LEED-BDC-v4-v5-Summary-of-Changes - Page 005

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Sustainable Sites

The Sustainable Sites (SS) credit category emphasizes the importance of sustainable site development by minimizing environmental impact while maximizing ecological benefits in site development, focusing on preserving natural habitats, promoting sustainable water management, enhancing climate resilience, and creating spaces that benefit both nature and people.

The credit category includes a new credit, SSc Enhanced Resilient Site Design, intended to reduce risk of catastrophic impacts from natural and climate events through resilient site design, construction, and maintenance.

Prerequisite	Construction Activity Pollution Prevention	Incorporated into new prerequisite: SSp Minimize Site Disturbance .
Prerequisite	Minimize Site Disturbance	New prerequisite. Incorporates LEED v4 SSp Construction Activity Pollution Prevention and SSc Site Assessment. Added requirement for conserving special-status vegetation and addressing removal of invasive species during construction.
Credit	Site Assessment	Incorporated into new prerequisite: SSp Minimize Site Disturbance.
Credit	Site Development – Protect or Restore habitat	Incorporated into new credit: SSc Biodiverse Habitat. Revised soil and vegetation restoration requirements. Replaced LEED v4 Option 2: Financial Support with LEED v5 Option 2: Bird-Friendly Glass.
Credit	Open Space	Incorporated into new credit: SSc Accessible Outdoor Space. Added requirement for barrier-free access and community elements. Removed floor-area ratio (FAR) requirements for including vegetated roofs. Removed multitenant complex allowance.
Credit	Rainwater Management	Thresholds for Option 1: Percentile of Rainfall Events updated to 80th, 85th, and 90th percentile. Thresholds for zero lot line projects updated to 70th, 75th, and 80th percentile. Additional point is awarded for projects that collect and reuse rainwater runoff onsite. Zero lot line projects may combine on-site and off-site strategies to retain runoff.
Credit	Heat Island Reduction	Point values changed for Option 1: Nonroof and Roof. Added Option 3: Tree Equity.
Credit	Light Pollution Reduction	Maximum luminaire uplight rating for LZ1 reduced to U0. Removed Option 2: Calculation Method. Maximum light output for internally illuminated signage to be determined by MLO lighting zone.
Credit	Tenant Design and Construction Guidelines	Incorporated into new Core and Shell prerequisite: IPp Tenant Guidelines. Credit moved to the Integrative Process, Planning, and Assessments credit category. Added requirement for a base building/owner point of contact for coordination during tenant fit-out.
Credit	Biodiverse Habitat	New credit. Incorporates LEED v4 SSc Site Development – Protect or Restore Habitat credit.
Credit	Accessible Outdoor Space	New credit. Incorporates LEED v4 SSC Open Space credit.
Credit	Enhanced Resilient Site Design	New credit.

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