Types

• Defensible Space
  The zoned approach to defensible space around a building, from the ember-resistant zone at the walls out to a reduced-fuel zone.
• Exterior Decking
  Wood and plastic composite deck framing and surfaces, with ledger, footing, lateral connection, guard, and fastener issues that decide deck safety.
• Grading and Stormwater Strategy
  Site grading and on-site stormwater strategy, including rain gardens, bioswales, and permeable pavement, and how they relate to building foundations.
• Hardscape Design
  Design of paved and built site surfaces, with base design, edge restraint, and moisture and freeze-thaw considerations for interlocking pavers.
• Irrigation
  Landscape irrigation system choices, including drip, spray, and weather-based controllers, and the water savings each offers.
• Landscaping and Planting
  Trees, shrubs, lawns, and planting beds as installed elements, covering planting soil, nursery stock standards, planting depth, and mulch.
• Planting Strategies
  Using plant selection, layering, and placement to shade, shelter, and screen buildings while matching plants to climate and water supply.
• Retaining Walls
  Walls that hold back soil at grade changes, including cantilever concrete, gravity, segmental block, gabion, and soldier pile walls, used for sites, foundations, and landscapes.
• Site and Pole Lighting
  Pole-mounted area, roadway, and pedestrian LED luminaires, plus bollards and landscape lights, used to light parking lots, drives, walkways, and building sites.
• Site Drainage
  Grading, swales, French drains, area drains, drywells, and storm piping that move surface and subsurface water away from buildings and off the site.
• Site Paving
  Asphalt, concrete, and unit paver surfaces for drives, parking, and walks, with base design, thickness, slope, and edge restraint.
• Soils and Site Preparation
  Evaluating site soils with the NRCS Web Soil Survey and field checks, and preparing soils for planting, paving, and infiltration.
• Vegetated Roofs
  Roof assemblies with waterproofing, drainage, growing medium, and plants, used for stormwater retention, heat reduction, amenity space, and membrane protection.
• Water Features
  Fountains, pools, and other recirculating water features, with turnover and flow-rate sizing, filtration, and disinfection basics.
• Wildland-Urban Interface Planting
  Plant selection, spacing, and mulch rules for landscapes in the wildland-urban interface, organized by distance from the building.

Code reference

Always verify the adopted code edition and local amendments for the project jurisdiction.

Governing editions

Retaining walls

• IBC 2024, Section 1807.2.1: retaining walls designed against overturning, sliding, excessive foundation pressure, and water uplift (retaining walls)
• IBC 2024, Section 1807.2.2: lateral soil loads per Section 1610; in Seismic Design Category D, E, or F, walls retaining more than 6 ft of backfill include seismic lateral earth pressure from the geotechnical investigation (retaining walls)
• IBC 2024, Section 1807.2.3: factor of safety 1.5 against sliding and overturning; 1.1 where earthquake loads are included (retaining walls)
• IBC 2024, Section 1807.2.4: dry-cast segmental retaining wall units comply with ASTM C1372 (retaining walls)

Exterior lighting

• IECC 2024, Section C405: exterior lighting power allowances and controls for site and pole lighting (site and pole lighting)

Site grading and drainage

• IBC 2024, Section 1804.3: backfill free of organic material, construction debris, cobbles, and boulders, or controlled low-strength material (CLSM); placed in lifts without damaging foundations or waterproofing; CLSM needs no compaction (site drainage, pipe bedding)
• IBC 2024, Section 1804.4: slope the ground next to the foundation away from the building at 1 in 20 (5 percent) for at least 10 ft; swales within 10 ft of the foundation at least 2 percent; impervious surfaces within 10 ft at least 2 percent away from the building; finished floor at least 6 in. above finished grade at the building perimeter; account for backfill settlement; grading and runoff must not harm surrounding sites (site drainage, site paving)
• IBC 2024, Section 1804.6: shallow foundations on compacted fill follow a geotechnical report, except fill 12 in. deep or less at 90 percent of maximum dry density per ASTM D1557, with special inspection per Section 1705.6 (site paving)
• IPC 2024, Section 1101.2: roof, paved-area, yard, and court storm water drains to an approved disposal point; one- and two-family dwellings may discharge onto flat areas such as streets or lawns if flow is away from the building (site drainage)
• IPC 2024, Sections 1101.3 and 1104.2: storm water not drained to sanitary-only sewers; floor drains not connected to storm drains (site drainage)
• IPC 2024, Sections 1101.5, 1101.8, and 1101.9: storm pipe size not reduced in the direction of flow; cleanouts required (subsurface drainage exempt); backwater valves per Section 714 (site drainage)
• IPC 2024, Tables 1102.4 and 1102.5: building storm sewer and subsoil drain pipe materials; subsoil pipe open-jointed, horizontally split, or perforated (site drainage, pipe bedding)
• IPC 2024, Section 1106.1: conductors, leaders, building storm drains, and storm sewers sized for the 100-year, 1-hour rainfall rate or approved local data (site drainage)
• IPC 2024, Section 1111.1: subsoil drains at least 4 in. diameter; accessible backwater valve where backwater can occur; discharge to a trapped area drain, sump, dry well, or approved location above ground (site drainage)
• IPC 2024, Section 1113.1.2: sump pit at least 18 in. diameter and 24 in. deep with access, gravity drainage to the pit, and a removable cover (site drainage)

Trenching and backfill

• IPC 2024, Sections 306.1 and 306.2: buried piping supported along its full length; solid continuous bearing between joints; bell holes at each joint; no blocks on grade; manufacturer instructions govern if more restrictive (pipe bedding)
• IPC 2024, Sections 306.2.1 to 306.2.3: overexcavation backfilled with sand or fine gravel in layers no more than 6 in. and compacted; rock removed at least 3 in. below the pipe; soft bearing material overexcavated at least two pipe diameters and backfilled with fine gravel, crushed stone, or concrete on tamped sand (pipe bedding)
• IPC 2024, Section 306.2.4: tracer wire, 14 AWG minimum with direct-burial insulation, for buried plastic sewer pipe (pipe bedding)
• IPC 2024, Section 306.3: debris-free backfill placed in 6 in. layers and tamped until the crown is covered by 12 in. of tamped earth (pipe bedding)

Decks

• IRC 2024, Section R507.1: wood-framed decks designed for the greater of the live load in Section R301.5 or the ground snow load (exterior decking)
• IRC 2024, Section R507.2: wood decay and termite protection with No. 2 or better sawn lumber; plastic composite boards, treads, guards, and handrails to ASTM D7032 with labeling and flame spread index not exceeding 200 (ASTM E84 or UL 723); fasteners hot-dipped or mechanically galvanized or stainless steel, stainless within 300 ft of salt water; flashing corrosion-resistant metal at least 0.019 in. thick (exterior decking)
• IRC 2024, Sections R507.3 and R507.4: concrete footings sized by Table R507.3.1, at least 12 in. below undisturbed ground and below the frost line, with exemptions for small free-standing decks; post height per Table R507.4 and post-to-footing lateral restraint (exterior decking)
• IRC 2024, Sections R507.5 to R507.7: beams per Tables R507.5(1) to (4); joists at 12, 16, or 24 in. per Table R507.6 with L/360 and L/180 deflection limits and 1-1/2 in. bearing on wood; wood decking spacing per Table R507.7 (exterior decking)
• IRC 2024, Sections R507.8 and R507.9: positive attachment to the building, not by toenails or withdrawal-loaded nails; ledger at least 2x8 in. fastened per Tables R507.9.1.3(1) and (2) and not on masonry veneer; ledger flashing, water-resistive barrier lap, and a lateral connection by two 1,500 lb hold-downs or four 750 lb hold-downs (exterior decking)
• IRC 2024, Section R507.10: exterior guards with a continuous load path to the joists; 4x4 guard posts not notched; composite guards per R507.2.2 (exterior decking, guards and railings)

Accessible routes

• 2010 ADA Standards, Section 403.3: walking surface running slope not steeper than 1:20 and cross slope not steeper than 1:48 (site paving)
• 2010 ADA Standards, Section 403.5: clear width 36 in. minimum, with limited reductions to 32 in.; passing spaces 60 in. by 60 in. at 200 ft maximum intervals where width is under 60 in. (site paving)

Referenced standards

Sources

• UpCodes: 2024 IPC Chapter 11 storm drainage and Chapter 3 general regulations (GSA adoption without amendments), https://up.codes/viewer/general-services-administration/ipc-2024/chapter/11/storm-drainage
• UpCodes: 2024 IRC Chapter 5 floors, Section R507, https://up.codes/viewer/general-services-administration/irc-2024/chapter/5/floors
• Corada: 2010 ADA Standards Section 403, https://www.corada.com/documents/2010ADAStandards/403
• UpCodes: 2024 IBC Chapter 18 soils and foundations, https://up.codes/viewer/department-of-defense/ibc-2024/chapter/18/soils-and-foundations
• Rutgers Cooperative Extension: energy-efficient landscaping, https://greenmanual.rutgers.edu/nr-energy-efficient-landscaping/
• U.S. EPA: WaterSense irrigation controllers, https://epa.gov/watersense/irrigation-controllers