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

The project team is seeking direction regarding Construction Waste Management. In order to minimize the environmental impact associated with construction waste, consistent with the Credit requirements, the team plans to prevent concrete washout waste from being transported to landfill by means of diversion to an on-site washout pit. This waste will be deposited on top of existing bedrock and then covered with soil from the project site. The existing bedrock in the area that we are proposing is 6\' to 8\' below the surface, and is under the new parking lot we are constructing. No future construction is planned in this area. By utilizing this method of diversion, the project team would eliminate the environmental impacts associated with fracturing, loading and transporting the concrete waste to a facility off-site for recycling. Additionally, in order to divert this material by means of removal to an off-site facility, the team would need to utilize heavy construction equipment to dig the hardened concrete material out of the pit. This method would consume a significant amount of energy and negatively impact the carbon footprint associated with this material and the project. In summary, the team is attempting to meet intent of this Credit in a manner that causes the least environmental impact by diverting construction waste on-site. Therefore, the construction team would like to measure the cubic yardage of concrete to be left in the wash-out pit and convert this volume to weight by using a solid waste conversion factor of 146 lbs/cubic foot as provided by the concrete supplier. The weight of this material, which will ultimately be diverted from the landfill in the most sustainable way possible, would then be applied toward the diverted material quantity for MRc2. We are requesting clarification as to whether USGBC believes this methodology is in compliance with the requirements of this Credit.