Integrating rapidly renewable materials into the design and specs early on can help prevent costly change orders during construction 

Include a cushion in case of changes in design and purchasing. For example, if you are counting on points for using 2.5% rapidly renewable materials, plan for 5% of your budget to be spent on rapidly renewable materials to avoid coming up short.

How many rapidly renewable materials do you need to incorporate into your project? Look at the baseline material budget. Determine how much you want to spend on rapidly renewable materials to get the desired LEED point (see point thresholds in the Credit Language). Go through the project’s preliminary budget and identify what items could be purchased that are rapidly renewable. Do these items add up to the amount needed to get the desired LEED points?

You can use the requirements from the NC, CS, and Schools rating systems to help define construction items as defined in CSI Master Spec Format Divisions 3-10, 31.60 Foundations, 32.10 Paving, 32.30 Site Improvements, 32.90 Planting. (See Resources for Master Spec information.)

Include in your materials budget the material cost (excluding labor) of all construction items and Division 12 Furniture.  Mechanical, electrical, plumbing and equipment costs are excluded. (See Resources for Master Spec information.)

It may be easier and more cost-effective to use rapidly renewable materials that are not finish materials—for instance, strawbale construction, cotton batt insulation, or composite agrifiber wood for millwork cores.

If you decide to go after this credit, it is usually attainable, as it only requires a small percentage of your budget. Rapidly renewable finish materials may have a slightly higher cost than their conventional counterparts, however.

Using rapidly renewable finish materials is easily identified by occupants and can help with “telling the story” of your green building.

You won’t earn this credit by accident. You’ll have to make a concerted effort to use enough rapidly renewable materials to meet the credit thresholds. 

Consider using rapidly renewable materials early in the process, as it may drive the project’s aesthetics or inform specific building practices. Typical rapidly renewable materials include bamboo, cork, cotton, wheat, agrifiber, straw, wool, linseed-based linoleum, and natural rubber. (See Bird’s Eye View for a summary of how these materials are used.)