Reuse of laboratory equipment and furniture

I think the answer might depend on whether the products are considered "permanently installed." So if by lab equipment you mean something like vent hoods, that is more likely to apply. You can claim credit for furniture, but in that case you have to use all furniture in all your MR calculations, so best to model that before claiming the reuse. If you do go for reuse, don't forget the multiplier for local sourcing!

I think the fact that you are not throwing these items away may mean they count toward your construction waste management calc as well, but I'm not an expert on that credit.

Are you also pursuing the life-cycle reduction credit? That is a much bigger piece of your point pie, if you are reusing a large amount of the existing building.

Isabel—LEEDv4’s BPDO Calculator spreadsheet only permits you to include materials from CSI-MasterFormat-2012 Divisions 3-10 and Sections 31.60.00, 32.10.00, 32.30.00, & 32.90.00 plus optional Division 12 furniture and optional MEP components.

Laboratory equipment (such as fume hoods, incubators, sterilizers, appliances, and accessories) falls into Division 11, so it does not count. On the other hand, lab casework, countertops, and furniture falls into Division 12, so it may be counted if, as Paula notes, you include ALL your project’s furniture in the calculation.

We considered this tactic recently on a large hospital. Once we estimated our new furniture budget, obtained valuations for the reused item, and figured those costs into the rest of the construction budget, we determine that we were reusing far too little old furniture (and buying far too much new) to make it worthwhile. If you run the numbers, you may find that your project is different.

Oops, right, Jon! Vent hoods can count under Option 1 of the BPDO credits, but not in cost calcs under Option 2.