Sustainable Site Selection: The Credits Decided Before Design Begins

It's a common surprise for first-time certification clients: some of the most consequential sustainability decisions on a project are made before design even starts, at the moment a site is selected.

Proximity to public transit, protection of sensitive land, existing site density and prior land use all feed directly into site-category credits that are difficult or impossible to improve after acquisition.

Where site selection is still open, involving a green building consultant at that stage — rather than after signing — meaningfully expands what the eventual design can realistically achieve.