I am working as part of a Q.A. team at an Integrated Steel Complex in the Middle East which operates 3 core manufacturing plants; 1. Direct Reduction Plant producing Direct Reduced Iron (DRI); 2. Melt Shop, with steel making process using EAF and CCM producing steel billets; 3. Heavy Section hot-rolling mill producing structural steel beams (H-beam, I-beam and Angles). We have been asked by some of our customers to issue a letter to confirm that our products (structural steel sections) contain recycled content and contributes to LEED NC v3 Credit MRc4; Recycled Content (Post-Consumer and Pre-Consumer).
Can this letter be a self-declaration? or does this have to be certified by LEED? Appreciate if anyone can assist in this regard with how we may go about the process. Thanks in advance.
Keith Lindemulder
Environmental Business Development- LEED AP BD&CNucor Corporation
193 thumbs up
December 18, 2014 - 9:57 pm
The letter should be provided by the structural steel manufacturer on their letterhead. Alternatively you can use the LEED V2009 default rate of 25% recycled content for steel products.
One additional thought Is that it's doubtful that all the steel came from the same location and/or same process. That means you need a letter from each mill that various products were sourced.
RETIRED
LEEDuser Expert
623 thumbs up
December 19, 2014 - 9:22 am
Keith - Thanks so much for monitoring and contributing to this forum!! Your response is spot on. I just wanted to note that the default recycled content value for steel is 25% post-consumer waste. While this is definitely available for them to use, I'm sure the team is anticipating more recycled content benefit (verified, actual recycled content per material type as you indicate) from the steel if at all possible.
Jon Clifford
LEED-AP BD+CGREENSQUARE
LEEDuser Expert
327 thumbs up
December 20, 2014 - 12:14 am
Robert—LEED does not certify environmental claims. Make your recycled content claims in accordance with the International Organization of Standards document, ISO 14021 — Environmental Labels and Declarations – Self-Declared Environmental Claims (Type II Environmental Labeling).
Recognizing that material sources & composition vary over time, this standard allows manufacturers to base their claims on averages (typically annual averages).
Your complex appears to participate in the entire process of structural steel manufacture, from ore to beam. Therefore, your metallurgists should have record of the formulations and all the inputs into the process. Using this data, they should be able to calculate and report post- & pre-consumer recycled percentages as outlined in the standard. As Keith points out, you can report the claim on manufacturer’s letterhead or similar document.
[NOTE: Using the same dataset, your complex may also be able to compile extraction and reclamation source data for LEED Regional Materials Credit MRc5.]
Andrew Tse
LEED Project EngineerLilker EMO Energy Solutions
2 thumbs up
December 22, 2014 - 10:25 am
Robert, FYI in case you don't have that ISO standard on hand, the definitions provided in the credit requirements are from this standard:
"Postconsumer material is defined as waste material generated by households or by commercial, industrial and institutional facilities in their role as end-users of the product, which can no longer be used for its intended purpose.
Preconsumer material is defined as material diverted from the waste stream during the manufacturing process. Reutilization of materials (i.e., rework, regrind or scrap generated in a process and capable of being reclaimed within the same process that generated it) is excluded. "