Demolition projects can give away furniture, computers, and other equipment. Projects can also reuse items like doors, and crush demolished concrete and other paving materials to be reused as fill onsite. Demolition and renovation jobs can present many opportunities for salvaging items like wood timbers, architectural detailing, stonework, and millwork for reuse on another project, sale, or donation.

Construction materials vary with project location and building type. Some materials are easier to recycle than others. For example, copper wire and steel studs are readily recycled into new products, but vinyl tiles may not be. Research and specify what materials can be recycled, reused, or salvaged in the project’s municipality or region—and design with these materials so that waste scrap can be diverted from the landfill. For example, specify carpet from a manufacturer that has a take-back program, or ceiling tiles that are easily recyclable.

Energy-efficiency measures with a higher first cost often provide large savings in energy use and operational energy bills. These credit requirements are directly tied to the benefits of efficient, low-cost operations.

Some energy efficiency features may require special training for operations and maintenance personnel. For example, cogeneration and building automation systems require commissioning and operator training. Consider employing a trained professional to aid in creating operation manuals for specialty items. 

Assess whether programs to minimize single-occupancy vehicles might be successful given the nature and location of the project. Consider surveying future building occupants about their interest in a commercial vehicle-sharing program or shuttle buses. Providing access to a vehicle-share program or to promote carpooling may help to attract occupants to a multi-tenant building.

Residential projects can include preferred parking spaces for carpools as part of their program to reduce single-occupancy vehicles. “Preferred parking” refers to designated spaces located nearest the building entrance, covered, or at a discount price, but not providing preference over disabled parking. 

If providing new parking, determine infrastructure and programs that will be most effective at reducing single-occupancy vehicles at your project. This can include developing a carpooling policy, defining procedures and eligibility requirements for participating in a carpooling incentive program, creating and distributing tags for vehicle identification, creating communication materials about the carpool program, providing a rideshare board, and designated preferred parking and drop off areas for carpool.

Proceed based on your chosen compliance path:

Option 1: Check local zoning laws and make sure your project’s parking capacity meets but does not exceed minimum zoning requirements, and develop the infrastructure and support programs for minimizing single-occupancy vehicles. Consider incorporating programs for car-share, ride boards (or website), carpool drop off locations, designated parking for carpools, and shuttle services to mass transit. 
Option 2: Verify that the project is not providing any new parking spaces.

Case 2: Residential Projects

You may want to assess the likelihood that building occupants will carpool to work and use the reserved carpooling parking spaces; you may find that it is best to provide carpooling incentives to motivate people to minimize single-occupancy vehicles.