It appears that the for Option 2, teams must calculate the total waste generated for the project which might include construction of a garage or other site feature that would not be included in the building GSF. It seems a disproportionate equation if you have to include waste associated with structures/features for which you are not counting in the denominator. Has anyone run into this yet? Any flexibility with the reviewers or the denominator? Thanks!
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Tiffany Beffel
Managing PartnerInnovative Workshop Consulting
LEEDuser Expert
22 thumbs up
October 17, 2018 - 2:59 pm
Hi Michelle,
I believe that it all comes down to what is included in your scope of work and what your are counting in your total GSF. Typically garages are included in GSF calcs and so that would then be included in your waste as well. If there are other site structures and features that you are not counting in your LEED scope, then you wouldn't calculate the waste for those items. The total waste is specific to what is included in your LEED scope of work. It sounds like you might have some specific features/structures that are included on your site. Are you including these in other LEED credit calculations and documentation efforts?
Michelle Bombeck
Associate PrincipalO'Brien360
35 thumbs up
October 17, 2018 - 3:59 pm
Hi Tiffany -
Thanks for your response! We don't have site structures/features outside our LEED boundary that I"m worried about. It's more that there are more areas to a LEED project than just the building and the credit requires that the project "...not generate more than 2.5 pounds of construction waste per square foot of the building's floor area." So, I'm inclined to think it's less about what's included in our scope and more about what is included in the LEED definition of 'building floor area'. It's frustrating because this is an inconsistent way to reference the project as "building floor area" is not something defined by LEED. In addition, the CDWM credit form indicates that the reported building floor area must be consistent with PI forms but the new v4 forms don't actually ask for that info anymore.
Also - contrary to what you've noted above, the LEED definition of GSF is much clearer and does exclude "air shafts, pipe trenches, chimneys and floor area dedicated to the parking and circulation of motor vehicles"(https://www.usgbc.org/glossary/39#letterg).
I'm going to submit an inquiry to GBCI and will post any guidance received.
RETIRED
LEEDuser Expert
623 thumbs up
October 24, 2018 - 10:33 am
Michelle - I hope that the MR TAG will take note of the issues that you outline and fix them for LEED v4.1. Thanks for following up with GBCI and for posting the response, when received.
RETIRED
LEEDuser Expert
623 thumbs up
January 21, 2019 - 5:25 pm
I wanted to note that current LEED v4.1 draft for BD+C relaxes the pounds of construction waste per square foot from 2.5 to 7.5 for all BD+C projects except warehouses, which remain at 2.5 lbs/sf. See the new Thresholds for Compliance by the type of waste table.
They also took the guesswork out what to include in Option 2 by specifically renaming Option 2 as "Reduction of Total (Construction and Demolition) Waste Material."
See more at https://new.usgbc.org/leed-v41#bdc. Click "BD+C v4.1 draft" to read more.