-
This credit only works for the right kind of project
If salvaged materials are appropriate for your project, this credit should be easy enough to achieve. But you have to use a lot of salvaged materials to reach the threshold, so it's most feasible for small projects that target sources of salvaged materials early in the design process. Even then, it can be tricky because these are not the sort of things you can specify and count on being able to order from a supplier--the contractor or owner usually has to procure and stockpile salvaged items when they become available. That has to happen early enough that they can be included in the design, which is often long before they are needed on the job site.
Some projects also run into trouble with the fact that salvaged items aren't rated for structural strength or flame resistance....
Step-by-step credit help
Got the gist of the LEED credit but not sure how to actually achieve it? LEEDuser gives step-by-step help. Members get:
- Checklists covering all the key action steps you'll need to earn the credit.
- Hot tips to give you shortcuts and avoid pitfalls.
- Cost tips to assess what a credit will actually cost, and how to make it affordable.
- Ideas for going beyond LEED with best practices.
- All checklists organized by project phase.
- On-the-fly suggestions on useful items from the Documentation Toolkit, Resources, and Credit Language.
-
Credit language straight from USGBC
Need to check up on the exact LEED credit language from the LEED Rating System on the fly? LEEDuser includes the verbatim language. Members get:
- Easy access to the official LEED credit language with just a couple of clicks.
- On the jobsite without your bulky LEED Reference Guide? Check up on the credit language details here.
- Credit language content is used by permission of the U.S. Green Building Council.
Your credit-by-credit reference library
Why waste time chasing down referenced standards and supporting resources when LEEDuser links you directly to the ones you need? LEEDuser has gathered all the best tools out there and organized them by credit for easy reference. Members get links to:
- Organizations that can give information or help on a credit.
- Standards or studies that are key reference points for credits and prerequisites.
- Articles that help explain important topics.
- Key documents or references for credit inputs.
- Software tools you can use to run calculations or simulations.
Documentation Toolkit
In the end, LEED is all about documentation. LEEDuser’s Documentation Toolkit saves you time and helps you avoid mistakes with:
- Calculators to help assess credit compliance.
- Tracking spreadsheets for materials purchases.
- Spreadsheets and forms to give to subs and other team members.
- Guidance documents on arcane LEED issues.
- Sample templates to help guide your narratives and LEED Online submissions.
- Examples of actual submissions from certified LEED projects.
9 Comments
MR c3 Materials reuse
Hi
If the site is using alot of infill from other projects will that qualify?
Seema Pandya replied Sustainability Manager, YRG sustainability Oct 19 2009
That should qualify as long as the materials fall within the qualifying CSI categories and you are not using virgin materials.
Mark Meaders replied Sustainable Design Project Manager, HDR Architecture, Inc. Feb 26 2010
I am not sure if the use of infill from other projects does qualify for this credit. A CIRCredit Interpretation Ruling. Used by design team members experiencing difficulties in the application of a LEED prerequisite or credit to a project. Typically, difficulties arise when specific issues are not directly addressed by LEED information/guide ruling for LEED v.2.2 for MRc3 dated 8/14/03 states the intent of this credit is to extend the life cycle of building materials through re-use rather than re-manufacture. The CIR stated that using fill material from the demolition of structures (in this case on-site structures) does not meet the intent of the credit. However, this material could be counted as diverting waste from the landfill (MRc2).
Equipment and furniture for building reuse credit MR. C3
In designing a vehicle maintenance facility there are many items that can be reused from one facility to be demolished to another. I have a building that is being taken down after the new building is built. All viable equipment which is valued at a couple hundred thousand dollars will be taken from the old building and used in the new facility. New equipment can be purchased; we have intercepted the Agency and recovered many pieces to be ‘reused’. Would this count toward the MR C3 intent? Any other projects have the same experience?
Tristan Roberts replied Editor – LEEDuser, BuildingGreen, LLC Feb 24 2010
This seems like a tough one. If you look at the CSI sections that are applicable for MRc3, equipment does not qualify, as far as I can tell.
You might have better luck with CI MRc3.2 which covers furniture and furnishings. Since you're an NC project maybe you could pursue this under IDc1? One issue there might be that the reused material either needs to be from a different "site" or be reused in a different purpose. Not sure if either of those apply here. Also there may be restrictions relative to the CSI section for furniture.
This might warrant followup with GBCI. Anyone else have thoughts?
Susie Spivey replied Director of Sustainable Design, tvsdesign Jul 28 2010
I agree with Tristan here, equipment is not recognized in the MRc3 for NC. I would recommend pursuing this as an IDc1. If you pursue it this way the question becomes whether or not you need to now include the FFE budgets in all of the materials credits. As Tristan suggests, I would check with GBCI on this.
Similarly, I am pursuing the CI credit EQc4.5 for a LEED NC project as an IDc1. They have not yet confirmed that if the project pursues this as an ID credit whether we will then be required to include the FFE in the MR credits. The team has looked at the calculations both ways and has determined that it is not to the benefit of MRc4 and MRc5 if the FFE budget has to be included - it makes reaching the target threshold much more difficult. This might not be true in your case. Based on the feedback we get from GBCI we will decide whether or not to pursue it as an ID credit.
I will post again once I hear. You do the same!
Reference Guide typo?
This, from p. 365 of LEED 2009 Green Building Design and Construction (sentence fragment not mine): "Other reused material found on-site. Components that are retained and continue to serve their original function, such as door hardware, are eligible for this credit."
Should read, "are _not_ eligible", right? Everything I've read indicates that this type of material would certainly not qualify for MRc3.
If this is a real typo, it was not addressed in the 5/3/2010 addenda.
Tristan Roberts replied Editor – LEEDuser, BuildingGreen, LLC May 21 2010
Yes, I agree this looks like a typo. Retained components reused for their original function don't qualify here.
Susie Spivey replied Director of Sustainable Design, tvsdesign Jul 28 2010
I agree as well. But don't forget that in some cases those materials can qualify for MRc5.
Please register to use the forum.