A rating system for today — for a brighter tomorrow.
LEED for Neighborhood DevelopmentLEED for Neighborhood Development integrates the principles of smart growth, urbanism and green building into the first national system for neighborhood design. Whole neighborhoods, portions of neighborhoods, multiple neighborhoods-there is no minimum or maximum size for a LEED for Neighborhood Development project. Thoughtful neighborhood planning can limit the need for automobiles and their greenhouse gas emissions. Mixed-use development and pedestrian-friendly streets encourage walking, bicycling and public transportation. Green buildings and infrastructure also lessen negative consequences for water resources, air quality and natural resource consumption. The character of a neighborhood, including its streets, homes, workplaces, shops and public spaces, affects quality of life. Green developments respect historic resources and the existing community fabric.They preserve open space and encourage access to parks. Combine the substantial environmental and social benefits and the case for green neighborhoods makes itself. Unlike any otherLEED for Neighborhood Development, developed in collaboration with Congress for the New Urbanism and the Natural Resources Defense Council, emphasizes elements that bring buildings and infrastructure together and relates the neighborhood to its local and regional landscape. |