The LEED for Neighborhood Development Rating System integrates the
principles of smart growth, urbanism and green building into the first
national system for neighborhood design. LEED for Neighborhood Development is a
collaboration among USGBC, Congress for the New Urbanism, and the Natural Resources Defense Council.
LEED-ND certification provides independent, third-party verification that a development's location and
design meet accepted high levels of environmentally responsible, sustainable development. For more information on certification and
to find other resources, view the Neighborhood Development Resources web page.
LEED 2009 for Neighborhood Development Rating System
The LEED for Neighborhood Development rating system was approved by USGBC member ballot, following the same consensus-based process that all LEED rating systems go through, and it received approval from our
partner organizations, the Congress for the New Urbanism and the Natural Resources Defense Council. The rating
system incorporates two-and-a-half years of market and user feedback.
LEED 2009 for Neighborhood Development Rating System (4/2012, ZIP)
LEED 2009 for Neighborhood Development Project Checklist (XLS)
LEED 2009 for Neighborhood Development Project Checklist (PDF)
LEED 2009 sample credit forms are available for download in LEED Online.
LEED for Neighborhood Development Certification FAQ
Addenda to the LEED Reference Guide for Green Neighborhood Development (PDF) - It is strongly recommended that project teams adhere to the Reference Guide addenda based on registration date.
LEED for Neighborhood Development Project Tools and Additional Guidance
Connections Tool -- The Connections Tool is an extension for ESRI’s ArcMap software, developed specifically to
assist LEED-ND project teams with documenting street connectivity and walking and bicycling distances. This program is
offered free to LEED-ND registered project teams, and is compatible with ArcEditor 9.3 or ArcInfo 9.3. To download the
software and a detailed User Guide, please visit the credit resources section for SLLp1 of LEED Online.
LEED for Neighborhood Development Certification FAQ
General Certification Guidance New!
SLLp2 - State Wildlife Agencies & Natural Heritage Programs (Table) New!
Additional Guidance for GIB Prerequisite 1/Credit 1
LEED for Neighborhood Development Reference Guide
LEED for Neighborhood Development Regional Priority Credits
Through USGBC’s regional councils, chapters and affiliates, the following regional priority credits
were selected for the LEED 2009 for Neighborhood Development rating system. Project teams may earn up to four of
the six credits which are specific to the zip code of a project's location. The credits for each zip code are
available in the following database.
Regional Priority Credit Viewer - New!
LEED 2009 for Neighborhood Development for Non-U.S. Projects
USGBC is soliciting feedback from all non-US projects to determine if the rating system encourages regionally and culturally appropriate planning and
design decisions outside of the U.S. This feedback mechanism serves two purposes: 1) It creates an opportunity for
non-U.S. projects to provide feedback that will help inform the development of the future version of the rating system,
and 2) USGBC will learn from the international application of the rating system and potentially develop a more appropriate
rating system for projects outside the U.S. in the future. All non-U.S. projects are required to provide feedback.
For additional information on the International Feedback Program for LEED-ND, and to download the forms, please visit
the LEED-ND Resource Webpage for Non-U.S. Projects.
LEED for Neighborhood Development, Pilot
The pilot opened in July 2007 with nearly 240 projects participating. They provided
important feedback about the rating system. The pilot is no longer open to new projects, but for information purposes, you may download the pilot version of the rating system and checklist below.
Pilot Version Rating System (PDF)
Pilot Version Project Checklist (PDF)
List of LEED for Neighborhood Development pilot projects by project name (PDF)
List of LEED for Neighborhood Development pilot projects by state/province (PDF)
List of Certified LEED for Neighborhood Development pilot projects (PDF)
Certified LEED for Neighborhood Development pilot project scorecards (PDF)
Note: Please enter "ND" under the LEED System heading to filter for LEED-ND pilot projects (ND 1.0)
Characteristics of LEED for Neighborhood Development Pilot Projects (PDF)
USGBC would like to thank the Blue Moon Fund, the EPA Office of
Brownfields Cleanup and Redevelopment, the EPA Development, Community,
and Environment Division, the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, the National Endowment for the Arts and the Kresge
Foundation for their support of LEED for Neighborhood Development.
For pilot projects, access your Registered Project Tools here.
