Waste Diversion : Trees

It's not possible to include "land-clearing" debris in the MR 2 calcs, unfortunately. However, the credit language recommends that it be diverted wherever possible. Sending them to a mulching facility is a perfect example of what is meant--the downside is you can't contribute to the LEED credit's percentage by doing so. You don't mention whether the residences in question are part of your own LEED project? If so, there may be a possibility of including them in the recycled content calcs, but MR 4's restrictions may preclude this now. Might be good to follow up with that.

Your remark on land clearing possibly contributing to recycled content is of particular interest. We have ongoing construction that included "land-clearing" and excavation for building foundation. Our site subcontractor uncovered numerous large concrete boulders, that were broken into smaller pieces and sent to concrete plant for development of riprap. Some riprap materials were eventually returned for use on our site. Rebar removal from boulders was also hauled-off for recycling. We tracked delivery of the concrete and rebar materials for possible use with MRc4. Do these recovered materials that were recycled satisfy requirements of MRc4? Please confirm.

David - I hope Marian will chime back in here. I have not counted landclearing debris for MRc4. Typically I have focused on higher cost items. And don’t forget regional materials (MRc5) for the riprap, but again, the cost may not be worth the calcs. Regarding the rebar, it would be part of MRc2 but not MRc4. You recycled it - but did not use it as recycled material in your project.

They can count in some cases toward MR 4. You have to be careful that the rip rap is called out in your specs under the accepted spec sections (CSI divisions/sections) that MR 4 governs. Div 3-10 and selected 31 and 32 sections (31 60 00-Foundations, 32 10 00-Paving, 32 30 00-Site Improvements and 32 90 00-Planting). Sometimes it can fall into sections outside these "acceptable" ones. Your next challenge will be to document the volume of rip rap coming to your project and to assign a cost to it (fair market value). As to your last two questions: unless you are using the concrete and recycled rebar in your own project, however, you can't count them in MR 4, but you CAN count them in MR 2. Does that help? Also, do some research on the MR 4 restrictions of using mulch toward this credit. I think it falls outside the definition of "recycled."