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Not within the scope of most projects
Very few projects have alterations or additions planned for the performance period. Before you go too far in planning to achieve this credit, make sure your alteration or addition meets the LEED definition, and make sure the construction will take place during the performance period. See specific constraints as defined by USGBC in the table below.
Set yourself up for success
The key to this credit is establishing a foolproof system for separating and measuring the different types of waste. Construction waste from the alteration or addition must be separated from the ongoing consumablesOngoing consumables have a low cost per unit and are...
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14 Comments
Purchases for Repairs
We are a convention center and certified under pre-existing building requirements. We have a lot of shows and clients moving in and out. Sometimes major damage occurs and extensive repairs have to be made. Do the materials purchased and used for these major repairs qualify under Facility Alterations and Additions?
Hey Reynaldo, I assume your talking about the purchasing credit. I would say that anything that is within your purchasing control would be considered under this credit. One of our clients is a convention center as well so we obviously don't include any materials that is show related brought in by exhibitors and decorators. Of course with the solid waste portion of the credit is very difficult to capture in a convention center so we do our best to track show generated waste
Reynaldo
Sorry to pour cold water of this question but at this time there is a disconnect with USGBC and GBCI as to what constitutes 'major repairs'. Initially the credit gave the impression that any facilities work should be performed by at least two trades and all materials logged accordingly. However as time went on the focus of GBCI changed to differentiate as to what were 'standard building up keep and general building maintenance works' and what were 'major repairs'.
Your work in the conference center no doubt consists of extensive sheetrock repairs and repainting as the majority of the work following each conference. At the present time this does NOT satisfy GBCI requirements and the credit will be denied.
From the tone of my post you will see that I consider this to be a major demerit mark for LEED. GBCI need to provide a clear articulation of what is 'minor work' and what is 'major work'. (And yes I have made my comments very clear to GBCI)
Unable to recycle carpet
One of my projects is currently remodeling an entire floor and tearing out their old carpet to be replaced. For months, we have been trying to find a vendor or option for recycling this carpet as the padding is glued to the carpet and they cannot be seperated. The carpet makes up an extreme majority of the weight of all construction waste and I'm afraid if we cannot find an option for it we'll lose the credit. Any ideas or ways we can approach this? We've tried Carpet Reclaimers, schools for donation, ReStore, but no one will take it or recycle it.
Do you have any documentation telling you who the manufacturer of the original carpet is? OR Who is the new carpet supplier? A manufacturer may be able to take it back, shear off the top fiber and do something with it.
I thought that Tandus (C&A) took any kind of carpet for recycling. Of course, getting it there may be the difficulty. They are in Dalton, GA.
Hi Samantha.
InterfaceFLOR offers carpet recycling through their ReEntry 2.0 program. You can learn more on their website. You can also call a rep at 888-733-6873 (US). I'm not sure where you're located, but this may be a viable option. If you're further from one of their sites it may be cost prohibitive, because I believe you have to get it there. But give it a try!
MRc9 Alterations Waste Diversion-FF&E
Our client had two substantial remodels during our Performance Period (about 40,000 s.f.). They always use a waste hauler/diverter that is certitfied by the City as diverting an average of 78% of the Mixed C&DConstruction and demolition waste that they receive. The first review mentioned that the FF&E needed to be separated out. We didn’t really understand what they meant. They requested other information in that review that we did provide responses to.
We were rejected in the final review because the FF&E was still mentioned in the “form”. The actual comment is: “The form has not been revised to exclude furniture, fixtures, and equipment (FF+E), specialty items, or mechanical, electrical, and plumbing components… For future submittals, please provide a revised Credit Form that excludes FF+E, specialty items, and mechanical, electrical, and plumbing components.”
So we understand that we still have these items mentioned in the narrative. We thought it was suppose to include a description of the major components in the alterations to insure that the work was eligible for the point.
I don’t see why those items being listed in the description would be a problem. I’m now thinking in addition to removing the wording for any FF&E items, they want us to remove the weights of these items from our total weight. Unfortunately all our waste was comingledA process of recycling materials that allows consumers to dispose of various materials (such as paper, cardboard, plastic, and metal) in one container that is separate from waste. The recyclable materials are not sorted until they are collected and brought to a sorting facility. and FF&E was not separated out. We don’t know what to do. We feel confident that the non-FF&E items were diverted at a rate above 70% but don’t have direct evidence nor can I get it now. Please help. We are now going to appeal it along with another one done by one of the consultants, as we really needed the credit.
Furniture, Fixtures & Equipment (FF&E) items are addressed by credit MRc8, Solid Waste Management - 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., which is partly why we have to exclude them from this credit.
Since FF&E items are defined as items not permanently installed in the building such as desks, lamps, clocks, water fountains, etc, they are often assemblies of many different materials and thus more difficult to recycle. Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) equipment are also viewed this way. (If the reception desk was built-in case work, it should not be categorized as furniture, so you should try to correct that.)
The assumption behind the credit language and the reviewer's comments is probably that such assemblies would not actually be recycled by the waste facility and instead end up in the landfill.
It will be difficult to appeal this credit after the fact, since the construction waste was co-mingled with FF&E and MEP items, but there a few things you might try. First, try to quantify as much of the FF&E and MEP materials that were in the space that got mixed in with the construction waste materials. Try to use photos, inventories, construction cost estimates for replacement or demo, or itemized lists of what was in the space. From this you might be able to quantify the volume of those items.
Second, if you have a clear idea of what those FF&E and MEP items were, you might be able to get the waste hauler or waste processing facility to account for what happens to those items at the facility. For example, if you know your demo of MEP items was mostly duct work and the facility can document that duct work gets recycled, you might have a case. Hopefully you can recreate a clear picture of what was removed, and what % of that would be recycled. Not an easy task!
Tracking volume vs. weight
Why is the GBCI insistent on having to track the volume measurement rather than allowing weight as an alternative measure, as it does in most of the other rating systems? Weight is a much preferred, and more easily tracked, measurement practice amongst contractors. After all, the intent of this credit is to use means necessary to reduce waste disposal to landfill.
The requirement for tracking by volume and not weight may reflect the assumption that renovations of existing buildings, especially occupied ones undergoing tenant improvements, generate a different mix of waste than new construction. In some cases this may help projects, as you get more credit for lighter materials such as drywall or metal studs.
I agree it is surprising that you don't have the options for tracking by either weight or volume, but at least the reference guide does provide advice and Table 2 on page 320 for converting volume to weight of typical materials. You can use "another defensible conversion" if you provide credible documentation for that calculation.
Elliot - did you have specific incident where this wasn't allowed? I know the Reference Guide makes this statement, but in my experience this is broadly understood to be in error, and weight measurements are, in fact, allowable for this credit. Curious about if others have had problems using weight, though??
Rock Ballasting
If removing the rocks from a ballasted roof to coat the roof with an ENERGY STAR "cool roof", can these rock qualify for MR Cr9 as a material to be reused from a facility alteration?
This may hinge on how the rocks are being reused, but it seems it could qualify. What's the new role of the rocks?
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