My office is working on a large Multi-building Mixed used NC LEED 2009 project in a urban area. The first floor will have retail space, potentially a few restaurants, and a small grocery store. We are considering a vegetable oil recycling / bio diesel program for the development and opening it up to the neighborhood. Is this worth going for an innovation credit?
Is there a similar program / credit out there I don't know about?
How do i find out if something like this has been done before?
thank you in advance for your help.
Tristan Roberts
RepresentativeVermont House of Representatives
LEEDuser Expert
11478 thumbs up
March 8, 2013 - 11:17 am
Emily, simply having a cool program in the facility won't be a valid path to an ID credit, in my opinion. But if you can frame it as an innovative program that is reducing the impact of the building and occupants, then you have a shot.A couple more thought—consider whether this could be thought of as an Alternative Fueling Station under SSc4.3, in which case you have a clear path to earning credit. Or, work this into an overall waste reduction strategy and pursue EBOM MRc7 as an ID credit. You could look at LEED-ND GIBc16 on similar grounds, and that might be a better fit given your neighborhood approach.You can try searching the LEED Interpretation database or GBIG.org for other buildings doing a strategy like this.
Robert Phinney
Director, Sustainable Design SolutionsHDR
26 thumbs up
March 8, 2013 - 11:36 am
Given the clear direction taken toward combustion in the renewables credits (no waste-to-energy considered), would this strategy even be considered as it promotes combustion - regardless whether it is far better then the alterntive?
Tristan Roberts
RepresentativeVermont House of Representatives
LEEDuser Expert
11478 thumbs up
March 8, 2013 - 11:56 am
Good point, but I think one could thread the needle. EAc2 doesn't recognize combustion of municipal solid waste, but it does recognize biofuels derived from organic waste. Seems to me that focusing on a single waste stream (vegetable oil), and processing that into biodiesel, which is recognized under SSc4.3, can work.