Implementing LEED requirements during construction is a balancing act: provide too little information, guidance, or follow-up and some things will fall between the cracks, but if you provide too much, the GC and subs can get overwhelmed, annoyed, tune out, or waste a lot of time.

This problem is not unique to LEED - for large commercial projects the amount of information that goes into a set of construction documents, especially the specifications manual is mind boggling. And what is not said, but assumed to be "standard practice" could fill even more volumes.

The quantity and location of information varies by the size of a job, so make sure LEED related requirements that are likely to be new or unfamiliar show up in places where they will be noticed, and are followed up at a time when they can still be addressed.

Some projects rely more on drawings to communicate with subs, others rely equally on the specs to communicate expectations. It's less common to reference LEED requirements on drawings, but in some cases that may be appropriate.

Some suggestions for how to find a good balance:

-Start early. The sooner the GC, key vendors and subs get on board and can attend project meetings and hear the LEED related discussions, the more they'll absorb of the credit intents and changes to what's typically done.

- Definitely make sure anything that can impact a LEED credit is addressed in the specifications: tracking recycled content, regional distance, FSC, Urea Formaldehyde, VOCs, construction waste, construction IAQ photos, commissioning, closeout procedures, substitution requests, submittal review, receiving LEED documentation from vendors & subs. Many specs have a "Green Building Requirements" section in Division 1 to summarize the LEED issues and actions that impact the GC, vendors, and subs - make sure this gets copied and sent with the individual spec sections for bidding.

- A fair amount of LEED language will go in the Division 1 General Requirements such as IAQ Management, Construction Waste Management, Commissioning, submittals of MR and IEQ data, closeout of credit forms & LEED documentation, follow-up needed for LEED Review clarifications. If the specs don't say to take photos or fill out a certain form, you can't insist it get done.

- Individual sections will contain some specific LEED requirements like VOC limits, No UF, FSC. Many will require data on recycled content and distance from extraction/ manufacture. You might have each section refer back to Division 1 to access and explain these forms and how to provide the data.

- Items with long lead times may get ordered based on earlier drawing milestones. On fast-track projects, concrete, steel, flooring, skin materials may get bid out before final Construction Documents, so make sure LEED language (like FSC flooring, low-flow toilets, green label carpets, UF-free wood) is in 50% CD sets, or even DD sets if any bidding is done early.

-In a pre-construction or construction kick-off meeting, discuss with the GC how product submittals are handled in terms of LEED-related data. We got a fair bit of push-back when we started a policy of rejecting submittals that didn't include the LEED-specific data such as FSC CoC numbers, Recycled Content and distance info, but its gotten easier as more suppliers are accustomed to providing that information. Many GC's also withhold payment if the subs haven't provided LEED data, which can help.

-Add LEED status updates to the agenda of regular construction meetings. Ask for materials tracking forms, VOC forms, etc. to be filled out along the way to check the feasibility of achieving those credits. Ask about construction waste management, IAQ management, and what issues or concerns are coming up.

-You'll be faced with "value-engineering" decisons where something faster or cheaper to procure doesn't meet LEED requirements. If you know where you stand on all the credits, and have a few extra as a buffer, you can pick your battles.

- If the GC has heard the owner clearly articulate their goals and priorities for LEED goals, it's easier for everyone the deliver what the owner wants.

I'm sure others have approaches that have helped address this, so do chime in.