Which of the following credits can the LEED AP submit towards certification?

A contractor is building a retirement community project. 30% of the building’s product costs were derived from reused/salvaged materials or met recycled content criteria.

Which of the following credits can the LEED AP submit towards certification?
A . Materials and Resources Credit, Building Product Disclosure and Optimization – Sourcing of Raw Materials
B . Materials and Resources Prerequisite, Construction and Demolition – Waste Management Planning
C . Materials and Resources Credit, Building Product Disclosure and Optimization – Material Ingredients
D . Materials and Resources Credit, Building Product Disclosure and Optimization – Environmental Product Declarations

View Answer

Answer: A

Explanation:

The Materials and Resources Credit, Building Product Disclosure and Optimization – Sourcing of Raw Materials rewards projects that use materials that have optimized extraction processes by limiting or eliminating the extraction of new resources, the reuse of materials or the use of recycled materials1. According to the LEED Reference Guide for Building Design and Construction2, the credit has two options: Option 1. Raw Material Source and Extraction Reporting and Option 2. Leadership Extraction Practices. Option 1 requires the project to use at least 20 permanently installed products from at least five different manufacturers that have publicly released a report from their raw material suppliers which include extraction locations, a commitment to long-term ecologically responsible land use, a commitment to reducing environmental harms from extraction and/or manufacturing processes, and a commitment to meeting applicable standards or programs voluntarily that address responsible sourcing criteria2. Option 2 requires the project to use products that meet at least one of the responsible sourcing criteria below for at least 25%, by cost, of the total value of permanently installed building products in the project:

– Extended producer responsibility. Products purchased from a manufacturer (producer) that participates in an extended producer responsibility program or is directly responsible for extended producer responsibility.

– Bio-based materials. Bio-based products must meet the Sustainable Agriculture Network’s Sustainable Agriculture Standard. Bio-based raw materials must be tested using ASTM Test Method D6866 and be legally harvested, as defined by the exporting and receiving country. Exclude hide products, such as leather and other animal skin material.

– Wood products. Wood products must be certified by the Forest Stewardship Council or USGBC-approved equivalent.

– Materials reuse. Reused products must include salvaged, refurbished, or reused products.

– Recycled content. Recycled content is the sum of postconsumer recycled content plus one-half the preconsumer recycled content, based on cost. Products meeting recycled content criteria are valued at 100% of their cost for the purposes of credit achievement calculation.

– USGBC approved program. Other USGBC approved programs meeting leadership extraction criteria.

Therefore, among the given options, only Option A is relevant to the use of reused/salvaged materials or recycled content, as they can contribute to the materials reuse or recycled content criteria under Option