Hi there I think it's pretty obvious this is not going to comply but thought I bring this up for any comments or reconfirmation. Extraction & Mill [Germany] - Final Manufacturing [Fremont, California ]- Project site [Vancouver].

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Susan Walter

HDR

LEEDuser Expert

894 thumbs up

Wed, 07/24/2013 - 19:23

Both extraction or recovery and manufacture have to be within 500 miles of the project site. Your instincts are correct.

Keith Lindemulder

Environmental Business Development- LEED AP BD&C

Nucor Corporation

LEEDuser Basic Member

132 thumbs up

Wed, 07/24/2013 - 20:12

Susan, while I agree that in this case Lilian's instincts are correct, LEED 2009 does offer an alternative calculation depending on shipping method.

Lilian Seow

Principal

LSDesignworks @ Vancouver, BC Canada

LEEDuser Basic Member

9 thumbs up

Thu, 07/25/2013 - 06:35

Thanks Susan and Keith! Spoke with their manufacturer and confirmed this product does not satisfy the credit. Anchor bars are already installed and what's annoying is contractor's attitude - doesn't think there's any big deal in zero regional contribution. Another frustration is they turned deaf ears to our detailed information for credit compliance prior their to installation. Does anyone have any similar experience and what are your solutions?

Susan Walter

HDR

LEEDuser Expert

894 thumbs up

Thu, 07/25/2013 - 12:46

We've seen a little of that attitude but our clients are large enough that contractors usually do a quick turn around on that attitude if they want one of their larger projects. I would recommend looking through any detailed bids or pay apps for your projects to get a better understanding of the big ticket items, filter for products within those categories and then write a tight spec for those items. Also customize your Div 1 LEED Requirements section and note items that must have regional content. Conduct a pre-construction LEED meeting and re-emphasize your seriousness in meeting the owner's goals and say that you'll reject non compliant shops. Then reject non compliant shops. Keep your owner in the loop on why you're being 'difficult' to deal with before the contractors complain about you. I heard through the grapevine that this happened to me and the owner's response was 'that is what we pay her to do; so do it'. That ended the whining.

Peggy White

White + GreenSpec

LEEDuser Basic Member

59 thumbs up

Thu, 07/25/2013 - 13:52

This can be a very complicated Credit to document, as the contractor has to determine the source of each component of the product and then calculate the percentage of locally harvested/mined components. Getting reliable information can be challenging. Its certainly understandable why contractors balk, especially if they are smaller and their staff is already stretched thin. That said, this Credit is a team effort - while the contractor has to calculate it, the designer has an obligation to research materials and select products that DO have regional content if the Owner wants to achieve this Credit. And yes, Susan is correct in her advice to focus on the big ticket items to maximize the opportunities.

Tiffany Moore

Built Environment Professional

Built Kansas City LLC

LEEDuser Basic Member

28 thumbs up

Thu, 07/25/2013 - 19:58

Money talks. If the prime contract with the owner contains a requirement to achieve LEED certification, that element needs to be repeated in the sub contracts. I often see projects where the design team is contractually obligated by the owner, but uses specs, meetings, and the submittal process to execute the process. If I had a nickel for every time I've heard, "I didn't read the specs, I just took the information from the drawings," I would be on a beach somewhere reading these posts. Ha! I enjoy working the construction side and spend a lot of time training and developing documents to address this very issue. This is about communication. I recommend putting the requirement to participate and respond to LEED requirements in areas of the contract that contain other similar requirements, such as insurance, bonds, liquidated damages, etc. If the only reference to LEED is buried in the paint spec (for example), you may not be relaying the right level of commitment or expectation to the right people.

Lilian Seow

Principal

LSDesignworks @ Vancouver, BC Canada

LEEDuser Basic Member

9 thumbs up

Sat, 07/27/2013 - 00:30

Thanks Everyone for your valueable information. Yes, agree it's all in the design, specification, pre-contract award and during construction toolboxes, etc. We have all that covered in the contracts and Spec sort of. In every front page of the specification is a LEED Requirement section but there are materials spec'd by the Architect are not within the LEED distances from the project site. An issue: a $400 k worth of glass material is specified from a non-regional source. Trade is justifying their procurement from a non-regional source. Trade submitted a RFI to clarify the LEED compliance discrepancy in the Specs. Owner is asking if this specific item is included in the projected credit tracking report.Ok, this is like 2% of the total project material costs but the question is why would Owner want to take the risk for selective compliance? There are other issues here: design and manufacturing issues. Is it really true that there no one on the west coast to manufacture a one-piece fritted templered glass? If that is true, does the Architect really must have the so-called signature glass design to be manufactured outside of the region and that it 's worthy of undermining the green objective? I think I'm deviating from the topic - if it is , let me know where can I post this for further discussion...thanks

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