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This Month: A LEED for Neighborhood Development (LEED-ND) Primer
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Feature Article
A Deeper Look at LEED-ND
Author: Katie Weeks
Source: Eco-Structure
Date Written: 6/3/2010
Following a three-year pilot program, in late April, the USGBC formally launched LEED for Neighborhood Development (LEED-ND), the seventh LEED rating system. As with other LEED systems, LEED-ND is a voluntary program. However, unlike the other versions of LEED, LEED-ND is the first to focus on neighborhood design. As a result, projects submitted for certification are measured by acreage, rather than square footage, and prerequisites and credits address high-performance buildings and infrastructure as well as location, land use, and design of the public realm. ECO-STRUCTURE recently spoke with Sophie Lambert, director, neighborhood development for USGBC, about the new system.
Can you tell us a bit about the unique requirements of LEED-ND? For instance, why is the certification processed divided into three phases? Are there other unique considerations to be taken into account when pursuing certification?
LEED-ND projects might have significantly longer construction periods than single buildings, so the standard LEED certification process has been modified. The three-stage process is meant to align with the land-use development process as best as possible.
Stage 1, Conditional Approval of a LEED-ND Plan, is available for projects before the land use entitlement (approvals) process begins to see if the plan is eligible for LEED-ND certification. If the conditional approval of the conceptual plan is achieved, the project team receives a letter to help the developer build the case for entitlement among land-use planning authorities and gain community support for the project.
Stage 2, Pre-Certified LEED-ND Plan, is a review of the project once 100 percent of the building square footage has received land-use entitlement (though it does not need to have building permits), the right to use the land for specific types, and quantities of proposed land uses. The project can be under construction and still be eligible for Stage 2, but not more than 75 percent of the square footage can be complete. If pre-certification of the plan is achieved, a certificate will be issued stating that the plan is a Pre-Certified LEED-ND Plan. Achieving Stage 2 can aid developers in resisting pressures to alter a project, can aid in securing financing and tenants, and can help show that the project has made an early commitment to achieving a green neighborhood development.
Stage 3, LEED-ND Certified Neighborhood Development, is the final step. In this phase, the project team submits documentation for all prerequisites and attempted credits. If certification is awarded, a plaque is issued to the project that indicates that the project meets LEED-ND criteria demonstrating leadership in the realm of green neighborhoods.
How did the development of this system differ from that of the other LEED rating systems?
LEED-ND was created in collaboration with the Natural Resources Defense Council (representing Smart Growth America) and the Congress for the New Urbanism. This partnership resulted in a broader group of experts developing the rating system (the LEED-ND Core Committee consisted of five experts nominated or elected by each of the three organizations) and a wider group of stakeholders in the development of the standard. In many ways, though, it did follow the LEED process for creating a new rating system in terms of consisting of prerequisites and credits and holding public comment periods and a pilot.
What were the biggest challenges or surprises during the development process?
That there was remarkable shared vision for a rating system for green neighborhood development by the three organizations. At the same time, there were definitely issues that the three partners did not agree on. As a result, there are some issues that have additional option paths to serve as a compromise of sorts. There was a lot of debate about whether there should be a prerequisite for including affordable housing, a prerequisite for not demolishing any historic buildings, and also about whether greenfield development should be allowed and, if so, in what situations.
Is there a minimum size and/or cap on the size of a development or neighborhood that can apply for certification through the system?
In the pilot and also for LEED 2009 for Neighborhood Development there is not a minimum or maximum size. We give a strong recommendation that projects consist of at least two habitable buildings and not be larger than 320 acres. Larger projects are encouraged to submit their application in smaller neighborhood submissions.
What kinds of projects were submitted in the pilot period? How were these pilot projects chosen?
The LEED-ND pilot had a call for interest in January 2007; 371 projects indicated interest in participating in the pilot. Projects were not selected. Instead, 238 decided to register in the pilot after responding to the call for interest. The pilot closed in January 2010. Of the 238 pilor projects, 140 were submitted for review and 75 have completed one of the three stages of certification thus far. The projects that participated in the pilot vary significantly, although the majority were located in more urban areas with proximity to transit. There were brownfield redevelopment projects, urban in-fill projects, transit-oriented development projects, expansions of university campuses, small residential projects, large mixed-use projects, redevelopments of airports, redevelopments of shopping centers or other suburban retrofits, and some greenfield projects that were located near existing services or transit. There were a couple existing neighborhoods. If there is vacant land in an existing neighborhood, LEED-ND can be a valuable certification tool, but the rating system was designed for situations where at least 50 percent of the building square footage will be new construction or major renovation of existing buildings. For existing neighborhoods with little or no new development, LEED-ND can be used as an evaluative tool, but not as a certification tool.
What kind of feedback was received during the pilot period?
We received a lot of valuable feedback from the pilot projects, both from consultants and the developer-owners. They identified parts of the rating system that were difficult to demonstrate or not stringent enough, and related these findings to their particular location or project type. The pilot projects also gave important feedback on the documentation required to show compliance with a prerequisite or credit. All of this feedback from the pilot projects and from other stakeholders resulted in the core committee making significant changes to the pilot version of the rating system.
What kind of feedback was received during the public comment period?
We received thousands of public comments-much more than we expected-which were held in late 2008 and early 2009. The feedback was constructive and informative. We held two public comment periods and made many changes as a result of the feedback received during the first public comment period. Some issues such as the requirements for residential and nonresidential density in our Compact Development prerequisite resulted in a significant amount of feedback with some commenters saying the thresholds were far too long and some saying they were far too high. This made the core committee decide that for now, it was close to being right and should be tested with LEED-ND 2009 projects.
How did this feedback affect or influence the final rating system?
Some of the bigger changes from pilot to post-pilot were that we added a prerequisite for at least one certified green building, we added a prerequisite for energy efficiency and water efficiency, and a prerequisite for walkable streets. There were smaller changes, such as allowing minor improvements within the required buffers around wetlands and water bodies, adding graphics where appropriate, and aligning with LEED 2009.
For more information on LEED-ND, visit usgbc.org.
Note:
This article first appeared in Eco-Structure magazine. The article is available at http://www.eco-structure.com/leed/a-deeper-look-at-leed-nd.aspx
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From the Chair
In the heat of the summer I had the chance to steal away last week to Utah. Liz Ellis and I were able to spend three days as part of a USGBC retreat connecting learning and energizing amongst the key leaders in the USGBC.
I must say this was truly rewarding. Also, it highlighted just how great of work the USGBC does. I am proud to say that we are on the right path, but we can do so much more. The great efforts by Kentucky in the area of green schools and the programming highlighted in Chicago, our neighbors, were examples of what is possible.
It truly was a motivating few days highlighting just why we put forth the effort to make a change. Thanks for the support. Cheers!
Luke Leising, AIA, PE, LEED AP
USGBC Indiana Chair
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USGBC Indiana Chapter News & Events
Central Branch Program / Meeting:
Wednesday, July 21st
 Please join the Central Branch for it's monthly program: LEED for Existing Buildings and Operations and Maintenance (LEED-EBOM) on Wednesday, July 21st.
Heather Zeto of Urban Design will be discussing LEED-EBOM. Urban Design worked on the certification process for the first LEED-EBOM building in Indiana. Learn about the LEED-EBOM certification process. Learn differences and similarities between LEED-EBOM and other LEED certificaftions and discuss current LEED-EBOM projects in Indiana.
1.5 AIA continuing education credits available.
Program information is as follows:
Date: Wednesday, July 21st
Time: Networking and appetizers 5:00 PM;
Program 5:30 - 7:00 PM.
Location: The Conference Center at Four Parkwood
500 East 96th Street
Indianapolis, IN
See location in Google Maps
Cost: $10 for members; $20 for non-members
Parking: Free parking
Register: http://www.eventbrite.com/event/753672254
2nd Annual USGBC Indiana Chapter
North East Branch Golf Outing
Monday, August 23rd
The Northeast Branch of USGBC Indiana will be holding their 2nd Annual Golf Outing on August 23, 2010 at Coyote Creek Golf Club in Fort Wayne. The goal of this outing is to raise funds for the Northeast Branch and to promote the benefits of becoming a member of the USGBC. (Rain date is August 30th.)
The day's events will include: - 11:00 AM open registration, with a shotgun start @ 12:30 PM.
- Box lunch w/ drink will be provided. (Beverage carts will be circulating through out the day.)
- Buffet dinner featuring BBQ ribs & chicken will follow immediately after golf.
- A brief presentation on the benefits of becoming a member of the USGBC.
- LOTS of give-a-ways and door prizes.
Event information is as follows:
Date: Monday, August 23, 2010
Time: Shotgun start at 12:30 PM
Location: Coyote Creek Golf Club
4935 Hillegas Road
Fort Wayne, IN 46818-1934
See location in Google Maps
Register: Click here to access the event registration flyer.
North East Branch Program: LEED for Homes Tour
Wednesday, September 1st
Tour and Panel Discussion on Design Features, Architectural Products, Mechanical Systems, Building Shell, and Finishes.
Program information is as follows:
Date: Wednesday September 1, 2010
Time: 5:30 PM - Registration and Networking;
6:00 PM - Tour & Panel Discussion from Design
Team & Suppliers
Location: 1957 County Road 68
Auburn, Indiana 46706
See location in Google Maps
Parking is limited, we have a bus shuttle available.
Cost: Individual Chapter Members - Free
Non-Members - $15 (Cash at the door)
Appetizers and Cash Bar Available
Register: http://usgbcin20100901ne.eventbrite.com/
Register by Wednesday, August 25th, to receive one FREE drink ticket.
USGBC Indiana Chapter Holiday Gala
Wednesday, December 1st
 SAVE THE DATE - This year's USGBC Indiana Chapter Holiday Gala will be held on December 1st at the Allison Mansion on the grounds of Marian University, Indianapolis.
Please check the newsletter and website
in the coming months for updates.
USGBC Indiana Chapter on Flickr
 USGBC-IN has established a freely accessible
photostream on flickr. Click here to find out more.
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Join USGBC-IN Today!
Join the Indiana Chapter of USGBC today to enjoy the many benefits of membership that help your organization stay competitive, grow your business, and make the best contacts in the green building industry.
Indiana Chapter members receive the following benefits:
- Member-only discounts and networking events - local event fees are discounted for chapter members. Monthly meetings are free!
- Get a fantastic array of green building tools and educational resources.
- Be noticed - membership sets your organization apart.
- Build relationships in the local construction industry.
- Meet, learn and network with other building professionals who share the same passion for green building.
- Benefit from company and individual names being listed in one of the largest directories of green building practitioners and supporters via the USGBC National website and our local chapter homepage.
- Get involved - help build much-needed awareness for green building in Indiana.
- Be recognized as a leader in supporting a better built environment.
- Shape and proactively promote local green initiatives through chapter and committee involvement.
- Vote in local chapter business/issues.
Sign up today and receive a one-year membership:
$65 for regular membership, $50 for national members, $25 for students.
For more information regarding USGBC Indiana, please visit our web site at usgbc-in.org.
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Indiana Green Building Events
1st International High Performance Buildings Conference at Purdue University
July 12th - 15th, 2010
 The 1st International High Performance Buildings Conference will be occurring in concert with the 13th International Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Conference and the 20th International Compressor Engineering Conference. The 2010 conferences will begin on Monday, July 12 and end on Thursday, July 15 and will be held on the campus of Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA. Special room rates will be made available to attendees at various hotels and Purdue facilities. Transportation between venues will be available to attendees by hotel courtesy vans, the city buses, trolleys and Purdue buses. Three short courses will be conducted prior to the 2010 Conferences. They will take place on the Purdue University campus beginning on Saturday, July 10 at 1:00 p.m. and ending on Sunday, July 11 at 5:00 p.m. One course, Introduction to Compressors (Compressors 101), will highlight the various compressors currently on the market and their applications. Another course will focus on Supermarket Refrigeration and will be sponsored by the USNC/IIR. The third course will be on high Performance Building Technologies with emphasis on building envelopes, integrated solar, ventilation and indoor environment. Also new this year, CEUs (Continuing Education Units) will be offered for attendance at these conferences. Two CEUs will be offered for those who attend all technical sessions during the duration of the conference, while one CEU will be offered for attending any one of the short courses. These CEUs are "continuing education" credits and NOT credit for any university classwork. These credits usually apply to any 'continuing education' needed within the industry in which you have a career. You will be given the CEU paperwork to complete at registration/check-in. For more information, please visit: https://engineering.purdue.edu/Herrick/Events/2010conf/index.html/
Construction Federal Stimulus Money Presentation
Monday, July 19th
 On July 19th the Indiana Subcontractors Association (ISA) will host a Construction Federal Stimulus Money presentation featuring Charles Hardy who is the Regional Executive for Recovery Projects at the U.S. General Services Administration. Hardy is in charge of all Great Lakes Region construction stimulus disbursement, at a federal level. His presentation will highlight disbursement throughout the region but will be specifically catered to Indiana construction. ISA believes the information he will be providing will be beneficial to you and your members and will help everyone involved in Indiana construction understand precisely where the stimulus money has gone and is going.
The event will be from 3:00 to 5:00 PM at the Boy Scouts of America's Crossroads of America Council Headquarters located at 7125 Fall Creek Road, Indianapolis, Indiana.
The registration page is located at:
https://www.registerforeventnow.com/mattisonweb/EventForm.aspx?EventId=104
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Indiana Green Building News
Items are linked back to their sources and are the property of their owners. Click on heading for complete article.
Federal Building set to get a green makeover
Author: Richard Gootee
Source: Green.Indy.com
Date Written: 6/29/2010
Work aimed at improving energy efficiency of the Birch Bayh Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse began in January and is scheduled to continue until August 2012.
Project manager Matthew Chalifoux said in a tour of the building Monday that his goal is to make $69.3 million in improvements while preserving the building's history and beauty.
Read more...
Indiana Living Green Magazine Welcomes New Editor Betsy Sheldon
Author: Julie Williams
Source: Indianapolis Star
Date
Written: 617/2010
"Indiana Living Green is very fortunate to have Betsy's editorial expertise and knowledge about sustainable living. She is exceptionally dedicated to the environment," said Jenkins. "Her talent and know-how will help the magazine's mission to encourage individuals to live sustainably."
Sheldon is both an editor and a writer. She divides her writing and editing energies between the topics of travel and the environment. She has served as editor in chief for three travel publications, and is the author or co-author of six books on topics from job-hunting for women to Jewish travel. Her most recent book is Green Cleaning for Dummies. Her work has appeared in publications ranging from local to international.
Read more...
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Add Your LEED Projects to USGBC-IN.org
Submit Your LEED Certified Projects
USGBC Indiana is in the process of adding in-state LEED certified projects to the website's "Green Projects" showcase. If
you would like to submit your LEED certified
project, please complete the Green Project Profile
form and submit entries to info@usgbc-in.org.
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National USGBC News
Items are linked back to their sources and are the property of their owners. Click on heading for complete article.
LEED and Green Building Codes
Author: Brendan Owens and Jeremy Sigmon
Source: ASHRAE Journal
Date Written: 6/16/2010
Green building rating systems, such as U.S. Green Building Council's LEED certification program, have been working to address an expanded spectrum of risks to human and environmental health that are related to what we build, how we build, where we build, and how we operate buildings over the long term. After 17 years since USGBC's founding and tens of thousands of volunteer hours, LEED is the most widely accepted green building rating system, and has been credited with inspiring innovation, driving demand for high performance buildings and communities, and changing the way that much of the building industry approaches design, construction and operations..
Read more... |
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From the Editor
Are Green Roofs a Fire Hazard?
An interesting question posed to me recently by a contractor: do green roofs pose a legitimate fire hazard?
Every summer we hear about brushfires in the southwest propagated by dried vegetation resulting from perpetual drought conditions. The origins of our country's building codes lie in the great fires that destroyed various major cities during the 1800's. Chicago - the poster child of urban green roofs in the U.S. - nearly burnt to the ground in 1871. Could it be that green roofs, with all of their energy and environmental benefits, actually undermine concerns for health, safety, and welfare?
Maybe. It depends heavily on your growing mix.
About a year ago, Peter Kenter, a correspondent for Daily Commercial News and Construction Record, published an article highlighting the fire safety concerns with regard to green roofs raised in Toronto in wake of the city's approved Green Roof By-Law.
Kees Govers, General Manager of Caradoc Green Roofs in Strathroy, Ontario, promptly offered a retort - which DCN also carried. Within the letter, Gover offers the following:
There are those who want to impose minimum watering requirements to solve the [fire safety] issue. That could prove impractical and difficult to police. Instead minimum standards need to be set for the type and quality of growing media and the plant selection and mixtures on green roofs as well as the implementation of fire breaks on roofs that don't meet these standards.
Gover goes on to state that there is currently no testing protocol in place for green roof fire testing in either the UL or ULC listing. However, there is standardized growing mix offered by the independent non-profit German Landscape Research, Development and Construction Society or FLL. The FLL mixes are designed so that when bone dry, they do not contain enough vegetated matter (6-10% organic matter by dry weight) to spread a fire. Moreover, FLL mixes have been observed in Europe for over 30 years - proving that the growing media has longevity.
Most grasses will propagate flame spread and may present a legitimate fire safety concern under perpetual drought conditions. However, there is plenty of reputable research verifying that sedums (or stonecrops) and other succulents are naturally flame resistant and won't contribute to the spread of fire any more than a conventional low-sloped roof assembly. The City of Portland (Oregon) has recognized this point, as has the Division of Research and Advanced Studies at the University of Cincinnati, among others. In fact, some homeowners have cited the fire-retardant virtues of succulents in surviving wildfires.
This past January, after three years of development by members of the Single Ply Roofing Industry (SPRI) in cooperation with Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, a consensus-based standard for the design and construction of green roofs, ANSI/SPRI VF-1, was approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). VF-1 serves as a green roof design guide for minimizing the fire risk of such systems. Within the standard, ANSI acknowledges that "data exists that supports the Classification of succulent based systems as Class A fire resistance."
Make no mistake, ANY PLANT WILL BURN IF IT IS DRY. On the other hand, soil does not burn. The issue debated is whether or not green roofs present a unique fire safety risk due to propagating flame spread - especially when dry.
To summarize, if you have to mow it and water it, it will likely propagate flame spread when dry. Sedums and succulents are naturally fire-retardant and do not present a unique risk to propagating flame spread relative to a conventional low-sloped roof.
Daniel Overbey, Assoc. AIA, LEED AP BD+C
USGBC Indiana Communications Chair
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Calendar at a Glance
July
August
September1:
USGBC-IN North East Branch Program
Location: Auburn, IN
15:
USGBC-IN Central Branch Program
Location:
Indianapolis, IN
Please email your event notices to the Editor. Thank you!
All dates are subject to change. For a complete list of upcoming events, please log-in to usgbc-in.org.
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