Prioritize and preserve open space
Rationale: Ensuring that a percentage of a project’s land area is reserved for open outdoor space helps protect undeveloped land, contributing to improved air quality, increased access to nature, and higher levels of physical activity — which can reduce risk of chronic respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.
For the most accurate strategy and documentation requirements, please refer to the digital scorecard made available on the Fitwel Platform.
Requirements
Demonstrate compliance with one of the options below:
Option 1 - 25% of Total Outdoor Surface Area as Open Space (Full Credit):
Demonstrate compliance with all the following requirements:
- Designate a minimum of 25% of the site's total outdoor surface area as open space.
Qualifying open spaces may include but are not limited to the following:
- recreation areas
- walking trails
- bike paths
- gardens
- parks or plazas
- wetlands
- greenways.
Note that roads, rooftops, and parking lots do not qualify as open spaces.
Option 2 - 15% of Total Outdoor Surface Area as Open Space (Partial Credit):
The project may achieve partial credit by demonstrating compliance with the following requirement:
- Designate a minimum of 15% of the site’s total outdoor surface area as qualifying open space.
Qualifying open spaces may include but are not limited to the following:
- recreation areas
- walking trails
- bike paths
- gardens
- parks or plazas
- wetlands
- greenways.
Note that roads, rooftops, and parking lots do not qualify as open spaces.
Option 3 - Open Space Preservation Plan (Partial Credit):
The project may achieve partial credit by demonstrating that the project has established an open space preservation policy that meets all of the following requirements:
- Identify developed or undeveloped land within the project that will be preserved or reclaimed for qualifying types of open space(s) during future development or redevelopment.
Qualifying open spaces may include but are not limited to the following:
- recreation areas
- walking trails
- bike paths
- gardens
- parks or plazas
- wetlands
- greenways.
Note that roads, rooftops, and parking lots do not qualify as open spaces.
- Ensure a minimum of 15% of the site’s total outdoor surface area will qualify as open space upon development or redevelopment of the preserved or reclaimed land.
- Share the open space preservation plan with all occupants within the project through a minimum of one of the following methods:
- a digital platform, such as a website or digital application
- communication material, such as notification emails or newsletters
- on-site displays, such as posters or digital display screens.
Compliance Documentation
Design Pathway
Option 1 - 25% of Total Outdoor Surface Area as Open Space (Full Credit):
Requirement 1
- Textbook to input the total outdoor surface area (sq. ft):
- Textbook to input the surface area of existing or planned open spaces (sq. ft.):
(Total percentage of open space auto-calculated)
- Upload an annotated design drawing(s) or site plan(s) identifying the following:
– all land areas designated for development
– all existing or planned qualifying open space and the land use descriptions
Option 2 - 15% of Total Outdoor Surface Area as Open Space (Partial Credit):
Requirement 1
- Textbook to input the total outdoor surface area (sq. ft):
- Textbook to input the surface area of existing or planned open spaces (sq. ft.):
(Total percentage of open space auto-calculated)
- Upload an annotated design drawing(s) or site plan(s) identifying the following:
– all land areas designated for development
– all existing or planned qualifying open space and the land use descriptions.
Option 3 - Open Space Preservation Plan (Partial Credit):
Requirement 1
- Upload an annotated site plan identifying the developed or undeveloped land within the project that will be preserved or reclaimed for qualifying types of open space(s).
- Checkbox to certify that the identified land will be preserved or reclaimed for qualifying types of open space(s).
Requirement 2
- Textbox to input the total outdoor surface area (sq. ft):
- Textbox to input the surface area of existing qualifying open space (sq. ft.):
- Textbox to input the surface area of developed or undeveloped land within the project that will be preserved or reclaimed for qualifying types of open space(s) (sq. ft.):
(Total percentage of open space that will be preserved or created will be auto-calculated)
Requirement 3
- Checkbox to certify that the open space preservation plan will be shared with all occupants within the project through one of the following methods (select all that apply):
- a digital platform, such as a website or digital application
- communication material, such as notification emails or newsletters
- on-site displays, such as posters or digital display screens
Built Pathway
Option 1 - 25% of Total Outdoor Surface Area as Open Space (Full Credit):
Requirement 1
- Textbox to input the total outdoor surface area (sq. ft):
- Textbox to input the surface area of existing or planned open spaces (sq. ft.):
(Total percentage of open space auto-calculated)
- Upload an annotated design drawing(s) or site plan(s) identifying the following:
– all land areas designated for development
– all existing or planned qualifying open space and the land use descriptions
Option 2 - 15% of Total Outdoor Surface Area as Open Space (Partial Credit):
Requirement 1
- Textbook to input the total outdoor surface area (sq. ft):
- Textbook to input the surface area of existing or planned open spaces (sq. ft.):
(Total percentage of open space auto-calculated)
- Upload a site plan(s) identifying the following:
– all land areas designated for development
– all existing or planned qualifying open space and the land use descriptions.
Option 3 - Open Space Preservation Plan (Partial Credit):
Requirement 1
- Upload an annotated site plan identifying the developed or undeveloped land within the project that is preserved or reclaimed for qualifying types of open space(s).
- Checkbox to certify that the identified land is preserved or reclaimed for qualifying types of open space(s).
Requirement 2
- Textbox to input the total outdoor surface area (sq. ft):
- Textbox to input the surface area of existing qualifying open space (sq. ft.):
- Textbox to input the surface area of developed or undeveloped land within the project that is preserved or reclaimed for qualifying types of open space(s) (sq. ft.):
(Total percentage of open space that will be preserved or created will be auto-calculated)
Requirement 3
- Checkbox to certify that the open space preservation plan is shared with all occupants within the project through one of the following methods (select all that apply):
- a digital platform, such as a website or digital application
- communication material, such as notification emails or newsletters
- on-site displays, such as posters or digital display screens
- Upload a copy of the materials that are shared with all occupants within the project.
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