Investigating LEED-ND Key Criteria for Effective Sustainability Evaluation

This study investigated the relationship between key neighborhood sustainability criteria (walkability, bikeability, transportation, and residential density) and the overall sustainability score of projects certified under the Leadership for Energy and Environmental Design for Neighborhood Development (LEED-ND) program. The study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the LEED-ND system in establishing criteria for sustainability evaluation. Data for all LEED-ND: Built Projects were gathered from “USGBC.com“ and “walkscore.com.” Initial assessments of the relationships between each key factor and the LEED score of the projects were conducted using multiple linear regression analysis. The results indicated a negative relationship between walkability and the level of sustainability, despite its considerable weight in the LEED-ND system. In contrast, density, transportation, and bikeability demonstrated associations with the LEED scores of the projects. The evaluation of the moderation effect of key climate factors on these relationships indicated that only the number of precipitation days influences the relationship between walkability and the LEED score. The findings of this study indicate the necessity to reconsider walkability criteria in the LEED-ND system.