In the LEED Canada reference guide V1.0, page 295 for the credit MRc4, it is stated under “Synergies and Trade-Offs […] Recycled content materials cannot be included in calculations for MR Credits 1, 2, 3, 6 and 7.” In the LEED Reference guide addendum V1.1, page 103, is stated, under MRc7 credit/ Interpretation “The calculations for certified wood excludes the value of any post-consumer recycled wood fiber content of a product that qualifies to be counted under MRc4 - Recycled Content Materials thereby ensuring that applicants seeking the certified wood credit are not penalized by unnecessarily including in the certified wood calculation products or portions thereof that do not contain virgin wood fiber.” So for a project following LEED V1.1 if I have a wood product with a value of 100$, which contains 40% of post-consumer recycled content non-FSC certified and 60% of pre-consumer recycled content FSC certified, how am I supposed to include this product if the project is pursuing MRc4 and MRc7? Option 1: Include $100*60%= $60 of wood value in MRc7 100% FSC certified (pre-consumer recycled content) and in MRc4 include 100$*40%= $40 (post-consumer recycled content) Option 2: Include $100*60% = $60 of wood value in MRc7 100% FSC certified (pre-consumer recycled content) and nothing in MRc4? Option 3: Include $100*60% = $60 of wood value in MRc7 100% FSC certified (pre-consumer recycled content) and $100 at 40% post-consumer and 60% pre-consumer in MRc4? Thanks.

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Michelle Rosenberger

Partner

ArchEcology

LEEDuser Premium Member

421 thumbs up

Wed, 02/27/2013 - 18:11

Hi Keith, My understanding from the US side is that you don't. You have to choose which credit you are pursuing with that product. You can't do both. Though there is a designation called Mixed FSC, by USGBC policy, we consider that 100% FSC and 100% new wood. If your project has a Mixed FSC (%) claim, you would use the percentage provided in both columns. Since you have the choice, it may come down to which benefits your project more. I am in the position in my area of advising contractor's not to pay the premium for FSC MDF products which are often largely recycled content when they are better off claiming them for MR4 and not dealing with the level of paperwork needed for MR7, particularly on CI projects with respect to casework and millwork where our subcontractors are largely not FSC certified.

Keith Robertson

President

Solterre Inc.

LEEDuser Premium Member

47 thumbs up

Wed, 02/27/2013 - 18:30

How do you record the wood value in MRc7, if you include it in MRc4? Why would encouraging sustainable forestry and recycled content be considered double dipping?

Michelle Rosenberger

Partner

ArchEcology

LEEDuser Premium Member

421 thumbs up

Wed, 02/27/2013 - 19:13

Hi Keith, You don't. In your example, you don't have any "new wood". It sounds like your product is FSC Recycled which is outright excluded from MR7. Why this is considered double dipping has caused lengthy debate, and you can probably find lots of discussion about it by reading through these pages. It's not something that entirely makes sense to me.

Keith Robertson

President

Solterre Inc.

LEEDuser Premium Member

47 thumbs up

Wed, 02/27/2013 - 19:38

Thanks! In the LEED NC 2009 Canada, MRc7 credit, it is stated under Interpretations, that "Pre-consumer recycled content cannot be excluded from the MR Credit 7 Certified Wood credit calculations. Exclusion of post-consumer wood is permitted to ensure that applicants are not penalised for the use of salvaged wood. Pre-consumer wood is seen as a co-product as it can play a key economic determinant role in the decision to mill lumber." So, it sounds like we have to include the pre-consumer recycled content in MRc7.

Michelle Rosenberger

Partner

ArchEcology

LEEDuser Premium Member

421 thumbs up

Wed, 02/27/2013 - 19:38

Hi Keith, I would rely on the FSC designation. If that product was FSC Mixed, you would include the whole amount as "new wood" and as "FSC wood". If the product was designated FSC Mixed (%), you would use the % value for both new wood and FSC wood. If it's not an FSC product, it's really tricky. The only way right now, using the Materials spreadsheet provided by the USGBC for these credits, to add new wood value is to include a line item product. If you include this product as a line item in MR7 and MR4, the reviewers will likely bounce it. Practically, I would not include it in MR7 despite the new wood value. Others may not agree. I suppose if you were determined you could add the line item to include the new wood value but it would be 0% FSC and then explain why it's in both places. If you actually had 40% FSC that you could claim, you'd have an FSC Mixed (%) designation.

Jason Grant

Principal

Jason Grant Consulting

LEEDuser Expert

115 thumbs up

Wed, 02/27/2013 - 20:06

I agree with everything that Michelle writes above. For more perspective on this, see the string below under the heading "FSC assembly requirement for LEED" One argument against allowing double-dipping for MRc4 and MRc7 is the direction of LEEDv4 itself -- since going forward, it looks like FSC-certified and recycled-content materials are going to be in the same credit, each counting toward a the same threshold. Admittedly, this is a practical rather than a scientific argument for keeping them in separate buckets, but it really does seem to be too confusing to do it any other way.

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