The LEED 2009 BD+C Reference Guide clearly distinguishes recycling collection areas from the central recycling storage area, and describes the required access of each. Collection areas are to be located in regularly occupied spaces and must be accessible to both maintenance staff and building occupants. The central storage area must be accessible to waste haulers.
The LEED V4 Reference guide seems to use the terms "storage area" and "collection area" interchangeably and confuses the required access to each. The guide states "Provide dedicated areas accessible to waste haulers and building occupants for the collection and storage of recyclable materials for the entire building". It also states that "Storage areas should be easily accessible to building occupants, including visitors, full-time occupants, operations staff, and waste haulers".
It seems that the LEED V4 Reference Guide is stating that visitors and occupants should have access to the central storage area (typically located in the rear of the building, adjacent to loading docks). Will someone please clarify this?
Thank you
Megan White
Chief Sustainability OfficerIntegral Group
12 thumbs up
January 18, 2017 - 2:01 pm
Hi Jeff. This is a great question and thank you for posting. I agree that the language in v4 seems confusing and they are interchangeably using "storage area" and "collection area". My intuition and experience says that if you follow the definitions/approach from v2009 that this makes the most logical sense. However I have not seen a Hospital/Healthcare project go through v4 yet, so we don't have official guidance. I'd suggest that you submit an inquiry to GBCI for clarification. And please do share the response with the LEEDuser followers here. Lastly, I'd agree that giving visitors/occupants access to the collection area (waste hauler pick up - typically at loading dock) is a safety concern more than just an accessibility concern and therefore this approach does not make sense. Hopefully by shedding light on the confusing language to GBCI/USGBC they can issue an addendum to the reference guide and corrects the language/ brings more clarity.
Andrea Vickers
1 thumbs up
September 24, 2021 - 1:53 pm
Hi Jeff - few years down the road, did you ever find an answer to your question? Asking myself the same thing right now.
Thanks!
Jim Nicolow
Director of SustainabilityLord Aeck Sargent
LEEDuser Expert
10 thumbs up
September 24, 2021 - 3:22 pm
We have a 31,000 SF LEED for Healthcare v4.0 project that has completed the design phase review. The approach was identical to what would have been documented for v2009 (mix of staff/visitor/patient-accessible distributed collection areas within the building and a storage area outside the building not generally accessible to staff/visitors/patients). Documentation included an estimate of recyclable materials quantities and types, plans showing the locations, and a cutsheet for the battery recycling containers. It was approved in the preliminary review without comment, which supports Megan's interpretation.