This guide is a helpful tool for anyone who has ever wondered whether proposed or existing developments in their communities are actually good for the neighborhood and the environment -- and what should be done about them.

"A Citizen's Guide to LEED for Neighborhood Development: How to Tell If Development is Smart and Green" was produced by the Natural Resources Defense Council and Raimi + Associates. The guide introduces the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standard for neighborhood development to a broader audience.

The USGBC formally launched LEED-ND as a national benchmark for sustainable community design in April 2010 after a pilot of nearly three years. The standard was developed by the NRDC, the Congress for the New Urbanism and the USGBC.

According to its producers, the new guide is designed to enable users to improve communities and neighborhoods by applying LEED-ND as "a flexible tool and source of information."

The guide can be downloaded free from the NRDC.