Rating System

LEED BD+C: New Construction, LEED ID+C: Commercial Interiors, LEED BD+C: Core and Shell, LEED BD+C: Schools

Rating System Version

v3 - LEED 2009, v2 - Schools 2007, v2 - LEED 2.2, v2 - LEED 2.0

Inquiry

As stated in CIR ruling dated 8/29/2003, "Mechanical (mainly HVAC ductwork and equipment) and electrical system components (smaller infrastructure-type items such as wires, cables, junction boxes) are to be excluded from the LEED calculations. If a project team chooses to include additional items as part of the base material cost, such as elevators, appliances, hot tubs, or other semi-mechanical/electrical components, it should do so for all relevant material credits, which include MR Credits 3, 4, 5 and 6." Does this exclusion include thermal insulation for mechanical and plumbing systems, or is mechanical and plumbing insulation considered a "semi-mechanical component"? Furthermore, does this exclusion apply to self-insulated HVAC ducts, including fiber glass duct board ducts and flexible insulated ducts? Recycled content is currently available for these materials and excluding them would not provide incentive to manufacturers for increasing their use of recycled content, or motivate projects to incorporate recycled-content insulations. These products are lightweight and of low relative cost, and would not unduly affect other recycled content decisions.