Why does a tile contractor need to know about LEED and the
USGBC? These terms can mean a lot to many different people in various
industries. First, let’s start with the basics.
USGBC stands for
the
United States Green Building Council. No, it is
not a government agency; it is a 501c nonprofit organization that leads the
industry in creating benchmarks or standards to compare buildings on how
greenly they are being built. As a result, USGBC guidelines are used around the
world, even in places like Dubai. Remember, the goal of green design is to
create sustainable design, creating as little of a carbon footprint on the
landscape as possible.
The USGBC has established
LEED rating systems. LEED stands for
Leadership
in Energy and Environmental Design. It is one of many green
building-rating systems. LEED provides a level playing field to compare
buildings and award certifications for the projects. Through LEED, we can
compare many different buildings to determine which building has less impact on
our resources.
LEED has several different rating
systems to choose from, depending on the type of structure being built,
including: New Construction; Existing Buildings Operations and Maintenance;
Commercial Interiors; Core and Shell; Schools; Retail; Neighbor Development;
and Homes. For the tile and stone industry, the rating systems we generally
need to be aware of are Schools, Homes, New Construction (typically new
commercial and office buildings), Existing Buildings Operations and Maintenance
(typically tenant improvement and remodels), and Commercial Interiors.
Each category has one or more
prerequisites to qualify for certifications. Once these are met, then you can
start accumulating points. Some points are design points that can be certified
before construction begins, while design points can only be accumulated as the
building is built.
In the new version of LEED — LEED
version 3.0 — all categories are based on a 110-point system. The point system
is divided into seven categories, which are generally the same across the
different rating systems:
- Sustainable sites
- Water efficiency
- Energy and atmosphere
- Materials and resources
- Indoor environment quality
- Innovation and design
- Regional credits
In each one of these categories, there are credits. These
credits have points associated with them. If the total number of points added
up throughout the project meet certain standards, then the project will be
certified.
There are four certification awards
based on the project’s accumulated points:
- Platinum (80-100 points)
- Gold (60-79 points)
- Silver (50-59 points)
- Certified (40-49 points)
In the new version, V3, they are looking less at materials
and resources and indoor environmental quality (both categories that the tile
and stone industry are very involved); instead, they are concerning themselves
more with energy and atmosphere, sustainable sites, and water efficiency.
However, there are still ways in which the tile and stone industry can
contribute to LEED certification.
First, in the
Materials and
Resources category, there are two credits for recycled content:
4.1, which demands 10% Recycled Content (post-consumer + 1/2
pre-consumer); and
4.2, which requires 20% Recycled Content
(post-consumer + 1/2 pre-consumer).
The intent of this credit is to
increase demand for building products that incorporate recycled materials,
thereby reducing impacts resulting from extraction and processing of virgin
materials. You must take into account all the products used in the building:
everything used in the building from the concrete slab to the nails and the
screws used in the building, not just one product but all of the products.
With most of these credits, there
are calculations to help you determine the percent of recycled content. Some
important calculations:
- Recycled Content = Materials Cost x (PostConsumer
% + ½ PreConsumer %)
(Excluded are labor (including installation), mechanical,
electrical, plumbing and equipment.
- You must determine the total cost for the project
or 45% default materials value.
Cost of Salvaged or Reused Materials/Total
Materials Cost = Total Recycled Content.
- If total recycled content equals 10%, you get one
point; if it adds up to 20%, you get two points.
Another common goal for our industry is the use of
Regional Materials, with the credits for
MR 5.1 and
5.2. The intent of these credits is to increase demand for building
materials and products that are extracted and manufactured with the region,
thereby supporting the use of indigenous resources and reducing the
environmental impacts resulting from transportation. Basically, you’re using
materials 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. Again,
this credit is for all the products
used in the building, not just the tile. A simple letter from the
manufacturer stating where the bulk of raw materials were mined to the point
where they were processed is all that is needed for verification. In most of
the metropolitan areas of the United States, Custom Building Products will help
contribute to this point with 11 manufacturing plants around the country.
For
the Indoor Environmental Quality category, tile and stone contribute to this
via two credits: 4.1, for Low Emitting Materials Adhesives and Sealants; and
4.3, Low Emitting Flooring Materials, including tile. Sustainable Sites tile or
stone may help contribute to credit 7.1 Heat Island Effect (non-roof). In this
credit, if the tile has a certain reflectance, called the
Solar
Reflectance Index, it may help contribute if used as part of a
walkway for example. Again help contribute is the key factor.
