Sustainable Sites
One of the first and most critical decisions for the project team to make is that of site selection, as the location of a site and the site itself can determine how the project impacts the environment.
In addition to the sustainable impacts to the project itself, the location of the project can affect local and regional ecosystems, both positively and negatively.
Sustainable sites address these key components:
• Transportation
• Site selection
• Site design
• Stormwater
• Heat Island Effect
• Light Pollution
In addition to the sustainable impacts to the project itself, the location of the project can affect local and regional ecosystems, both positively and negatively.
Sustainable sites address these key components:
• Transportation
• Site selection
• Site design
• Stormwater
• Heat Island Effect
• Light Pollution
Transportation
Often when a company decides to relocate to a new area, employees are surveyed to determine where they live, the distance they currently travel, the distance they would travel to the new location, their preferences, etc. In the majority of instances, travel time and distance is the most important issue to employees.
Sustainable sites can reduce the social, economic and environmental impacts caused by the increased demands on building related transportation. It is easy to understand the importance of sustainable sites when you consider how the location of the site can increase the length and frequency of vehicle trips. Especially when transportation accounts for over 30% of the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions and vehicle technology, transportation fuels and land use all contribute to the emission of greenhouse gases.
In 2006, over 75% of the commuters in the U.S. drove to work alone - one occupant per vehicle. Owners, developers and project teams should consider locating near urban redevelopment where mass transit and community services are readily available, and provide incentives that encourage employees to reduce vehicle use or use alternative fuel vehicles. Promoting mass transit or alternative fuel vehicles reduces the energy required for transportation and the space needed for parking lots and related support facilities. The proper selection of the site is one of he most focused areas in LEED’s effort to reduce greenhouse gases and alleviate the burden on our natural resources by altering our current mindset with regards to transportation. The negative environmental impacts associated with transportation cannot be overstated.
Transportation strategies:
● Provide access to mass transit networks
• Commuter rail, light rail or subway system; public, campus or private bus lines usable by building occupants
• Shuttle service from project location to transit lines
● Reduce employee parking
• Limit parking spaces and encourage employees to consider alternative transportation options to reduce pollution and land development impacts from automobile use
• Size parking not to exceed existing minimum local code requirements
• Shared parking facilities with other buildings
• Alternatives to single occupant vehicles
● Encourage car pooling and van pooling
• Designated car pooling and van pooling parking spaces
• Provide reserved parking spaces conveniently located near building entrances for building occupants who carpool to work
● Promote Low-Emission & Fuel-Efficient Vehicles (FEV)
• On-site fueling stations
• Provide FEV vehicles or offer incentives for employee FEV ownership
• For Schools, investigate tradeoffs for alternative fuel vehicles
● Offer incentives
• Develop an alternative commuting incentive programs
• Rideshare programs that offer fee based options
● Support alternative transportation
• Promote alternatives or incentives to single- occupancy vehicle commuting
• Provide secured spaces and changing rooms for bicycle use
• Reduced parking rates for carpooling or alternative fuel vehicles
• Assist employees with parking fees for public parking
Sustainable sites can reduce the social, economic and environmental impacts caused by the increased demands on building related transportation. It is easy to understand the importance of sustainable sites when you consider how the location of the site can increase the length and frequency of vehicle trips. Especially when transportation accounts for over 30% of the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions and vehicle technology, transportation fuels and land use all contribute to the emission of greenhouse gases.
In 2006, over 75% of the commuters in the U.S. drove to work alone - one occupant per vehicle. Owners, developers and project teams should consider locating near urban redevelopment where mass transit and community services are readily available, and provide incentives that encourage employees to reduce vehicle use or use alternative fuel vehicles. Promoting mass transit or alternative fuel vehicles reduces the energy required for transportation and the space needed for parking lots and related support facilities. The proper selection of the site is one of he most focused areas in LEED’s effort to reduce greenhouse gases and alleviate the burden on our natural resources by altering our current mindset with regards to transportation. The negative environmental impacts associated with transportation cannot be overstated.
Transportation strategies:
● Provide access to mass transit networks
• Commuter rail, light rail or subway system; public, campus or private bus lines usable by building occupants
• Shuttle service from project location to transit lines
● Reduce employee parking
• Limit parking spaces and encourage employees to consider alternative transportation options to reduce pollution and land development impacts from automobile use
• Size parking not to exceed existing minimum local code requirements
• Shared parking facilities with other buildings
• Alternatives to single occupant vehicles
● Encourage car pooling and van pooling
• Designated car pooling and van pooling parking spaces
• Provide reserved parking spaces conveniently located near building entrances for building occupants who carpool to work
● Promote Low-Emission & Fuel-Efficient Vehicles (FEV)
• On-site fueling stations
• Provide FEV vehicles or offer incentives for employee FEV ownership
• For Schools, investigate tradeoffs for alternative fuel vehicles
● Offer incentives
• Develop an alternative commuting incentive programs
• Rideshare programs that offer fee based options
● Support alternative transportation
• Promote alternatives or incentives to single- occupancy vehicle commuting
• Provide secured spaces and changing rooms for bicycle use
• Reduced parking rates for carpooling or alternative fuel vehicles
• Assist employees with parking fees for public parking
