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Easy prerequisite – provide space for recycling
This prerequisite is very easy to meet. You only need to provide one space to store recycling. You are not even required to have a specific square footage, although the LEED Reference Guide does provide recommended square footage based on building size (see table below). To size this space properly, also consider the building’s needs and recommendations from your recycling hauler.
Recycling plan not required
Providing recycling bins for occupants in places like offices and kitchens is a good idea, but is not required for this prerequisite. Nor do you have to actually implement a recycling plan. You simply have to provide the area for centralized recycling collection.
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10 Comments
No tenants?
I am confused on how to document the floorplan requirement for this prerequisite. We have an exterior centralized location that I've marked on the site plan, but this is a core & shell space with no TIs at all, so I'm not sure what I'm supposed to mark on a floorplan. Our floorplans are entirely blank (no offices, no interior walls, no nothing beyond stairwells and restrooms.) It would be sad if I had to pay my architect to draw a floorplan just for this.
Sara, there is no specific requirement for interior plans that indicate the location of decentralized collection of recyclables. The intent of the credit is for the facility managers to have a plan for implementing recycling while making it easy for tenants to participate to the maximum level possible. Indicating the location of the centralized collection area on the exterior plan and provided a narrative description of the types of recycling addressed with a local hauler is adequate. See the Recycling Area Narrative sample under Documentation Toolkit for guidance.
Recycling Area - Exterior
We are working on a retail/office CS project (2.0) and are looking at placing the recycling outside adjacent to the dumpster area, as the interior common areas don't accommodate all tenants very well. Is this acceptable? The building falls within the 5001-15,000sf, so the recommended recycling area is 125sf. If we can place it outside, does this 125sf area still apply, or will having the bin area achieve our prerequisite? And finally (yes, this is my first LEED project) do we need bins for all 5 non-hazardous materials, or can any of the materials be collected together? Thanks for any newbie help the community can offer.
Mark, you are on the right track. Please note that the sizing chart is just a guide and your project should can determine what's appropriate by working with your local haulers and other advisors. The intent is to have a plan that provides viable interior collection/storage and easy exterior storage/pick-up. You need to address the 5 specific types of recyclables stated in the credit language, but comingling of recyclables is common. Checkout the Documentation Toolkit section for samples of each element of prerequisite compliance.
Restaurants requirements of recyclabes
Does LEED require some extra recyclng/collector space for office building projects with restaurants, as it is i.e. in BREEAMBuilding Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method, the first widely used green building rating system, developed in the U.K. in the early 1990s, currently used primarily in the U.K. and in Hong Kong. ?
Thanks.
BH, there is no specific area requirement for any specific building type in LEED.
Trash compactor
If a project is implementing a trash compactor as an alternate method, will this comply with the prerrequisite requirements?
David, it's hard to see how a trash compactor would satisfy the prerequsite, which is about providing facilities for recycling. What did you have in mind?
Recycling area plan
I don't see a requirement in the Reference Guide or on the template for 'signage' on MRp1 recycling containers. Am I missing that requirement or is signage more of a convenience than a requirment --for users and vendors to avoid resorting or contamination? Thanks again, John
John, I'm not aware that there is a requirement relative to signage. This seems to fall more under implementation of a recycling plan, which is an important practice but not part of the credit requirements.
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