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Extracted Content

Option 7. Surrounding Density (1 point)

Locate on a site where the surrounding existing density within 0.25 miles (400 meters) offset of the project boundary meets one of the following:

• At least seven dwelling units per acre (17.5 DU per hectare) with a 0.5 floor-area ratio. The counted density must be existing density, not zone density.

• At least 22,000 square feet per acre (5,050 square meters per hectare) of buildable land.

For previously developed existing rural healthcare campus sites, achieve a minimum development density of 30,000 square feet per acre (6,890 square meters per hectare).

REQUIREMENTS EXPLAINED

This credit awards project sites near essential services and in densely built locations with existing infrastructure. There are multiple paths to achieving credit compliance. Project teams should review the site location and the urban context of the project, including building density, community amenities, and public transportation routes, to optimize the options selected for the project.

Option 1. Surrounding Density

Projects in a high-density area are likely to be more walkable and have greater amenities. Additionally, a denser and more compact neighborhood increases efficiency and reduces the time getting from one location to another. It provides easier access to basic services including supermarkets, pharmacies, banks, medical clinics, and offices. People can actively choose a means of travel when amenities are closely located. More importantly, high surrounding density promotes more efficient land use and achieves more sustainable growth patterns that protect natural habitats, farmland, and open spaces, ultimately leading to more resilient and livable communities.

Projects must meet minimum thresholds for residential, nonresidential, or combined density. Planners choose these minimum density requirements have been chosen because they are the levels necessary to support public transit and reduce urban sprawl. Residential density is measured in dwelling units per acre. Non-residential density is measured in floor-area-ratio (FAR), which is the ratio of the gross floor area to the size of the lot. FAR measures the density of the lot according to a building’s gross floor area, and a low FAR indicates low density while a high FAR indicates higher density. The “combined density” thresholds are measured in square feet per acre (or square meters per hectare) of buildable land, and they correspond directly to the FAR for nonresidential density.

U.S. Green Building Council LEED v5 Reference Guide for Building Design and Construction, April 2025 Launch Edition 75