LT Credit: Surrounding Density & Diverse Uses

Density brings people together.
Diverse uses give them a reason to stay.

What is the Intent of this Credit?

The intent of this credit is to conserve land and protect farmland and wildlife habitat by

encouraging development in areas with existing infrastructure. To promote walkability, and transportation efficiency and reduce vehicle distance traveled. To improve public health by encouraging daily physical activity.

This credit aims to:

👉 encourage development in dense, well-connected areas

So that we:

• conserve land and protect farmland/wildlife
• use existing infrastructure
• promote walkability & transit use
• reduce vehicle travel distance (VMT)
• improve public health through daily activity

🎯 Big Picture (Exam Insight)

This credit is about:
👉 Density + Walkability + Daily Needs Nearby

This credit rewards a project location that is surrounded by existing built density and within walking distance of a variety of services (“uses”). The density thresholds correspond to the minimum densities needed to support bus transit (seven dwelling units per acre, 17.5 DU per hectare) and fixed-rail transit (12 DU per acre, 30 DU per hectare). Two threshold types are listed, one combining residential and nonresidential densities, the second separating them. Project teams therefore have flexibility in calculating the surrounding built density based on the information available to them.

🧩 Two Options

👉 Projects can:

• pursue Option 1 only
• pursue Option 2 only
• OR combine both

✅ Important Exam Point

You do NOT need to do both

📊 Option 1: Surrounding Density

Requirement

👉 Project must be located in an area with existing density

Measured within:

👉 ¼ mile (400 m) radius

📏 Thresholds

🏠 For Residential

• 7 dwelling units/acre → 2 points
• 12 dwelling units/acre → 3 points

🏢 For Non-Residential

• FAR = 0.5 → 2 points
• FAR = 0.8 → 3 points

❓ What is FAR?

👉 Floor Area Ratio (FAR) =
Total building floor area ÷ total land area

🎯 Memory Trick

• 7 / 0.5 → lower threshold
• 12 / 0.8 → higher threshold

💡 Key Concept

LEED aligns density with transit viability:

• ~7 DU/acre → supports bus transit
• ~12 DU/acre → supports rail transit