855773644-LEED-v5-BD-C-Reference-Guide-Launch-Edition - Page 127

Extracted Content

• Social area . Pedestrian-oriented paving or landscape area that accommodates outdoor social activities and includes seating for 5% of occupants.

AND

Community Outdoor Space

Include one or more of the following elements:

• Community . Publicly accessible during daylight hours and open to all members of the community.

• Cultural . Include at least two art installations or sculptures by local artists.

• Acoustics . Include elements that provide positive soundscapes if located within 0.24 miles (400 meters) of a significant noise source, such as, but not limited to, a roadway, airport, or rail line.

REQUIREMENTS EXPLAINED

This credit awards projects that include vegetated and paved areas and other green spaces that encourage social interactions and recreational activities. Teams must include targeted elements for accessibility and emphasize deliberate attention to enhancing outdoor spaces for community engagement.

Sufficient Outdoor Space Area

Outdoor spaces provide building users with opportunities to connect to the outdoors. These spaces play an essential role in enhancing the health and well-being of building users, providing many positive environmental benefits, such as improving air quality, supporting biodiversity, managing stormwater, reducing urban heat island effects, and fostering social interaction.

All projects must provide outdoor spaces that are barrier-free and physically accessible, covering at least 30% of the total site area, including the building footprint. At least 25% of this outdoor space must feature two or more types of vegetation or include an overhead vegetated canopy, such as a continuous layer of trees or shrubs that create shaded areas. To maintain the ecological function of sensitive areas, such as waterbodies or vegetation zones, full accessibility is not required; however, features like boardwalks designed to meet accessibility standards can provide inclusive access.

The outdoor space design must incorporate features that make it accessible to people with disabilities and service animals. This may include providing wheelchair ramps, tactile surfaces, wide pathways, and signage to ensure that everyone, regardless of physical ability, can navigate and use the space comfortably.

U.S. Green Building Council LEED v5 Reference Guide for Building Design and Construction, April 2025 Launch Edition 117