This third and final component of the Materials & Resources section attempts to ensure that homes generate less waste than the industry norm. Reducing construction waste is just like trying to reduce waste as we live in our home. It has two components: planning ahead to minimize waste in the first place through purchasing the appropriate amount, and identifying ways to divert waste toward reusing or recycling. The reason seems obvious: landfill space is diminishing, incineration produces pollutants, and waste of materials itself is just, well, wasteful.
This credit has prerequisite and an opportunity for up to 3 points. MR 3.1 Construction Waste Management Planning requires that we:
a. Investigate and document local options for diversion of all anticipated major constituents of the project waste stream, including cardboard packaging and household recyclables.
b. Document the diversion rate for construction waste. Record the diversion rate for land clearing and/or demolition, if applicable, separately from the rate for the new construction phase of the project.
This was actually a great LEED requirement for our builder, because they found a waste management company that does recycle, and it did not cost any more than the company they normally used. Having found this out, they now use this company on every project. That alone seems worth the effort!
Aside from using a waste company that recycles, our builder also did a great job salvaging unused lumber and saving it for us to use later. With extra stair treads and risers, we made several benches. With extra siding, we made raised-bed planters. We still have extra brick that we are hoping to use to build an outdoor fire place. If not, we will donate it to a reuse center.
To get points under 3.2 Construction Waste Reduction, we can either reduce overall construction waste (in terms of pounds per square foot of conditioned floor area), or divert 25% or more of the total materials taken of the construction site from landfills and incinerators. (You get 0.5 for diverting 25% of the total, up to 3 points for 88% or more. If you can show that 100% of waste was diverted, you can earn an additional 0.5 point for exemplary performance.) Atomic Recycling handled our waste and documented the percentage recycled:68.28%, which gives us 2 points.
Total Materials & Resources points: 13
Cumulative points: 70.5
Additional points needed to get to Gold: 17.5