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Putting policy into practice
All LEED projects already have to create a solid waste management policy for durable goodsDurable goods have a useful life of 2 years or more and are replaced infrequently or may require capital program outlays. Examples include furniture, office equipment, appliances, external power adapters, televisions, and audiovisual equipment. in order to meet the prerequisite MRp2. This credit deals with the implementation of that policy.
Durable goods include electronics, equipment, appliances, and furniture. Remember that you must classify durable goods consistently across all sustainable purchasing and solid waste management credits.
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8 Comments
AHU filters?
Any thoughts on where AHU1.Air-handling units (AHUs) are mechanical indirect heating, ventilating, or air-conditioning systems in which the air is treated or handled by equipment located outside the rooms served, usually at a central location, and conveyed to and from the rooms by a fan and a system of distributing ducts. (NEEB, 1997 edition) 2.A type of heating and/or cooling distribution equipment that channels warm or cool air to different parts of a building. This process of channeling the conditioned air often involves drawing air over heating or cooling coils and forcing it from a central location through ducts or air-handling units. Air-handling units are hidden in the walls or ceilings, where they use steam or hot water to heat, or chilled water to cool the air inside the ductwork. filters belong? MRc7 or MRc8? Ongoing consumable or durable goodsDurable goods have a useful life of 2 years or more and are replaced infrequently or may require capital program outlays. Examples include furniture, office equipment, appliances, external power adapters, televisions, and audiovisual equipment.? Not the paper type.
AHU filters cannot be considered ongoing consumablesOngoing consumables have a low cost per unit and are regularly used and replaced in the course of business. Examples include paper, toner cartridges, binders, batteries, and desk accessories., and of course do not last forever either. At some point in their life, they are exhausted and become waste. The parts can be dismantled into its basic components and then sorted for recycling.
Tristan Roberts replied Editor – LEEDuser, BuildingGreen, LLC Apr 13 2010
I would consider them ongoing consumablesOngoing consumables have a low cost per unit and are regularly used and replaced in the course of business. Examples include paper, toner cartridges, binders, batteries, and desk accessories.. The lifespan of many filters is measured in days or months, not years, which seems to put them on the shorter-term scale. And they are a consumable product, not a "durable" one.
The important thing, as you probably know, is to make a consistent determination one way or the other.
Andy Rhoades replied LEEDing Edge Consulting Jul 29 2010
John,
After speaking to a few haulers and vendors in California, we found that there is not a method in place for recycling filters. We've been looking for a place to take used filters to be recycled. Can you please provide more information?
John Beeson replied Chief Mystic in Resident, betterENVIRONMENT, LLC Aug 05 2010
Hi Andy,
The complete composition of the filters are metal framed, plastic holding parts perpendicular to the filter (kinda' inside the frame), pleated filter cell w/ a mesh of bent wire holding the filter fabric in the direction of the air flow. Currently the project team's maintenance contractor dismantles all the AHU1.Air-handling units (AHUs) are mechanical indirect heating, ventilating, or air-conditioning systems in which the air is treated or handled by equipment located outside the rooms served, usually at a central location, and conveyed to and from the rooms by a fan and a system of distributing ducts. (NEEB, 1997 edition) 2.A type of heating and/or cooling distribution equipment that channels warm or cool air to different parts of a building. This process of channeling the conditioned air often involves drawing air over heating or cooling coils and forcing it from a central location through ducts or air-handling units. Air-handling units are hidden in the walls or ceilings, where they use steam or hot water to heat, or chilled water to cool the air inside the ductwork. filters into its basic components. These are then stored in separated boxes and then are periodically given to a waste hauler for recycling. A very dedicated team! Reminds me of doing that to carpet sample binders in the garage just yesterday to ship back to the manufacturer.
I evaluated the materials based on consistent determination within the entire project submittal rather than if the material was exactly "ongoing" vs "durable".
As a project team member, however, I would have placed them in ongoing consumable per Tristan's thoughts, though these types of filters (international project) last longer than the ones we typically think of.
Lab Wastes
Is there any specific language anyone has found about contaminated waste? There are some clients who dispose of durable goodsDurable goods have a useful life of 2 years or more and are replaced infrequently or may require capital program outlays. Examples include furniture, office equipment, appliances, external power adapters, televisions, and audiovisual equipment. - laboratory refrigerators, other equipment - that cannot be recycled. Is it acceptable to include a "hazardous waste" clause in the plan and calculation? Or does it need to be within the 25% non recycled or diverted?
Tristan Roberts replied Editor – LEEDuser, BuildingGreen, LLC Aug 29 2010
I'm not aware of any language allowing an exception here, although I could see a precedent based on NC MRc1.
Jason Franken replied LEED Consultant, YRG sustainability Aug 30 2010
I don't believe there are exceptions for materials that are deemed hazardous waste. The intent of the credit is to increase the diversion of materials from landfill - if a facility is unable to actually divert a qualifying amount of material because of the classification of the waste, it would just mean that the project would not be able to qualify for this particular credit.
Dan Ackerstein replied Principal, Ackerstein Sustainability, LLC Aug 30 2010
Jason makes a great point; EBOMEBOM is an acronym for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance, one of the LEED 2009 rating sytems. does not articulate an exception of this type. I do think, on the other hand, that one could reasonably argue that hazardous waste represents a unique, highly regulated waste stream that is outside the scope of this credit, much in the way that asbestos-containing ceiling tiles might be in a construction waste situation. The intent of the credit might be further understood as to divert a qualifying amount of eligible material in that sense. I think it may come down to your individual situation, the relative amounts of waste involved, and how you present your argument. Jason's conclusion is definitely correct and the safe model around which to plan your point projections, but I would be tempted to make your case to the reviewer if you feel strongly.
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