1. High Performance Workshop/Charrette
Session 6 -- Site Issues
Final
High Performance Workshop/Charrette
Sustainable Sites
Session 4a
Lecture: Principles and Strategies
Group Exercise
Group Reports and Discussion
The purpose of this session is to:
introduce key concepts and principles of sustainable site development
provide examples of specific strategies for implementing these principles
provide an opportunity for participants to apply these concepts in a group exercise.
This session will only touch on issues of site selection and planning, which is the subject of another DOD program.

2. Key Principles Select the site carefully Understand the site
Session 6 -- Site Issues
Final
Key Principles
Select the site carefully
Understand the site
Protect and restore the site
Landscape sustainably
Design with the site
Principles and strategies in this session draw significantly from “Getting to Know a Place: Site Evaluation as a Starting Point for Green Design” published in Environmental Building News, March 1998.
Key principles include:
select the site carefully.
understand the site.
protect and restore the site.
landscape sustainably.
design with the site.

3. Session 6 -- Site Issues
Final
Site Selection
Developed site or brownfield vs. pristine ecologically sensitive areas
Existing structure
Transportation access
New infrastructure
Traditional Practice: Site selection is based on considerations other than sustainability.
Integrated Design: The first questions is – is there a need to build at all? Can an existing building be rehabilitated? This avoids the need to further damage ecosystems and to build new infrastructure, which also has an environmental cost. Consider the environmental effects of construction of roads and other infrastructure as well as the facility itself.
Minimal Measures:
Avoid damage to ecologically sensitive areas
Select developed or damaged areas of the site and avoid pristine areas
Avoid building in the center of site to limit impact
Cluster buildings to reduce impact on site and reduce distances required for utilities
Moderate Measures:
Select sites with good access to public transportation and provide carpool parking areas
Select sites that minimize need for new infrastructure (roads, sewer, power) – locate building (or clusters of buildings) close to existing roads and utilities or use an existing structure
Consider noise – flight patterns, highways, etc.
Extensive Measures:
Develop a brownfield site (a site that has been contaminated by previous uses)
Integrate project site selection with larger community land use
Select sites that reduce need for conventional transportation – Select sites with access to bike ways and provide changing facilities, provide refueling stations for alternative vehicles

4. Understand the Site Landforms Vegetation
Session 6 -- Site Issues
Final
Understand the Site
Landforms
geology, topography, soils, hydrology
Vegetation
Wildlife habitat and corridors
Climate/microclimate
temperature, solar, wind, rain, humidity
History of land use
Aesthetics and views
Toxics and hazards
Traditional practice: The focus is on compliance with laws and codes, such as NEPA studies and wetlands protection.
Integrated Design: Integrated design uses the information from NEPA and other sources to understand the effects of the facility on the site and the site features on the facility.
Minimal Measures:
Identify hazards and contaminated areas on the site – you might choose to remediate these areas as part of the project.
Identify and document ecologically sensitive areas that will need to be avoided and protected during construction.
Moderate Measures:
Conduct a full ecological assessment to include soil quality, water resources and flows, vegetation and trees (marking trees to be protected during construction), wildlife, habitats and corridors, wetlands, and ecologically sensitive areas. This will help you identify the least sensitive portion of the site for your project.
Conduct a study of solar and wind conditions – this will enable you to take advantage passive solar heating, cooling breezes, and summer shading. Use the on-site weather station, if one exists, or set up a small, temporary one to provide useful information.

5. Site Protection/Restoration
Session 6 -- Site Issues
Final
Site Protection/Restoration
Ecologically significant areas
Building footprint and associated construction (roads, parking, etc.)
Stormwater and erosion controls
Impacts of construction
Traditional practice: The focus is on compliance with laws and codes, such as wetlands protection and use of storm sewers for stormwater management.
Integrated design: Integrated design protects the existing site and tries to restore the site where it has been altered and damaged.
Minimal Measures:
Protect ecologically significant areas during construction
Preserve existing trees and topsoil and protect tree roots systems – use buffers and protection fences around drip lines of trees during construction and consider penalty or incentive clauses in contracts
Moderate Measures:
Minimize building footprint and associated construction
Reduce stormwater runoff by reducing width of roads, using pervious paving, and using grassy swales in place of curb and storm sewers
Control erosion during construction using silt fences, mulch straw, etc.
Minimize effects of construction (e.g., temporary roads, staging areas, topsoil storage)
Install oil grit separators or water quality ponds
Extensive Measures:
Use innovative approaches such as permaculture
Restore degraded habitat on site
Use high-albedo materials on non-parking impervious surfaces

6. Stormwater Management
Session 6 -- Site Issues
Final
Stormwater Management
Sheet flow vs. concentrated flow
Infiltration
Grassed swales
Constructed wetlands
Sediment traps
Stormwater reuse
Less impervious paving
Stormwater management is an important consideration in protecting and restoring the site. There are many strategies for managing stormwater that use natural processes. Traditional practice uses storm sewers and large detention ponds, both of which are costly. Instead, it is possible to replenish aquifers and avoid downstream flooding through strategies such as:
Sheet flow vs. concentrated flow
Infiltration basins
Grassed swales
Constructed wetlands
Sediment traps
Stormwater reuse
Use of pervious paving, narrower and/or shorter roads and drives

7. Landscape Sustainably
Session 6 -- Site Issues
Final
Landscape Sustainably
Indigenous plants and trees to reduce need for water, fertilizer, pesticides
Landscape for energy efficiency
Integrated pest management instead of chemicals
Traditional practice: Minimal consideration of sustainability and wide use of standard lawns
Integrated Design: Integrated design emphasizes landscaping to achieve other goals, such as energy efficiency and water conservation as well as use of native plantings to reduce the need for irrigation, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides.
Minimal Measures:
Use indigenous plants and trees
Reintroduce native plants and trees where they have been destroyed by previous development
Mulch plantings to help retain water
Group plantings with similar requirements
Install drip irrigation if irrigation is used
Moderate Measures:
Use integrated pest management instead of chemicals
Use landscaping to assist in energy efficiency (e.g., deciduous trees to shade in summer and allow in sun in winter)

8. Design with the Site Solar orientation Avoid cut and fill
Session 6 -- Site Issues
Final
Design with the Site
Solar orientation
Avoid cut and fill
Natural features for natural heating and cooling, daylighting, drainage, etc.
Traditional practice: Initial cost considerations dominate decision making
Integrated Design: Site decisions consider effects on ecosystems as well as effects on energy efficiency, water use, transportation, etc.
Minimal Measures:
Avoid cut and fill – follow natural contours of the land in building driveways to reduce erosion
Moderate Measures:
Optimize solar orientation
Use natural features for natural heating, cooling, daylighting, drainage
The drawings show the original site plan (actual) for Ft. Lee Housing vs. an alternative plan, both with 27 units within the same property line. The original has 9 of 27 buildings with adequate north-south orientation. The alternative plan has good orientation on all 27 buildings.

9. Session 6 -- Site Issues
Final
Site Summary
The best engineered and designed projects feel natural, comfortable, and appropriate to the area. They are maintainable, sustainable, and cost effective.
Good site planning can provide a solid basis for sustainable design and can influence building related design goals. In particular, site planning should respond to:
Appropriate site selection
Protection and restoration of nature
Conservation and management of water from rain and/or snow
Enhancement of the micro climatic conditions through landscaping and building orientation and siting

10. LEEDTM Sustainable Sites
Session 6 -- Site Issues
Final
LEEDTM Sustainable Sites
Total Available Credits: 14
(P) Erosion and Sediment Control
Site Selection
Avoid inappropriate sites (1 of 5 criteria) (1)
Urban Redevelopment
Increase localized density (1)
Brownfield Redevelopment
Develop brown field site/remediation
according to EPA (1) 1
LEED Description:
1. Site Selection
INTENT: Avoid development of inappropriate sites and reduce the environmental impact from the location of a building on site.
REQUIREMENT:
Do not develop buildings on sites that meet any one of the following criteria:
Prime agricultural land as defines by the Farmland Trust
Land whose elevation is lower that 5 feet above the elevation of the 100-year flood
Land that provides habitat for threatened or endangered species
Within 100 feet of any wetland
Land which prior to acquisition for the project was public parkland. (1 point)
2. Urban Redevelopment
INTENT: Channel development to urban areas with existing infrastructure, protecting greenfields and preserving habitat and natural resources.
Increase localized density to conform to existing or desired density goals. (1 point)
Brownfield Redevelopment
INTENT: Rehabilitate damaged sites where development is complicated by real or perceived environmental contamination, reducing pressure of undeveloped land.
Develop on a site classified as a brownfield and provide remediation. (1 point)

11. LEEDTM Sustainable Sites
Session 6 -- Site Issues
Final
LEEDTM Sustainable Sites
Alternative Transportation
Locate within ½ mile of rail or subway or ¼ mile of 2+ buses (1)
Provide bike racks/changing/shower 5% bldg. Occupants (1)
Alternative fuel refueling stations for 3% of parking (1)
Size parking to minimum zoning and provide 5% preferred parking for carpools or no new parking and provide 5% preferred parking for carpools (1)
1-4
LEED Description:
Alternative Transportation
INTENT: Reduce pollution and land development impacts from automobile use.
REQUIREMENT:
Locate building within ½ mile of a commuter rail, light rail, or subway station or ¼ mile of 2 or more bus lines. (1 point)
Provide suitable means for securing bicycles, with convenient changing/shower facilities for use by cyclists, for 5% or more of building occupants. (1 point)
Install alternative-fuel refueling station(s) for 3% of the total vehicle parking capacity of the site. Liquid or gaseous fueling facilities must be separately ventilated or located outdoors. (1 point)
Size parking capacity not to exceed minimum local zoning requirements AND provide freferred parking for carpools or van pools capable of serving 5% of the building occupants, OR, add no new parking for rehabilitation projects AND provide preferred parking for carpools or van pools capable of serving 5% of the building occupants. (1 point)

12. LEEDTM Sustainable Sites
Session 6 -- Site Issues
Final
LEEDTM Sustainable Sites
1-2
Reduced Site Disturbance
Limit greenfields disturbance to 40 ft beyond bldg. Perimeter, 5 ft beyond roadway/ walkway/main utility branch, 25 ft beyond pervious paving areas or restore 50% open area on developed sites (1)
Reduce footprint 25% of open space requirements (1)
LEED Description:
Reduced Site Disturbance
INTENT: Conserve existing natural areas and restore damaged areas to provide habitat and promote biodiversity.
REQUIREMENT:
On greenfield sites, limit site disturbances including earthwork and clearing of vegetation to 40 feet beyond the building perimeter, 5 feet beyond primary roadway curbs, walkways, and main utility branch trenches, and 25 feet beyond pervious paving areas that require additional staging areas in order to limit compaction in the paved area; OR, on previously developed sties, restore a minimum of 50% of the remaining open area by planting native or adapted vegetation. (1 point)
Reduce the development footprint (including building, access roads, and parking) to exceed the local zoning's open space requirement for the site by 25%. (1 point)

13. LEEDTM Sustainable Sites
Session 6 -- Site Issues
Final
LEEDTM Sustainable Sites
Stormwater Management
No increase in existing to developed or 25% decrease if existing imperviousness is greater than 50% (1)
Treatment system to remove 80% TSS, 40% TP by Best Management practice per EPA 840-B V93 (1)
1-2
LEED Description:
Stormwater Management
INTENT: Limit disruption of natural water flows by minimizing storm water runoff, increasing on-site infiltration and reducing contaminants.
REQUIREMENT: Implement a stormwater management plan that results in:
No net increase in the rate of quantity of stormwater runoff from existing to developed conditions; OR, if existing imperviousness is greater than 50%, implement a stormwater management plan that results in a 25% decrease in the rate and quantity of stormwater runoff. (1 point)
Treatment systems designed to remove 80% of the average annual post development total suspended solids (TSS), and 40% of the average annual post development total phosphorous (TP), by implementing Best Management Practices (BMP’s) outlined in EPA’s Guidance Specifying Management Measures for Sources of Nonpoint Pollution on Coastal Waters (EPA 840-B /93). (1 point)

14. LEEDTM Sustainable Sites
Session 6 -- Site Issues
Final
LEEDTM Sustainable Sites
1-2 1
Landscape and Exterior
Provide 30% shade or 30% high albedo materials or 50% underground parking or 50% open grid paving (1)
75% roof is Energy Star compliant or 50% vegetated roof (1)
Light Pollution Reduction
Do not exceed IESNA footcandle levels & zero illumination to leave site (1)
LEED Description:
Landscape and Exterior Design to Reduce Heat Islands
INTENT: Reduce heat islands (thermal gradient differences between developed and undeveloped areas) to minimize impact of microclimate and human and wildlife habitat.
REQUIREMENT:
Provide shade (within 5 years) on at least 30% of non-roof impervious surface on the site, including parking lots, walkways, plazas, etc. , OR, use light-colored/high-albedo materials (reflectance of at least 0.3) for 30% of the site’s non-roof impervious surfaces, OR place minimum of 50% of the parking space underground OR use open-grid pavement system (net impervious area of LESS than 50%) for a minimum of 50% of the parking lot area. (1 point)
Use ENERGY STAR Roof compliant, high-reflectance AND low emissivity roofing (initial reflectance of at least .65 and three-year-aged reflectance of at least .5 for a minimum of 75% of the roof surface; OR, install a “green” (vegetated) roof for at least 50% of the roof area. (1 point)
Light Pollution Reduction
INTENT: Eliminate light trespass from the building site, improve night sky access, and reduce development impact on nocturnal environments.
Do not exceed Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) footcandle level requirements as stated in the Recommended Practice Manual: Lighting for Exterior Environments, AND design interior and exterior lighting such that zero direct-beam illumination leaves the building site.