Metal Architecture, December 2016

By Thomas Taylor Over the past several years Ive been able to use this column as a way to communicate to Metal Architecture readers on the subject of sustainability and more specifically sustainable design and construction By now most of you know that working on a LEED project is different than working on a non LEED project The LEED rating system addresses a variety of different aspects of buildings including how they are designed built and operated These things are covered in the core categories of the LEED rating system Sustainable Sites Water Efficiency Energy and Atmosphere Materials and Resources and Indoor Environmental Quality The LEED rating system consists of 110 possible points project teams can earn and 100 of these points are found in these core categories The 10 points that are not included in the core categories can be found in two non core categories Innovation in Design and Regional Priority These two categories can provide extra credit points to teams seeking LEED certification The Innovation in Design category awards credit points for teams that go beyond what is defined in the rating system Regional priority credits are given to projects demonstrating compliance with certain credits that the U S Green Building Council USGBC has defined as priority for the area in which the project is or will be built INNOVATION IN DESIGN This credit category has a total of six points available Five are available under IDc1 Innovation in Design which are awarded for projects demonstrating innovative strategies in the design or construction process The sixth point is awarded under IDc2 LEED Accredited Professional if a LEED Accredited Professional is a primary participant on the project team 8 METAL ARCHITECTURE December 2016 www metalarchitecture com For IDc1 there are two ways a team can demonstrate innovation One way is for the team to do something that provides an environmental benefit not addressed in the rating system Another option for achieving these extra credit points is to go beyond the threshold of the credit requirements already included the rating system An example of a credit that provides environmental benefit would be the establishment of a green education and outreach program A program like this can be comprised of three different elements green education tours of the facility or a case study that can be furnished to the USGBC for use in publication and or promotion The team is encouraged to use its project as a means to communicate the sustainable features to building occupants and visitors Another example of an innovation credit would be if the owner created and administered a green cleaning policy after construction is complete A green cleaning program should include a list of environmentally friendly cleaning agents used inside of the building proper techniques for performing cleaning tasks and using the equipment to carry out the cleaning and a policy for all personnel to receive training on an on going basis and recording each training Perhaps the easiest way to achieve an innovation credit is to demonstrate exemplary performance in one of the written credits The material and resources credit MRc4 awards one point if a team can demonstrate 10 percent of all building products used in the project have a high recycled content An additional point is available when the team reaches the 20 percent threshold and the innovation credit is awarded when a team reaches 30 percent While exemplary performance may be an easy path to innovation credits the USGBC will only allow a team to earn three of the five available credits using this approach REGIONAL PRIORITY The four remaining extra credits in the rating system are found in the Regional Priority category This category awards points to teams paying attention to those credits that have been deemed as a priority by the USGBC In order to establish these credits the USGBC worked with its regional chapters to determine the credits that are most crucial to the various regions of the country The regional priorities were used to create a list of credits that are important to a particular area Zip codes were used to group the areas Within each of the areas there is a separate list of six credits that are most important to those locations If the team achieves any of the credits identified on the list for that area they automatically get awarded the corresponding Regional Priority credit One example of regional priority can be found with postal code 63131 located in the St Louis area The credits listed for this postal code include SSc1 Site Selection SSc51 Site Development Protect or Restore Habitat SSc62 Stormwater Design Quality Control EAc2 On site Renewable Energy of at least 7 percent MRc2 Construction Waste Management 75 percent and MRc5 Regional Materials 20 percent If a team achieves any of the six listed credits within the core categories they automatically achieve the corresponding regional priority credit While six credits are available to a team a maximum of four points are available through Regional Priority It does not matter if the project you are working on is seeking a basic level of LEED certification or if your team has aspirations of achieving platinum certification of a building is hard work Achieving certification is a team effort starting with the owner making the decision to create a sustainable building the designers working to make sure the design incorporates all of the sustainable features a contractor who understands the sustainable requirements of the contract and a facility manager that knows how to operate and maintain the building All members of the team have a responsibility to work together in an effort to reach LEED certification The Innovation in Design and Regional Priority credits could represent the little extra needed to achieve that certification or perhaps the difference between one level of certification to another Thomas Taylor a 30 year veteran of the construction industry and noted expert on sustainability is a principal and co founder of St Louis based Vertegy To learn more about Vertegy or Taylor visit www vertegyconsultants com CONSTRUCTIVE INSIGHTS The Importance of Non Core Categories in the LEED Rating System