I'm working with a project that comprehends various buildings (~20), from which only 10 will be certified. The complexity of the project is related to the demolition activities that will take place prior to construction.
Basically, the area in which the new buildings will be constructed was previously occupied by buildings that will be demolished. Not necessarily they occupy the same area.
My question is:
If we try to achieve Option 2, how can we determine the amount of waste that we can generate? Which sq.ft we can use? It doesn't make sense to use the building floor area for the new construction. Would it be the whole area occupied by the demolished buildings? Or the area in which the new buildings will be constructed?
Susan Di Giulio
Senior Project ManagerZinner Consultants
153 thumbs up
April 20, 2024 - 3:47 am
Reading the credit closely, on the top of page 212, the wording seems to say that you need to:
1.) Salvage or recycle at least 50% of demolition debris - and
2.) Utilize waste minimizing design strategies and construction techniques for new construction elements.
3.) Then it says to generate less than 10 lbs./ft2 (50 kg/m2) of waste materials from all new construction activities.
In other words, I think it means that these are 2 separate approaches; one for demo waste and 1 for new construction. This makes sense, because otherwise this credit would give unfair advantage to projects built in greenfield or low density areas, whereas LEED wants to encourage infill.
I would love a LEED expert to jump in here and tell us if this is true.
Ralph Bicknese
PrincipalHellmuth & Bicknese Architects
21 thumbs up
April 22, 2024 - 12:53 pm
The LEED v4.1 credit language states:
Points are awarded as follows:
Divert at least 50% of all demolition waste, if any. Generate less than 10 lbs./ft2 (50 kg/m2) of waste materials from all new construction activities. (2 points).
Both conditions must be met for the 2 points. 50% minimum of all DEMOLITION waste must be diverted. This would include any materials (required to be tracked) from site demolition as well as from building demolition. Note that materials such as soil and trees, bushes, etc. are some materials from site demolition that are not to be tracked. AND to qualify for points under this credit the total waste generated (disposed of/landfilled) must be less than 10 lbs./ft2 (50 kg/m2) of waste materials from all new construction activities.
I believe (but am not 100% sure) this must be based on building floor area; not site and building area combined. This is clear in LEED v4 where the credit language states the quantity is based on building floor area. It would be more helpful if LEED V4.1 made that clear. The LEED v4.1 Guide: https://build.usgbc.org/bd+c_guide does not help determine whether the quantity is based on building floor area or site floor area. But, becuase of the language in V4, I strongly expect the quantities should be based on building floor area.
Dave Hubka
Practice Leader - SustainabilityEUA
LEEDuser Expert
532 thumbs up
April 22, 2024 - 3:28 pm
When completing in LEED Online the project's gross square foot listed in the details tab is also auto populated within this credit template. Hence this confirms the building' gross floor area is used.