LEED Application in Sustainable Landscape Practices

Part 1 of a Series

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) was first released for new construction in 2000.  It defines high standard / high performance green building promoting environmentally responsible, healthier, and more profitable building projects.

New rating systems continue to be developed for different building types, and currently there is not a rating system devoted purely to landscape and landscape architecture.

 

Each of the rating systems assumes a “whole-building design practice,” with a primary use building associated to site planning.  For instance, a pure landscape architectural project such as a park would not be excluded; it would not score a certification as high as if there was a structure on the site.  The good news, as the LEED system is being re-evaluated to contain and recognize more landscape elements to be certified, currently landscape architecture elements and site planning can be responsible for contributing up to 43 points to a project.  The point valuation system is given in the “LEED-NC Version 2.2 Registered Project Checklist”.  For quick reference, LEED certification levels are listed below:

Certified 26-32 points

Silver  33-38 points

Gold  39-51 points

Platinum  52-69 points

Over the next several releases of this blog, I will discuss the potential applications of LEED-NC (NC standing for ‘new construction’) within the scope of the landscape profession beginning with some of the more common categories within Sustainable Sites which has the potential to earn 14 points.

The prerequisite of any project should be to develop an erosion and sediment control plan which reduces negative impact on water and air quality.  Urban redevelopment is also defined in LEED accredited sustainable sites, encouraging development in urban areas with existing infrastructure and reduce site disturbance by restoring 50% of remaining open area on previously developed sites by planting native or adapted vegetation.

Stormwater management is a critical part of any sustainable site, including the use of permeable materials such as permeable pavers; those of you who have worked with me understand how valuable permeable pavers are in residential and commercial sustainable landscape.  Permeable materials can decrease run-off by a minimum of 70% with most permeable surfaces reducing run-off by 85% which removes the strain from storm water systems that are now insufficient due to urban and rural growth.  I will return to permeable pavers in future blogs to discuss in greater detail including proper installation methods of permeable pavers.

 

The more training and experience I have with such sustainable practices allows me to play a leading role in promoting and implementing these sustainable landscape practices.  The more I become a “systems thinker” (the ability to work with and see connections with other disciplines) and my environmental mind-set, the potential to increase LEED accredited landscape awareness becomes a way of life.