The Sustainable Sites InitiativeTM (SITESTM) 2013 Prerequisites and Credits document is open for public comment until Nov. 5. SITES is a certification and rating system that provides “voluntary national guidelines and performance benchmarks for sustainable land design, construction and maintenance practices.” It applies to both open spaces and those with buildings, and addresses hydrology, soils, materials, vegetation, and human health and well-being.

The American Society of Landscape Architects, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at The University of Texas at Austin, and the U.S. Botanic Garden created SITES. The 2013 Prerequisites and Credits document incorporates experience from more than 150 projects participating in a 2-year pilot study. The final rating system and reference guide will be available in 2013.