LEED v3: ICFs and Materials & Resources
August 13th, 2009 | Lets Get Technical!
Materials and Resources (MR): This LEED topic covers recycling building materials, and reducing construction waste and using regional materials within a 500 mile radius.
| Credit | Title | NC | Schools | CS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MR Credit 2 | Construction Waste Management | 1-2 | 1-2 | 1-2 |
| MR Credit 4 | Recycled Content | 1-2 | 1-2 | 1-2 |
| MR Credit 5 | Regional Materials | 1-2 | 1-2 | 1-2 |
Under the credit Construction Waste Management, Reward’s ICF product is designed so that the form reduces waste during construction. The amount of waste that is produced is often possible to recycle as the expanded polystyrene foam and the plastic ties along with the concrete and rebar are recyclable materials. Any waste that is generated is 100% recyclable. See website below for a list of all EPS recycling facilities for every state.
www.epspackaging.org/info.html
Reward’s insulating concrete form products contain recycled content and can contribute to the Recycled Content credit. The Reward plastic tie inserts are manufactured from 100% pre-consumer recycled first generation polypropylene plastic. One half (50%) of the calculated pre-consumer amount is included in the total value of recycled content for a project. The calculations and amount of recycled content that the iForm contributes is shown below.
For example, the 11” iForm tie weight is 188 grams
- 100%, (188 grams) is pre-consumer recycled content
- 1.5 ties per square foot
- 282 grams per square foot recycled content
- Foam Weight: 288 grams/square foot
- Total System: 570 grams/square foot
- Cost of System: $3.18/square foot
- Value of Recycled Content per Square Foot (282/570)($3.18)(50%) = 0.79
- % of product value recycled content $0.79/$3.18
Recycled Content of Reward Forms
| Form | Tie weight/sq ft | Foam weight/sq ft | Total Form weight/sq ft | Cost/sq ft | Value of recycled content/sq ft | % of product value recycled content |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9″ iForm | 272g | 287.6g | 560g | $3.12 | $0.76 | 24% |
| 11″ iForm | 282g | 287.6g | 570g | $3.18 | $0.79 | 25% |
| 13″ iForm | 292g | 287.6g | 580g | $3.25 | $0.82 | 25% |
| 15″ iForm | 303g | 287.6g | 591g | $3.44 | $0.88 | 26% |
| 17″ iForm | 348g | 287.6g | 636g | $3.60 | $0.98 | 27% |
The Reward ICF walls can also contribute under the Regional Materials credit. The wall consists of formwork made from expanded polystyrene foam and plastic ties filled with concrete. Reward’s formwork products are manufactured in several plants around the country. Most areas will be within a 500 mile radius. Concrete consists of cement, water, fine and course aggregates and air. The water, air and aggregates are derived locally. The total value of materials that have been extracted and manufactured within a 500 mile radius has to equal 10% for one point and 20% for 2 points.
Reward will qualify as a regional material for projects located within a 500 mile radius of each of Rewards six manufacturing locations - Post Falls, ID; Colorado Springs, CO; Nixa, MO; Becker, MN; New Brighton, PA; Orlando, FL. Depending upon the location of the project relative to the manufacturing plant, projects located in the following states covered by the circles below should qualify.
For Tuesday: Indoor Environmental Qualtiy (EQ) LEED v3 ICF Summary
The New Standard of Sustainability. Tell the World.
LEED v3: ICFs Sustainable Sites Summary
August 6th, 2009 | Lets Get Technical!
Sustainable Sites (SS): This LEED topic covers Site Development issues.
Credits are obtained for:
- Proper site selection
- Use of an urban site
- A Brownfield site
- Providing alternative transportation to reduce dependence on single passenger vehicles
- Reducing amount of site disturbed with structure and roads
- Effective storm water management or treatment
- Impact of parking areas and roof areas to heat island effect
- Light pollution reduction.
| Credit | Title | NC | Schools | CS |
| SS Credit 5.2 | Site Development – Maximize Open Space | 1 | 1 | 1 |
By utilizing the Reward ICF walls below grade it provides a basement that can be occupied to maximize open space, and limiting the disturbance of the surrounding area. This will allow contribution to the credit Site Development.
Reward Wall System can contribute towards 1 credit and 1 point toward LEED certification within this topic.
This was quick post, as the decision in the building design, when using ICFs, can contribute to this section, the use of ICF’s does not directly mean this credit will be attained. This will be a potential point based on the design from the architect.
For Tuesday: Energy and Atmosphere LEED v3 ICF Summary
This is where your potential for massive points come in.
The New Standard of Sustainability. Tell the World.
USGBC and LEED v3: ICF series
August 4th, 2009 | Lets Get Technical!
Hello everyone – Reward has worked diligently to summarize the LEED requirements for the new LEED v3 which is in effect. I will be rolling out each of the 7 topics per post, giving you a quick summary of what the topic is as a whole and where Reward Insulating Concrete Forms can contribute.
When Reward Wall Systems’ ICF products are incorporated into the exterior envelope of a building the energy efficiency, material properties and the inherent characteristics of concrete of insulated concrete forms can help contribute in 6 of the 7 topics for LEED v3—New Construction, Schools or Core and Shell categories. Summarized in the next few blogs are the topics and how Reward Wall Systems’ ICFs can contribute towards a LEED certified building.
LEED is an acronym for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. It is a green building rating system created by the US Green Building Council (USGBC). This system is designed to incorporate energy efficient, sustainable and environmental friendly buildings from the design to the construction and occupancy stages. LEED-NC is used for new construction of offices, institutional buildings (libraries, museums, churches, etc.), hotels and multi-family (4 or more stories). LEED-Schools is used for all types of educational facilities. LEED-Core and Shell is used for commercial office buildings, medical office buildings, retail, warehouse, and lab facilities.
The Seven Topics are
| Sustainable Sites |
| Water Efficiency |
| Energy & Atmosphere |
| Materials & Resource |
| Indoor Environmental Quality |
| Innovation & Design |
| Regional Priority |
| Total Points |
Insulated concrete forms are a sure-fire way to reach your LEED goal because they offer so much in the energy component of the structure, and the new version of LEED made the energy requirements a heavier weight so your potential is even greater! As you see below these are the new breakdowns for certification.
LEED v3 Levels of Certification
| Level | LEED |
| Certified | 40-49 |
| Silver | 50-59 |
| Gold | 60-79 |
| Platinum | 80+ |
Reward Insulating Concrete Forms can Contribute up to 36 points in 6 of the 7 topics!
green
For Thursday- Reward ICFs and Sustainable Sites LEED v3 Summary
Green
The New Standard of Sustainability. Tell the World.