Similar to LL2 – Site Selection, this section awards points for the location of the home; this sub-section in particular encourages the building of LEED home near or within existing communities. The idea here is that there is less environmental impact if people build on or near previously developed sites, as opposed to farmland, wetlands, etc., because new remote developments require “extensive expansion of basic infrastructure and community services, and typically force residents to rely solely on cars for all transportation needs.”
We can get one point for “Edge Development” – meaning at least 25% of the perimeter of our property borders previously developed land (LL 3.1). But since we found an existing lot within the city of Minneapolis, we get a total of 3 points:
- 2 points for “Infill Development” (LL 3.2), where at least 75% of the perimeter immediately borders previously developed land (we are at 100%), and
- 1 point for “Previously Developed” (LL 3.3), which is simply “build on a previously developed lot.” Which we did. The aerial photo shows the original house that we bought in 2006.
We have been getting the maximum number of points allowed so far in Location & Linkages, but there was really nothing we could do differently once we chose the location. So it seems that you either get a lot of points or no points in this entire category, and it is all based on just one (major) choice: where you want your home.
Location & Linkages points so far: 5
Cumulative points: 9
Additional points needed to get to Gold: 79