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Rapidly Renewable Materials

Intent:

Reduce the use and depletion of finite raw materials and long-cycle renewable materials by replacing them with rapidly renewable materials.

Requirements:

• Use rapidly renewable building materials and products (made from plants that are typically harvested within a ten-year cycle or shorter) for 2.5% of the total value of all building materials and products used in the project, based on cost.

Definitions:

Rapidly Renewable materials are considered to be an agricultural product, both fiber and animal, that takes 10 years or less or raise, and to harvest in an ongoing and sustainable fashion.

Remember bamboo is a grass, not a tree.

E-QUEST: http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/energyplus/openstudio.cfm

NREL website; http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/energyplus/openstudio.cfm

Autodesk Ecotect: http://www.ecotect.com/products/ecotec

REM/RATE:  http://www.archenergy.com/products/rem/rem_rate/

10% or 20% Extracted, Processed & Manufactured Regionally

Intent:

Increase demand for building materials and products that are extracted and manufactured within the region, thereby supporting the use of indigenous resources and reducing the environmental impacts resulting from transportation.

Requirements:

• Use building materials or products that have been extracted, harvested or recovered, as well as manufactured, within 500 miles of the project site for a minimum of 10% (based on cost) of the total materials value.  If only a fraction of a product or material is extracted/harvested/recovered and manufactured locally, then only that percentage (by weight) shall contribute to the regional value.

Mechanical, electrical and plumbing components and specialty items such as elevators and equipment shall not be included in this calculation.  Only include materials permanently installed in the project.  Furniture may be included, providing it is included consistently in MR Credits 3-7.

Tip:

apply to the most expensive items to recycled and regional, to get points based on % of construction budget

Recycled Content 10% or 20%

Intent:

Increase demand for building products that incorporate recycled content materials, thereby reducing impacts resulting from extraction and processing of virgin materials.

Requirements:

• Use materials with recycled content such that the sum of post-consumer recycled content plus one-half of the pre-consumer content constitutes at least 10% (based on cost) of the total value of the materials in the project.
• The recycled content value of a material assembly shall be determined by weight.  The recycled fraction of the assembly is then multiplied by the cost of assembly to determine the recycled content value.
• Mechanical, electrical and plumbing components and specialty items such as elevators shall not  be included in this calculation.  Only include materials permanently installed in the project.  Furniture may be included, providing it is included consistently in MR Credits 3-7.
• Recycled content shall be defined in accordance with the International Organization of Standards document.  ISO 14021–Environmental labels and declarations–Self-declared environmental claims (Type II environmental labeling).

Post-consumer material is defined as waste material generated by households or by commercial, industrial and institutional facilities in their role as end-users of the product, which can no longer be used for its intended purpose.

Pre-consumer material is defined as material diverted from the waste stream during the manufacturing process. Excluded is reutilization of materials such as rework, regrind or scrap generated in a process and capable of being reclaimed within the same process that generated it.

Material Reuse: 5% or 10%

Intent:

Reuse building materials and products in order to reduce demand for virgin materials and to reduce waste, thereby reducing impacts associated with the extraction and processing of virgin resources.

Requirements:

• Use salvaged, refurbished or reused materials such that the sum of these materials constitues at least 5% or 10%, based on cost, of the total value of materials on the project.
• Mechanical, electrical and plumbing components and specialty items such as elevators and equipment shall not be included in this calculation.  Only include materials permanently installed in the project.  Furniture may be included, providing it is included consistently in MR Credits 3-7.

Divert 50% or 75% From Disposal

Intent:

Divert construction, demolition and land clearing debris from disposal in landfill.  Redirect recyclable, recovered resources back to the manufacturing process.  Redirect reusable materials to appropriate sites.

Requirements:

• Recycle and/or salvage at least 50% (1 point) or 75% (1 additional point) of non-hazardous construction and demolition debris.  Develop and implement a construction waste management plan that, at a minimum, identifies the materials to be diverted from disposal and whether the materials will be sorted on-site or co-mingled.  Excavated soil and land-clearing debris do not contribute to this credit.  Calculations can be done by weight or volume, but must be consistent throughout.

Maintain 50% of Interior Non-structural Elements

Intent:

Extend the life cycle of existing building stock, conserve resources, retain cultural resources, reduce waste and reduce environmental impacts of new buildings as they relate to materials manufacturing and transport.

Requirements:

• Use existing interior non-structural elements (interior walls, doors, floor coverings and ceilings systems) in at least 50% (by area) of the completed building (including additions). If the project includes an addition to an existing building, this credit is not applicable if the square footage of the addition is more than 2 times the square footage of the existing buildng.

Maintain 95% of Existing Walls, Floors and Roof

Intent:

Extend the life cycle of existing building stock, conserve resources, retain cultural resources, reduce waste and reduce environmental impacts of new buildings as they relate to materials manufacturing and transport.

Requirements:

• Maintain an additional 20% (95% total, based on surface area) of existing building structure (including structural floor and roof decking) and envelope (exterior skin and framing, excluding window assemblies and non-structural roofing material).  Hazardous materials that are remediated as a part of the project scope shall be excluded from the calculation of the percentage maintained.  If the project includes an addition to an exisitng building, this credit is not applicable if the square footage of the addition is more than 2 times the square footage of the existing buiding.

Maintain 75% of Existing Walls, Floors and Roof

Intent:

Extend the life cycle of existing building stock, conserve resources, retain cultural resources, reduce waste and reduce environmental impacts of new buildings as they relate to materials manufacturing and transport.

Requirements:

• Maintain at least 75% (based on surface area) of existing building structure (including structural floor and roof decking) and envelope (exterior skin and framing, excluding window assemblies and non-structural roofing material).  Hazardous materials that are remediated as a part of the project scope shall be excluded from the calculation of the percentage maintained.  If the project includes an addition to an existing building, this credit is not applicable if the square footage of teh addition is more than 2 times the square footage of the existing buildng.

Storage and Collection of Recyclables

Intent:

Facilitate the reduction of waste generated by building occupants that is hauled to and disposed of in landfills.

Requirements:

• Provide an easily accessible area that serves the entire building and is dedicated to the separation, collection and storage of materials for recycling including (at a minimum) paper, corrugated cardboard, glass, plastics and metals.