Rating System

LEED BD+C: New Construction, LEED BD+C: New Construction, LEED BD+C: Schools, LEED BD+C: Schools, LEED BD+C: Core and Shell

Rating System Version

v2 - LEED 2.2, v3 - LEED 2009, v2 - Schools 2007, v3 - LEED 2009, v3 - LEED 2009

Inquiry

Sustainable Sites: Site Development: Protect or Restore Habitat (Credit 5.1) Forest Duff. The site is previously undeveloped forest land. The documents show limiting the site disturbance within the distances prescribed by the credit. The development consists of the building and associated walkways and parking. At those areas, excavation to allow for construction will produce substantial amounts of clean topsoil (forest duff consisting primarily of partially decomposed needles and debris from the surrounding hemlock forest) that aren\'t suitable for fill under the constructed areas. There are no local sites accepting this type of clean fill, and contractors are reporting that they may have to haul the material over 60 miles to the nearest dumping site. We have two questions. Are there ways to redistribute the excavated soil (forest duff) on site beyond the boundaries of the development area? This seems to violate the "undisturbed" nature of those areas. But it simply adds more forest duff to existing surrounding areas that consist of the same material. It also seems much more sustainable than trucking the soil offsite for long distances. In some ways it makes more sustainable sense to leave the soil onsite and risk losing the credit point but we would prefer not to lose that point. Is the subject of removal/relocation of excavated soil otherwise addressed under the Sustainable Sites category?