HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0600.001 2002-2004L
LEED Score Card LEED TM Scorecard of 4/30/2004
MEM • Potential Project Score For West Hawaii Civic Center Possible Points 69
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Erosion & Sedimentation Control Y " I Storage & Collection of Recyclables
I I ICredit 1 Site Selection 1 wI Credit 1.1 Building Reuse, Maintain 75% of Existing Shell
Urban Redevelopment
I Credit 1.2 Building Reuse, Maintain 100% of Existing Shell
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Ced it 3 Brownfield Redevelopment 1-redit 1.,, Building Reuse, Maintain 100% Shell & 50% Non -Shell
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C, r re di t 4.1 Alternative Transportation, Public Transportation Access
Credit 2, ! Construction Waste Management, Divert 50%
--dit 4,2 Alternative Transportation, Bicycle Storage & Changing Rooms 1 1 Credit 2.1', Construction Waste Management, Divert 75%
j'CrQA:- 4.3 Alternative Transportation, Alternative Fuel Refueling Stations 11 Resource Reuse, Specify 5%
j I °Credlt 4.4 Alternative Transportation, Parking Capacity
Credit 3.2 Resource Reuse, Specify 10%
1 Ajt 5 1
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C d'; t 5. 2
Reduced Site Disturbance, Protect or Restore Open Space credit 4.1 Recycled Content, Specify 25%
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Reduced Site Disturbance, Development Footprint 1 t t 1 Credit 4.2 Recycled Content, Specify 50%
Cr e dit 6"1 Stormwater Management, Rate and Quantity Credit 5Local/Regional Materials, 20% Manufactured Locally
i 1 is redit 6.2 Stormwater Management, Treatment 1 1 Credit s.< Local/Regional Materials, of 20% Above, 50% Harvested Locally
7.1 Landscape & Exterior Design to Reduce Heat Islands, Non -Roof 11J Credit 6 Rapidly Renewable Materials
1 Cnedlit 7.2 Landscape & Exterior Design to Reduce Heat Islands, Roof 1 1 Credit 7 Certified Wood
Credit 8 Light Pollution Reduction
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Credit 1.1 Water Efficient Landscaping, Reduce by 50% 1 Y Preren, 2 Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS) Control
1 Crc-0, 1,2 Water Efficient Landscaping, No Potable Use or No Irrigation 1 1 Credit I Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Monitoring
,C -edit 2 Innovative Wastewater Technologies 1 1 µ"#Credit 2 Increase Ventilation Effectiveness
Cre,-4.t 3,1 Water Use Reduction, 20% Reduction
Credit 3, 1 Construction IAQ Management Plan, During Construction
l,reoit 3 Water Use Reduction, 30% Reduction 1 1 Credit 3 - Construction IAQ Management Plan, Before Occupancy
Credit 4.1 Low -Emitting Materials, Adhesives & Sealants
111511 Tt t 111:11 1 PIN 111I R ''1 111111 1 1 1
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Credit 4 Low -Emitting Materials, Paints
5
Y ? N 1 Creditz_,, Low -Emitting Materials, Carpet
Y Pr req,
Fundamental Building Systems Commissioning 1 Credit 4 , Low -Emitting Materials, Composite Wood
Minimum Energy Performance credi%%t '05 Indoor Chemical & Pollutant Source Control
Pr,req 3 CFC Reduction in HVAC&R Equipment Credit 6,' Controllability of Systems, Perimeter
Y
2 Credit 1"1 Optimize Energy Performance, 20% New 10% Existing 2 1 Credit 6 Controllability of Systems, Non -Perimeter
2 Credit 1.2 Optimize Energy Performance, 30% New / 20% Existing
2 1 Credit 7.: Thermal Comfort, Comply with ASHRAE 55-1992
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2 1 credit 1 3 Optimize Energy Performance, 40% New / 30% Existing 2 1 Thermal Comfort, Permanent Monitoring System
2 trent 1.4 Optimize Energy Performance, 50% New / 40% Existing 2 1 CI ed it 81 Daylight & Views, Daylight 75% of Spaces
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creaut 1,5 Optimize Energy Performance, 60% New / 50% Existing 2 1 Credit Daylight & Views, Views for 90% of Spaces
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Credil'21 Renewable Energy, 5% 1
I Credit 2.2 Renewable Energy, 10% 1 &1 �,R
I Crev'it 2.3 Renewable Energy, 20% 1 Y ? N
Credit.3 Additional Commissioning 1 1v Credit 1.1 Innovation in Design:
4 Ozone Depletion Cledit 1 �� Innovation in Design-, come 1. No. 600•
none
I !Credif. r Measurement & Verification Credit ,.3 Innovation in Design. Ref. To: Presented FPW 1
I C ed'i, r- Green Power Credit 1.4 Innovation in Design:
L ___ Ref. Date Znn
1 Credit 2 LEED Tm Accredited Professional L
U S Green Building Council Scorecard LEED TM Calculator 2.0
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waste in the U.S. (approx. 2.8 lbs/person/day) a
= 12% of potable water in the U.S. 5
40% (3 billion tons annually) of raw materials
use globally s
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Washington, DC
Diverse membership of organizations
Consensus -driven
Committee -based product development
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LEEDTM Green Building Rating System
Competitive first costs
lrtegret d de.ip Allrjvvs high benefit at Jow
cost by achieving synergies; f. et v era
discipliri..s and between technologies
Reduce operating costs
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Optimize life -cycle economic performance
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A leading-edge guideline for designing,
constructing, operating, and certifying
the world's greenest buildings.
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Facilitate positive results for the
environment, occupant health and
financial return
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Public Order 8
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courthouse) / Residential
K-12 Education
Interpretive Center
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(apartments,
dormitories)
Laboratory
Use as a design guideline
Recognize leaders
Stimulate green competition
Assembly (conv.
center, place of
Establish market value with recognizable
national "brand"
Raise consumer awareness
Health Care
Transform the marketplace!
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Public Order 8
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Step 3: Building Certification
Communications
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Commercial Office—
Housing (assisted
living, long-term
care)
-As of 12.16 2002
•' LEEDTm Market,IJ"r�rIIJ 1t�rrJ
❑ 38 Certified Projects*
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guides a collaborative, integrated design
and construction process
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factors
Four levels of certification
LEER Certified 26 - '�2 fpcArit:
' vllv'.''.r Level '), - .JJ points
Gold Level ':IJJ - 51 poirlt
PI;Dtinurrl Level 52+ points (F;9 possible)
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LEED Application Guide for Lodging
]J.S�' Plrm/ 'vf Eligingefs
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County of Hawaii
Require LEED Registration and Identify
Desired Rating Level in the RFP
Prioritize Energy & Atmosphere Credits to
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Contact LEED Municipalities for Input
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Approach WHCC as a LEED Pilot Project for
County of Hawaii
Require LEED Registration and Identify
Desired Rating Level in the RFP
Prioritize Energy & Atmosphere Credits to
Reduce Operating Costs
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AE Team
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•• 1 fO
nvironmental
The Leading Newsletter on Environmentally Responsible Design & Construction
Volume 9, Number 6 www.BuildingGreen.com June 2000
LEED: A Look at the Rating System That's
Changing the Way America Builds
HE LEED GREEN BUILDING RATING
SystemTm has only been officially "on
the street" for a month, but it is already
being used informally as a framework for
green design of hundreds of projects. It is
officially referenced in the building guide-
lines of several local governments and fed-
eral agencies, and unofficially used by
many more. What is this system that has
generated such interest, and how does it
work? Our account of LEED follows.
What LEED Is
LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design. The LEED Rating
System is a method for providing stan-
dardization and independent oversight to
claims of environmental performance for
nonresidential buildings. Its checklist of
Table 1: LEED Rating System
Certification Levels
LEED Certified ......................... 26-32 Points
LEED Certified Silver ................ 33-38 Points
LEED Certified Gold ................. 39-51 Points
LEED Certified Platinum ................ 52+ Points
green performance goals and measures has
69 possible points—a building that can
document compliance with 26 or more
points can be LEED-certified (see Table 1).
LEED is a project of the U.S. Green Build-
ing Council (USGBC), a nonprofit organi-
zation of architects, construction compa-
nies, product manufacturers, engineers,
consultants, and many others. The Council's
stated vision is "Green
buildings and communi-
ties for a healthy and
prosperous planet." Of
the various initiatives
and programs that have
emerged from the Coun-
cil since it was founded
in 1993, LEED is by far
the most significant in
terms of the interest it
has generated.
The Aspen Skiing Company's Sundeck Restaurant was among the first
LEED-certified buildings (see EBN Vol. 9, No. 4). Deconstruction of
the former structure kept 84% of its materials out of the landfill.
A Brief History
Given the enormous im-
pact that LEED now has
within the USGBC, it is
not surprising that the
origins of LEED go back
to the beginning of the
Council, and even before.
(continued Oil pcgc. 8)
In This Issue:
Feature Article ........... 1
• LEED: A Look at the Rating
System That's Changing the
Way America Builds
From the Editors ......... 2
• Perspective: Green Building
Tax Credits? No, Thanks!
What's Happening ....3
• New FSC Content Policy for
Certified Wood Products
• Dioxin: Down and Up
• Electrolux Buys "Electrolux"
• Recycling Asphalt Roofing
Shingles
• Dursban to Be Phased Out
• DOE Clothes Washer
Standards Raised
• FTC Revises EnergyGuide
Labels for Clothes Washers
• Newsbriefs
Product News
& Reviews ........... 8
• The Hayward Truss
From the Library ...... 15
• The Natural House
Calendar ................ 16
Quote of the month:
"Following rules (from
ASHRAEI it's going to
be very difficult to achieve
savings greater than
30%, even in the most
innovative designs."
Charles Eley on the
LEED energy credits
(page 12)
would be a good way to influence
the industry, Watson chose to devote
a substantial amount of time to the
project, and progress on the rating
system—which got the name "LEED"
in April of 1996—accelerated. Other
members of that early Committee
who are still active with LEED in-
clude Italiano, Sandra Mendler, AIA
(now with CUH2A, Inc.), and Wil-
liam Reed, AIA (now with Natural
Logic, Inc.).
The Committee generated several
drafts for review, though little remains
of any of those in the current version.
"I can think of very few things that
survived from those early drafts,"
says Watson. Even after Version 1.0
was officially adopted by the Coun-
cil, there were some lingering concerns,
and the Council lacked the resources
to roll out a full program. Instead, pilot
projects to test the system were solic-
ited at the Council's August 1996
Member Meeting in Big Sky, Montana.
Funding from the U.S. Department
of Energy financed the administration
of those pilot projects and the cre-
ation of a LEED a.1.0 Reference Guide.
Meanwhile, refinement of the system
continued under the direction of
Mendler and Reed, co-chairs of the
LEED Technical Committee, with
subcommittees actively reviewing
each topic area. Lynne Barker (formerly
Lynne King) and Tom Paladino were
also instrumental in this process as
co-chairs of the LEED Pilot Commit-
tee. In the summer of 1999 a large
group of technical experts (including
EBN's Alex Wilson) convened for a
weekend workshop at the Rockefeller
Brothers Foundation's Pocantico Es-
tate in Tarrytown, New York and ini-
tiated many of the refinements now
in LEED 2.0. The summer of 1999 also
marked the start of Steve Kepplei s
position as the Council's first full-
time LEED project manager.
The pilot testing resulted in LEED
certification of its first twelve build-
ings on March 30, 2000 (see I'RN Vol.
9, No. •1). LEED 2.0 was approved by
members on May 9, 2000, though
Feature Article: LEED Rating System
Prescriptive or Performance Approach?
There are two distinct approaches to building guidelines (whether they are manda-
tory codes or voluntary credits as in LEED: prescriptive and performance-based.
Prescriptive credits simply tell the designer what should be done for example,
provide R-20 insulation in walls and R-30 in roofs, while performance-based cred-
its set a goal for example, total building energy use should be 30% below a given
baseline) and leave it up to the designer to determine how that goal is to be
achieved. The prescriptive approach is generally easier to use, but it discourages
innovation and creativity. With version 2.0, more LEED credits are performance-
based than in earlier versions. This shift gives designers more flexibility but also
makes it harder to document and verify compliance with the credits.
buildings that were working towards
certification under LEED 1.0 will still
be allowed to apply under that sys-
tem. The LEED 2.0 Reference Guide is
currentlybeing developed by Palad no
Consulting of Seattle and will be
published exclusively on the Internet.
How LEED Certification Works
The first step in certifying a building
under LEED is to register the project
with the USGBC. The registration fee
($350 for Council members, $500 for
non-members) gets you access to the
online reference materials and up to
two free "credit interpretations." All
credit interpretations will be posted
with the LEED 2.0 Reference Guide on
the Web, so that subsequent projects
have the benefit of all prior interpre-
tations. Interpretation requests are
submitted online, and a two-week
turnaround is promised. Should more
than two interpretations be needed,
additional requests are handled for
$220 each.
Once the building is complete, the
owner or designer must submit a
checklist showing which credits are
being claimed, along with the docu-
mentation needed for those credits
and a fee of $1,200 ($1,500 for non-
members). The certification commit-
tee then reviews the project and, if
documentation is in order, awards
the appropriate rating. Certified
projects receive a certificate and brass
plaque, along with a media kit and
the promise of exposure on the Coun-
cil Web site and in the trade press.
In addition to these direct costs,
projects that intend to be LEED-cer-
Volume 9, Number 6 Environmental Buddi!iq News
tified will have to budget some ad-
ditional time for the design and con-
struction team to monitor and docu-
ment compliance with the credits. Ac-
tual documentation requirements are
still being worked out, so it is too early
to estimate what these costs will be,
but they will not be insignificant.
Recognizing that the LEED ratings are
based on a building's design rather
than its actual operation, the Council
has determined that a LEED rating
will be considered valid for five years.
At that time, the building will have
to undergo recertification under a yet -
to -be -developed LEED Operations
and Maintenance Rating System to
retain its rating. There will likely also
be the possibility that the building's
rating might be adjusted up or down
at that time, according to Watson.
The Credits
At LEED's core is the checklist of cred-
its that determine available points for
various green measures. The entire
detailed checklist is available free as
the LEED Green Building Rating Sys-
temr�', an Adobe Acrobat'"^ file that
can be downloaded from the USGBC's
Web site (registration is required to
download the file). This 25 -page
document lists every available credit,
describing the intent, the require-
ments, and some sample technolo-
gies or strategies for meeting the re-
quirement EBN readers with interest
in LEED are strongly encouraged to
get this document, as it is the only
official guide to the LEED system.
The overview below summarizes the
credits and adds some commentary
Feature Article: LEER Rating S,vstem
on pertinent issues or concerns. In
general, the LEED document has
some inconsistencies, possibly be-
cause in some areas the concepts and
intent of the credits have been dis-
tilled and refined over several years,
while in others new credits were added
late in the process and their imple-
mentation is less than crystal clear.
Many loose ends remain to be clari-
fied in the LEED Reference Guide and
worked out as the first projects work
their way through this new system.
Sustainable Sites
1 Prerequisite 8 Credits 14 Points
Experts at the Pocantico charrette
made significant changes to this sec-
tion to avoid situations in which it
would be easier to get points with
greenfield redevelopment than with
redevelopment of disturbed sites.
The only Prerequisite requires that an
erosion and sediment control plan be
followed that conforms to EPA's best
management practices for storm -
water control or local standards
(whichever is more stringent).
Credit 1 - Site Selection provides one
point for avoiding development of
an inappropriate site—for example,
agricultural land, flood zones, or land
with wetlands or critical habitat.
Credit 2 - Urban Redevelopment pro-
vides one point for carrying out the
development in a high-density or ur-
ban area rather than developing a
greenfield site.
Credit 3 - Brownfield Redevelopment
provides one point for carrying out
the development on a
browntield, which is a Table 2:
site adversely affected
by real or perceived
environmental contami-
nation. As with Credit 2,
this reduces develop-
ment pressure on green-
field sites and can help
to protect open space.
Credit 4 - Alternative
Transportation provides
up to four points for
measures that reduce
dependence on private automo-
biles—a notable commitment for a rat-
ing system on buildings. One credit
is provided for each of the following:
a) building near a light-rail station or
bus lines; b) providing bicycle stor-
age and shower facilities to encour-
age bicycle commuting; c) installing
alternative refueling stations; and d)
providing preferred parking for
carpool and vanpool vehicles, while
also minimizing overall parking.
Credit 5 - Reduced Site Disturbance
provides one or two credits for mea-
sures that conserve existing natural
areas and restore damaged areas.
One credit is provided a) with green-
field sites if development is done so
as to severely restrict impacts be-
yond the immediate building(s) and
roadways, or b) with previously de-
veloped sites if a minimum of 50%a
of the remaining open area is re-
stored with native plantings. A sec-
ond credit is provided if the open
space left after development ex-
ceeds the local zoning's open space
requirements by at least 25%, (the de-
velopment footprint includes build-
ings and roadways/ parking).
Credit 6 - Stormwater Management
provides one or two credits for
implementing a responsible storm -
water management plan. One credit
is provided when there is no net in-
crease in stormwater runoff after de-
velopment or—for sites in which at
least half of the land area is already
covered with impervious surfaces—
where a 257,, reduction in storm -
water runoff can be achieved. A sec-
LEED Credits and Points by Section
and credit is awarded for storm -
water treatment that removes 807,, of
the post -development total suspended
solids (TSS) and 40% of the post -
development total phosphorous, as
outlined in EPA standards.
Credit 7 - Landscape and Exterior
Design to Reduce Heat Islands awards
one or two points for measures reduc-
ing the localized warming referred to
as the "urban heat island" effect. One
credit is provided for use of prescribed
shading strategies and reflective
materials for non -roof impervious sur-
faces (e.g., parking lots). A second
credit is provided if a green roof (veg-
etated) is used for at least 50% of the
roof area, or if roofing on at least 75%
of roof surfaces is reflective to ENERGY
STnR standards and has high-emissiv-
fly. (The LEED document incorrectly
states "low -emissivity" and doesn't
specify a threshold.) Even though it is
not addressed in the ENERGY STAR pro-
gram, high -emissivity of the roof sur-
face is important because, to stay cool,
a roof must not only reflect most of
the radiation that it receives, but it
must also be able to emit radiation to
release the heat it absorbs. Galvanized
steel is the material most affected by
this distinction: it is reflective bu t still
heats up due to its low -emissivity.
Credit 8 - Light Pollution Reduction
provides one credit for keeping out-
door lighting levels low (as defined by
recently established lighting industry
recommendations for exterior light-
ing) and avoiding all light trespass
from the site. This credit was added
during the 1999 experts charrette.
Section
Prorequi-
sites
Credits
Possible
Points
% of
Total Points
20
Sustainable Sites
1
7
14
Water Efficiency
0
3
5
7
Energy and Atmosphere
3
6
17
25
Materials and Resources
1
7
13
19
Indoor Environmental Quality
2
8
15
22
Innovation and Design Process
0
2
5
7
Total
7
33
69
100
Water Efficiency
0 Prerequisites 3 Credits
5 Points
Relative to its global
significance as a re-
source, water has sur-
prisingly little influence
in the LEED system.
Unlike some other rat-
ing systems, LEED does
not require that a mini-
mum number of points
come from each section.
10 Environmental Building News June 2000
As a result, with only five points to-
tal and no prerequisites in the water
section, it is entirely possible that a
building could be LEED-certified—
even at the Platinum level—yet have
no water -conservation features be-
yond what is required by law.
The three water credits apply to
landscaping, wastewater, and indoor
water use, respectively. All three
water credits are based on use reduc-
tions from a certain baseline level.
For indoor water use, the baseline is
determined by calculating estimated
usage assuming Energy Policy Act -
compliant fixtures. For the other two
credits the calculation method is not
specified, and users are referred to
the Reference Guide.
Credit 1 - Water -Efficient Landscaping
provides one point for a 50y, reduc-
tion from the baseline in potable water
use and a second point for an addi-
tional 50'% reduction, meaning no
potable water use. The reduction can
be achieved with efficient irrigation
technology or by irrigating with cap-
tured rainwater or recycled graywater.
Credit 2 - Innovative Wastewater
Technologies offers one point for either
reducing sewage Flow by 50°0 from
the baseline or treating all wastewa-
ter on site to tertiary standards.
Credit 3 -Water Use Reduction applies
to all non -landscaping uses, includ-
ing both sanitary fixtures and HVAC
equipment such as cooling towers. One
point is achieved with a 20'70 reduc-
tion from the baseline, and a second
point for an additional 10% reduction.
Energy and Atmosphere
3 Prerequisites - b Credits 17 Points
Appropriately, LEED places a large
emphasis on energy. Of the 17 points
in this section, 15 relate to energy ef-
ficiency or renewable energy (see
Table 3). In addition, the four points
in Site Credit 4 on alternative trans-
portation also promote energy con-
servation. Just how feasible it will be
to earn such a large number of en-
ergy credits, however, depends on
the details of energy performance cal-
culations, which are yet to
be worked out (see sidebar,
page 12). A significant shift
from LEED 1.0 is that sev-
eral credits outlining pre-
scriptive measures to re-
duce energy use have been
omitted, since they provide
benefits that should be cap-
tured by this performance
credit.
Prerequisite I - Fundamen-
tal Building Systems Com-
missioning requires that a
commissioning authority
be identified and contracted
to perform certain tasks.
Making this role a prereq-
uisite is a strong endorse-
ment by LEED of the emerging prac-
tice of commissioning.
Feature Article. LEED Rating System
Table 3: Energy and Atmosphere Section
Factors Organized by Topic
Prerequisite 2 - Minimum Energy Per-
formance requires a level of energy
efficiency as described in Standard
90.1-1999 from the American Society
of Heating, Refrigeration and Air
Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE).
(See sidebar on page 12 for details on
this requirement.)
Prerequisite 3 - CFC Reduction in
HVAC&R Equipment bans the use of
CPC -based systems in new buildings
and requires a phaseout plan in ex-
isting buildings. The former is al-
ready law in most developed coun-
tries but was retained here because
LEED may also be applied in coun-
tries without such laws.
Credit 1 - Optimize Energy Perfor-
mance offers from two to ten points,
depending on the level of energy sav-
ings from the ASHRAE 90.1 baseline.
The range of energy savings to get
these points is 20'% to 60% for new
buildings and 10% to 50% for reno-
vations (see sidebar, page 12).
Credit 2 - Renewable Energy offers
one to three points for the use of re-
newable energy generated on-site to
meet 5% to 20y, of the building's en-
ergy needs. Energy from these sources
cannot be used to reduce the building's
energy use as calculated for Credit 1,
and strategies that are used to reduce
Volume 9. Number 6 Environmental Building News
a building's energy load, such as pas-
sive solar and daylighting, cannot be
included under Credit 2.
Credit 3 - Additional Commissioning
offers a point for an expanded com-
missioning role beyond that of Pre-
requisite 1.
Credit 4 - Elimination of HCFCs and
Halons provides one point if HVAC
and fire -suppression equipment do
not use HCFCs or Halons. The inclu-
sion of HCFCs in this credit, even
though their ozone -depletion poten-
tial is tiny compared with Halons,
has been the subject of some public
controversy. This is a loaded issue in
part because it creates a distinct pref-
erence for chillers from Carrier,
which has moved away from HCFCs,
over those from competitors, in spite
of reasonable arguments that more
efficient HCFC -based chillers maybe
a better overall environmental choice.
The LEED Committee has stuck with
this requirement, arguing that en-
ergy efficiency benefits are accounted
for in Credit 1, and it is important to
take a strong stand against ozone
depletion.
Credit 5 - Measurement and Verifica-
tion provides a point for the installa-
tion of equipment for continuous
metering of energy and water use, as
described in the U.S. DOE's Interna-
tional Performance Measurement
and Verification Protocol.
Feature Article LEER Rating System
LEED Energy Credits and ASHRAE 90.1
Credit 6 -Green Power offers a point
if the facility enters into a two-year
Both Prerequisite 2 and the two to ten points available in Credit I are defined In relation
contract to purchase power from an
to ASHRAE Standard 90.1-1999. While there are distinct advantages to referencing
such a widely recognized concensus-based standard, doing so also introduces some
independently certified green elec-
tricky issues, which the Committee has yet to resolve. Some of these issues stem from the fact
tricity provider.
that, unlike LEED 1 .0, LEED 2.0 references the 1999 version of 90. 1, which was adopted
Materials Resources
just weeks before LEED was approved. The 1999 version is widely regarded as a better
and
standard, but it includes some changes that make its use in LEER more difficult.
1 Prerequisite 7 Credits 13 Points
Standard 90.1 includes two compliance paths: a user can meet the requirements on a
component-by-component basis -meeting the requirement for thermal performance of
The Materials and Resources Prereq-
the building envelope, HVAC systems, lighting, and other components individually—er
uisite requires that the building ac -
by modeling the energy use of the entire building using the "Energy Cost Budget"
commodate recycling of solid waste
method. The latter method basically defines a basecase building that matches the
by occupants.
orientation and shape of the actual design, but just meets the requirements for each
component. The actual design is then considered compliant if it matches this base case
Credit 1 - Building Reuse offers u to
9 P
in annual energy use, regardless of how each component performs on its own.
three points for reuse of an existing
LEED Prerequisite 2, as written, requires the building to comply with 90.1 on o compo-
nent-by-component basis (or meet the local energy code if that Is more stringent). If
facility—one point for reusing at
least 75% of the structure and shell,
interpreted literally, this means that designers will not be allowed to trade-off perfor-
two points for reusing 100'%,,, and a
mance of one component against others to meet the prerequisite. LEED 1.0 referenced
third point for also reusing 50%, of
the 1989 version of the Standard for this requirement, and many jurisdictions base their
interior finishes. Credits are not
energy code on that Standard, so acceptance by local officials was taken as sufficient
awarded for reuse of glazings or
for meeting the prerequisite, according to Paladino. With LEED 2.0 it may take o while
for local energy codes to catch up, and designers may be required to document compli-
window assemblies on the exterior
ance with 90.1 for each component.
shell because, in many cases, reus-
Credit 1, on the other hand, requires the use of the Energy Cost Budget method. "You're
ing old glazing is not good for en -
going to have to do o simulation to get a credit beyond the prerequisite," says Palladino,
ergy performance or comfort.
adding: "There is really no way around it, particularly in a complex building, with
Credit 2 - Construction and Waste
energy moving from zone to zone." This requirement has serious cost implications for
buildings in which energy modeling was not already budgeted, as energy modeling of
Management offers one point for re -
a large building typically costs on the order of $15,000. Poladino notes that it should
cycling at least50`�, (b wei ht)ofcon-
cy g y g
be a goal of the program to encourage design teams to begin this sort of modeling
struction, demolition, and land -clear -
early, when there is still time to use it to inform the design, rather than running the
ing waste, and a second point for
simulation after -the -fact as a measurement tool.
recycling another 25%. Source reduc-
Standard 90.1 is very specific about how the base -case building is to be set up in on
tion on the job site is identified as an
energy model, and even more details are yet to be published in o forthcoming ASHRAE
appropriate strategy, but details on
Supplement. For a number of reasons, it may not work for LEED to follow ASHRAE's
how such reductions would be deter -
rules in this matter, however, which leaves a lot of unknowns for the LEED 2.0 Reference
mined are left for the Reference Guide.
Guide to determine.
One problem with following ASHRAE's rules is simply that they make it almost impos-
The remaining credits, 93 through
sible to achieve more than 4 of the 10 possible points in the LEED system. "Following rules
k7, all address the use of environmen-
of the Energy Cost Budget method it's going to be very difficult to achieve savings greater
tally preferable materials. During the
than 30%, even in the most innovative designs," says Charles Eley, FAIA PE, of Eley Associ.
development of this section it was
ates, a leading expert on energy-efficient commercial buildings and author of the ASHRAE
generally acknowledged that, ideally,
90.1 Users Manual. LEED requires 40% savings to get six points, and 60% savings to
all materials would be chosen based
get the full ten points in a new building. Eley notes that the 1999 component guidelines
amount to a base case that is 15% to 20% more efficient than the 1989 base case.
on reliable and comprehensive life -
There are also stipulations about how the base case is determined that reduce available
cycle assessments. Since neither the
assessments nor a tool for their use is
savings. For example, in the 1999 version, the Standard 90.1 base case must match the
design building in massing and orientation, which means that designers don't get any
available, several indicators of envi-
credit for shaping or orienting a building to save energy. Finally, Standard 90.1 does
ronmental preferability were identi-
not recognize natural ventilation as a design strategy that might expand the comfort
fied instead. These are spelled out in
zone of occupants, so it requires that every building be modeled for energy use as
each of the credits.
though it were mechanically air conditioned.
Credit -Resource Reuse provides
In addition to all these issues, there is a lot of energy used in buildings for applications
one point for using salvaged re -
that Standard 90.1 doesn't address, such as plug loads for office equipment and appli-
ances, elevators, and outdoor lighting. These can amount to as much as half the energy
5
furbished materials for at least 5`% of
'
use in a commercial office building, according to Eley. The outdoor lighting useIs
the materials on the project, and two
addressed to some extent by LEED in the Light Pollution credit, and the plug loads are o
points for 10%,,. After much debate,
more fitting topic for the LEED Operations and Maintenance Rating System. Elevator
the Committee chose to base these
energy use appears to have fallen through the cracks, however.
percentages on the cost of the mate -
12 Environmental Building News June 2000
rials (as opposed to their volume or
weight). However, since some sal-
vaged materials may have little or no
cost, yet require a lot of labor to use,
there is the provision that the value
of the materials they replace can be
used to calculate their "cost."
The method for calculating the per-
centages for this and the following
three credits was subject to revisions
even after the ballot version of LEED
2.0. The final version stipulates that
the cost of the salvaged materials be
divided by the cost of all building
materials in the project, excluding
mechanical and electrical
systems. Also excluded are
all labor costs and project
overhead and fees. While
this method represents a
reasonable resolution to a
complex problem, it as-
sumes that no components
of the mechanical or elec-
trical systems will be sal-
vaged (or qualify under
the other credits that use
this method). Whether and
how such products might
be included in the calcula-
tion is another sticky issue
for the Reference Guide to
resolve.
Credit 4 - Recycled Content
provides one point for the
use of atleast 25% ofbuild-
ing materials with recycled
content, and a second point
for using at least 50°,,. The materials
used to qualify for this credit must
have a weighted average (average
that factors in the quantity of each
material) of at least 20% postcon-
sumer recycled content or 4M, post-
industrial.
within this radius. This credit has
the potential to drive whole new
Libeling systems within the building
materials industry because many
manufacturers have multiple facto-
ries and it is not often possible for a
contractor or tradesperson to know
which plant is the source of any par-
ticular shipment.
Credit 6 - Rapidly Renewable Mate-
rials offers a point for the use of at
least 5"l0 of materials that are made
from resources such as agricultural
products or bamboo. Clarification
added between the ballot and final
Feature Article- LEED Rating System
point easier to achieve than the Com-
mittee may have originally intended—
an issue that will no doubt be re-
viewed when LEED is updated in
2003. In any case, the reference of
FSC guidelines is an important en-
dorsement of that system.
Indoor Environmental Quality
2 Prerequisites 8 Credits 15 Points
Prerequisite 1 - Minimum IAQ Perfor-
mance requires compliance with
ASHRAE's Standard 62-1999 on ven-
tilation for tAQ.
Credit 5 - Local/Regional Materials
provides points for the use of mate-
rials sourced and manufactured
within a 500 -mile (800 km) radius of
the building site. The first point is
based on using 20% of materials that
are manufactured within this radius,
and the second point is achieved if at
least half of this 20°,, is made with
raw materials that are also from
versions of LEED 2.0 stipulates that
the materials in question must not
contribute to biodiversity loss, ero-
sion, or air pollution; credit interpre-
tations will likely be needed to rule
on the acceptability of various spe-
cific materials.
Credit 7 - Certified Wood provides a
point when at least 50y, of all wood -
based materials in a project are certi-
fied to Forest Stewardship Council
(FSC) guidelines. Unlike the four
previous credits, this one is not based
on any calculation of all materials in
the building, but just those made of
wood. Changes to the FSC labeling
policy (see page 3) will make this
Prerequisite 2 - Environ-
mental Tobacco Smoke (ETS)
Control bans exposure of
occupants to ETS, either
with a general smoking
ban, or with restricted
smoking rooms to effec-
tively remove ETS from
the building.
Credit 1 - Carbon Dioxide
(CO2) Monitoring offers a
point for installation of a
permanent CO2 monitor-
ing system and setting it to
control CO2 levels so that
indoor levels do not exceed
outdoor levels by more
than 530 parts per million.
Credit 2 - Increase Ventila-
tion Effectiveness provides
a point for air distribution
systems that promote ef-
fective air exchange. Dis-
placement ventilation systems (using
underfloor distribution and over-
head exhaust), low-velocity laminar -
flow ventilation, and natural ventila-
tion (with documentation of effective
inlet and outlet design) are suggested
approaches.
Credit 3 - Construction IAQ Manage-
ment Plan provides one point for con-
formance to a range of measures de-
signed to prevent indoor contamina-
tion that results from construction
processes. A second point is avail-
able for either a two-week flush -out
period after construction and prior
to occupancy, or performing a base-
line IAQ test using procedures devel-
Volume 9, Number 6 Fnvlronmental Building News 13
Feature Article: LEED Poring Systern
oped for the U.S. Environmental Pro-
tection Agency's Research Triangle
Park Campus.
Credit 4 - Low -Emitting Materials pro-
vides one point for meeting volatile
organic compound (VOC) emission
limits in each of four product areas:
adhesives and sealants—referencing
limits set by two air quality agencies
in California; paints and coatings—
referencing a Standard from the non-
profit organization Green Seal; car-
pet systems—referencing a testing
protocol from the Carpet and Rug In-
stitute (CRI); and wood or agrifiber
products—for avoiding products
made with urea formaldehyde bind-
ers. Of these, the carpet category
should be an especially easy point
as nearly all carpets and carpet ad-
hesives comply with the CRI label-
ing program.
Credit S - Indoor Chemical and Pol-
lutant Source Control offers one point
for a) providing effective grills and
walk -off mats at entries to prevent
soiling of floor surfaces, and b) isolat-
ing areas in the building where haz-
ardous chemicals are handled.
Credit 6 - Controllability of Systems
provides one point where occupants
located near the perimeter have ac-
cess to operable windows and local-
ized lighting controls, and a second
point if half the occupants who are
not near the perimeter have indi-
vidual comfort controls. By separating
the requirements according to perim-
eter and non -perimeter spaces, this
credit strongly encourages operable
windows and individualized controls
without going as far as promoting
European -style finger -plan designs
that put all occupants near windows.
Credit 7 -Thermal Comfort offers two
points, one for complying with
ASHRAE Standard 55-1992 on ther-
mal comfort, and a second for install-
ing a permanent automated control
system for temperature and humid-
ity. ASHRAE Standard 55 defines
comfort conditions based on air tem-
perature, mean radiant temperature,
humidity, and air movement. While
it includes all these parameters, the
comfort zone it defines is narrow
enough that no building in the U.S.
that relies purely on natural ventila-
tion for cooling can be expected to
comply. The humidity control require-
ments of the second point also ex-
clude naturally ventilated buildings.
Credit 8 - Daylight and Views offers a
point for daylighting and another for
access to views (or at least to vision
glass, regardless of what is seen out-
side). The daylight point requires the
provision of a significant amount of
daylight in at least 75% of the regu-
larly occupied space. The view point
demands a direct line of sight to vi-
sion glass from 90% of such spaces.
Unlike Credit 6, these points do en-
courage narrow plan buildings.
Innovation and Design Process
0 Prerequisites 2 Credits 5 Points
The Innovation and Design Process
section offers four possible points for
green measures not found in the check-
list. These open points help counteract
the drawbacks of relying on a check-
list for rating a building because they
allow designers to claim points for
green strategies that are not included
in the LEED checklist. Each such
point will be reviewed on a case-by-
case basis by the LEED Committee.
This section also offers one point for
use of a "LEED-Accredited Profes-
sional" as a principal participant on
the project team. Building profes-
sionals will be accredited, beginning
in the fall of 2000, based on a proc-
tored exam that will test knowledge
of green building in general and the
LEED system in particular. One -day
LEED training workshops that are
being held in various cities should be
adequate preparation for most prac-
titioners to pass the test, according
to Paladino, one of the instructors.
"One of our primary goals with the
accreditation process is to sharpen
up the folks who will be handing in
the certification applications," notes
Paladino, adding: "The Council's
administration costs for reviewing a
poorly put together application are
extremely high."
Looking Ahead and
Looking Back
The Council has committed to a three-
year cycle for revisions to the LEED
Rating System, so the review process
will begin again soon. Meanwhile, the
success of I-EED has spurred members
to create complementary programs for
projects not covered by LEED. LEED
Interiors, now in its second draft, is
being developed by a Committee
chaired by interior designer Penny
Bonda of Burt Hill Kosar Rittelmann's
Washington, D.C. office. Formula-
tion of LEED Residential is just be-
ginning with a large committee under
the leadership of Marc Richmond -
Powers of the Austin, Texas Green
Building Program. And LEED for
Operations and Management has not
yet been initiated in any official way,
but the Council is aware that it will
be needed by 2005 to provide ongo-
ing certification of existing buildings.
Meanwhile, other organizations are
building on the LEED system as they
reference it for their own purposes.
For example, the City of Seattle has
established a policy that all munici-
pal buildings must meet the LEED
Silver rating. In addition, the City
has its own guidelines about how
some of the credits are to be calcu-
lated and is requiring that certain
credits be achieved (in effect, adding
more prerequisites).
So how good is LEED? The market
has spoken, and the enormous inter-
est expressed suggests that LEED is
good enough for many people ex-
cited about the potential of an inde-
pendent rating for their buildings.
While the system has weaknesses,
they are inevitable in a new venture
of this sort; by getting the system into
circulation, these weaknesses can be
resolved and LEED can be made
more robust. LEED 2.0 as currently
published is really just the frame-
work for a Rating System—it will
14 Enviionmental Building News June 2000
become a full system once the Com-
mittee, through the Reference Guide
and early users, has fleshed out the
details of how a project is measured
and documented for each credit. The
relatively short, three-year revision
cycle will encourage quick evolution.
While LEED has great potential to
move the building industry toward
greener practice, a rating system can-
not do everything. There are some
inherent problems with any system
that encourages a design -by -check-
list approach. For example, once a
designer or team has determined
that they will not be able to achieve a
certain credit, the system provides
no incentive to at least do what they
can in that direction. Similarly, once
the threshold for a credit is met, there
is no incentive to try to do even better.
As checklists go, however, LEED is
remarkably sophisticated, having
benefited from countless hours of
work (mostly volunteer) from lead-
ing green architects, engineers, con-
tractors, and other professionals. In-
clusion of the innovation credits op-
tion, while adding more work for
application reviewers, greatly en-
hances the flexibility of the system.
The cost of certification and the time
required to prepare an application
will be a barrier for some—as a re-
sult, for every project that gets certi-
fied, there will likely be many others
just using the system internally. Ei-
ther way, the Council's mission of
promoting green buildings will have
been advanced, and meaningful cri-
teria for energy- and resource -effi-
ciency fully detailed. If the Commit-
tee continues to work out the imple-
mentation details with the same level
of energy and attention that went
into LEED 2.0, we will see many
more green buildings.
- Nadav Malin
For more information:
Download the official LEED 2.0 document
from the US Green Building Council:
www.leedbuilding.org. Registration is
required. Council members can also
download additional documents about
the LEED development process.
Feature Article: LEED Rating System — From the Library
Steve Keppler, Program Manager
LEED Rating System
25 Eton Overlook
Rockville, MD 20850
301/315-6656, 425/977-8115 (fax)
skep@usgbc.org
www.leedbuilding.org
The Natural House:
A Complete Guide to Healthy,
Energy -Efficient, Environmental
Homes
by Daniel D. Chiras, 2000. Chelsea
Green Publishing Co., White River
Jct., Vt. Paperback, 470 pages, $35.
Simply put, this is the most compre-
hensive and most useful introduc-
tion to natural building systems and
practices available. Author Daniel
Chiras is an educator and writer (his
high school textbook, Environmental
Science, has sold 150,000 copies) who
has studied sustainable building
practices and renewable energy since
the early 1970s. More recently, he
began looking specifically into natu-
ral building options in planning his
own new home—completed In 1996—
and he treats us to his findings in The
Natural House.
Most of the first half of this highly
readable book is a detailed review of
eight natural building techniques:
rammed -earth, straw -bale, Earth -
ships, adobe, cob, cordwood, log,
and stone. With each of these, Chiras
provides some fascinating history,
reviews the building system, covers
general requirements, addresses
cost, summarizes the advantages
and disadvantages, and interviews
one of the leading proponents of that
building system (David Easton with
rammed -earth, Michael Reynolds
with Earthships, and Rob Roy with
cordwood, for example). A chapter
also addresses several emerging
natural -building systems, including
earthbags, papercrete, and bamboo.
Chiras provides remarkably even-
handed coverage of these natural -
building systems, yet he doesn't pull
any punches. He notes, for example,
that "the only environmentally sound
log home is one built from local
wood lots and forests, and then, only
if tree stands are being sustainably
managed and harvested."
In Part3 of The Natural House, Chiras
goes into more detail on some over-
arching principles relating to sus-
tainable house design. There are
chapters on passive solar heating
and cooling, renewable electricity
generation (photovoltaics, wind, and
hydro), water systems (from rain-
water harvesting to wastewater
treatment), green building materials,
and site considerations. The book is
not without some errors and misin-
formation (confusing CFCs with
HCFCs in rigid foam insulation, for
example, and some questionable in-
formation on embodied energy), but
in general it is very well researched
and highly useful.
The Natural House is a book that any-
one setting out to build a home of
natural materials should read from
cover to cover. The emphasis is for
the owner -builder, but there is much
here that professional designers and
builders will also find useful—espe-
cially in addressing questions from
potential clients on alternative build-
ing systems. - AW
Volume 9, Number 6 Environmental Building News 15