LEED® for Neighborhood Development
LEED for Neighborhood Development (LEED-ND) integrates the principles of smart growth, New
Urbanism and green building into the first national rating system for neighborhood design and was
developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) in partnership with the Congress for the New
Urbanism (CNU) and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).
Significance of LEED for Neighborhood Development certification
LEED for Neighborhood Development recognizes development projects that successfully protect and
enhance the overall health, natural environment and quality of life in our communities. The rating system
encourages smart growth and New Urbanist best practices by promoting the location and design of
neighborhoods that reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and creating developments where jobs and
services are accessible by foot or public transit. It also promotes an array of green building and green
infrastructure practices, particularly more efficient energy and water use—especially important in urban
areas where infrastructure is often overtaxed.
Project types
LEED for Neighborhood Development is designed to certify exemplary development projects that perform
well in terms of smart growth, urbanism, and green building. Projects may constitute whole
neighborhoods, portions of neighborhoods, or multiple neighborhoods. Projects are often mixed-use,
though small single-use projects that complement existing neighborhood uses may also use the rating
system. Local jurisdictions should not use LEED-ND as a replacement for comprehensive planning,
however, many local jurisdictions may find that LEED for Neighborhood Development is a meaningful tool
to help promote sustainable land development if incentivized or used as a guideline when revising local
codes and regulations.
Credit Categories
The following credit categories are included in the rating system:
 Smart Location and Linkage encourages communities to consider location, transportation
alternatives, and preservation of sensitive lands while also discouraging sprawl.
 Neighborhood Pattern and Design emphasizes vibrant, equitable communities that are healthy,
walkable, and mixed-use.
 Green Infrastructure and Buildings promotes the design and construction of buildings and
infrastructure that reduce energy and water use, while promoting more sustainable use of
materials, reuse of existing and historic structures, and other sustainable best practices.
 Innovation and Design Process recognizes exemplary and innovative performance reaching
beyond the existing credits in the rating system, as well as the value of including an accredited
professional on the design team.
 Regional Priority encourages projects to focus on earning credits of significance to the project’s
local environment.
Stages of Certification
LEED for Neighborhood Development differs from other commercial and residential LEED rating systems
as it has three stages of certification, which relate to the phases of the real estate development process.
 Stage 1 – Conditionally Approved Plan: provides the conditional approval of a LEED-ND Plan
available for projects before they have completed the entitlements, or public review, process. It is
envisioned that completing Stage 1 will help projects get support from the local government and
from the community.
 Stage 2 – Pre-Certified Plan: pre-certifies a LEED-ND Plan and is applicable for fully entitled
projects or projects under construction. Completing this review can help projects secure
financing, expedited permitting or attract tenants.
 Stage 3 – Certified Neighborhood Development: completed projects formally apply for LEED
certification to recognize that the project has achieved all of the prerequisites and credits
attempted.
A review of just the Smart Location & Linkage prerequisites will also be available for project teams after
registration and before committing to a Stage. This will enable project teams to evaluate if their location
is eligible for LEED-ND.
Registration and Certification
The rating system can be downloaded for review by interested parties, including for-profit and nonprofit
developers, owners, and others involved in projects that may seek LEED for Neighborhood Development
certification, and local governments interested in reviewing the rating system for possible incentives or as
an evaluation tool.
Registration and the SLL Prerequisite Review for projects are available through LEED Online. Full
certification will become available later in 2010. Information about registration and the certification
process can be viewed at: www.gbci.org.
LEED for Neighborhood Development and other LEED rating systems
All LEED-ND projects are required to have at least one certified green building. Points are also available
within the LEED for Neighborhood Development rating system for having certified green buildings in the
development and for integrating green building and infrastructure practices within the project. These
credits relate to energy efficiency, reduced water use, building reuse, recycled materials, and heat island
reduction.