I have been pouring over the SCS website for instructions on how to calculate the % of finished floor that is FSC for IEQ 4.3.
Is it as simple as taking total newly installed flooring with a FSC (excludes tile and non-FSC material) and dividing by total flooring SQFT of the building, OR dividing by total SQFT of our current scope of new installation only? I don't want to over complicate, but also want to make sure I calculate correctly.
EX: 2500 sf of newly installed FSC material / 5000 sf of total building flooring (5000 includes all existing-to-remain flooring, tile and non-FSC flooring)
OR
EX: 2500 of newly installed FSC material / 3000 sf of newly installed flooring material (if 500 sf was not FSC certified in job scope)
OR am I totally off. Sorry. I am self-educating as projects come, so I appreciate any help and patience.
John-David Hutchison, LEED AP BD+C, PMP
Sustainability ManagerBGIS
LEEDuser Expert
166 thumbs up
July 20, 2016 - 10:06 am
Are you possibly confusing FSC with Floorscore?
FSC is under the criteria of Materials and Resources Credit 7 (http://www.leeduser.com/credit/NC-2009/MRc7)
This credit covers the Indoor Air Quality criteria of ALL flooring installed in the building.
Patricia Taylor
Project CoordinatorSpectra Contract Flooring
4 thumbs up
July 20, 2016 - 10:22 am
Apologies. I assumed FSC stood for FloorScore Certification. I am still learning.
I need to know how to calculate the % Finished Area that is Floor Score Certified.
But the project was existing construction, so not 100% of the flooring was replaced.
Do I take the total sqft of newly installed FloorScore certified material and divide by total sqft of old and new flooring, or by total of only newly installed flooring (floorscore and non-floorscore) to get my %?
John-David Hutchison, LEED AP BD+C, PMP
Sustainability ManagerBGIS
LEEDuser Expert
166 thumbs up
July 20, 2016 - 11:39 am
The criteria for this credit is only relevant for new flooring - 100% of the new flooring must comply. The existing flooring is irrelevant for this credit.
Patricia Taylor
Project CoordinatorSpectra Contract Flooring
4 thumbs up
July 20, 2016 - 11:59 am
Ok, Thanks.
Their form says "must be >%25".
If we installed 2500 sf of FloorScore Certified material, and 2500 sf of carpet or tile (non-FloorScore), then would my answer be 50%?
I'm trying to wrap my brain around HOW to calculate.
Very rarely is 100% of our flooring scope 100% Floor Score Certified, as not all products fall into that category.
Again, thank you for your patience and explanation.
John-David Hutchison, LEED AP BD+C, PMP
Sustainability ManagerBGIS
LEEDuser Expert
166 thumbs up
July 20, 2016 - 12:24 pm
I am not sure what form you are talking about, but this is an all or nothing credit.
Please scroll to the top of this page and read the "Bird's Eye View" and go to http://www.usgbc.org/cert-guide for more information.
RETIRED
LEEDuser Expert
623 thumbs up
July 20, 2016 - 12:29 pm
John-David - Patricia is a guest to LEEDuser and not a member. Hence she can't see the Bird's Eye View above. Patricia - Consider becoming a member to get full access to the site.
John-David Hutchison, LEED AP BD+C, PMP
Sustainability ManagerBGIS
LEEDuser Expert
166 thumbs up
July 20, 2016 - 12:29 pm
Oh, my apologies, I did not understand, but now the questions make a lot of sense.
Patricia Taylor
Project CoordinatorSpectra Contract Flooring
4 thumbs up
July 20, 2016 - 12:37 pm
Never mind then. I will go elsewhere for help.
I didn't realize it was mandatory to pay to get help, as I do not have that option. I just needed a resource.
Thanks anyway.
RETIRED
LEEDuser Expert
623 thumbs up
July 20, 2016 - 12:40 pm
Patricia - No one said it was mandatory. The forum is available for no charge but there is a lot more to LEEDuser than just the forum (this is considered a limited-access account). BTW - It's only $12.95 per month for full access - http://www.leeduser.com/select. It may be however that you have specific questions that can't be easily answered on the forum...
Patricia Taylor
Project CoordinatorSpectra Contract Flooring
4 thumbs up
July 20, 2016 - 12:48 pm
Understood. My company already pays for my USGBC membership, as well as my certification, so another subscription is not an option.
I was just hoping to get clarification on how to do a calculation, as all my GC's request something different. I did not realize I had to pay for a subscription to get complete assistance. (Understanding that your replies are limited)
I will try to find another resource of information to help.
Thanks for your time.
John-David Hutchison, LEED AP BD+C, PMP
Sustainability ManagerBGIS
LEEDuser Expert
166 thumbs up
July 20, 2016 - 12:56 pm
Here is the text (there is no calculation, all flooring must comply) Good luck.
LOW-EMITTING MATERIALS: FLOORING SYSTEMS
All flooring must comply with the following as applicable to the project scope (a small amount of non-compliant flooring may be used for specialty areas provided it does not exceed 5% of floor area):
• All carpet installed in the building interior shall meet the testing and product requirements of the Carpet and Rug Institute’s Green Label Plus program.
• All carpet cushion installed in the building interior shall meet the requirements of the Carpet and Rug Institute Green Label program.
• All carpet adhesive shall meet the requirements of IEQ Credit 4.1: Adhesives and Sealants, which includes a volatile organic compound (VOC) limit of 50 g/L.
• All hard surface flooring covered by the FloorScore standard must be certified as compliant with the standard (current as of the date of this rating system, or more stringent version) by an independent third-party. Flooring products covered by FloorScore include vinyl, linoleum, laminate flooring, engineered wood flooring, ceramic flooring, rubber flooring and wall base.
• All components of hard surface flooring systems (regardless of FloorScore requirement), including but not limited to, adhesives, sealants, and backing, must meet the requirements of IEQ Credit 4.1: Adhesives and Sealants.
• Concrete, wood, bamboo, and cork floor finishes such as sealers, stains, and finishes, must meet the requirements of South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) Rule 1113, Architectural Coatings, rules in effect on January 1, 2004. VOC limits are listed below.
• Clear wood finishes: varnish 350 g/L; lacquer 550 g/L
• Floor coatings: 100 g/L
• Sealers: waterproofing sealers 250 g/L; sanding sealers 350 g/L; all other sealers 200 g/L
• Shellacs: Clear 730 g/L; pigmented 550 g/L
• Stains: 250 g/L
Tile setting adhesives and grout must meet South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) Rule 1168. VOC limits are listed below and correspond to an effective date of July 1, 2005 and rule amendment date of January 7, 2005.
• Ceramic tile adhesive: 65 g/L
• Grout and mortar: 250 g/L
Patricia Taylor
Project CoordinatorSpectra Contract Flooring
4 thumbs up
July 20, 2016 - 1:27 pm
Thanks John-David.
This leads me to think that my GC's form is an incorrect format to get accurate LEED calculations.
We installed Carpet and VCT. Obviously the Carpet is not FloorScore Certified, it is GLP. But all of the VCT that we installed is FloorScore Certified.
So, 100% of the hard floor material is FloorScore certified. BUT that is not what my GS is asking for. They are asking what % of Floor finish material is FloorScore Certified - not just hard surface. They are stating that this must be greater than %25. (Hence my request for a calculation) However, if there is no credit given based on how much of the total flooring (Carpet, tile, and other hard surface) is FloorScore certified, then that calculation is unnecessary. Hard surface needs to be 100% compliant, and Carpet needs to be 100% GLP Certified.
That makes me think they must be asking the wrong questions to gather the data for calculating their LEED credits.
Thanks again.