(NB04) Natural Resource Conservation and EcoSystem Services in LEED for Communities

Although the LEED V4.1 for Communities clearly states the Ecosystem Assessment as a prerequisite within the Natural Systems and Ecology (NS) chapter, the intent can not be fulfilled without really addressing the added value it could provide to the project and the potential it represents.

Esteban Martinez will highlight the project - Los robles located in Colombia. It offers a restorative landscape, using first in Colombia, the new SER International Standards for the Practice of Ecological Restoration to assess, evaluate and intervene the project from an ecological standpoint, looking to restore a pristine wetland ecosystem that use to be part of Bogota, that is still partly conserved, but is almost adjacent to the project.

Lisa Phocas will highlight the River District in Charlotte, North Carolina focusing on LEED for Communities: Plan and Design rating system. Approximately 1/3 of the available acres will offer nature corridors and natural habitats. We are partnering with the Catawba Lands Conservancy and Duke Energy to manage the Right of Way Easement in a manner that promotes native seed repopulation and ecosystem regeneration. We have a commitment to re-tree the community with native species. Lighting design will maintain the dark sky to the greatest extent possible. Partnering with the NC Wildlife Resources commission, Catawba Land Conservancy and NC forestry service, to reintroduce native vegetation and increase biodiversity of plants and animals.

Edner Bellanger will showcase Condado Naranjo in Guatemala which got certified to LEED v4.1 for Communities: Existing at platinum level in October 2022. Since the beginning of its development, the community has been takin into consideration various strategies to generate spaces that are able to adapt to different climate challenges that the country faces throughout the seasons. Such is the case of rainwater management infrastructure, designed to take 1.5 times the amount of rainwater that the area usually gets, preventing the risk of floods in the community. It also has a waste management program that prevents the presence of fires in its surroundings and in nearby ravines due to human intervention, whilst also improving the air quality of its inhabitants. Generating a safe and resilient community that improves the life quality of its residents and visitors is one of Condado Naranjo’s main objectives.

Eduardo Mattos will discuss VivaPark Porto Belo in Brazil, certified platinum to LEED v4.1 for Communities: Plan and Design. The project has more than 17m² green space per inhabitant, ensuring high integration with nature. Furthermore, based on the characteristics of the land, which was originally a floodplain, the project was designed so that the impact of the implantation could be mitigated. The two large lakes at the entrance to the neighborhood are, in addition to being a postcard, important drainage devices. Its capacities have been dimensioned in such a way as to guarantee the retention of water even in heavy rains. The projected implantation leads to an improvement in air quality, a lower rate of respiratory diseases and the fight against climate change.