Rating System

LEED BD+C: New Construction, LEED BD+C: New Construction

Rating System Version

v2 - LEED 2.0, v2 - LEED 2.2

Inquiry

This project includes construction of a cluster of new buildings on a previously developed site in Northern California. A portion of the site contains a unique soil type known as serpentine soil that is characterized by a low calcium to magnesium ratio, low nutrient levels and high concentrations of heavy metals. While this soil does not support normal plant growth, there is a community of plants know as serpentine grassland that has adapted to survive in this soil. The owner commissioned an environmental assessment of the site including identification of endangered and threatened species. The assessor found several species of plants (bulbs and annuals) present in the serpentine grassland that are listed as federal and/or state threatened or endangered species. No threatened or endangered animal species were identified on the site. A relatively small portion of these plant species was found within the proposed development footprint of the project. On the recommendation of the owner\'s environmental consultant, the design team modified the site plan to avoid these areas as much as possible. The consultant also developed a remediation plan to mitigate the serpentine grassland that will be disturbed by expanding the area of serpentine soil adjacent to the development, relocating bulbs and collecting and planting seeds from the annuals. The plan includes success criteria for evaluation of the remediation effort and requirements for reporting to the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the California Department of Fish and Game. The Site Selection credit intent asks project teams to "avoid development of inappropriate sites and reduce the environmental impact from the location of a building on a site." The design team modified the initial site plan to reduce impacts on the existing plant habitat. The implementation of the remediation plan will result in no net loss of habitat for the threatened and endangered plants found on the site and none of the proposed development will occur on portions of the site that meet any of the other criteria listed in this credit. Will this project qualify for SSc1?