Rooted in Resilience: How SITES and LEED Certifications Drive Smarter Site Design
In today’s built environment, sustainability frameworks like SITES (Sustainable SITES Initiative) and LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) offer far more than plaques for the wall. These voluntary and sometimes required systems provide a shared language for long-term performance, ecological clarity, and team accountability. They reinforce Circle V’s values across a diverse range of work, from civic and federal projects to residential developments rooted in place and purpose. Our approach is resilient, grounded, and always evolving.
What Sets SITES and LEED Apart
Across civic spaces, military campuses, and residential developments, we draw on these tools to integrate water systems, vegetation, materials, and human-scale circulation. Although often mentioned together, SITES and LEED serve distinct but complementary priorities. LEED evaluates the sustainability or performance of entire buildings, with site design one piece of a larger framework. SITES, on the other hand, focuses on the landscape specifically, encouraging regenerative strategies that elevate soil health, water balance, vegetation structure, and long-term stewardship. They can be used independently or in tandem with one another.
Where We Use Them At Circle V, we deploy each system based on project goals. In vertical construction, landscape often supports a broader LEED strategy. In civic infrastructure or open space projects, SITES becomes the performance driver. Both are recognized by the Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI) and frequently align with local frameworks like the Austin Energy Green Building (AEGB) program and the City of Austin’s Climate Equity Plan.
What Do These Systems Prioritize in Design?
Here’s how LEED and SITES translate vision into action:
LEED: Site-related credits (BD+C examples)
Integrative Process (IPc1): Encourages early collaboration across disciplines to optimize energy, water, and site strategies.
Sensitive Land Protection (LTc1): Avoids development on prime farmland, floodplains, or habitats.
Heat Island Reduction (SSc5): Rewards strategies like reflective paving, green roofs, and tree canopy to reduce urban heat.
Rainwater Management (SSc3): Encourages on-site infiltration, evapotranspiration, or reuse of stormwater.
Open Space (SSc2): Promotes accessible outdoor areas that support biodiversity and human health.
Light Pollution Reduction (SSc6): Minimizes nighttime glare and skyglow through thoughtful lighting design.
SITES: Landscape-Specific Criteria (v2 examples)
Site Context (Prerequisite 1.1): Requires understanding of regional ecology, hydrology, and cultural history.
Soil Restoration (Credit 4.3): Encourages rebuilding healthy soil profiles to support vegetation and infiltration.
Vegetation (Credit 4.6): Rewards use of native/adapted species and layered plant communities.
Human Health & Well-Being (Credit 6.5): Supports access to nature, shade, and inclusive circulation.
Maintenance Plan (Credit 8.4): Requires long-term strategies for irrigation, pruning, and ecological care.
Construction Pollution Prevention (Prerequisite 7.3): Mandates erosion control and protection of existing vegetation during construction.
Understanding LEED: A Holistic Framework
LEED is among the most widely used green building rating systems globally. Projects must meet prerequisites and earn credits across categories like water efficiency, materials, and indoor environmental quality. Points earned determine the certification level:
Certified: 40 to 49 points
Silver: 50 to 59 points
Gold: 60 to 79 points
Platinum: 80+ points
LEED projects register under specific rating systems, such as Building Design + Construction (BD+C), and pursue versions like v4.1 or v5. At Circle V, we guide clients through this journey, leveraging LEED Online, Arc, and in-house expertise to streamline compliance.
Understanding SITES: Performance that Starts with the Ground
Where LEED focuses on the building envelope, SITES centers on landscapes; spaces that must endure cycles of drought, flooding, and foot traffic long after construction ends. Projects earn points across prerequisites and credits that elevate ecology, stewardship, and human experience:
Certified: 70 to 84 points
Silver: 85 to 99 points
Gold: 100 to 134 points
Platinum: 135 to 200 points
Common applications include parks, trails, streetscapes, and civic campuses, particularly those responding to climate stressors like water scarcity or urban heat. We’ve seen it align naturally with Austin’s emphasis on green infrastructure and equitable access to open space.
Does Certification Make a Difference?
When used with intention, both SITES and LEED improve how sites perform, age, and respond to change. These frameworks:
Clarify goals early, keeping sustainability central
Provide third-party validation for clients, partners, and the public
Support integrated design across water, planting, and energy systems
Establish accountability from concept through maintenance
Project Highlights
We’ve observed benefits of LEED and SITES certifications on projects firsthand, across multiple project types:
Military Barracks and Federal Installations Circle V has supported LEED Silver certification for more than 8 barracks projects to date. Improvements have varied across projects, but have generally included more efficient water use, healthier site conditions, and greater construction accountability.
In Civic work, like the forthcoming Asian American Resource Center Pavilion (Austin, TX) Originally initiated at Circle V, the Pavilion at the Asian American Resource Center reflects a deep commitment to ecological impact, cultural stewardship, and material sensitivity. As the project transitions under the direction of Hannah D’Amico, former Circle V managing principal and founder of the new studio Mira, it continues to carry forward the shared vision and design intent. Pursuing SITES certification, the Pavilion emphasizes sustainable infrastructure and layered site experiences, offering a forward-thinking outdoor space rooted in community and care. Circle V will offer quality control on the project.
Urban Residential and Master-Planned Communities While not every project seeks LEED or SITES certification, many borrow best practices from their frameworks. Whether through native planting strategies or thoughtful grading, the influence of these frameworks shows up across Circle V’s portfolio. In addition to pursuing LEED and SITES strategies, The Rhett recently achieved a 2-star rating through the Austin Energy Green Building (AEGB) program. This local certification recognizes the project’s commitment to sustainable design and construction practices aligned with Austin’s environmental goals. The rating reflects contributions from a collaborative team including Hatch + Ulland Owen Architects, Aptus Engineering, Zydeco Development Corporation, Circle V Landscape Architecture, EEA Consulting Engineers, Texas Energy Systems, and Skybeck. The Sasha, permanent and transitional supportive housing on Austin’s SAFE Alliance Campus, is pursuing a 1-star rating through AEGB. Further, designed in collaboration with H+UO and another AEGB program participant, Vera integrates stormwater management, native plantings, and pedestrian connectivity to create a layered, human-scaled landscape.
Navigating Certification with Clarity
Sustainability certification isn’t always simple. Projects often face:
Heavy Documentation: Tracking narratives, calculations, and site data
Budget Concerns: Owners may hesitate when fees feel disconnected from outcomes
Misalignment Across Teams: When goals are not shared early, sustainability can fall to the margins
At Circle V, we respond with:
Subject Matter Experts: With a LEED Green Associate and SITES AP resource available, we can collaboratively guide credits, documentation, and compliance strategies from the inside.
Targeted Credit Selection: We advocate for impactful strategies over easy checkboxes, focusing on credits that tangibly improve performance.
Early Integration: Certification goals are embedded in kickoff agendas, design narratives, and contractor conversations to minimize surprises.
Right-Sized Systems: Whether a large-scale civic site or compact residential infill, our documentation tools scale with the project.
Certification systems are evolving, and so are we. Looking ahead, our team is focused on:
Post-Occupancy Outcomes: Prioritizing measurable performance over time, like plant survivability, hydrologic function, and long-term care
Equity and Access: Designing landscapes that serve both people and ecosystems, with a focus on shade, circulation, and inclusive programming
Digital Workflows: Tools like credit calculators and collaborative platforms are helping teams streamline certification and communication
Resilience and Climate Goals: With growing challenges like urban heat and water scarcity, certification frameworks help us champion native planting, green infrastructure, and regenerative maintenance
Sustainability is not an overlay at Circle V. It is woven into every project conversation, every detail, and every intent. Whether or not a plaque is awarded, we pursue performance with integrity. The landscapes we design are meant to endure and adapt, with resilience that goes deeper than design.
