I have heard differing viewpoints on this topic of crushed existing building materials as fill onsite qualifying for this credit...? One of the practice exams I took included fill from crushed concrete slab as “reused material” as a correct answer. I understood that this case qualifies as “remanufactured material” and can be applied to this credit, but wording on this website does not agree.
The comments are from this site under the credit “Bird’s Eye View”:
We are demolishing an existing building, crushing the concrete and stone, and using it as fill onsite. Does this count under MRc3?
No, as the material is being "re-manufactured' into something else, it is different than reuse, where products and materials are used intact, but in different applications or locations. The primary environmental attributes for this case are construction waste management (MRc2), and potentially recycled content (MRc4), and regionality (MRc5). The intent of this credit is to extend the life of existing building materials.
Jamison Hill
Energy Engineer/LEED ConsultantCommunity Environmental Center
3 thumbs up
June 19, 2014 - 1:54 pm
It gets even more confusing.
Scroll down to the Asphalt Milling comment: July 16, 2013. Apparently with asphalt, its okay to to crush it and reuse it in new paving; a direct contradiction of what was said above in the FAQ's.
My advice is that unless you can meet the 5% materials cost threshold, and you can't acheive an additional point under MRc4 (either too far away or having maxed with Ex. Perf), count the salvaged materials taken from off-site or that can't be re-used in the existing location as 100% post-consumer recycled. It's easier and would speed up the review process.
Tristan Roberts
RepresentativeVermont House of Representatives
LEEDuser Expert
11477 thumbs up
July 3, 2014 - 2:02 pm
Jamison, thanks for noting this contradiction. I think I was incorrect about the asphalt example.
Sarah Buffaloe
Specialist, LEEDUSGBC
61 thumbs up
July 16, 2014 - 5:37 pm
In the case of on-site crushed concrete, masonry, or asphalt used as infill these materials are considered remanufactured according to the glossary term and therefore do not qualify as reuse under MR credit 3. The materials do qualify as solid waste diversion under MR credit 2. The treatment of these materials is supported in the LEED 2009 Building Design and Construction Guide in MR credit 2, pg 359 under Calculations “Projects that crush and reuse existing concrete, masonry, or asphalt on-site should include the weight or volume of these materials in the calculations.” and in MR credit 3 pg 364 under Related Credits “Remanufactured materials are not considered a reuse of the material and do not contribute toward this credit. However, these materials can contribute toward; MR Credit 2: Construction Waste Management, or MR Credit 4: Recycled Content