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Creating transparency
This credit replaces the former Pilot Credit 43: Certified Products “EPD Pathway”. After significant pilot credit testing and LEED 2012 public comments it was decided to expand the applicability of the certified products credit beyond non-structural materials to structure, and enclosure. Because of this major scope shift it was decided to post this as a new pilot credit. There are no pre-approved certifications for this credit; all labels meeting the listed requirements will be considered compliant for the purposes for this pilot.
This credit strives to create a foundation of transparency for information to be gathered, shared, and used to inform project teams. The purpose is to communicate the difference between their levels of sophistication in regard to more comprehensive perspectives of sustainability. We want LEED buildings to have more products that we know more about, and fewer products that we don’t know very much about. The credit rewards greater transparency and knowledge about product life-cycles. Moving Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) into the market with proposed requirements serves as one of the new bold moves of the LEED 2012 MR Credit Category. Additionally, proposed requirements for material sourcing and harmful chemical avoidance seek to drive product manufacturers in a clear direction forward.
Credit Submittals
General
- Register for Pilot Credit(s) here.
- Register a username at LEEDuser.com, and participate in online forum
- Submit feedback survey; supply PDF of your survey/confirmation of completion with credit documentation
Credit Specific
Provide a list of products purchased contributing toward credit and indicate the applicable label/certification. List the cost and number of items purchased per product and calculate the weighted value according to the table above.
Additional Questions
- How difficult was it to locate the applicable level of labels receiving credit?
- How were you able to obtain EPD information for products? How difficult was it?
- What were the major barriers to achieving credit performance? Do you think the threshold(s) is reasonable?
- For Option 1; how was the total materials cost for non-structural products found? Is it a calculation that is tracked as part of regular construction process or was the number calculated only for the purposes of LEED?
- What labels would you like USGBC to consider for inclusion in this pilot credit?
- Was CEN (EN) standard 15804 available at the time you documented this credit? Was that standard applicable to your project?
USGBC
Excerpted from LEED Pilot Credit Library
COPYRIGHT © 2011 BY THE U.S. GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVEDPilot Credit 61: Material Disclosure and Assessment
Intent
To increase the use of products and materials with life cycles, ingredients, and attributes understood and optimized to improve overall environmental, economic and social performance.
Requirements
OPTION 1. Assessment and Optimization of Non-Structural Products
Use a minimum of 20%, by cost, permanently installed nonstructural products and ele-ments meeting at least one of the criteria below. Furniture, piping, pipe insulation, ducts, duct insulation, conduit, plumbing fixtures, faucets, shower heads, and lamp housing may be included if they are included consistently within the credit. Wood products purchased for temporary use on the project may not be included in the calculation. The scope of any Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) is required to be cradle to gate.
Industry Wide (Generic) EPD Third party certified Type III Environmental Product Declaration (EPD)1, including external verification, where the manufacturer is explicitly recognized as a participant by the program operator, calculated at cost.
Product Specific2 Declaration Products with a publically available, critically reviewed Life Cycle Assessment compliant with ISO 219303 are calculated at half of their cost. Products carrying a Third party certified Type III Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) including external verification are calculated at twice their cost.
Option 2. Assessment and Optimization of Structure and Enclosure
Use a minimum of 20%, by cost, structure and enclosure meeting one of the criteria be-low. Materials contributing to the option must represent at least three product types. The scope of any Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) is required to be cradle to gate.
Industry Wide (Generic) EPD Third party certified Type III Environmental Product Decla-ration (EPD), including external verification, where the manufacturer is explicitly recognized as a participant by the program operator, calculated at cost. [All Environmental Product Declarations must to consistent with International Standards Organization (ISO) 14025, 14040, 14044 and 21930; ISO 21930 is a specific standard for Environmental Product Declarations which is based in ISO 14025]
Product Specific Declaration Products with a publicly available, critically reviewed Life Cycle Assessment compliant with ISO 219303 are calculated at half of their cost. Products carrying a Third party certified Type III Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) including external verification are calculated at twice their cost. ("Product Specific” is manufacturer specific for a product family, e.g. one line of flooring has an LCA/EPD and all colors and styles fall under that LCA/EPD.)
Potential Technologies & Strategies
Articles
Foundations of LEED
Background for the LEED Pilot Credit Library is provided in this foundational document.
Organizations
LEED Pilot Credit Library
The homepage for the LEED Pilot Credit Library. The LEED Pilot Credit Library is intended to facilitate the introduction of new prerequisites and credits to LEED. This process will allow USGBC to test and refine credits through LEED 2009 project evaluations before they are sent through the balloting process for introduction into LEED.
LEEDuser is produced by BuildingGreen, Inc., with YR&G authoring most of the original content. LEEDuser enjoys ongoing collaboration with USGBC.
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