855773644-LEED-v5-BD-C-Reference-Guide-Launch-Edition - Page 116

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period. Dewatering inspections must occur once per day on which the discharge of dewatering occurs.

• Immediate corrective actions to repair or replace the controls when failing.

AND

Site Assessment

Collect information about the site in a preconstruction survey or assessment that informs design of the site to address the following items, as applicable to the project. The survey or assessment should demonstrate the relationships between the site features and topics listed below and how these features influenced the project design.

• Special-status vegetation . Conserve 100% of special-status vegetation located on-site as defined by local, state, or federal entities.

• Healthy habitat . Identify healthy plant communities and implement strategies to minimize damage to these areas during construction and ongoing project activities. Establish exclusion zones demarcated by physical barriers to minimize intrusion or disturbance of identified healthy plant communities during construction activities.

• Invasive vegetation . Indicate locations of existing invasive vegetation species on-site and address removal and control of invasive species before and during construction. Include only native and adapted vegetation that is not currently listed as invasive.

REQUIREMENTS EXPLAINED

This prerequisite requires projects to focus on protecting and preserving healthy and mature site elements and habitats while promoting environmental protection measures that minimize project construction disturbances. Project teams must preserve special status vegetation and healthy habitats, manage invasive vegetation, and implement an erosion and sedimentation control (ESC) plan to minimize soil, rainwater systems, and neighboring property disturbance.

Erosion and Sedimentation Control Plan

Construction activities can greatly impact the local environment and can speed up natural erosion and sedimentation processes by removing vegetation and leaving soil exposed.

Consequently, stormwater runoff from these sites carries high levels of sediment and associated contaminants. This not only affects water quality, but also negatively affects aquatic habitats and wildlife. Soil compaction deteriorates soil structure and fertility, precluding optimal root system development which leads to long-term degradation of the land.

U.S. Green Building Council LEED v5 Reference Guide for Building Design and Construction, April 2025 Launch Edition 106