leed and the ehs professional. agenda introductions definitions usgbc and leed leed rating system...

LEED and the EHS

Professional

Agenda

Introductions

Definitions

USGBC and LEED

LEED Rating System Overview

Defining “Green” and Sustainability

AgendaLEED and the EHS Professional

USGBC – an organization

LEED – a rating system

Projects are certified.

Individuals are accredited.

DefinitionsLEED and the EHS Professional

U.S. Green Building Council Formed in 1993 National 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization Organization that certifies sustainable construction:

businesses, homes, hospitals, schools, and neighborhoods

Dedicated to expanding green building practices and education

Developer of the LEED® Green Building Rating System™

The USGBCLEED and the EHS Professional

LEED ® – Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design

One of the nationally accepted benchmarks for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings

LEED® AwarenessLEEDLEED and the EHS Professional

Define and measure “green buildings”

Facilitiate positive results for the environment, occupant health and financial return

Prevent “greenwashing” (false or exaggerated claims)

Promote whole building, integrated design processes

LEED® Awareness

Why LEED Was Created

LEEDLEED and the EHS Professional

LEED® Awareness

In the United States, buildings account for:

36% of total energy use

65% of electricity consumption

30% of greenhouse gas emissions

30% of raw materials use

30% of waste output - 136 million tons annually!

12% of potable water consumption

SOURCE: USGBC

Environmental Impact of Buildings


EnvironmentalImprove air and water quality

Reduce solid waste

Conserve natural resources and ecosystems

Health and CommunityMinimize strain on local infrastructure

Contribute to overall quality of life

Improve employee health and productivity

Benefits of Green Building


There are 4 levels of LEED certification:

Certified 40 – 49 pointsSilver 50 – 59 pointsGold 60 – 79 pointsPlatinum 80 – 110 points

LEED® Awareness

LEED Certification Levels


Each credit is allocated points based on the relative importance of

the building related impacts it addresses

Impacts are defined as the environmental or human impact of the design, construction, operation and maintenance of the building, such as greenhouse gas emissions, fossil fuel use, toxins and carcinogens, air and water pollutants, and indoor environmental conditions

LEED 2009 uses the EPA’s TRACI environmental impact categories for weighing each credit

TRACI was developed to assist with impact evaluation with life cycle assessment, industrial ecology, process design and pollution prevention.

LEED® Awareness

LEED 2009

LEED 2009LEED and the EHS Professional

LEED RATING SYSTEMSLEED and the EHS Professional

Prerequisites vs. Credits

A prerequisite must be met – no points are given

A credit is elective, but a project must earn enough credits to achieve the desired certification level.

LEED ® Rating Systems

LEED Rating SystemsLEED and the EHS Professional

7 topics:•Sustainable Sites (SS)

•Water Efficiency (WE)

•Energy & Atmosphere (EA)

•Materials & Resources (MR)

•Indoor Environmental Quality (EQ)

•Innovation & Design Process (ID)

•Regional Priority (RP)

LEED® Awareness

LEED Rating Systems

LEED Rating SystemsLEED and the EHS Professional

SUSTAINABLE SITESLEED and the EHS Professional

LEED® Awareness

Environmental damage caused by construction can take years to remedy.

Sustainable sites credits promote the following measures:

•Selecting and developing the site wisely

•Reducing emissions associated with transportation

•Planting sustainable landscapes

•Protecting surrounding habitats

•Managing stormwater runoff

•Reducing the heat island effect

•Eliminating light pollution

Sustainable SitesLEED and the EHS Professional

LEED® Awareness

SS Prerequisite 1Construction Activity Pollution Prevention

Requirement:Create and implement and E & S control plan that conforms to the erosion and sedimentation requirements of the 2003 EPA Construction General Permit or local standards/codes, whichever is more stringent

•Prevent loss of soil/topsoil during construction

•Prevent sedimentation of storm sewers or receiving streams

•Prevent pollution of the air with particulate matter


LEED® Awareness


Topsoil

Loss of topsoil is themost significant on-siteconsequence of erosion


LEED® Awareness


Water Quality

Water quality issues are the most significant off-site consequences of erosion

Runoff from developed

sites

Pollution

sediment &

nutrients

Disrupted aquatic habitats

Unwanted plant growth in aquatic systems

Altered water quality


LEED® Awareness


Dust

Airborne dust from construction activity has environmental & human health impacts

Dust can settle in water bodies, increasing acidity and altering nutrient balances

Dust particles have been linked to:•Asthma

•Decreased lung function

•Breathing difficulties


LEED® Awareness


The EPA’s construction general permit outlines provisions necessary to comply with Phase I and Phase II of the NPDES program http:/cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/stormwater/cgp.cfm

Strategies:•Seeding•Mulching•Earth dikes•Silt fencing•Sediment traps•Sediment basins


SS Prerequisite 2Environmental Site Assessment (Schools Only)

Requirement:

Conduct a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (per ASTM E1527-05) to determine if contamination exists at school sites

If contamination is suspected conduct a Phase II assessment

Contaminated sites must be remediated to meet local, state or federal EPA standards


Sustainable Sites Credits

Site Selection Development Density and Community Connectivity Brownfield Redevelopment Alternative Transportation Site Development Stormwater Design Heat Island Effect Light Pollution Reduction Tenant Design & Construction Guidelines (Core & Shell only) Joint Use of Facilities (Schools only)


WATER EFFICIENCYLEED and the EHS Professional

LEED® Awareness

High demand for potable water is straining supplies, and requires additional municipal supply & treatment facilities.

Water Efficiency prerequisites and credits promote the following measures:

•Monitoring water consumption performance

•Reducing indoor potable water consumption

•Reducing water consumption to save energy and improve environmental well being

•Practice water efficient landscaping

Water EfficiencyLEED and the EHS Professional

LEED® Awareness

Water Efficiency Credits

Water Use Reduction (Prerequisite) Water Efficient Landscaping Innovative Wastewater Technologies Water Use Reduction Process Water Use Reduction (Schools only)

Water EfficiencyLEED and the EHS Professional

ENERGY & ATMOSPHERELEED and the EHS Professional

LEED® Awareness

Dependence on fossil fuels negatively impact the environment at each step of production and use.

Energy & Atmosphere prerequisites and credits promote the following measures:

•Energy performance

•Tracking building energy performance

•Managing refrigerants to eliminate CFCs

•Using renewable energy

Energy & AtmosphereLEED and the EHS Professional

LEED® Awareness

Energy and Atmosphere Credits

Fundamental Commissioning (Prerequisite) Minimum Energy Performance (Prerequisite) Fundamental Refrigerant Management (Prerequisite) Optimize Energy Performance On-Site Renewable Energy Enhanced Commissioning Enhanced Refrigerant Management Measurement and Verification Green Power

Energy & AtmosphereLEED and the EHS Professional

MATERIALS & RESOURCESLEED and the EHS Professional

Building operations generate a large amount of waste, and resources are expended making new building materials.

Materials & Resources prerequisites and credits promote the following measures:

•Selecting sustainable materials

•Practicing waste reduction

•Reducing waste at its source

•Reusing and recycling

Materials & ResourcesLEED and the EHS Professional

Materials and Resources Credits

Storage and Collection of Recyclables (Prerequisite) Building Reuse Construction Waste Management Materials Reuse Recycled Content Regional Materials Rapidly Renewable Materials Certified Wood

Materials & ResourcesLEED and the EHS Professional

INDOOR ENVIRONMENTALLEED and the EHS Professional

Indoor air pollution is the top environmental risk to public health.

Indoor Environmental Quality prerequisites and credits promote the following measures:

•Improving ventilation

•Managing air contaminants

•Specifying healthy materials

•Occupant controlled environment

•Providing daylight and views

Indoor Environmental QualityLEED and the EHS Professional

Indoor Environmental Quality

Americans spend 90% of their time indoors

EPA reports that indoor pollutant levels are 2 to 5 times higher than outdoors

Sick building syndrome

Asthma is the leading chronic illness among school children

Pollutants contribute to 14.7 million days of absence in schools per year


Indoor Environmental Quality

Estimated annual savings from improved IEQ:

•Reduced respiratory disease $6-14 billion

•Reduced allergies and asthma $1-4 billion

•Reduced sick building syndrome $10-30 billion

•Direct improvements in worker performance $20-160 billion


IEQ Prerequisite 1Minimum Indoor Air Quality Performance

Requirement:

Ventilate space, either mechanically or naturally, to comply with ASHRAE standards.

•Limit potential indoor contaminant sources

•Limit introduction of contaminants from outdoor sources

•Optimize outdoor air exchange rates


LEED® Awareness

IEQ Prerequisite 2Environmental Tobacco Smoke Control

Requirement:

Prevent or restrict smoking within buildings, and prohibit smoking within 25 feet of building openings.

•Limit exposure of occupants to ETS and secondary smoke

•Improve quality of air inside and around the building perimeter

•Decrease risk to occupant health


LEED® Awareness

Indoor Environmental Quality Credits Outdoor Air Delivery Monitoring Increased Ventilation Construction Indoor Air Quality Management Low Emitting Materials Indoor Chemical and Pollutant Source Control Controllability of Systems Thermal Comfort Daylight and Views Enhanced Acoustical Performance (Schools only) Mold Prevention (Schools only)


IEQ Credit 3.1Construction IAQ Mgmt Plan – During Construction

Requirements:

Develop and implement an Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Management Plan for construction and pre-occupancy phases

•Meet or exceed SMACNA IAQ Guidelines for Occupied Buildings Under Construction

•Protect stored and absorptive materials from moisture damage

•Use proper filtration media on permanent air handlers used during construction



Major Control Areas:

•HVAC protection from dust & odors Seal duct openings with plastic Use filtration media MERV 8 or better Isolate unducted plenum spaces

•Control exhaust / fumes at the source

•Pathway interruption Use airflow to contain dust & odors


LEED® Awareness


Major Control Areas:

•Housekeeping Protect porous materials from moisture & dirt Use vacuums with high efficiency filters

•Scheduling

Sequence construction activities to minimize risk of damage/contamination


IEQ Credit 3.2Construction IAQ Mgmt Plan – Before Occupancy

Requirements:

Develop and implement an Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Management Plan after finishes are installed and building is cleaned

•Flush out building with outdoor air to evacuate airborne contaminants

•Conduct air quality testing to confirm that contaminants are below acceptable levels


IEQ Credit 4Low Emitting Materials

4.1 – Adhesives & Sealants 4.4 – Composite Wood 4.2 – Paints & Coatings 4.5 – Furniture /

Furnishings4.3 – Flooring Systems 4.6 – Ceiling & Wall

Systems

Requirements:Use products in the interior of the building that comply with the

requirements of the referenced standards for VOC emissions.


IEQ Credit 4Low Emitting Materials

Ground Level Ozone affects:

Human health

Agricultural crops

Forests

Ecosystems

Smog


Ground Level Ozone


Ground Level Ozone


Mikweed leaf, undamaged

Mikweed leaf, with ozone damage

INNOVATION IN DESIGNLEED and the EHS Professional

Innovation in Design Credits

Innovation in DesignLEED and the EHS Professional

LEED rating systems permit up to 5 credits for:

•Innovative design strategies

•Exemplary performance

REGIONAL PRIORITYLEED and the EHS Professional

LEED® Awareness

Regional Priority Credits

New credits in v3.0

Some environmental issues are unique to a locale

USGBC established distinct environmental zones

Six credits available per zone, vary by zone

Max 4 credits can be earned

NEW!

Regional PriorityLEED and the EHS Professional

Opportunities for EHS Professionals

It’s coming……..

LEED certified projects will be subject to audits

Opportunities to provide services for:

• Water quality testing

• Indoor air quality testing

OpportunitiesLEED and the EHS Professional

Questions?Q & ALEED and the EHS Professional

leed and the ehs professional. agenda introductions definitions usgbc and leed leed rating system...

Documents

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levels of leed certification

leed awareness ss prerequisite

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