LEED Categories

Catego es
Category # 4
Useful Definitions
Rapidly renewable materials
The amount of building’s agricultural products (fiber or animal) 
that are quickly grown or raised and can be harvested in a 
sustainable fashion.
t i bl f hi
‐Take 10 years or less to grow or raise
‐ Expressed as a percentage of total materials cost
Expressed as a percentage of total materials cost
Useful Definitions
Regional Materials
The amount of building materials that are extracted, processed 
and manufactured close to a project site (500 miles)
‐ Expressed as percentage of the total materials cost
E d t f th t t l t i l t
Useful Definitions
Reuse / Salvage materials
The amount of building materials that are returned to active use 
(in the same or related capacity as their original use)
‐ Expressed as percentage of total materials cost
E d t ft t l t i l t

LEED does not encourage the reuse of windows or window 
glazing because older exterior windows / glazing are energy 
inefficient Older plumbing fixtures should also not be reused
inefficient. Older plumbing fixtures should also not be reused 
because they higher water demands.
Useful Definitions
Recycled Content
The percentage of materials in product that is recycled from 
manufacturing waste stream (pre‐ consumer waste) or from the 
consumer waste (post‐
t ( t consumer waste) and used to make new 
t ) d dt k
materials
‐ Expressed as a percentage of the total material volume or 
Expressed as a percentage of the total material volume or
weight
 Example Materials
Pre – Consumer materials Post‐ Consumer materials
Sawdust Aluminum cans
Wood chips / tree bark
h / b k Water bottles
b l
Magazine overruns Newspapers
Fly ash
Fly‐ Construction debris
Construction debris

Sustainable Forestry
The practice of managing forest resources to meet long term 
forest product needs of humans while maintaining the 
p g
biodiversity of forested landscape
Useful Definitions
Waste diversion
The amount of waste disposed other than through incineration 
The amount of waste disposed other than through incineration
or in landfills
‐Expressed in tones
‐ This includes composting, reuse and recycling

Life Cycle assessment (LCA)

Cradle to grave – Cradle to Cradle
Cradle to grave  Cradle to Cradle
There are Two key issues help define how a project’s
materials affect the sustainability of the project over its lifetime:

1- W
1 Wastet Management
M t
2- Life – cycle
y impacts
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 Materials and Resources
Waste Management
Intent:
Reduce the waste and toxins during:
Construction or renovation:
Materials should be recycled or reused whenever possible
During the daily operation of the building:
Recycling reuse and reduction programs can reduce the need
Recycling, reuse and reduction programs can reduce the need 
of land fill
 Strategies
g to address Waste Management
g :

1- Size the building appropriately

Carefully match the size of the building 
Carefully match the size of the building
to its intended function and owner’s 
requirement (smaller building save 
energy and reduce operating costs)
energy and reduce operating costs)

2- Develop a construction waste management policy

This policy should specify a target diversion rate for the general contractor

Excavated soil and hazardous waste are not counted towards construction waste 
management calculations (since these materials can add significant weight / volume 
to the quantities) 
Strategies
g to address Waste Management
g :

3- Encourage Recycling
Provide occupants with easily 
Provide occupants with easily
accessible collectors for 
recyclables and monitor the 
effectiveness of the policy.
ff i f h li

4- Compost
Turn landscaping debris into mulch
Turn landscaping debris into mulch.
 Materials and Resources
Life Cycle Impact
Intent:
Reduce the environmental impact of materials acquired for 
construction, operation, maintenance and upgrades of building.
construction, operation, maintenance and upgrades of building.
Teams develop environmentally responsible procurement policies

Keep in mind that products and materials cannot be LEED certified – They can 
only help projects earn LEED points
Steel is the widely recycled material. Due to the 
large quantities of scrap incorporated into the steel
large quantities of scrap incorporated into the steel‐
making process, LEED allows project teams to 
assume steel contains at least 25% recycled content. 
If a project team wants to use a value greater than
If a project team wants to use a value greater than 
that, documentation would be needed of the actual 
recycled content.
Strategies to promote sustainability  Strategies to promote sustainable
purchasing during construction
purchasing during construction purchasing during operation
purchasing during operation
‐ Develop a construction purchasing policy ‐ Develop a sustainable purchasing policy

• outline the goals
the goals • outline the goals
the goals
• procedures for procurement of  • procedures for procurement
construction materials •Monitor compliance to ensure the 
•Monitor compliance and track the  effectiveness of the policy
effectiveness of the policy to ensure that it is 
working  

‐ Specify green materials
Specify green materials ‐ Specify green materials
Specify green materials

• Rapidly renewable materials • Rapidly renewable materials
• Regional materials • Regional materials
• Salvaged materials
S l d i l • Salvaged materials
S l d i l
• Materials with recycled content • Materials with recycled content

p yg
‐ Specify green interior ‐ Specify green Electronic
p yg Equipments
q p

• Use finish, carpets, fabric and other  • choose computers, appliances that meet 

materials with low level of Volatile Organic  Energy Star, EPEAT or other standards for 
Compounds (VOCs) or other toxic chemicals
Compounds (VOCs) or other toxic chemicals  efficient energy consumption
efficient energy consumption
to protect indoor environmental quality and 
reduce life cycle impact of materials.