5-21-18- Handout- Sarah BorenATTACHMENT A
LEED for Cities certification program was launched in December 2016 (one minute video). It certifies
cities and communities for performance based on 14 metrics, giving them an opportunity to compare
and compete with cities across the world (details). This program is offered on Arc platform, on which
cities can track performance on hundreds of parameters of their interest, including tracking climate
action plan, sustainability plan, smart city activities or a resilience plan and much more! The program
complements ongoing efforts undertaken by cities on improving sustainability and quality of life (e.g.
with STAR, ICLEI, C40, 100RC, Biophilic Cities, CPS, ISO 37120, Bioregional), so that cities can leverage
strategies from diverse rating systems, standards, protocols and guidelines to improve performance.
In summary, the program:
• Provides a LEED-based framework for measuring, managing and improving performance of
economies, environment and quality of life;
• Offers a robust platform for integrating plans, strategies and data interconnecting diverse
aspects of community operations;
• Makes reporting easier on various city needs (e.g. ACEEE, C40, CDP, State/National
requirements);
• Scores performance, which offers a unique and easy way for cities across the world to compare,
benchmark and compete; and
• Recognizes and rewards leadership of cities and communities.
Washington DC, Phoenix/AZ, Arlington County/VA, Savona/Italy, Atlanta International Airport and
Songdo/SKorea are already Certified/Precertified, whereas more than 30 cities and communities;
including Chicago/IL, Denver/CO, Atlanta/GA, San Jose/CA, Newark/NJ, San Diego County/CA,
Lancaster/PA, Hoboken/NJ, Lake Placid/NY, Franklin/TN, Rochester/MN, Schenectady/NY, the
Knowledge City/Panama, Surat/India, Beijing Third International Airport Economic Zone/China, Meilan
Airport Industrial Development Zone/China and others, have registered to certify.
Why Certify with LEED for Cities and Communities?
• Obtain a baseline
• Help decide priorities
• Help make better informed decisions
• Benchmarking and comparison with other cities, sharing resources and best practices (avoiding
recreating the wheel and getting right to what works because someone else has done it)
• Getting all your departments and authorities measuring the same vital, useful metrics and in the
same way
• All your metrics in one place where you can do holistic tracking and analyzing
• Keeping collaboration and advancement progressing forward
• Early adopter and leader— have more flexibility, support and limelight
• Risk mitigation (e.g., Moody's score; proactive assessment)
• Help other small coastal cities
Lmcu Tor uiiies ritot rerrormance a core to Accu
(0i Certification
Possible 100 points
Intent
To encourage all cities to measure and improve performance, focusing on outcomes from ongoing
sustainability efforts. To leverage a globally consistent method of performance measurement for a
streamlined and data -based pathway to LEED certification for cities.
Background
Measuring city metrics and generating a Performance Score in the Arc platform will evaluate the results
of best practices and serve as a pathway to LEED for Cities certification under the pilot rating system.
Requirements
City project teams 1) register their city in Arc, 2) complete all precertification requirements listed below,
and 3) provide data to receive a Performance Score in Arc. To generate a Performance Score,
participants input data across five categories — Energy, Water, Waste, Transportation, and Human
Experience. Cities must complete all precertification requirements and may provide additional
information to achieve points to increase the Base Score, which contributes to the total Performance
Score.
Details
1. PRECERTIFICATION: Earn all precertification requirements listed below, by completing and submitting information through
the Arc platform.
2. DATA and PERFORMANCE SCORE: Input city data in the performance categories (energy, water, waste, transportation,
and human experience) through the Arc platform. Maintain accurate documentation that verifies the data.
3. BASE SCORE: Achieve an optional Base Score of up to 10, by pursuing strategies listed below under Base Score and
submitting information through the Arc platform.
4. REVIEW and CERTIFY:
(Optional step) Submit supporting documentation for the Precertification to GBCI for review. Upon successful review,
GBCI can award LEED for Cities Precertification, which lasts for one year.
Submit supporting documentation for the Precertification requirements to GBCI for review, achieve a performance score
of 40 or more based on a year of data, and submit performance data documentation to GBCI for review. Upon
successful review, GBCI can award LEED for Cities certification.
Points and Certification Level
Certification levels remain consistent with the LEED rating system. A project team's Performance Score
determines the level of LEED certification.
Performance Score and Certification Levels:
40-49 is Certified
50-59 is Silver
60-79 is Gold
80-100 is Platinum
1. PRECERTIFICATION.
Projects pursuing LEED for Cities certification through this pathway need to achieve all
precertification requirements, listed below:
1. Commit to Sharing Data
a. Commit to measuring metrics In the performance score on an ongoing basis.
2. Project Boundary
a. Upload a map showing the limits of the area that will receive a performance score and Certification.
b. Describe the city and the land use types and building types it Includes.
3. Governance
a, Describe the body or entity that conducts the policies, actions, and affairs for the city.
b. Describe the level of control/influence over Infrastructure, operations, policies, and individual buildings for the
project.
c. Upload or link to the relevant community charter documents.
4. Stakeholders
a. Project Team. Identify the names of individual stakeholders within the city who will work on the certification and
describe their role.
b. Community Engagement. Identify key stakeholder groups within the city that the city has engaged or will engage as
part of its planning.
6. Roadmap
a. For communities with existing plans:
i. Upload or link to relevant planning documents.
ii. Upload a crosswalk between goals or strategies in the relevant planning documents and categories in the
performance score.
b. For communities that are developing plans:
Upload a document that:
1. Lists goals
2. Lists strategies under each goal
3. Lists the performance score metric associated with each strategy
2. DMA and PERFORMANCE SCORE.
The Performance Score in Arc measures outcomes in the following categories:
CATEGORY I METRIC ( UNIT
Energy 1. Greenhouse Gas Emissions (CO2 equivalent) Tons/Year/Person
Water 2. Domestic Water Consumption AmounUYear/Person
Waste 3. Municipal Solid Waste Generated Amount/Year/Person
4. Municipal Solid Waste Diverted from Landfill % of Total Amount Collected
Transportation 5. Distance Traveled in Individual Vehicles Daily Distance per Day
Human Experience
Education
6. Population with (at least) a High School Degree % of Population 25 Years And Over
7. Population with (at least) a Bachelor's Degree % of Population 25 Years And Over
Equitability 8. Median Gross Rent as % ot Household Income %
9. Gini coefficient Number between zero (0) and one (1)
Prosperity 10. Median Household Income US Dollars per Year
11. Unemployment rate % of Population 16 Years And Over
Health & Safety
12. Median Air Quality Index (AQI) Number between zero (0) and 500
13. Air Quality Days Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups Number of Days between (0) and 365
14. Violent Crime Per capita per Year
3. BASE SCORE.
Cities have the option to pursue the strategies listed below to increase the Base Score of their
Performance Score by up to 10 points. Cities achieve these strategies by completing and submitting
information to GBCI for review.
OPTION A
Submit specific plans listed below, created within the past three years. Available points are in
parentheses:
1. Submit a plan to achieve certification for a site or building within the city using at least one of the following systems:
LEED, ParkSmart, PEER, SITES, TRUE, WELL, or STAR Communities (2)
2. Submit a plan for benchmarking and performance evacuation for at least three (3) basic services (2)
3. Submit a carbon reduction plan (2)
4. Submit a disaster preparedness and climate resilience plan (2)
5. Submit a healthy community plan (1)
6. Submit a plan for affordable provision of basic services, including power, clean water, waste management, safe
shelter, and healthcare for people living in slums or other informal settlements (1)
7. Submit a biodiversity and/or watershed management and conservation plan (1)
8. Submit a culture and heritage action plan (1)
9. Submit a green Infrastructure plan (1)
OPTION B
Commit to measuring and tracking a minimum of two (2) metrics in addition to those required to
generate a Performance Score. Earn one (1) point for every two (2) additional metrics shared.
Project teams can choose from a list of 100+ options OR can create their own. Share the following
information about the metric:
Sources. What organization compiled the data or performed the calculations? If available, which person or group of
people at those organizations had primary responsibility for compiling the data or performing the calculations?
Methods. Who determined the value and how did they determine it? Which protocols or standards did they use?
estimation, and the cnalienges and barriers to providing complete and accurate data.
' Identify the primary Arc project team member responsible for measuring, tracking, and inputting the data.
Resources
Arc website
Video about Arc: LEED for Cities and Communities
v Guide to LEED Certification for Cities and Communities
Email contact@areskoru.com with any questions you may have.