OBJECTIVES • Explain the intent of the Location and Transportation category. • Identify strategies for sustainable site selection. • Identify strategies for providing and encouraging the use of alternative transportation. • Understand the process for determining density around a project site. • List examples of high-priority sites. • Explain the importance of walkability in choosing a project location.
KEY TERMS · American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE)
· green vehicles
· bicycle network
· infrastructure
· brownfield · buildable land
· habitat · infill development · pooled parking · preferred parking
· community connectivity
· previously developed/ disturbed site
· density
· prime farmland
· development density
· redevelopment · remediation
· diverse use
· shortest path analysis
· floodplain · floor-area ratio (FAR) · footprint · global warming · greenfield · greenhouse gases
The Location and Transpor tation (LT) category is a new category introduced to all the rating systems of LEED v4. The LT category is the most recent addition to the suite of five categories that have been the core of the LEED rating systems since the release of the first version in 2000. The creation of the new Location and Transportation (LT) category for the location and transportation credits places more emphasis and attention on reducing one of the main contributors to global warming: transportation. The LT category includes strategies and ideas to reduce the costs, pollution, and depletion of resources related to the daily transportation of people to and from a building.
· smart growth · total parking capacity · walkability · water body · wetlands
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LOCATION AND TRANSPORTATION The Location and Transportation (LT) category came out of the Sustainable Sites (SS) category. Originally, the SS category housed the transportation credits as well as the heat island, stormwater, brownfield, light pollution, development density, and site protection credits. Over the last decade, it has become clear that transportation is a critical opportunity for reducing a building’s impact to the environment. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), transportation emissions contributed to 33% of the total greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. in 2008. See Figure 5-1. It also provides special attention to the importance of selecting a location that will enhance, not impact, the environment. The LT category aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions caused by vehicle travel and to protect sensitive sites from harmful development. Since the majority of automobiles in the world use gasoline derived from petroleum, reducing vehicular travel will reduce the amount of CO2 released into the atmosphere. See Figure 5-2. The LT category contains the brownfield, transportation, and density credits from the
SS category, as well as other new credits related to sensitive land protection and green vehicles. See Figure 5-3. The main intents of the LT category are divided into location, transportation, site development, and health and livability. Location Intents By most accounts, selecting the site location for a building project is the single most important decision a project team can make. Unfortunately, many project teams do not get to make this decision. In many cases, the project location is determined by the financial or geographical constraints of the owner. When a project team has little say in the project location, the LT credits can be used to highlight the assets of the location and to mitigate less than desirable characteristics. When a project team has the opportunity to participate in selecting the project location, the LT credits can be used as a guide to select a location that incurs the least environmental impact. Other intents of site location are to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as well as the incidence of obesity, heart disease, and hypertension, by encouraging daily physical activity associated with walking and bicycling.
U.S. GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS BY SECTOR
ELECTRIC POWER 41%
RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL, AND INDUSTRIAL 26%
TRANSPORTATION 33%
Figure 5-1. In 2008, the transportation sector contributed to 33% of the total greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S.
Chapter 5 — Location and Transportation 73
U.S. CO2 EMISSIONS BY MAJOR FUEL
NATURAL GAS 26% PETROLEUM 43%
COAL 31%
Figure 5-2. Petroleum and its derived products, such as gasoline, account for a majority of the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in the U.S.
LOCATION AND TRANSPORTATION
LEED v4 for BD+C: New Construction and Major Renovation Project Checklist Y
?
N Credit
0
0 Y
0
0
Integrative Process
0 Location and Transportation
1 16
Credit
LEED for Neighborhood Development Location
Credit
Sensitive Land Protection
1
Credit
High Priority Site
2
Credit
Surrounding Density and Diverse Uses
5
Credit
Access to Quality Transit
5
Credit
Bicycle Facilities
1
Credit
Reduced Parking Footprint
1
Credit
Green Vehicles
1
0 Sustainable Sites Prereq
Construction Activity Pollution Prevention
16
10 Required
Credit
Site Assessment
Credit
Site Development - Protect or Restore Habitat
2
Credit
Open Space
1 3
1
Credit
Rainwater Management
Credit
Heat Island Reduction
2
Credit
Light Pollution Reduction
1
U.S. Green Building Council
Figure 5-3. The Location and Transportation (LT) category can contribute up to 16 points toward achieving LEED v4 certification.
74 LEED Green Associate Exam™ Preparation Guide
Location Strategies The strategies to meet the location credit requirements reflect the LT category knowledge domain of site selection. The largest environmental impact caused by a building is created during the transportation of people to and from that building over time. Therefore the main goal of the location credits in the LT category is to select a location that reduces the amount of vehicle distance traveled to and from the building site. The following strategies can help project teams achieve this goal. Locate the Project Within a LEED-Certified Neighborhood Development. Projects using any of the adaptations of the LEED for Building Design and Construction (LEED BD+C) rating system can earn between 5 and 20 points for locating the project within the boundary of a development certified under LEED for Neighborhood Development (LEED ND). Projects that fulfill LT Credit—LEED for Neighborhood Development Location are not eligible to earn points under other location and transportation credits. See Figure 5-4. Locate the Building Within Proximity of Surrounding Density and Diverse Uses. “Density” is a word used throughout LEED that has several meanings depending on the category and credit where it is used. In the LT category, density is a measure of the total building floor area or dwelling units on a parcel of land relative to the buildable land of that parcel. The unit of measure
for density varies depending on the type of density measurement being taken. For the LT Credit—Surrounding Density and Diverse Uses, a project team may use the residential, nonresidential, or combined density. The residential density is measured in dwelling units (DU) per acre (DU per hectare). The nonresidential density is measured by the floor-area ratio (FAR). The combined density is measured in square feet per acre (square meter per hectare) of buildable land. Buildable land is 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 right-of-way and land excluded from development by codified law. The first option for this credit requires locating the project in or near high-density locations. See Figure 5-5. The reasoning behind this is that the more people that live near the project, the shorter the distance they will have to travel to work at or visit the building. This will cut down on greenhouse gas emissions and will reduce global warming. The second option for this credit requires that the building entrance be located within Z\x-mile (800-meter) walking distance of seven or more diverse uses. Only two uses from each type may be counted toward the credit and three of the five categories must be represented. Examples of diverse uses include grocery stores, banks, pharmacies, day care facilities, libraries, post offices, police and fire stations, and places of worship. See Figure 5-6.
POINTS FOR LEED® FOR NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT LOCATION Certification Level
Points BD+C
Points BD+C (Core and Shell)
Points BD+C (Schools)
Points BD+C (Healthcare)
8
8
8
5
Silver
10
12
10
6
Gold
12
16
12
7
Platinum
16
20
15
9
Certified
USGBC Figure 5-4. Locating a project within the boundary of a development certified under LEED for
Neighborhood Development can earn between 5 and 20 points, depending on the project type.
Chapter 5 — Location and Transportation 75
LEED® POINTS FOR AVERAGE DENSITY Points for Average Density Within ¹⁄₄ Mile of Project (Imperial Units) Combined Density
Separate Residential and Nonresidential Densities
Square Feet Per Acre of Buildable Land
Residential Nonresidential Density Density (FAR)† (DU/Acre)*
Points BD+C (except Core and Shell)
Points BD+C (Core and Shell)
22,000
7
0.5
2
2
35,000
12
0.8
3
4
Points for Average Density Within 400 Meters of Project (Metric Units) Combined Density
Separate Residential and Nonresidential Densities
Points BD+C (except Core and Shell)
Points BD+C (Core and Shell)
Square Meters Residential Nonresidential Density Density Per Hectare of (FAR)† Buildable Land (DU/Hectare)*
* DU †
5050
17.5
0.5
2
2
8035
30
0.8
3
4
= dwelling unit FAR = floor-area ratio
U.S. Green Building Council
Figure 5-5. The amount of points achieved for a project for the first option of LT Credit— Surrounding Density and Diverse Uses depends on meeting the minimum average density for the combined, residential, or nonresidential density.
Examples of buildings with diverse uses include buildings serving different functions clustered in the same area such as retail locations in close proximity to a library.
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DIVERSE USES Use Type And and Categories Use Types Categories Category Food retail
Use Type 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 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) USGBC
Figure 5-6. A project may achieve points for the second option of LT Credit—Surrounding Density and Diverse Uses for being located near seven or more diverse uses; only two uses from each type may be counted toward the credit and three of the five categories must be represented.
Transportation Intents The goal of the transportation credits is to reduce the number of people traveling alone in conventional automobiles to and from the building. This form of travel is the most inefficient and harmful to the environment. In addition to reducing the distance
people must travel to and from the building, the project team should strive to make this travel as efficient as possible. Transportation Strategies The strategies to meet the transportation credit requirements reflect the LT category
Chapter 5 — Location and Transportation 77
knowledge domains of site selection and alternative transportation. To limit the impact of transportation to the environment, more efficient travel methods should be used. Increases in the use of mass transit, the number of occupants per vehicle, and alternative fuel sources can reduce the negative impact of transportation. See Figure 5-7. The following strategies will help project teams achieve this goal.
TRANSPORTATION STRATEGIES
NREL
Figure 5-7. Alternative fuel buses limit the impact of transportation on the environment while providing efficient mass transit.
Limit Available Parking. LEED-certified buildings typically have as little parking as possible to encourage carpooling or alternative methods of travel. The purpose of limited available parking is to reduce the number of vehicles traveling to the site, which in turn reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Providing the minimum parking required by local building code at project sites promotes alternative travel methods such as bicycling, walking, mass transit, and carpooling. See Figure 5-8. The term “pooled parking” is new to LEED v4. Pooled parking is when two or more buildings share parking spaces. To determine the total parking capacity of a project for LT Credit—Reduced Parking Footprint, the following must be included:
• new and existing surface parking spaces • new and existing garage or multilevel parking spaces • any off-street parking spaces outside the project boundary that are available to the building’s users The following are not included when determining the total parking capacity for a project: • on-street (parallel or pull-in) parking spaces on public rights of way • parking spaces for fleet and inventory vehicles, unless these vehicles are regularly used by employees for commuting as well as business purposes • motorbike or bicycle spaces Develop in Areas That Have Multimodal Transportation Access. When the project is located in an area that has access to a variety of transportation modes, greenhouse gas emissions from car travel can be reduced. LT Credit—Access to Quality Transit requires that any functional entry of the project be located within a ¼-mile (400-meter) walking distance of existing or planned bus, streetcar, or rideshare stops, or within a ½-mile (800-meter) walking distance of existing or planned bus rapid transit stops, light or heavy rail stations, commuter rail stations, or commuter ferry terminals. See Figure 5-9.
LIMITED AVAILABLE PARKING
Figure 5-8. LEED-certified buildings typically have as little parking as possible to reduce the number of vehicles traveling to and from the site and to encourage the use of carpooling or alternative methods of travel.
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ACCESS TO QUALITY TRANSIT ³⁄₁₆ MILE (302 m) WALKING ROUTE FROM PROJECT SITE (MAIN ENTRANCE) TO BUS STOP
BUS STOP
MAIN ENTRANCE ⁷⁄₁₆ MILE (302 m) WALKING ROUTE FROM PROJECT SITE (MAIN ENTRANCE) TO RAIL STATION
PROJECT SITE
⁵⁄₁₆ MILE (503 m) WALKING ROUTE FROM PROJECT SITE (MAIN ENTRANCE) TO FERRY TERMINAL RAIL STATION
SCALE:
FERRY TERMINAL
¹⁄₄ MILE (400 m)
Figure 5-9. Locating a project close to multimodal transportation will reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emitted into the atmosphere by conventionally fueled vehicles.
In LEED-certified buildings, 5% of all parking spaces used must be designated as preferred parking for green vehicles.
Designate 5% of All Parking Spaces Used by the Project as Preferred Parking for Green Vehicles. Green vehicles are less harmful to the environment than conventionally fueled vehicles. By providing incentives for people to use green vehicles, organizations reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions created by conventionally fueled automobiles. Examples of green vehicles are hybrid electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, battery electric vehicles, compressed-air vehicles, hydrogen and fuelcell vehicles, neat-ethanol vehicles, flexiblefuel vehicles, natural gas vehicles, and clean diesel vehicles. See Figure 5-10. In order to be recognized as a green vehicle, an automobile must achieve a minimum green score of 45 on the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) annual vehicle rating guide (or local equivalent for projects outside the U.S.).
Chapter 5 — Location and Transportation 79
GREEN VEHICLES
Figure 5-10. The EPA’s Green Vehicle Guide provides information about green vehicle technology and lists the environmental performance of different green vehicles through dynamic search and sort capabilities for specific makes and models.
Provide Preferred Parking for Carpools for 5% of the Total Parking Spaces. For many people, carpooling is not the first choice to get to and from work. Carpooling can impose restrictions that have lifestyle impacts, such as the freedom to work late and pick up children. Therefore, programs such as preferred parking for carpoolers can encourage a lifestyle change and reduce vehicle distance traveled to the building site. The reservation of preferred parking spaces is required both for carpool and vanpool vehicles in LT Credit — Reduced Parking Footprint and for green vehicles in LT Credit—Green Vehicles. Projects pursuing both credits will need
to reserve a higher proportion of preferred parking spaces. Install Electrical Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) in 2% of All Parking Spaces Used by the Project. One of the biggest barriers to the widespread use of alternative fuel vehicles is the availability of the alternative fuel. People need to be able to fuel their vehicles where and when they run out of fuel. By installing electrical vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) in 2% of all parking spaces, organizations can make recharging electric vehicles more accessible, encouraging more people to buy and use these environmentally friendly vehicles. See Figure 5-11.
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ELECTRIC VEHICLE SUPPLY EQUIPMENT (EVSE)
Tesla Motors, Inc.
Figure 5-11. The installation of electrical vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) enables drivers of electric vehicles to charge their car while at work or conducting other business.
Install Liquid or Gas Alternative Fueling Facilities or a Battery Switching Station in at Least 2% of All Parking Spaces. Besides electric vehicles, there are other alternative fuel vehicles that are being used. These alternative fuel vehicles include vehicles that are fueled by clean diesel, neatethanol, or compressed natural gas (CNG). While these vehicles and their associated refueling stations are not widely available to the public, organizations can promote their use and reduce harmful emissions by providing the infrastructure for refueling. For example, many private corporations that use these vehicles allow refueling access to the public as well. See Figure 5-12.
Factoid The Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment/ Systems Section (EVSE) of the Association of Electrical Equipment and Medical Imaging Manufacturers (NEMA) represents manufacturers of products or assemblies installed for the purpose of safely delivering and managing electrical energy between an electrical source and an electric vehicle.
Site Development Intents The second biggest environmental impact associated with the built environment is
the actual building itself. The expansion of urban areas into the wildlife habitats that provide safety for animals and sanctuaries for humans is a continual problem. The goal of the site development credits in the LT category is to protect the land and its human and wildlife occupants from further impacts. Site Development Strategies The strategies to meet the site development credit requirements reflect the LT category knowledge domain of site selection. The goal of LT Credit — Sensitive Land Protection and LT Credit — HighPriority Site is to promote redevelopment on existing sites over new construction on greenfield sites. A greenfield site is previously undeveloped and unused suburban or rural land. Building on a greenfield site often requires greater infrastructure costs and promotes urban sprawl and degradation of wildlife habitat. In order to preserve unused land for wildlife habitats, parks, forests, agriculture, and other open space uses, these credits direct the project team to locate the project site on previously developed land. This is called redevelopment. The following strategies will help project teams achieve these site development goals.
Chapter 5 — Location and Transportation 81
ALTERNATIVE FUELING FACILITIES
Figure 5-12. Alternative fuel vehicles are becoming more popular for fleet vehicles as well as for personal use by the public.
Avoid Developing on Environmentally Sensitive Lands. Environmentally sensitive land is defined in LT Credit—Sensitive Land Protection as farmland, floodplains, threatened or endangered species habitats, water bodies, and wetlands. See Figure 5-13. Locate the Project on a Site That Has Been Previously Developed. Sites that have been previously developed are ideal locations for new buildings because infrastructure is already in place, which reduces the cost of installing new roads, sewer, and power lines. Elsewhere in LEED v4, such as the SS category, previously developed sites are referred to as previously disturbed sites. By building on a previously developed site, a greenfield site can be preserved. See Figure 5-14. Locate the Project on a High-Priority Site Such as a Brownfield. High-priority sites are previously developed sites that are undesirable for a variety of reasons. These sites may have been abandoned by previous occupants and are having difficulty attracting a new building, or they may be located in undesirable areas. Empty sites negatively impact the neighboring sites and neighborhood. A good
example of a high-priority site is a brownfield. A brownfield is real property whose use may be complicated by the presence or possible presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant. Per LT Credit — High Priority Sites, hazardous material remediation may be required by the authority having jurisdiction over the site.
High-priority sites are sites that have been previously developed but are undesirable for a variety of reasons.
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SENSITIVE LAND
FARMLAND
FLOODPLAINS
WATER BODIES
HABITATS
WETLANDS
USDA NRCS
Figure 5-13. Sensitive land should be protected from development as much as possible by seeking previously developed sites to save natural resources and possibly money.
PREVIOUSLY DEVELOPED SITES
Figure 5-14. Sites that have been previously developed are ideal locations for new buildings because the infrastructure, such as roads, electrical service, and sewer systems, is already in place.
Chapter 5 — Location and Transportation 83
In most cases there are government subsidies available for selecting a high-priority site. Other credit options for building on high-priority sites include infill location in a historic district, a site on the EPA National Priorities list, a Federal Empowerment Zone site, a Federal Renewal Community site, a Department of the Treasury Community Development Financial Institutions Fund Qualified Low-Income Community, a site in a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Qualified Census Tract or Difficult Development Area, or a local equivalent program. See Figure 5-15. Develop in Areas with Existing Infrastructure. Even if a site is not previously developed, it can still be located in an area with existing infrastructure. Existing infrastructure allows the building to be connected to utilities with minimal effort
or cost. Installing infrastructure is highly invasive, destroys wildlife habitats, and incurs high costs. Installing new infrastructure should be avoided as much as possible. See Figure 5-16.
USDA NRCS Building new infrastructure in wildlife habitats is highly invasive and incurs high costs.
HIGH-PRIORITY SITES High-Priority Site
Description
Brownfield
A brownfield is a property where the presence of hazardous materials, pollutants, or contaminants may affect any redevelopment of the property. Cleaning up and reinvesting in these properties protects the environment, reduces blight, and takes development pressures off greenfield areas and working lands.
Historic infill district
A historic infill district contains areas for new construction that are required to follow the style of the existing historic buildings.
Superfund site
Superfund is the federal program that investigates and cleans up the most complex, uncontrolled, or abandoned hazardous waste sites in the country. Superfund sites are found on the National Priorities Listing. The national Priorities Listing is the official recognition by the EPA that the site qualifies for funding and that it has been placed in a program that requires those companies that manufactured the waste at the site to pay for the clean-up.
Federal Empowerment Zone
A Federal Empowerment Zone (EZ) is a highly distressed urban and rural community that may be eligible for a combination of grants, tax credits for businesses, bonding authority, and other benefits. It is one of three US congressional designations that also include Renewal Community (RC) and Enterprise Community (EC).
Department of the Treasury Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund)
The Department of Treasury CDFI Fund was created in 1994 to promote community development and investment in low-income or distressed communities through monetary grants and tax credits.
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Qualified Census Tract (QCT) or Difficult Development Area (DDA)
Census tracts that are designated QCTs and DDAs are entitled to greater funding through the Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program. A QCT is a census tract where the median income is less than 60% of area median income. A DDA is a tract that has high construction, land, and utility costs relative to the area median gross income.
Figure 5-15. High-priority sites offer environmental benefits as well as financial incentives while helping to reduce the impact of new development.
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EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE
Figure 5-16. Building sites with nearby existing infrastructure allow the building to be connected to utilities with minimal effort or cost.
Health and Livability Intents Promoting the health and livability of building stakeholders is an important goal of every LEED category. Building stakeholders include the occupants, community members, corporate shareholders, and every person who comes in contact with the building. The LT category provides opportunities to increase the physical fitness of occupants if the project team fulfills credits that promote walking and bicycling. By locating the project on a site in a high-density area, occupants can access basic-need providers on foot or by bike, which will ultimately increase their health and well-being as well as reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions caused by vehicle use. Health and Livability Strategies The strategies to meet the health and livability credit requirements reflect the LT category knowledge domains of site selection and alternative transportation. The strategies that support health and livability in the LT category make it easier for occupants to travel
to and from a building without the use of automobiles. This travel can be made by foot, bicycle, or mass transit. The credits in the LT category that increase health and livability are LT Credit—LEED for Neighborhood Development Location, LT Credit—Surrounding Density and Diverse Uses, LT Credit—Access to Quality Transit, and LT Credit—Bicycle Facilities. The following strategies contained in these credits will help project teams achieve greater health and livability for building stakeholders. Develop in Areas That Promote Walkability. Promoting walkability means that the project makes it easy for people to walk to and from the building for basic needs and routine functions. LT Credit—Surrounding Density and Diverse Uses addresses walkability with the requirement that a building’s main entrance be within a ½-mile (800-meter) walking distance of the main entrance of four to seven (1 point) or eight or more (2 points) existing and publicly available diverse uses. See Figure 5-17. If the building is located within walking distance of places to shop, eat, and
Chapter 5 — Location and Transportation 85
bank, people will walk to those places. This will reduce greenhouse gas emissions created by vehicle use and increase the health of employees. Health insurance costs will also decrease. Locating the project within the boundary of a development certified under LEED ND whenever possible is suggested because these locations are designed to promote walkability. Provide Bicycle Storage Facilities, Shower Rooms, and Bicycle Networks in Close Proximity to Diverse Uses. Providing access to bicycle storage facilities will encourage people to ride their bikes to work. Providing access to bicycle networks with proximity and
access to basic services will encourage people to ride their bikes to work and run errands from the building during the day. Increasing bicycle use will decrease greenhouse gas emissions caused by vehicle use and increase the health and welfare of building occupants. These strategies are encouraged in LT Credit—Bicycle Facilities. See Figure 5-18.
Factoid To encourage bicycle use, some municipalities have added bicycle lanes to roadways to allow easier navigation within the area.
PROMOTING WALKABILITY GREATER THAN ¹⁄₂ MILE (800 m) WALKING ROUTE FROM PROJECT SITE TO DIVERSE USE
PROJECT SITE TO BANK: ⁵⁄₈ MILE (1006 m) DOES NOT QUALIFY
BANK
PROJECT SITE TO RESTAURANT: ¹⁄₄ MILE (400 m) DOES QUALIFY
PHARMACY LAUNDROMAT
RESTAURANT PROJECT SITE TO SUPERMARKET: ³⁄₈ MILE (604 m) DOES QUALIFY
PROJECT SITE
¹⁄₂ MILE (800 m) OR LESS WALKING ROUTE FROM PROJECT SITE TO DIVERSE USE PROJECT SITE TO PHARMACY: ⁷⁄₁₆ MILE (704 m) DOES QUALIFY PROJECT SITE TO LAUNDROMAT: ³⁄₁₆ MILE (302 m) DOES QUALIFY RESTAURANT
SUPERMARKET
PROJECT SITE TO RESTAURANT: ¹⁄₂ MILE (800 m) DOES QUALIFY
PROJECT SITE TO PARK: ⁹⁄₁₆ MILE (905 m) DOES NOT QUALIFY PARK
SCALE: ¹⁄₈ MILE (200 m)
¹⁄₄ MILE (400 m)
¹⁄₂ MILE (800 m)
Figure 5-17. LT Credit—Surrounding Density and Diverse Uses requires a building’s main entrance to be within a ½ mile (800 meter) walking distance of the main entrance of four to seven (1 point) or eight or more (2 points) existing and publicly available diverse uses.
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BICYCLE FACILITIES
Figure 5-18. Increasing bicycle use will decrease greenhouse gas emissions caused by vehicle use and increase the health and welfare of building occupants.
The measurement of how far a pedestrian and bicyclist would travel from a point of origin to a destination, reflecting access to amenities, safety, convenience, and obstructions to movement, is called shortest path analysis. In the previous version of LEED, referred to as LEED 2009, a measurement called a simple straight-line radius was used. This measurement is no longer an acceptable distance measurement to fulfill LEED credit requirements in LEED v4.
Digital Resources ATPeResources.com/ Quicklinks Access Code 530408
Provide a Bicycle Maintenance Program for Employees or Bicycle Route Assistance for Employees and Customers. Route assistance must be provided in a manner easily accessible to both employees and customers. This can be in the form of a map identifying bike routes to the project site that may be posted online, on a kiosk or sign located on the property, or
in a pamphlet that could be distributed to employees and customers. Provide Pedestrian Amenities. Street trees, shade, benches, water fountains, bike racks, and garbage and recycling cans are examples of pedestrian amenities that encourage people to leave buildings on foot to travel instead of using an automobile. Promote Connectivity. Limiting culde-sacs, prohibiting gated communities, and using street grid patterns can open up community connectivity between occupants by removing physical barriers that might hamper interpersonal communication and the ability to walk or bicycle. Create a Diverse Community. A diverse community can be created by providing housing for a wide range of incomes and abilities. One way to accomplish this is to incorporate
Chapter 5 — Location and Transportation 87
different housing types, such as affordable and senior housing, with standard residential housing, rather than segregating them.
ACCESS TO SUSTAINABLE FOODS
Promote Access to Sustainable Food. Community gardens, farmers markets, food co-ops, and urban farming are all innovative ways to provide fresh food to dense urban areas. See Figure 5-19. Provide Access to Grocery Stores. If people do not have transportation, they may only be able to shop where they can walk or bicycle to. In urban neighborhoods that do not have a diversity of services, people may be dependent on gas stations and fast food restaurants for nutrition. It is important to plan new or revitalized neighborhoods that include grocery stores and healthier food choices within walking distance to residential areas.
Big Head Farm
Figure 5-19. Local farmers markets are effective ways to provide fresh food to dense urban areas.
From the
Field
Name: Kevin Newman, Hybrid Vehicle Designer, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) School: Cornell University, Ithaca, NY Program: Bachelor of Computer Science and Master of Engineering What have you accomplished with your work? I first entered the field of sustainable transportation in 1993 as part of the Cornell University Hybrid Electric Vehicle (CUHEV) Team where I applied the electronics, software, and control system skills I acquired in the Computer Science Robotics and Vision Laboratory (CSRVL) to the design, development, simulation, and testing of a custom built hybrid electric vehicle that employed a novel, high efficiency two-motor powertrain. The Cornell team took first place at the Ford Motor Company-sponsored HEV Challenge the following spring and set the stage for the future challenges I would undertake. Following another successful HEV Challenge the following year and after completing my Master of Engineering degree, I started work at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) designing control systems for hybrid hydraulic vehicles (HHVs) as a part of the EPA’s efforts under the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles (PNGV). Under PNGV, I worked closely with engineers from Ford and GM to promote and understand this new technology.
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From the
Field (continued)
In 2006, the EPA presented to the public the world’s first HHV delivery truck in partnership with United Parcel Service (UPS). I was on the award-winning team that took the HHV to China as part of the 2007 Michelin Challenge Bibendum. As a result of these demonstrations, heavy-duty HHVs are now successfully entering the marketplace. Today I apply my hands-on experience to the task of supporting the 54.5 MPG 2025 Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) emission standards through the use of simulation, data analysis, and vehicle evaluation. I highly encourage students interested in sustainability to enter the field of alternative vehicle design. It has been a fulfilling career and continues to grow by leaps and bounds. When did you receive the LEED Green Associate credential? I don’t have one — it didn’t exist when I was in school! Why would you suggest pursuing the credential? I think anyone interested in architecture, city planning, or transportation design would benefit from a LEED credential. The government can reduce pollution, fuel use, and greenhouse gas emissions through regulation, but the fact remains that the best way to reduce the emissions from a vehicle is to drive it less. A properly sited LEED project makes this easier and benefits everyone. How would having the credential help your career/life? A LEED credential would open up the possibility of taking my work on designing hybrid vehicles to the built environment. So, for example, if I wanted to become a consultant to private industry or the government and devise programs to reduce their transportation costs, I would get the LEED Green Associate credential to show that I understand the big picture or the connection between the vehicle and its fuel to the location of facilities and their occupants and how operations fits in. Do you have any test-taking tips? Briefly review all the questions on the exam, and then start with the ones you know the answers to. You can often find the answers to questions you don’t know in other questions.
Key Terms and Definitions American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE): A nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1980 whose mission is to advance energy efficiency as a fast, cheap, and effective means of meeting energy challenges. bicycle network: A path or series of paths in rural, urban, or suburban areas that are clearly marked for bicycle travel. brownfield: A property on which redevelopment or reuse may be complicated by the presence or possible presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant. buildable land: The portion of a site where construction can occur, including land voluntarily set aside and not constructed on. community connectivity: The amount of connection between a site and the surrounding community, measured by proximity of the site to homes, schools, parks, stores, restaurants, medical facilities, and other services and amenities. density: A measure of the total building floor area or dwelling units on a parcel of land relative to the buildable land of that parcel. development density: The total square footage of all buildings within a particular area measured in square feet per acre (square meter per hectare).
Chapter 5 — Location and Transportation 89
Key Terms and Definitions (continued) diverse use: A distinct, officially recognized business, nonprofit, civic, religious, or governmental organization, or dwelling units (residential use) or offices (commercial office use). It has a stationary postal address and is publicly available. floodplain: Land that is likely to be flooded by a storm of a given size (such as a 100-year storm). 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 structures. footprint: The area of ground that the building sits upon as defined by its perimeter. global warming: The increase in temperature of Earth’s atmosphere due primarily to the greenhouse gases released from the burning of fossil fuels such as wood, coal, natural gas, and oil. greenfield: A site that has never been built on or developed for human use. greenhouse gases: Gases that trap heat in the atmosphere. The most abundant of the greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide (CO2), is released through the burning of fossil fuels and the manufacturing of cement. green vehicles: Vehicles that provide less harmful impacts to the environment than conventionally fueled vehicles. Examples of green vehicles are hybrid electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, battery electric vehicles, compressed-air vehicles, hydrogen and fuel-cell vehicles, neat-ethanol vehicles, flexible-fuel vehicles, natural gas vehicles, and clean diesel vehicles. habitat: A natural environment such as a field, stream, or forest that is home to one or more wildlife species and plants. The LEED rating systems aim to reduce the destruction of natural habitats during construction. infill development: Building and developing in vacant areas of high-density urban centers. Infill development can reduce traffic congestion, save open space, and create more livable communities. infrastructure: Roads, electrical lines, sewer lines, phone lines, and other public services permanently installed on developed sites. Locating a project on a previously developed site is advantageous because the existing infrastructure saves costs and lowers the carbon footprint of the project. pooled parking: Parking spaces that are shared among two or more buildings. preferred parking: Parking spaces that have the shortest walking distance to the main entrance of the project, exclusive of spaces designated for people with disabilities. previously developed/disturbed site: A site that once had buildings, roadways, and parking lots, or that was graded or otherwise altered by direct human activities. prime farmland: Previously undeveloped land with soil suitable for cultivation. Avoiding development on prime farmland helps protect agricultural lands, which are needed for food production. redevelopment: Reusing previously developed land. remediation: The process of cleaning up a contaminated site by physical, chemical, or biological means. Remediation processes are typically applied to contaminated soil or groundwater. shortest path analysis: A measurement of how far a pedestrian and bicyclist would travel from a point of origin to a destination, reflecting access to amenities, safety, convenience, and obstructions to movement. smart growth: An approach that protects open space and farmland by emphasizing development with houses, jobs, and services near each other. total parking capacity: The total amount of parking spaces for a site that includes new and existing surface parking spaces, new and existing garage or multilevel parking spaces, and any off-street parking spaces outside the project boundary that are available to the building’s users. Not included are on-street (parallel or pull-in) parking spaces on public rights of way, parking spaces for fleet and inventory vehicles, and motorbike or bicycle spaces. walkability: A metric for how amenable an area is to walking. water body: The surface water of a stream, arroyo, river, canal, lake, estuary, bay, or ocean. It does not include irrigation ditches. wetlands: Land areas saturated by water, such as swamps, marshes, and bogs. Wetlands provide habitats for fish and wildlife, feed downstream waters, trap floodwaters, remove pollution, and recharge groundwater supplies.
90  LEED Green Associate Exam™ Preparation Guide
Practice Questions 1. A measurement of how far a pedestrian and bicyclist would travel from a point of origin to a destination, reflecting access to amenities, safety, convenience, and obstructions to movement is called: a. Integrative travel analysis b. Shortest path analysis c. Continuous line mapping d. Destination mapping e. Simple straight-line radius 2. In the Location and Transportation (LT) category, projects fulfilling the first credit, LEED for Neighborhood Development Location: a. Are required to fulfill all the other credits in the category b. Automatically get certified as LEED Neighborhood Developments c. Are not eligible to earn other credits in the category d. Get a reduced rate on their LEED certification e. Are required to have one LEED AP on the project team 3. A brownfield site: (select two) a. Is a site that does not receive enough rain and sunlight and therefore has mostly brown or no grass b. Is a site requiring remediation to make it safe enough for occupancy c. Is a foreclosed site put up for auction by the government d. Is a site that is priced at a premium due to the fact that petroleum has been found on the site within the last ten years e. Usually has government subsidies available for its purchase and remediation 4. The purpose of a density calculation is to: a. Calculate the density of the soil during a brownfield remediation b. Determine how many people will be carpooling to work versus riding in their own vehicles c. Determine transportation routes to and from a certain location at peak travel times d. Figure out the difference between gross site area versus project boundary perimeter when determining the LEED project boundary e. Determine the square footage of buildings per acre of land 5. Select three of the following that are listed as sensitive sites in the Location and Transportation (LT) category that should not be built on: a. Wetlands b. Previously developed farmland c. Prime farmland d. Brownfields e. Floodplains