LEEDuser’s viewpoint
Frank advice from LEED experts
LEED is changing all the time, and every project is unique. Even seasoned professionals can miss a critical detail and lose a credit or even a prerequisite at the last minute. Our expert advice guides our LEEDuser Premium members and saves you valuable time.
Credit language
Requirements
Option 1
Use a minimum of 20% of the combined value of construction and Division 12 (Furniture) materials and products that are manufactured
1 regionally within a radius of 500 miles (800 kilometers).
OR
Use a minimum of 20% of the combined value of construction and Division 12 (Furniture) materials and products that are manufactured regionally within a 500 mile (800 kilometer) total travel distance of the project site using a weighted average determined through the following formula:
(Distance by rail/3) + (Distance by inland waterway/2) + (Distance by sea/15) + (Distance by all other means) ≤ 500 miles [800 kilometers]
OR
Option 2
Meet the requirements for Option 1.
AND
Use a minimum of 10% of the combined value of construction and Division 12 (furniture) materials and products extracted, harvested or recovered, as well as manufactured, within 500 miles (800 kilometers) of the project.
OR
Use a minimum of 10% of the combined value of construction and Division 12 (Furniture) materials and products extracted, harvested or recovered, as well as manufactured regionally within a 500 mile (800 kilometer) total travel distance of the project site using a weighted average determined through the following formula:
(Distance by rail/3) + (Distance by inland waterway/2) + (Distance by sea/15) + (Distance by all other means) ≤ 500 miles [800 kilometers]
See all forum discussions about this credit »
What does it cost?
Cost estimates for this credit
On each BD+C v4 credit, LEEDuser offers the wisdom of a team of architects, engineers, cost estimators, and LEED experts with hundreds of LEED projects between then. They analyzed the sustainable design strategies associated with each LEED credit, but also to assign actual costs to those strategies.
Our tab contains overall cost guidance, notes on what “soft costs” to expect, and a strategy-by-strategy breakdown of what to consider and what it might cost, in percentage premiums, actual costs, or both.
This information is also available in a full PDF download in The Cost of LEED v4 report.
Learn more about The Cost of LEED v4 »
Addenda
12/1/2016 – Updated: 12/2/2016
Form Update
Description of change: Calculator Tab:
Updated Regional Materials comment to clarify that only one distance value needs to be entered
Allow format cell and insert comments on locked version of calculator tab
Updated regional material option titles to include BD+C
Updated Regional Materials Column S to “Select Option Below”
ID+C Example Tab:
Updated Option dropdown names and comment bubble under regional materials
Internationally Applicable: No
4/8/2016 – Updated: 5/4/2016
Form Update
Description of change: added ID+C example tab and additional instructions.
Internationally Applicable: No
1/15/2016 – Updated: 4/7/2016
Form Update
Internationally Applicable: No
11/3/2010 – Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change: Remove the eighth row of the table (begins with "Ceiling light fixtures")
Internationally Applicable: No
7/19/2010 – Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change: Insert the term "extraction, harvest or recovery point" in alphabetical order with the accompanying text "
Extraction, harvest or recovery point refers to the location of raw materials prior to manufacturing of the building material or product that is furnished and installed in the project building."
Internationally Applicable: No
10/1/2012 – Updated: 2/14/2015
Global ACP
Description of change: Add "AND" after "Meet the requirements for Option 1."
Internationally Applicable: Yes
10/1/2012 – Updated: 2/14/2015
Global ACP
Description of change: Add the following to the end of the option: " OR Use a minimum of 10% of the combined value of construction and Division 12 (Furniture) materials and products extracted, harvested or recovered, as well as manufactured regionally within a 500 mile (800 kilometer) total travel distance of the project site using a weighted average determined through the following formula: (Distance by rail/3) + (Distance by inland waterway/2) + (Distance by sea/15) + (Distance by all other means) = 500 miles [800 kilometers]"
Internationally Applicable: Yes
7/19/2010 – Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change: Remove the first paragraph: The point of manufacture is considered the place if final
assembly ofcomponents into the building product that is furnished and installed bytradesworkers. For example, if the hardware comes from Dallas, andlumber comes from Vancouver, and the joist is assembled in Kent,Washington, then the location of the final
assembly is Kent, Washington.
Internationally Applicable: No
10/1/2012 – Updated: 2/14/2015
Global ACP
Description of change: Add the following after the first sentence: "OR Use a minimum of 20% of the combined value of construction and Division 12 (Furniture) materials and products that are manufactured regionally within a 500 mile (800 kilometer) total travel distance of the project site using a weighted average determined through the following formula: (Distance by rail/3) + (Distance by inland waterway/2) + (Distance by sea/15) + (Distance by all other means) = 500 miles [800 kilometers]"
Internationally Applicable: Yes
LEED Interpretation
Inquiry: See below for alternative method on illustrating regional manufactured, extracted or processed materials in LEED-CSv2.0
Ruling: In order to verify that the extraction, harvest, recovery and manufacture site is located within a 500 mile radius of the project site, project teams are required to indicate the actual mileage between the project site and the manufacturer and similarly, the distance between the project site and the extraction site for each raw material in the submittal template. ALTERNATIVELY, a statement on the manufacturer\'s letter head indicating that the point of extraction, harvest, recovery or manufacture is within 500 miles of the LEED project site, will also be accepted as part of the LEED documentation and credit submittals.
Internationally Applicable: No
LEED Interpretation
Inquiry: See below for alternative method on illustrating regional manufactured, extracted or processed materials in LEED-CIv2.0
Ruling: In order to verify that the extraction, harvest, recovery and manufacture site is located within a 500 mile radius of the project site, project teams are required to indicate the actual mileage between the project site and the manufacturer and similarly, the distance between the project site and the extraction site for each raw material in the submittal template. ALTERNATIVELY, a statement on the manufacturer\'s letter head indicating that the point of extraction, harvest, recovery or manufacture is within 500 miles of the LEED project site, will also be accepted as part of the LEED documentation and credit submittals. Applicable Internationally.
Internationally Applicable: Yes
LEED Interpretation
Inquiry: See below for alternative method on illustrating regional manufactured, extracted or processed materials in LEED-Schools
Ruling: In order to verify that the extraction, harvest, recovery and manufacture site is located within a 500 mile radius of the project site, project teams are required to indicate the actual mileage between the project site and the manufacturer and similarly, the distance between the project site and the extraction site for each raw material in the submittal template. ALTERNATIVELY, a statement on the manufacturer\'s letter head indicating that the point of extraction, harvest, recovery or manufacture is within 500 miles of the LEED project site, will also be accepted as part of the LEED documentation and credit submittals.
Internationally Applicable: No
LEED Interpretation
Inquiry: The proposed project site is located on a military base that has potentially unexploded ordnance on-site.Protection from potential detonation during construction is required by the federal government to shield pedestrians and existing housing across the street from the project site. As a part of the project, a detonation barrier is to be constructed prior to start of excavation. This barrier can be built using various material but must have substantial foundations and structural strength to withstand large explosion forces. After construction is completed, the detonation barriers would be deconstructed to allow access to the site.The project team is proposing to incorporate salvaged local material into the design of these barrier walls. May the salvaged material qualify for MR credit 5 for regional material, MR credit 4 for recycled content?
Ruling: The project team has inquired whether materials used for a temporary (during construction) detonation barrier can be included within the project material cost accounting since it is mandated to be built, particularly as it relates to recycled content, local material content, and construction waste management. No, the LEED Reference Guide for Green Building and Construction 2009 Edition Materials and Resources credits 3, 4, 5,and 6 "Include only materials permanently installed in the project" temporarily installed materials are considered equipment and cannot be included in MR Credits 3-6.
Internationally Applicable: No
LEED Interpretation
Inquiry: Our project is a 9 million SF Graduate University located 60 km North of Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. The University will be dedicated to the research of alternative fuels and renewable energy. The entire campus will be New Construction on a Greenfield site and will consist of research labs, lab support areas, administration buildings, a library, a commons building, food service, an auditorium, conference rooms, lecture halls, offices and public areas. Regionally manufactured building materials are not readily available due to the project location and unoccupied nature of certain areas of Saudi Arabia. Only a small portion of the building materials can be obtained within 500 miles. As a result, a good majority of the materials that will be acquired for the project will be delivered by sea from adjacent countries. Similar conditions exist in Canada. The unoccupied regions of Canada influence the availability of building materials and methods to transport those materials. These conditions have allowed the Canadian LEED rating system to implement a larger distance allowance for the regional materials Credit. Different modes of transport have different fuel efficiencies in transporting goods. LEED Canada-NC 1.0 acknowledges these differences by extending the permissible transportation distance to 1500 miles for those goods transported by rail or by ship. Truck - 2127 KJ/ton*km Rail road - 373 KJ/ton*km Shipping - 138 KJ/ton*km The intent of this Credit is to "reduce the environmental impacts resulting from transportation." The above transport options show significant reduction in energy and fossil fuel use for rail and boat transport. Due to the project site conditions and site transport options, our project is seeking interpretation to use the Canadian requirements for the Regional Materials Credits. The Canadian requirements can be found below. Please advise on our project\'s ability to use this interpretation. Canadian LEED NC 1.0 Regional Materials Requirements Use a minimum of 10% / 20% of building materials or products for which at least 80% of the mass is extracted, processed and manufactured within 800 km (500 miles) of the project site. OR Use a minimum of 10% / 20% of building materials or products for which at least 80% of the mass is extracted, processed and manufactured within 2400 km (1500 miles) of the project site, and shipped by rail or water. OR Use a minimum of 10% / 20% of building materials or products that reflect a combination of the above extraction, processing, manufacturing and shipping criteria (e.g., 5% within 800 km (500 miles) and 5% shipped by rail within 2400 km (1500 miles)).
Ruling: This CIR is requesting that the project be permitted to substitute the existing MRc5 credit requirements with those found in the Canadian Green Building Council LEED Rating System. The CAGBC LEED requirement allows for materials to be harvested from a larger area (1500 mile radius) if it reaches the site by lower emission transportation (ship and rail.) While the proposal certainly aims to reduce the environmental impacts resulting from material transportation, it does not address the portion of the credit aimed at supporting the use of indigenous materials. Furthermore, the CAGBC LEED rating system has been developed specifically for the Canadian construction and transportation industries, and it may not be appropriate to use it in place of the USGBC requirements as applied on this Jeddah, Saudi Arabia site. However, the intent of the project to reduce the emissions associated with the transportation of materials is commendable and should be pursued as an innovation point. As such, the credit submission should include a narrative explaining local common practices for transport of materials and how this strategy surpasses those for environmental benefit. Resources on past innovation points that have been pursued for Life Cycle Analysis can be found in the Innovation in Design Credit Catalog, issued on 12/7/07. The USGBC also anticipates that credit requirements for comprehensive carbon emission reduction on a building project will be available by the end of the year. If the construction schedule permits, this could be an option for the project to receive credit for their efforts. Applicable Internationally; Canada; Saudi Arabia.
Internationally Applicable: Yes
LEED Interpretation
Inquiry: See below for alternative method on illustrating regional manufactured, extracted or processed materials in LEED-NCv2.1
Ruling: In order to verify that the extraction, harvest, recovery and manufacture site is located within a 500 mile radius of the project site, project teams are required to indicate the actual mileage between the project site and the manufacturer and similarly, the distance between the project site and the extraction site for each raw material in the submittal template. ALTERNATIVELY, a statement on the manufacturer\'s letter head indicating that the point of extraction, harvest, recovery or manufacture is within 500 miles of the LEED project site, will also be accepted as part of the LEED documentation and credit submittals.
Internationally Applicable: No
LEED Interpretation
Inquiry: See below for alternative method on illustrating regional manufactured, extracted or processed materials in LEED-NCv2.2
Ruling: In order to verify that the extraction, harvest, recovery and manufacture site is located within a 500 mile radius of the project site, project teams are required to indicate the actual mileage between the project site and the manufacturer and similarly, the distance between the project site and the extraction site for each raw material in the submittal template. ALTERNATIVELY, a statement on the manufacturer\'s letter head indicating that the point of extraction, harvest, recovery or manufacture is within 500 miles of the LEED project site, will also be accepted as part of the LEED documentation and credit submittals.
Internationally Applicable: No
LEED Interpretation
Inquiry: Can a rural project earn MRc5 if materials are manufactured slightly outside of 500 miles in order to obtain construction material with more sustainable features?
Ruling: No, the project\'s request for a waiver due to its remote location is not acceptable. The site\'s remote location does not reduce the environmental impact resulting from the transportation of material which is the intent of the credit. Applicable internationally.
Internationally Applicable: Yes
LEED Interpretation
Inquiry: The project team took great care in selecting construction materials in order to attempt MR Credits 4, 5 and 6. With the exception of MR Credit 4 Recycled Content, the team\'s efforts will be for naught if furnishings are required to be included in the calculation of these credits. All major office furniture manufacturers are centrally located on the continent, most typically in Michigan and Ontario. Therefore, the manufacturers are not within a 500 mile radius of the project, as the tenant\'s headquarters is located in Vancouver, British Columbia. Another point to consider is that at the time the furnishings order was being finalized, wheat fiberboard plants were closing across North America. So although the team\'s intention was to use wheat fiberboard as a worksurface substrate, there was not the volume of board available to fulfill the large order. In the LEED-CI Pilot version, the inclusion of Division 12 Furnishings in the calculations of the Materials & Resources credits was optional. Division 12 (Furnishings) Material Value will skew the project\'s Materials & Resources (MR) calculations. Can we have the option to exclude Division 12 from the MR calculations, as long as we are consistent across the credits?
Ruling: The request to exclude Division 12 from the MR credits as described in the Inquiry is not allowed. While the rationale presented is compelling, this concept was debated and ultimately rejected by committee prior to balloting LEED-CI. Applicable Internationally; Canada.
Internationally Applicable: Yes
See all forum discussions about this credit »
Checklists
Step by step to LEED certification
LEEDuser’s checklists walk you through the key action steps you need to earn a credit, including how to avoid common pitfalls and save money.
See all forum discussions about this credit »
Documentation toolkit
The motherlode of cheat sheets
LEEDuser’s Documentation Toolkit is loaded with calculators to help assess credit compliance, tracking spreadsheets for materials, sample templates to help guide your narratives and LEED Online submissions, and examples of actual submissions from certified LEED projects for you to check your work against. To get your plaque, start with the right toolkit.
