The LEED for Neighborhood Development (LEED-ND) Rating System is the the first national certification system for neighborhood design. LEED certification provides independent, third-party verification that the location and design of a neighbourhood development meets environmentally responsible, sustainable development objectives. The objectives of LEED-ND are to encourage healthy living through the creation of walkable, mixed use neighbourhoods, reduce urban sprawl, protect threatened species, and increase transportation choice and decrease automobile dependence.
LEED-ND is a joint effort of the US Green Building Council (USGBC), the Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU) and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). USGBC intends LEED-ND to be designated as an American National Standard (ANSI). LEED-ND has progressed through a pilot program which began in the summer of 2007 and is terminating. The pilot resulted in the creation of a 1st Public Comment Period Draft. A second public comment period closed on June 14. The final LEED-ND rating system will be released after USGBC and its two partner organizations (NRDC and CNU) complete their approval processes. I blogged earlier about the new LEED v3 which was releases on April 27. Apparently, v3 will not affect LEED-ND, but when LEED-ND launches, the new LEED Online v3 will be used for submittals.
If you’re an architect or engineer working in an AutoCAD environment, Mike Schlosser has prepared a video that will suggest some tools that will help you with LEED-ND certification.
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