LEED CERTIFICATION- REQUIREMENTS FOR SS CREDIT: OPEN SPACE
LEED in its Green building certification system version v4.1 has put a special emphasis to set up strong interrelationship between the outer space to the society and environment. The Intent of this credit is to create exterior open space that encourages interaction with the environment, social interaction, passive recreation, and physical activities.
Total No. of Possible Points – (1- point)
This credit applies to-
New Construction (1 point) Core & Shell (1 point)Schools (1 point)Data Centers (1 point)Warehouses & Distribution Centers (1 point)Hospitality (1 point)Retail (1 point) Healthcare (1 point)
Requirements
FOR NC, CS, SCHOOLS, RETAIL, DATA CENTERS, WAREHOUSES & DISTRIBUTION CENTERS, HOSPITALITY, HEALTHCARE
Provide outdoor space greater than or equal to 30% of the total site area (including building footprint).
25% of the minimum 30% total outdoor space requirement must be planted with two or more types of vegetation or have overhead vegetated canopy.
The outdoor space must be physically accessible and be one or more of the following:
- a pedestrian-oriented paving or landscape area that accommodate outdoor social activities
- a recreation-oriented paving or landscape area that encourage physical activity;
- a landscape area with a two or more of vegetation types that provide opportunities for year-round visual interest;
- a garden space dedicated to community gardens or urban food production;
- preserved or created habitat that meets the criteria of SS Credit Protect or Restore Habitat and also includes elements of human interaction.
Extensive or intensive vegetated roofs that are physically accessible can be used toward the minimum 25% vegetation requirement, and qualifying roof-based physically accessible paving areas can be used toward credit compliance.
Wetlands or naturally designed ponds may count as open space if the side slope gradients average 1:4 (vertical:horizontal) or less and are vegetated.