI the better it is at rejecting solar heat. SRI is a combination of reflectance and emittance.
Sustainable Sites Heat Island Reduction
Purpose/Requirements/Notes
Purpose: Reduce he impact of man made heat islands on natural environments and habitats.
Requirements: 1) using plants, open grid paving systems or highly reflective surface 2) “Parking Under Cover” which involves covering at least 75% of any parking onsite with a vegetated roof, renewable energy system or highly reflective surface. Renewable energy systems may be solar photovoltaics, wind turbines or other on-site renewable energy systems.
Note: Certain surfaces are considered highly reflective and should score and SRI of 82 for low sloped roofs and 39 for steep sloped roofs. Aging component of SRI for 3 years should be 64 for low sloped and 32 for high sloped.
Both options 1 and 2 and locate of 100% parking under cover must be achieved.
Sustainable Site Light Pollution
Purpose/Requirements/Notes
Purpose: Reduce the impact o artificial light for both humans and wildlife since this can be disruptive, disorienting, cause annoyance, discomfort, distraction and loss visibility.
Requirements: Using the Backlight Up light Glare method (BUG) or Calculation Method to meet up light and Light Trespass requirements determined by IES-TM 15-11, Addendum A.
Notes: Larger projects such as registered under LEED neighborhood development or schools may benefit from additional opportunities to earn points for large “site Master Plans” by leveraging facilities for multiple uses in order to reduce the need for additional facilities.
LEED Healthcare Projects are rewarded for providing places of respite for building occupants to seek quite healing while connecting with the environment, as well as direct access to the outdoor environment.
Eutrophication Definition
excessive richness of nutrients in a lake or other body of water, frequently due to runoff from the land, which causes a dense growth of plant life and death of animal life from lack of oxygen
ASTM E-1527-05 Phase 1 ESA determines which type of land?
Contaminated Area
