Designing for the Future

Incorporating SITES into sustainable landscape regulations

Paul Wessel, Director, Market Development at U.S. Green Building Council

MARCH 2024

Cultural Arts Corridor: The Lower Ramble | Photo: City of FayettevilleIn order for landscapes to be effectively used in governance at least two
conditions are necessary. First, the services that landscapes provide must be
understood and viewed as relevant and, second, there needs to be tools to act.
Ecosystem services help with the first condition and SITES with the second.
From “Landscape Governance: The Prospects for the SITES Rating System,” by Frederick Steiner,
SITES AP, FASLA, FAAR, RAAR, University of Pennsylvania1
SITES Ordinance Resource | sustainablesites.orgbLand use in the United States is largely regulated at the municipal level, dating back to the Supreme Court
approval of comprehensive zoning in the 1920s2. Municipalities often face challenges in implementing
landscape development regulations; even more so when they seek to integrate sustainable and resilient
design strategies into those regulations. Towns and cities searching for a clear, replicable and verifiableapproach to sustainable land development are increasingly incorporating SITES certification into theirregulatory toolbox.
The Sustainable SITES Initiative is owned and administered by Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI),
the certifying body for the Leadership for Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system, which
established the first baseline for green building standards. SITES offers a comprehensive rating systemdesigned to guide, evaluate and certify a project’s sustainability in the planning, design, construction andmanagement of landscapes and other outdoor spaces. It complements the LEED rating system, which isalso used in many municipal regulatory standards. SITES’ nature-based solutions and strategies promotebiodiversity, conserve water and other resources, mitigate climate change, improve public health andprovide economic benefits in development projects.
To date, SITES has identified•

Fifteen localities incorporating SITES into their local ordinances.

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Twelve additional localities adopting SITES in local or institutional policy and development guidelines.

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Two states that have adopted SITES through legislation or executive action.

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One occurrence of SITES adoption at the federal level.

As municipalities and institutions across the world are increasingly turning their focus to sustainability,
resilience and decarbonization strategies, landscapes are a powerful resource to support biodiversity,
reduce risk from natural hazards and climate change impacts, reduce urban heat island effects, conserve
water and provide access to community spaces that improve human health and well-being.
Local, state and federal government branches are also enacting SITES across their land development
projects to pursue these goals. The following snapshots give a brief overview of each category, withdetails and links to further information in the appendix. The purpose of this resource is to document the
progress made and to provide ideas and inspiration for other institutions seeking to reinforce their own
sustainability policies.
Do you know of additional local, state or federal regulations incorporating SITES? Are you pursuing thiskind of work in your own institution? Let us know by emailing sites@gbci.org.

Arizona State University Orange Mall Green Infrastructure Project | Photo: Marion Brenner

SITES Ordinance Resource | sustainablesites.org

1Snapshot: Local ordinances
The sixteen localities enshrining SITES into law are distributed across the country. Six require SITES insome situations. Four award points for SITES as an option for achieving a specific required score. Three
offer development incentives for SITES, and three encourage SITES adoption. The following chart details
this in summary.
SITES in Local Ordinances (as of 10/23)
RequiredAustinTX

Required for projects over $2 million

Bryan

TX

Required for planned development district

Dyer

IN

Required design guideline

East Pikeland Township

PA

Required for overlay district

King County

WA

Required for county-owned or -financed projects

Lexington

MA

Required for sites over 1/2 acre

ChicagoIL

Contributes to required development elements

DallasTX

Contributes to required development elements

Lexington—Fayette County

KY

Contributes to adaptive reuse requirement

Wilton Manors

FL

Contributes to required development elements

New Haven

CT

Contributes to larger building size

Pompano Beach

FL

Reduces or increases parking requirements

Will County

IL

Contributes to “bonus dwelling units”

Broward County

FL

Encouraged in development requirements

Easthampton

MA

Incorporated into smart-growth zoning district

Edina

MN

Encouraged in park master plan

Contributing

Incentivized

Encouraged

Snapshot: Local or institutional policy
Washington, D.C.; Lakewood, Colorado; Lincolnwood, Illinois; New York City, New York; and the Illinois
Metropolitan Mayors Caucus have each embraced SITES in various localities through administrative
policies, rather than local legislative action.
The Atlanta Beltline, San Francisco State University, Colby College, University of Illinois Chicago andArizona State University (ASU) have each incorporated SITES into their development policies. ASU
includes SITES in its section discussing a governor’s (former Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano) executive
order mandating LEED.
The Illinois Metropolitan Mayors Caucus 2016 “Green Region Compact,” adopted by 156 communities
and four counties, calls for achieving SITES certification in public landscapes and promotes it for use incommercial and institutional landscapes.

SITES Ordinance Resource | sustainablesites.org

2Snapshot: State legislation or executive action
Largely due to the efforts of Rhode Island Green Building Council (RIGBC) Chair Ken Filarski, Rhode Island
expanded its Green Building Act in 2022 to include a LEED for Neighborhood Development (LEED ND)
and SITES requirement for state and municipal projects.
Texas, through executive action by Gov. Greg Abbot in 2018, incorporated SITES into its statewide
comprehensive outdoor recreation plan (SCORP). This plan is required every five years for states to accessmatching federal funds for statewide outdoor recreation planning. The Texas SCORP asserts: “It shouldbe the goal of all public outdoor recreation projects, buildings and sites to strive to follow as many of the
LEED and SSI [Sustainable SITES Initiative] concepts as possible, even if the projects are not participatingin full and formal certification.”

Snapshot: Federal policy
During the Obama Administration in 2010, the “Guidance for Federal Agencies on Sustainable Practices
for Designed Landscapes” was developed in response to Executive Order 13514, which called for Federal
agencies and facilities to improve their sustainability efforts. The United States Botanic Garden was
asked to lead the development of the guidance document, while technical assistance was provided by
the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. This was due in part to their participation in releasing the first
SITES rating system in 2009, which described best practices and performance goals for the design,
construction and maintenance of sustainable landscapes. The Sustainable SITES Initiative is a former
partnership of the American Society of Landscape Architects, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Centerat the University of Texas at Austin and the U.S. Botanic Garden. Knowledge gained in developing the
Sustainable SITES Initiative served as background for many of the recommendations provided in theensuing guidance document.
In 2015, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) began to require the achievement of SITES
Silver certification, as a minimum, for projects under GSA’s capital construction program. Largely
through the work of the then-GSA national Design Director for Landscape Architect Christian Gabriel,
the GSA determined that the incorporation of SITES offers a highly effective and efficient way to compel
environmental performance and project efficiencies, including effective cost control, on various capitalproject types.
“Using SITES gives us project accountability and, frankly, raises the bar on our quality of work,” explained
Kevin Hartz, current senior landscape architect for the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), in aninterview with USGBC+. “It makes the difference between talking the talk and walking the walk for oursustainability work.”

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Appendix—SITES in U.S. Law and Policy
Local Ordinance
A. Required•

Austin, Texas
Sustainable Landscape Guidance:
The … policy for new construction for CIP projects includes a NEW requirement for Parks andRecreation Department projects over $2M to achieve Sustainable SITES certification.
Sustainability does not stop at the front doors. Sustainable landscapes provide numerous
benefits for the environment, property owners and communities. Thoughtfully designed
landscapes can positively impact building and landscape performance, maintenance andaesthetics as well as promote human and ecological health. The policy outlines landscapeand green Infrastructure strategies that should be encouraged and prioritized into allapplicable projects.
Austin Green Building Policy Resolution (2021)
City of Austin Improves Resilience and Community Health Through Landscape Development
in Parks and Green Spaces—AustinTexas.gov
Austin Will Require All Future Parks and Recreation Projects to Achieve SITES Certification—
The Architect’s Newspaper•

Bryan, Texas
The following general development standards shall apply to all of the BioCorridor Planned
Development District except where expressly stated to apply to, or exclude, specific districts.
… The sensitive design and development of this corridor will enable the natural andbuilt systems to work together to meet present needs without jeopardizing the ability of
future generations to meet their needs. The standards of this article are intended to use
environmental sensitivity standards in order to:… Foster environmental stewardship through the adherence to the Sustainable Sites Initiativeand Guidelines and their Ecosystem Scoreboard.
Ordinance 2300: Amending a Previously Approved Planned Development (2018)
Ordinance 2336: Amending a Previously Approved Planned Development (2019)

Kingsbury Commons | Photo: Casey Dunn

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Dyer, Indiana
These minimum landscape standards apply to all public and private Multi-Family Residential,
Commercial, Institutional and Industrial developments in the Town … The Commission must
use the following design guidelines to evaluate proposed landscaping plans:… The best professional practices of the American Society of Landscape Architects andIndiana Nursery [and] Landscape Association are mandatory and incorporated into thisordinance. In addition, guidelines proposed and referenced through the Sustainable Sites
Initiative should be utilized.
Ordinance No. 2021-30: Sec. 10-147.11 Design Guidelines•

East Pikeland Township, Pennsylvania
In addition to all the other design standards in this Ordinance, the below listed standards
shall apply specifically within the KLID Overlay District. Low Impact Development residents
are united by shared ecological, social, economic, and cultural values. All development under
this Article shall attain at least the minimum scores and percentages recited in this Ordinanceas to the sustainable land development assessment method SITES v2 Rating System,
the dwelling unit energy assessment system RESNET-HERS, and the renewable energy
requirements. Development shall incorporate the following standards within its design andfunction to facilitate social interaction, low-impact site design, energy conservation, andrenewable energy.
KLID Kimberton Low Impact Development Overlay District•

King County, Washington
Green Building Program
The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearlyrequires otherwise.
A. “Alternative green building rating system” means a third-party green building certification
other than LEED or the King County Sustainable Infrastructure Scorecard. The following
are accepted alternative green building rating systems, but the executive may also accept
certification through other rating systems as appropriate:… SITES… The policy intent of this chapter is to ensure that the planning, design, construction,
remodeling, renovation, historic preservation, maintenance, operation and decommissioningof any King County-owned, lease-to-own or financed capital project is consistent with thelatest green building and sustainable development practices.
… The procurement services section of the department of executive services shall, where
possible and appropriate, include green building requirements in capital design andconstruction contracts, bid documents and technical specifications. The project manager
responsible for the capital project shall collaborate with procurement services section staff
to determine where green building requirements are possible and appropriate. As applicable,
requests for proposals and qualifications should include a list or description of green building
rating system certification experience. Procurement documents that relate to construction orcapital projects shall cite this chapter.
Title 18 Environmental Sustainability Program: King County, Washington

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Lexington, Massachusetts
Projects that involve disturbance of more than 1/2 acre of land shall demonstrate certifiability
at the [G]old level under SITES v2, as amended.
Site Plan Review and Special Permit Design Regulations 12.6.1

B. Contributing•

Chicago, Illinois
Chicago Sustainable Development Policy Handbook… There are two compliance paths available to meet the requirements of the Chicago
Sustainable Development Policy. The first pathway involves earning the required numberof points without achieving any of the listed building certifications. The required number ofpoints must be achieved from the Menu of Sustainable Strategies explained below.
The second pathway is for projects to achieve one of the listed building certifications. Projects
obtaining one of the certifications will start with a certain number of points dependingon the type of certification and in certain cases the level of certification. The remaining
number of required points will need to be reached through the strategies listed in the menu.
Certain strategies are not applicable (NA) because they will have been met by obtaining thecertification.
The updated policy framework and requirements apply to all Redevelopment Agreements,
Planned Development Agreements, Site Plan Approvals, projects required to comply with
the Chicago Air Quality Ordinance (17-9-0117-G) and Planned Development Amendments
reviewed by the Department of Planning and Development’s Design Review Committee afterJan. 9, 2017.
The strategies in the menu have been categorized as follows: Health, Energy, Stormwater,
Landscapes, Green Roofs, Water, Transportation, Solid Waste, Work Force and Wildlife.
… Landscapes
4.4 Achieve Sustainable SITES Certification
SITES is the culmination of years of research and development by leading professionals
in the fields of soil, water, vegetation, materials and human health. By providing
performance measures rather than prescribing practices, SITES supports the uniqueconditions of each site, encouraging project teams to be flexible and creative as they
develop beautiful, functional and regenerative landscapes. SITES-certified landscapes
help reduce water demand, filter and reduce stormwater runoff, provide wildlife habitat,
reduce energy consumption, improve air quality, improve human health and increase
outdoor recreation opportunities.
Compliance Documentation: A sealed letter from the landscape architect of record
stating they will achieve certification and a scorecard detailing the credits that will be
pursued.
Chicago Sustainable Development Policy Handbook
Chicago Zoning Ordinance and Land Use Ordinance: 17-8-0900 Standards andGuidelines
Chicago Zoning Ordinance and Land Use Ordinance: 17-9-0100 Use Standards

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Dallas, Texas
LANDSCAPE DESIGN OPTIONS.
Points required for a building site. Points are obtained by meeting design option
requirements in order to achieve the total number of points required for the property.
11. The applicant may provide documentation and demonstrate ability to achieve certain
conditions.
Option 1. Provide Sustainable SITES Initiative documentation and demonstrate ability toattain SITES [C]ertified level or greater. 10 points.
Option 2. Provide and implement a landscape maintenance plan for a minimum threeyear period. Three points. (Ord. Nos. 19455; 20496; 22053; 30929)
City of Dallas, Texas, Code of Ordinances: Sec. 51A-10.126—Landscape Design Options•

Lexington—Fayette County, Kentucky
Adaptive Reuse Projects may be permitted by the Planning Commission upon the approval ofa final development plan, subject to the following requirements… The applicant shall include at least one element from the following categories and mustreach total score of 10 points:… Green Rated Site Design (Sustainable Sites Initiative or similar standard) (3 points) Incorporating whole of project area.
Zoning Ordinance Article 8—Schedule of Zones: Sec. 8-21. Wholesale and Warehouse
Business (B-4) Zone•

Wilton Manors, Florida
SITES certification will provide 2 points towards a required 10–16 points, depending on
building type, for most new and substantial redevelopment projects.
Wilton Manors, Florida, Code of Ordinances: Article 170—Wilton Manors Green Building
ProgramColumbus US Land Port of Entry Expansion | Photo: MRWM Architects

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C. Incentivized•

New Haven, Connecticut
Article V, Section 43 Section 43. - Bulk, yard and density regulations for business andindustrial districts.
“Public Plaza that meets SITES certification or equivalent can qualify for additional FAR points
at .5 of the points assigned to the equivalent LEED certification rating set forth in subsections
1a—1d above.”
New Haven, Connecticut—Zoning: Section 43. Bulk, Yard and Density Regulations for
Business and Industrial Districts•

Pompano Beach, Florida
New development in the Multiple-Family (RM-), Business (B-), Industrial (I-1, I-IX, OIP, M-2),
and Transit Oriented (TO) districts that provide sustainable features [… including s]ite andlandscaping design that attains a minimum Sustainable Sites certification of Two Stars [canearn bonus of m]odification in the minimum or maximum number of off-street parking
spaces by up to 5 percent.
City of Pompano Beach Zoning Code: 155.5803. Bonuses for Sustainable Development
Features•Will County, Illinois
A conservation design subdivision designed in accordance with this section … is a by-right
permitted use…. Other development options include a conventional residential subdivision
or a planned unit development residential subdivision. When this option is utilized, theregulations of this section are intended to encourage subdivision designs that are more
efficient and provide more open space and greater natural resource protection thanconventional subdivision designs. One goal of conservation design subdivisions is to allow
more compact and less costly networks of streets and utilities. They may also help preserveaquifer recharge, reduce stormwater runoff, reduce non-point source pollutant loading rates
and preserve an area’s semi-rural character. Conservation design subdivisions are intended
to encourage the provision of open space and recreational amenities for residents andpreserve natural, environmentally sensitive and other resources.
[Bonus dwelling units beyond the maximum allowed may be earned by developments
providing] design excellence and quality in building style and material. This may include, but
not be limited to, compact clustering of home sites with the efficient and appropriate layoutof roads and utilities and energy conserving landscaping. This should include the utilizationof native plant species and the preservation of natural resources. The aforementioned design
should reflect nationally recognized standards, such as the Sustainable Sites Initiative, LEEDor National Association of Homebuilders Green Building Standards or as described in theDeveloper’s Handbook. (not to exceed a[n] 8% bonus)]
Will County, Illinois, Code of Ordinances: § 154.268 Density Bonuses; Calculations

Bartholdi Park at U.S. Botanic Gardens | Photo: U.S. Botanic Garden

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D. Encouraged•

Broward County, Florida
Sec. 39-75. - Purpose and intent.
The general purposes of this article are as follows:(a) To establish minimum standards for the development, redevelopment, installation,and maintenance of Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ areas in the unincorporated areaof Broward County, without inhibiting creative landscape design, construction, andmanagement, and to protect and enhance the aesthetic character of Broward County;… (e) To promote the use of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and
The Sustainable Sites Initiative (SITES®) in the landscape environment;
Definition: Sustainable Sites; Green Infrastructure: Sites that have received certification fromeither the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) or The Sustainable Sites
Initiative (SITES®).
… LEED and Sustainable Sites concepts are encouraged in order to increase GreenInfrastructure for sites being developed and to make them more environmentally conducive.
Broward County, Florida, Code of Ordinances: Chapter 39, Article VIII—Landscaping forProtection of Water Quality and Quantity•

Easthampton, Massachusetts
The City of Easthampton Design Standards Smart Growth Zoning District:
The special zoning district, permitted by Massachusetts General Law Chapter 40R, isdesigned to encourage the development of and access to deed restricted affordable housing.
Working essentially as an incentive program, 40R allows a developer to create more housing
than zoning would normally permit provided at least 20 percent of the units are affordable.
… As stated in the 2008 Master Plan, the residents of Easthampton would like to see any
new development be designed in a way that respects the community character and cultural,
natural, and historical features evident throughout the community. We encourage applicants
to consider the following design principals when proposing a new Chapter 40R development
into the city.
... Adherence to the Resilient MA Action Team Climate Resilience Design Standards andGuidelines including risk rating, design standards, guidelines, and best practices. Encourage
designs focused on promoting native vegetation and wildlife support, such as:•

Pursuit of SITES Certification for sustainable landscapes, as guided by the SITES v2 Scorecard
Summary

The City of Easthampton Design Standards: Smart Growth Zoning District
Also found on the Planning Board web page (under “Forms & Document: Rules &Regulations”).

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Edina, Minnesota
Park, Recreation and Trails Strategic Plan, Appendix A Implementation Framework:
Develop more sustainable parks and trails infrastructure that are resilient to impacts ofclimate change
Tactic: Use the Sustainable Sites Initiative (SITES®) as a guide for new park development andretrofits, and to create a green operations plan. SITES® is the landscape and site equivalent
to LEED and is the most comprehensive guide and objective sustainability rating system forthe landscape
Performance Measure: Utilize SSI checklist for all new and major renovation projects.
Park, Recreation and Trails Strategic Plan Appendices, Strategy 2.2

Local or Institutional Policy•

Atlanta Beltline
The Atlanta BeltLine Sustainability Guidelines require compliance with portions of LEED™NC and Sustainable Sites Initiative (SSI) green landscape guidelines to ensure that the
BeltLine corridor will be built with green materials, using best practices available in green
construction.
Sustainability 040711—Atlanta BeltLine
Atlanta BeltLine Requires SITES Certification for Future Parks—retrofit
The Atlanta BeltLine Will Require SITES Certification for Future Parks•

Arizona State University
The State of Arizona Governor’s Executive Order 2005-05 mandates that all new state
facilities achieve LEED Silver certification. LEED Silver is the minimum standard for ASU new
construction and major renovation projects with Platinum certification as the goal. ASU
has pre-determined LEED credits it usually obtains to assist in building design efficiency,
as outlined in Section 3: 01 81 13. Compliance with certain LEED credits and sustainability
specifications is required for all projects regardless of whether the project is required
to achieve LEED Silver certification. All landscape projects are to pursue qualificationfor Sustainable Sites certification and seek certification when OUA determines it to beappropriate. All parking garages are to pursue qualification for ParkSmart certification andseek certification when OUA and Parking and Transit Services determine it to be appropriate.
ASU Sustainable Design Guidelines•

Colby College
Colby is committed to planting only native or naturalized species on campus to cultivatea healthy and natural ecosystem, which minimizes maintenance and resource use. Colby
has made a commitment to implement the SITES rating system in new landscape designs
wherever possible. In 2018, the Colby College Athletic Fields became the first project in New
England to achieve SITES certification.
Colby College Green Development Plan: Landscape

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Fayetteville, Arkansas
Does not appear to have adopted SITES into regulation but has a page dedicated to SITES toshare information on its certified project.
SITES Certification: City of Fayetteville, Arkansas—Official Website•

Illinois Metropolitan Mayors Caucus
The Greenest Region Compact 2 presents consensus goals for environmental sustainability
to be addressed by local municipalities, yet will have coordinated, positive impacts on a muchlarger scale. [This calls for municipalities to:]“Promote Sustainable SITES Certification for commercial and institutional landscapes”
and for municipalities to “Lead by demonstrating sustainable values and practices” byachieving “Sustainable Sites certification for public landscapes.”
GRC2: The Framework
Participating Communities and Councils of Governments
Sample endorsing resolution
Adopted by 156 communities, four counties, and all Chicago-region Council of Governments:
Greenest Region Compact—Mayors Caucus
Full list of communities as of July 2023•

Lakewood, Colorado, Sustainability Plan
Encourage development in Lakewood that values the natural environment and supports
public health and community cohesion.
Implementation strategies: Sustainable Site Planning and Development: Key elements of
the Sustainable Sites Initiative (SSI) to integrate into the City’s site planning standards.
Specifically:•

Conduct a comprehensive assessment of the Sustainable Sites Initiative to identify key concepts
and requirements applicable to Lakewood; and•Incorporate sustainable site planning requirements and guidelines into the City’s Zoning
Ordinance with consideration of the benefits and costs.

City of Lakewood Sustainability Plan 2015 (Page 49)•

Lincolnwood, Illinois
Encourage strategic development that upholds sustainability principles•

Promote Sustainable Sites Certification for commercial and institutional landscape

Draft Sustainability Plan, July 2023

Colby College Harold Alfond Athletics and Recreation Center | Photo: Colby College

SITES Ordinance Resource | sustainablesites.org

11•New York City, New YorkAs the SITES developers were in the pilot project stage, the New York City Department ofParks & Recreation adapted the system for its new landscape guidelines (Design Trustfor Public Space and the City of New York 2010). Under the leadership of Mayor Michael
Bloomberg and Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe, the city and the Design Trust for Public
Space assembled municipal staff, park advocates, and designers to create a blueprint for
designing, building, and maintaining the city’s 29,000 acres (11,736 hectares) of parks andopen space. It was one measure to help implement the city’s 2007 plan, PlaNYC, and part ofthe mayor’s strategy to significantly expand parks and open space throughout the city. The
resulting High-Performance Landscape Guidelines: 21st Century Parks for NYC (Design Trustfor Public Space and City of New York 2010; See also Carlisle and Pevzner 2012) was closelyaligned with SITES as it existed then.
Landscape Governance: The Prospects for the SITES Rating System, by Frederick Steiner•

San Francisco State University Sustainable Development Framework
Many of the performance requirements herein are based on third-party rating systems andother resources; the specific applicable criteria are referenced in the relevant sections of thisFramework. These rating criteria are utilized as the foundation for this Framework because
they represent the building industry’s best thinking and expertise as to what are truly the bestpractices in a given area or discipline, as well as how to implement those practices and how
they can be credibly verified.
SITES credits are included as options for demonstrating performance in the following areas:•

Community Engagement•

Long Asset Life•

Landscape•Transportation•

Construction Waste & Pollution Prevention

San Francisco State University Sustainable Development Framework•

University of Illinois Chicago
All new construction and major renovation projects on campus, regardless of their size orbudget, must complete the CAIP checklist for UIC projects, using the LEED® or SITES TM
template. Building projects must achieve Gold level or higher and landscape projects mustachieve Silver or higher. If the building project costs more than $5 million, the project must
be registered with GBCI and obtain LEED Gold level certification. If the landscape project
costs more than $2.5 million, the project must be registered with GBCI and obtain SITES
Silver level certification.
Climate Action Implementation Plan•

Washington, D.C.
Maintenance Standards: Create official maintenance standards based on industry bestpractices, such as Sustainable SITES Initiative (SITES) or an equivalent system, to improve theeffectiveness of current maintenance and service levels for recreational buildings, facilities,
and landscaping. Both maintenance contractors and the District should adhere to thesestandards.
The Comprehensive Plan for the National Capital District, Chapter 8: Parks, Recreation andOpen Space Element—810.17

SITES Ordinance Resource | sustainablesites.org

12State Legislation or Executive Action•

Rhode Island
37-24-4. Green building standards.
(a) All public major facility projects of the state, public agencies, municipalities and politicalsubdivisions shall be designed and constructed to at least the LEED, LEED for Neighborhood
Development, and SITES, as provided herein, certified or an equivalent high-performancegreen building standard. This provision applies to public major facility projects or other public
improvements of any kind to any public facility that have not entered the design phase prior
to July 1, 2023, for LEED, LEED for Neighborhood Development and for SITES.
(b) All public major facility projects of a public school facility, where the project receives
any funding from the state, shall be designed and constructed to at least the LEED, LEED
for Neighborhood Development, and SITES, as provided herein, certified standard, or the
Northeast Collaborative for High-Performance Schools Protocol, Version 1.1 or above. This
provision applies to public major facility projects or other public improvements by the state
or a public school district to any public school facility that have not entered the design phaseprior to July 1, 2023, for LEED, LEED for Neighborhood Development, and for SITES.
Rhode Island: The Green Buildings Act
The Green Buildings Act and Green Buildings Advisory Committee (GBAC)—State of Rhode
Island Building Code Commission
Rhode Island Amends Its Green Buildings Act—USGBC•

2018 Texas Outdoor Recreation Plan
The [Federal] LWCF Act of 1965 authorized the distribution of matching grants to states andlocal governments for statewide outdoor recreation planning, and to leverage public andprivate investment in public outdoor recreation through the acquisition and developmentof outdoor recreation areas and facilities. The 2018 Texas Outdoor Recreation Plan
(TORP) fulfills an eligibility requirement allowing Texas to continue receiving its allotted
appropriation through the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) program. Each stateis required to produce a statewide comprehensive outdoor recreation plan (SCORP) at least
once every five years. The Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) is the state agency that
holds the authority to represent and act for the state of Texas regarding the LWCF statesideassistance program.
… A move from solely recreation-based parks to sustainable parks not only improves thequality of the natural environment, but also adds to the visitor experience in the park andthe community in general. Many of the initiatives defined within this chapter are outlinedin the Sustainable Sites Initiative (SSI) which was developed by a partnership between theAmerican Society of Landscape Architects, the Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center at the
University of Texas in Austin, and the U.S. Botanical Garden.
The SSI offers a set of “voluntary national guidelines and performance benchmarks forsustainable land design, construction, and maintenance practices” (American Society ofLandscape Architects, Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center, U.S. Botanic Garden, 2009). The
SSI is modeled after the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Green
Building Rating System™ and is a 250 point rating system based on 15 prerequisites and 51
credits. The U.S. Green Building Council anticipates incorporating the SSI rating system into
future versions of the LEED Green Building Design Rating System. In an attempt to increase
the validity of TPWD’s Sustainable Park Design initiative, many of the key elements outlined
are further supported by the prerequisites and credits listed under the SSI SITES rating
system. Land practices are defined as sustainable if they enable natural and built systems to

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work together to “meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs” (American Society of Landscape Architects, Ladybird
Johnson Wildflower Center, U.S. Botanical Garden, 2009).
It should be the goal of all public outdoor recreation projects, buildings, and sites to strive
to follow as many of the LEED and SSI concepts as possible, even if the projects are notparticipating in full and formal certification.
2018 Texas Outdoor Recreation Plan
Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plans (SCORPs)—American Trails
How States Plan and Select Projects—Land and Water Conservation Fund (U.S. National Park
Service)

Federal Policy•

General Services Administration (GSA)
In 2015 U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) reached a decision to adopt the
Sustainable Sites Initiative (SITES) certification program, with a minimum silver rating, for
GSA’s capital construction program. The GSA determined that the incorporation of SITES,
which provides a focus on ecological services and economic and environmental sustainability
beyond a building’s envelope, and also possesses the ability to be applied independently
or coupled with LEED certification, offers a highly effective and efficient way to compel
environmental performance and project efficiencies, including effective cost control, on
various capital project types.
This decision was originally memorialized in the 2016 version of GSA’s Facilities Standards for
the Public Buildings Service (P-100) document, and has been renewed again in subsequent
editions. The P-100 establishes design standards and criteria for new buildings, site
improvements, infrastructural projects, major and minor alterations, and work in historic
structures for the Public Buildings Service (PBS) of the General Services Administration. This
document contains both policy and technical criteria used in the programming, design, anddocumentation of GSA buildings and facilities.
SITES Certification—U.S. General Services Administration
General Services Administration Has Adopted SITES—USGBC+
Interview with Christian Gabriel, ASLA—American Society of Landscape Architects

Endnotes
1 Steiner, Frederick. “Landscape Governance: The Prospects for the SITES Rating System.” Socio-Ecological
Practice Research 2 (2020): 301–10. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42532-020-00068-x.
2 American Bar Association. Municipal Power to Regulation Land Use. https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/village_of_euclid_v_ambler_realty_(1926)
SITES Ordinance Resource | sustainablesites.org

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