Steel Joists & Deck

The GBCI comments that I had received on my last review, was that I needed a letter from the steel mill indicating where the scrap came from or at least a distance range from the mill. I emailed the steel mills that provided the steel for my project and most replied back with a letter stating either the distance from their scrap source to the project or the distance range from their scrap source to the mill. In the case of the later, the extraction distance that I used was the distance to the mill plus the distance range of the scrap source. I will be re-submitting in a few weeks and we will see if this logic is acceptable.

Kendal, adding the distance from the project to the mill to the distance range of the scrap source is incorrect. According to the latest addenda for LEED2009, the "recovery location" can be EITHER the location of the steel mill OR other collection points in the recycling chain. If the steel mill AND all the subsequent steel fabrication locations are all within the 500 mile radius from the project then 100% of the total recycled material content may be assumed to also be regional material.

However, MR5 also allows for the scrap collection locations to be considered the "recovery location". In the case of recycled steel content, that means multiple locations and not just a single point on the map. As such, some steel producers collect this information and can provide an accurate 'snapshot' of the percentage of scrap (recycled content) collected within 500 miles of the project site. Therefore, if the "final point of manufacturing" is within 500 miles of the project, the percentage of recycled content considered to be "regional" per USGBC guidelines can also be collected.

Jeremy, to your original question, Vulcaft can provide project specific information for both steel joists and deck. As stated above either the mill of the scrap processor can be considered the "recovery location."

One important note, when referencing the "steel mill" what's really meant is the location where the scrap is melted into new steel - i.e. the "melt shop". The rolling mill may or may not be in the same location. The distinction is important since it's possible to import blooms, billets or slabs to a rolling mill for processing.

Just so I'm clear:

If I have a fabricator AND mill within 500 miles, but only 60% of the steel provided by that mill is recycled, then I can only claim 60% as regional, or is it all regional?

Mike, that's is my understanding of the current addenda.