The prospect of physically and systematically sorting through all your building’s waste to identify a baseline understanding of your building’s waste can be daunting.

Check to make sure you fully understand the requirements of the credit before deciding not to pursue it, however, because a waste stream audit can provide valuable information about your project—and it can be a cheap credit, if executed properly.

… but it can pay off if you do it right

A waste stream audit can provide your team with information about your existing waste management programs that you can’t get through any other means. You may be able to cut your operational costs if your audit reveals any opportunities for source reduction.

Some missteps to avoid

Problems can arise if your team or hired waste auditor is inexperienced. Be aware that for a compliant audit, you or your auditor must actually analyze the entire waste stream, not just a representative sample (the term “Sampling” as used in the LEED Reference Guide and template refers to a representative period of time, not a portion of the waste stream). Other common errors are auditing only trash (forgetting recyclables), auditing only a portion of the building, or taking eyeball estimates rather than making precise measurements. 

Consider these questions when approaching this credit:

•  What are the typical waste materials in your project building? These might include commingled recycling, compost, batteries, fluorescent bulbs, and trash.
• How is trash and recycling currently handled at the project building? Does a solid waste management plan currently exist?
• Is there a location onsite where waste can be sorted and audited? Does the project building have enough space for staff to sort the materials and conduct the audit onsite, or will off-site processing be necessary?
• Who will perform the audit? Does the project team have the time and resources to conduct the audit? Or does it make more sense for the waste hauler to conduct the audit?