In the reference guide, the credit language says "Purchase at least 60%, by cost, of total ongoing consumables that meet at least one of the following criteria...: Postconsumer recycled content: must meet or exceed the levels listed in the US EPA Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines..."
So, this leads me to believe that if a product (ex. notebook) meets or exceeds the level listed in the EPA CPG, the total cost of the product counts towards earning the Purchasing - Ongoing credit. BUT, in the purchasing calculator spreadsheet, if the product is 30% recycled content and meets the guidelines, the calculator is only counting 30% of the product cost toward credit achievement.
This doesn't make sense because from a recycled content standpoint, the credit would be making building occupants technically purchase 60% of all ongoing consumables made of 100% recycled content. Please provide guidance to this credit.
Thank you.
Kimberly Schlaepfer
Sustainability Coordinator LEED AP O+M, BD+C75 thumbs up
March 25, 2015 - 1:03 pm
Hi Jordan,
The calculations for this credit have changed to be more stringent than the v2009 Reference Guide. Now, only a portion of the the product cost can contribute toward compliance, based on the percentage of compliant materials within the product. In order to confirm that 60% of the cost of ongoing consumables are compliant follow the steps below.
1. Calculate the $ value of each item that contributes towards compliance with the sustainability criteria. Referencing your example above, if a notebook costs $5 and has 50% recycled content then $2.50 of the total cost would contribute toward compliance.
2. For ALL ongoing consumables purchased, follow step 1. If the product is compliant with more than one sustainability criteria, follow step 1 and add all the values that contribute toward compliance together to determine the total $ value of compliance.
3. Calculate the total $ value of all compliant ongoing consumables. For example, if the project purchased three $5.00 notebooks with 50% recycled content, and two $2.00 paper towel rolls with 75% recycled content, the total $ value of compliant materials would be ($2.50+$2.50+$2.50+$1.50+$1.50)= $10.50
4. Determine the percentage of compliant ongoing consumables using the following equation (found in the Reference Guide under Step-By-Step Guidance)
% Compliant Purchases = (Total cost of compliant ongoing purchases/Total cost of all ongoing purchases) * 100
For example, using the information from Step 3
($10.50/$19.00) * 100 = 55%
Therefore, the purchases for this project would not be compliant.
Note, that if products are sourced, manufactured, and sold within a 100 mile radius, then 200% of the cost of that item contributes towards compliance.
I hope this is helpful!
Kim