What is the potential point value for the Site Development: Protect or Restore Habitat credit for healthcare projects?

The Site Development: Protect or Restore Habitat credit allows healthcare projects to earn a potential point value based on the extent of habitat protection or restoration achieved. The flexibility of 1-2 points acknowledges that projects can either meet the minimum requirements to receive a single point or exceed those requirements through more significant conservation efforts, thus earning an additional point.

This range reflects LEED's approach to incentivizing comprehensive habitat restoration practices, which can vary significantly from one project to another based on site conditions and ecological goals. Therefore, healthcare projects aiming for sustainability can strategically choose how much habitat they wish to protect or restore, ranging from basic compliance to more extensive ecological initiatives, resulting in the point range of 1-2 points.

This understanding emphasizes the importance of site selection and environmental stewardship in the LEED certification process, particularly for healthcare facilities that may have a broader impact on community health and ecosystems.