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Applying the master site or campus approach to a project

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What is the campus approach?

The campus approach, also called the master site approach, is an approach that is for projects not necessarily uniform in design or operations, but located on a single campus location, and it does not require the development of a prototype.

For the most detailed guidance about this, please refer to the LEED Campus Guidance. Commonly asked questions about this approach can also be found below.

How can I certify my campus?

LEED does not certify whole campuses. The Campus Program was developed to streamline the process of certifying buildings and/or project spaces on a campus.

Can I receive a LEED certification for my master site?

No, a master site registration will never receive a LEED certification. The master site is used solely as a tool for streamlining the documentation and review process associated with campus credits. The outcome of a master site review is that campus credits are earned for use by LEED projects included within the LEED campus boundary. 

However, LEED does offer rating systems for Neighborhood Development and Cities and Communities that could also be a good fit for certifying certain campus or shared site developments.  If you are interested in certifying landscapes or outdoor spaces, themselves, please consider the SITES rating system, which is a great complement to a LEED certification. Please refer to our FAQs on SITES for more information.

Can I exclude buildings from my LEED campus boundary?

The LEED campus boundary may include buildings for which LEED certification has not/will not be pursued. However, please note that all campus features and infrastructure within the campus boundary, including buildings, should be considered when documenting the campus credits. For instance, when documenting SSc7.1 Heat Island Effect Non-roof as a campus credit, the project team is required to include all campus features and hardscape within the campus credit calculations, including those associated with the buildings for which LEED certification will not be pursued. See the Campus Guidance document for additional details.

How is the LEED campus boundary different from the LEED project boundary?

The LEED campus boundary functions as the LEED project boundary for all campus credits. The campus boundary may be the legal limits of the site or an alternative boundary defined for LEED purposes. Each LEED project that applies for certification must have its own LEED project boundary for use with all individual building credits, and all LEED project boundaries must be wholly contained within the LEED campus boundary. Both types of LEED boundaries should comply with the criteria explained in Minimum Program Requirement 'Must Use Reasonable LEED Boundaries' for LEED v4 projects or the LEED 2009 MPR Supplemental Guidance for LEED v2009 projects, as appropriate to the LEED version being used.

I have four commercial interior spaces, owned by the same entity and located in the same building. Do I have to use the 'group' or 'campus' approaches outlined in the LEED Campus Guidance (formerly 'AGMBC'), or can I register as one 'individual project'?

Supplemental Guidance to the Minimum Program Requirements outlines instances where it may be permissible to include different floors within one building under one LEED 2009 CI registration. Please refer to pages 10 and 11 of the MPR Supplemental Guidance for more detail (Owner-occupied buildings and CI: Certifying space not separate by ownership, management, lease, party wall, or floor). The same basic principles apply to v4 ID+C projects.

Can I reference campus credits documented in the master site during a LEED precertification phase?

No. Campus credits documented in a master site can only be referenced during a full LEED certification phase. However, each precertification project may indicate the intent to use a campus approach for pertinent campus credits during its precertification review.

Can I submit a master site registration for LEED precertification phase?

No, although each individual on-campus project can pursue precertification, Master Site registration cannot be submitted for precertification review. It can only undergo full LEED certification review.

Can I use the guidance provided in the LEED Campus Guidance document to certify my LEED BD+C precertification projects?

Yes. The Campus Guidance is applicable to LEED BD+C precertification projects. However, master sites can’t be used to help document the precertification phases of Core and Shell projects. Instead, each precertification project may indicate the intent to use a campus approach for pertinent campus credits during its precertification review. Campus credits can only be submitted and reviewed via the master site during the full certification review phases.

Can I use the options outlined in the 2005 LEED-NC Application Guide for Multiple Buildings and On-Campus Building Projects (AGMBC 2005) for my LEED 2009 Project?

No, this document was created to address earlier versions of the rating system and is not applicable to LEED 2009 projects. For LEED 2009 projects, refer to the LEED Campus Guidance.

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