01. Location - Noxious Sources

Locate buildings away from noxious sources

Rationale: Situating a space a sufficient distance away from environmental hazards reduces occupant exposure to toxic air pollutants, contributing to diminished risk of cancers, respiratory disease, developmental disorders, and physical injuries.

For the most accurate strategy and documentation requirements, please refer to the digital scorecard made available on the Fitwel Platform.

Requirements

Requirement Guidance

For buildings with multiple entrances, identify a main building entrance that is used to access a common area within the building such as a lobby, reception area, or main circulation pathway.

Demonstrate compliance with one of the options below:

Option 1 - No Environmental and Noxious Hazards (Full Credit):

Demonstrate compliance with all of the following requirements:

Low-Rise Residential with shared interior spaces (LR+), Low-Rise Residential with no shared interior spaces (LR)

1. Locate all buildings a minimum of 1 mile or 1.6 kilometers away from the below recognized environmental and noxious hazards:

   • hazardous waste sites
   • heavy industrial or manufacturing sites, such as oil refineries, coal mines, chemical plants, or auto-plants
   • cropland with pesticide applications
   • arterial roads of 6 lanes or more
   • nuclear power plants
   • bus parking areas and/or train yards
   • cargo ship ports or cruise terminals
   • airports
   • landfills.

   Note that distances should be measured as a straight-line radius (i.e., “as the crow flies”), not based on walking or travel distance.

2. Locate all buildings minimum of a 1/4 mile or 400 meters away from gas stations.

Option 2 - Fewer Environmental and Noxious Hazards (Partial Credit):

The project may achieve partial credit by demonstrating compliance with all of the following requirements:    

Low-Rise Residential with shared interior spaces (LR+), Low-Rise Residential with no shared interior spaces (LR)

1. Locate all buildings a minimum of 1 mile or 1.6 kilometers away from a minimum of seven of the below recognized environmental and noxious hazards:

   • hazardous waste sites
   • heavy industrial or manufacturing sites, such as oil refineries, coal mines, chemical plants, or auto-plants
   • cropland with pesticide applications
   • arterial roads of 6 lanes or more
   • nuclear power plants
   • bus parking areas and/or train yards
   • cargo ship ports or cruise terminals
   • airports
   • landfills.

   Note that distances should be measured as a straight-line radius (i.e., “as the crow flies”), not based on walking or travel distance.

2. Locate all buildings minimum of a 1/4 mile or 400 meters away from gas stations.

Compliance Documentation

Design Pathway (LR+, LR)

Option 1: 

• Requirement 1:
  • Upload an annotated map identifying the distance from the project entrance to the location of all recognized noxious hazards within 1 mile or 1.6 kilometers of the project.
• Requirement 2:
  • Upload an annotated map identifying the distance from the project entrance to the location of all gas stations within a 1/4 mile or 400 meters of the project.        

Option 2: 

• Requirement 1:
  • Upload an annotated map identifying the distance from the project entrance to the location of all recognized noxious hazards within 1 mile or 1.6 kilometers of the project.                     
• Requirement 2:
  • Upload an annotated map identifying the distance from the project entrance to the location of all gas stations within a 1/4 mile or 400 meters of the project.        

Built Pathway (LR+, LR)

Option 1: 

• Requirement 1:
  • Upload an annotated map identifying the distance from the project entrance to the location of all recognized noxious hazards within 1 mile or 1.6 kilometers of the project.  
• Requirement 2:
  • Upload an annotated map identifying the distance from the project entrance to the location of all gas stations within a 1/4 mile or 400 meters of the project.        

Option 2: 

• Requirement 1:
  • Upload an annotated map identifying the distance from the project entrance to the location of all recognized noxious hazards within 1 mile or 1.6 kilometers of the project.
• Requirement 2:
  • Upload an annotated map identifying the distance from the project entrance to the location of all gas stations within a 1/4 mile or 400 meters of the project.