Level playing field for Recycled Content

December 23, 2013

barbara anderson

LEEDuser Basic Member

December 23, 2013

Can someone please tell me how a LEED specification specialist establishes the recycled content requirement? The information below is from a specification for 800,000 s/f of ceiling tile, where the total would add up to 25% Total Recycled Content.

“They must also meet LEED criteria defined as follows:
• MRc4: Provide acoustical ceilings with a minimum post-consumer recycled content of 5% and a minimum pre-consumer recycled content of 40%.
• MRc5: Provide acoustical ceilings with regional content.”

LEED MATERIALS AND RESOURCES CREDIT 4.1 does not say anything about the breakdown between Post and Pre Recycled content. It is ONLY calculated on the “Value of the recycled content”. Can anyone give me a reason why a ceiling tile with 66% Pre-Consumer and 0% Post-Consumer would be rejected? The total recycled content would be 33% which would surpass the 25% requirement.

Thanks

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RETIRED

LEEDuser Expert

623 thumbs up

December 23, 2013 - 12:47 pm

Barbara - It is hard to get an exact recycled content value in Part 2 - Products on the specifications. Typically, I just put a recycled content requirement in Part 2 and quantify it only if I have a specific product in mind or if I know I can get postconsumer waste content for a specific product. The specifier on your job may have been trying to get a minimum percentage recycled and hence used 25%.

Please note that each individual product does NOT have to have any recycled content minimum. The overall percentage for the project has to meet or exceed the 10% and 20% thresholds.

Please review the credit requirement language for MRc4 as well as the Reference Guide for additional information on how to calculate postconsumer vs. preconsumer. I see no reason why the ceiling tile you are providing would be rejected.

Susan Walter

HDR

LEEDuser Expert

1296 thumbs up

December 23, 2013 - 2:25 pm

Barbara,

I'll echo Michelle's comments and add on a couple more. The specifier may not realize how to really specify the project to meet the LEED goals of the project. I've done what Michelle has done and specified a minimum %. But this is done when the products selected vary widely in the amount of recycled content and we want to screen out the non contributors. I've also used the 25% to reinforce the steel default.

Also, since you are posting in NC, Division 9 should not make or break the LEED strategy for the project's MR 4 & 5 goals. I've done several analysis over the years working with division $ breakdowns and LEED. Over and over again, it is clear that these MR 4 & 5 credits are really earned in Div 3, 4 and 5. Division 9 seals the deal from my point of view.

I also see no reason based on recycled content that your ceiling tiles would be rejected. There may be another reason and LEED is taking the blame.