Choose one of two options in creating a baseline budget—the default budget, or the actual budget (excluding labor). The default budget method gives you a baseline materials budget as 45% of your total budget, while the actual budget gives you a baseline based on what you actually spend.
Adding Division 12 Furniture to your baseline materials budget for this credit is optional, but must be applied consistently across MRc3, MRc4, MRc5, MRc6, and MRc7. Analyze the baseline material budget to see if adding Division 12 furniture works to the project’s advantage. Generally, if the furniture helps contribute to the above MR credits it is in a project’s interest to take credit for it—however, it may help with some while making others more difficult.
You must use the actual budget of all materials purchased in the above CSI categories. The default 45% materials budget option that is available for other rating systems is not available for CI projects.
For specific guidance on which Master Spec Divisions constitute construction material, the LEED Reference Guide for Commercial Interiors is not helpful. Instead, check the LEED Reference Guide for Design and Construction (for NC, CS and Schools) for definitions of construction items per 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.)
Your material budget assumptions and material costs should be consistent across MRc3, MRc4, MRc5, MRc6, and MRc7. The LEED Online credit form helps ensure this automatically.
Begin by creating a baseline materials budget. This is the total amount of money that will be spent on building materials. Use the Materials Calculator from the Documentation Toolkit to compile the baseline material list in a way that facilitates adding information on environmental attributes.
Projects must verify the savings of the efficiency measures. If individual metering capacity is not built into the project, the project must demonstrate some other firm commitment to obtaining this data.
Total energy consumption of the building must be tracked, along with any variables that may influence energy consumption. For example, in a hotel you would need to track occupancy. This includes occupancy, schedules, setpoint adjustments, and any other energy usage habits that may differ from default assumptions.
