Hello,

I work for a hauling company/transfer station and am a LEED Green Associate.

I would like to make sure that my company can meet the reporting needs of customers seeking LEED certification for their construction projects.  Could you please help with the following clarifications for the Materials and Resources chapter?

1. For the construction and demolition waste management credit, what materials count as waste streams?  Is there a list of approved materials?  I assume C&D waste streams would be: metal, wood, concrete/masonry.  My facility also recycles/composts: cardboard, office paper, bottles and cans, plastic bottles and tubs, food waste, yard debris.  Do these materials count as well if they are generated from the construction site or job trailer and recycled?

2. The construction and demolition waste prerequisite requires that 5 material streams be identified for diversion, but points are earned in the credit category for diverting 3 or 4 waste streams...   It seems that the plan should require a minimum of 3 materials instead of 5 to match the subsequent credit category.  Is it ok to name 5 waste streams in the plan but only aim to diver 3 or 4 for the credit?

3.  Judging by the online calculator, commingled C&D counts as 1 material stream if our transfer station does not further separate/measure the material.  Is that correct? 

4.  Upon customer request, we can separate the materials from a commingled C&D drop box.  We have only a total weight for the entire box.  We then visually estimate the volume of each material type.  Using volume to weight conversions for each material type along with the total weight of the box, we can provide approximate weights for each material type to the customer.  Is this visual estimate/volume to weight method acceptable by LEED?  Can these items then be counted as separate material streams?  It is not possible to weigh the materials after sorting them.

5. In a training course offered by EverBlue, I learned that an exemplary performance point can be earned for the construction and demolition category by achieving both Option 1 and Option 2, Path 2.  Is that correct?  I can not find this explained of listed on the USGBC website - could you tell me where exemplary performance measures/credits are listed?

6. I assist customers in writing their Construction and Demolition waste management plans.  A requirement of the plan is to "describe where the materials will be taken and how the recycling facility will process the material." Is our transfer station considered the final destination for the materials, or do we need to report specifically where each material will be sent for recycling?  (This can change weekly or is sometimes unknown due to our use of brokers).

7.  Are there any LEED training literature/classes/webinars for waste haulers and transfer stations?

8.  For the 3rd party certified pilot credit, how do we get our transfer station certified?  Can our local County government certify?  Does ISO certification count as 3rd party certification or is it a requirement of certification?

Thank you,

Melissa Johnston, LEED® Green Associate™

Waste Reduction Specialist