LEED for Neighborhood Development: Does it Capture Livability?

LEED for Neighborhood Development (LEED-ND) is a fairly new system for rating neighborhoods on the sustainability of their design and planning. This study examines LEED-ND’s criteria for Neighborhood Pattern and Design, starting from the hypothesis that these standards fall short of capturing the livability of a place as perceived by its residents. Noe Street in the Duboce Triangle neighborhood of San Francisco serves as the study site. Field measurements show that Noe Street is ineligible for LEED-ND certification. Survey results show that a majority of residents find it highly livable, nonetheless. When asked to consider life on their street, residents put different emphasis on what makes a neighborhood livable than the LEED-ND standards.