Regionalization

Written by R. Kirk Johnson, AIA, LEED AP

This April, as part of the LEED 2009 v3 rollout, USGBC issued a listing of regional priorities applicable to various bioclimatic regions throughout the United States.  This paramount undertaking originated out of a need to localize the LEED Rating System to match specific climatic and environmental needs within each geographical area.  Given the multiplicity of ecological systems throughout the United States, the needs within one part of the country can vary significantly from another area.  This diversity equally holds true in large individual states such as Texas or California which both contain considerable variant bioclimatic conditions and geography.  The addition of Regional Priority Credits (RPC) contextualizes the LEED Rating system to specific localities.

 

REGIONAL INNOVATION

LEED 2009 introduces a new 100 point scale numbering system and adds regional priority credits as part of a 10 point bonus system available within each separate rating system.  Regional priority credits are bonus credits achieved by meeting specific threshold requirements for a subset of credits that have been identified as important to a local environmental region.  They are provided as an overlay incentive designed to encourage additional region specific environmental innovations. These extra credits originate from an existing pool of credits available within the individual rating systems rather than new additive credits to the checklist.  In the new system, regional performance can be awarded for up to four extra points out of the six identified credits that are available for a specific locale.  The credits work similar to the Innovation and Design credits that have been part of previous rating systems.

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH

Regional Priority credits are specific to the individual rating system.  Presently, Regional Priority credits are listed for the LEED Building Design and Construction (BD+C), LEED for Schools, LEED Core and Shell, LEED Commercial Interiors, and LEED for Existing Buildings: O+M rating systems.  According to USGBC, “The inclusion of these regional LEED credits is the Council’s first step toward addressing regional environmental issues.”

However, the identification of specific regional priority credits adapted to specific environmental areas did not occur in a vacuum.  A considerable amount of input was given by various regional councils, chapters, affiliates, ecologists, geotechnical specialists, and other stakeholders to determine specific environmental issues facing the diverse ecological regions.  During the data gathering process, it was determined there were two parts of the equation required with implementing regional priority credits.  The first component addressed the identification of specific credits within each region and the second component dealt with the implementation of the credits.

Stemming from stakeholder input, a decision was made to build a system listing six possible credits by individual zip codes and to provide an opportunity for projects to earn incentive points by adopting building strategies that address the specific factors facing the region.  Linking regional priority credits to specific zip codes allows greater adaptation to individual micro-climates and urban density as the needs of high populated areas may vary considerably from rural areas within the same bioclimatic area.  It was further determined that regional priority credits would be available to versions of LEED 2009 but would not retroactively be available to previous versions of the LEED rating systems.  In order to use regional credits, projects are required to transfer the certification to the new LEED 2009 Rating system.

SIMPLIFIED PROCEDURES

The process has been simplified with the new LEED v3 online tracking system.  Under the new LEED 2009 version, specific regional priority credits are assigned based upon the project zip code entered at the time of registration.  In order to achieve the regional credits, LEED project teams will need to meet corresponding existing credits listed in the 100 point area of the rating system.  Upon meeting the specific threshold required of the individual LEED credits, projects will automatically earn the associated regional priority credits and the support data for the individual bonus point is applied to the regional priority documentation.  If the project earns more than the permitted four points, the team players can select which specific options will be used in the certification.

NORTH TEXAS REGIONAL CREDITS

North Texas has specific ecological needs relating to regional performance.  A large majority of regional priority credits defined for the North Texas geographical area center on sustainable land development with items such as brownfield development, reduced site disturbance, stormwater management, and construction waste management.  Other additions focus upon generating on-site renewable energy, reducing lighting power densities, minimizing heat island concentrations, maximizing daylight, and improving indoor air quality.

Encouraging brownfield development provides an avenue to clean up conditions found within the soil and underground water aquifers.  Reducing site imperviousness is encouraged by the addition of habitat restoration and surface water runoff considerations.  Of particular importance are two stormwater management credits aimed at reducing site imperviousness and residual stormwater runoff problems so prevalent in the sea of concrete hardscape found in a large majority of commercial developments.

BY THE CITY

At first glance it appears that the majority of jurisdictions within the USGBC North Texas chapter use the same Regional Priority credits.  Specifically, Dallas, Plano, Richardson, Addison, Frisco, Coppell, Southlake, Bedford, North Richland Hills, Euless, Fort Worth, Arlington, Colleyville, Flower Mound, Farmers Branch, Carrollton, Allen, Garland, Grand Prairie, Grapevine, Hurst, Irving, Keller, Lewisville, McKinney, Denton, Westlake, and Corsicana all use the same Regional Priority Credits.

The following list itemizes the regional priority credits available to the majority of jurisdictions located in the USGBC North Texas Region.  It should be noted that several special zip codes assigned to the cities by the United States Postal Service were not listed in the Regional Priority Credit spreadsheet provided by USGBC.  However, it is assumed that the omitted zip codes will match the adjacent zip codes within the same city.

LEED 2009 BD+C (NC, Schools, CS)

• SSc3  Brownfield Redevelopment
• SSc5.1 Protect or Restore Habitat
• SSc6.1 Stormwater Design. Quantity Control
• SSc6.2 Stormwater Design. Quality Control
• EAc2(1%) On-site Renewable Energy
• MRc2(50%) Construction Waste Management

LEED 2009 ID+C (CI)

• SSc1, Opt. 2 - Path 2  Site Selection. Stormwater Design. Quantity Control
• SSc1, Opt. 2 - Path 9 Site Selection. Innovative Wastewater Technologies
• EAc1.1(15%) Optimize Energy Performance. Lighting Power
• MRc2(50%) Construction Waste Management
• MRc7 Certified Wood
• IEQc8.1(75%) Daylight and Views. Daylight

LEED 2009 EB O+M

• SSc5    Site disturbance. Protect or Restore Open Habitat
• SSc7.1 Heat Island Reduction. Non-roof
• WEc3(50%) Water Efficient Landscaping
• EAc4(3%/25%) On-site and Off-site Renewable Energy
• MRc7 Solid Waste Management. Ongoing Consumables
• IEQc1.4 Indoor Air Quality Best Management Practices. Reduce Particulates in Air Distribution

Each LEED project team is encouraged to explore the regional priority options available during the course of project development and to implement strategies that address specific regional environmental issues.