In October 2005, New York City (NYC) promulgated the High Performance Infrastructure Guidelines (HPIG).
HPIG was developed by the Department of Design & Construction and the Design Trust for Public Space.

From the preface ...
New York City has bit of a reputation. It is the most crowded, frenetic, and gritty city in the United States. However, like the proverbial tough guy with a heart of gold, New York City is also, quietly, one of the greenest cities by several measures – including energy use per capita and percentage of open space devoted to parkland. As Environmentalism in the 21st Century is reconsidered, its traditionally perceived nemesis – dense, concentrated urbanism – has emerged as its more energy-efficient redeemer. The two philosophies, once thought to be incompatible, are in fact complementary. ....
This document outlines the range of possibilities suggested by the notion of green infrastructure. The landscape-intensive nature of this concept demands a certain kind of approach, and the reader may note that particularly urban variables, such as scale, age, and proximity, have been given special consideration. Consideration has also been given to the type of infrastructure work addressed in order to endorse practices that promise the most benefits.

HPIG is divided into three parts:
1) Achieving High Performance;
2) City Process; and
3) Best Practices.

Part three is perhaps the best.
It offers practical suggestions to minimize environmental impact by considering:
Site Assessment;
Streetscape;
Pavement;
Utility Work;
Stormwater Management;
Landscape; and Construction Practices.


On the web @ http://www.nyc.gov/html/ddc/downloads/pdf/hpig.pdf