Page 235 - Alternative Energy Systems in Building Design

LEED 211

■ Building energy-efficiency management by means of centralized management and
control equipment installation.
■ Indoor and outdoor water consumption management.

The point weight awarded for each of the four categories is 1.

Green power, credit no. 6 This measure is intended to encourage the use and pur-
chase of grid-connected renewable-energy cogenerated energy derived from sustainable
energy such as solar, wind, geothermal, and other technologies described throughout this
book. A purchase-and-use agreement of this so-called green power is usually limited to
a minimum of a 2-year contract. The cost of green energy use is considerably higher than
that of regular energy. Purchasers of green energy who participate in the program are
awarded a Green-e products certification.

MATERIAL AND RESOURCES

Storage and collection of recyclables, prerequisite no. 1 This prerequisite
is a measure to promote construction-material sorting and segregation for recycling and
landfill deposition. Simply put, construction or demolition materials such as glass, iron,
concrete, paper, aluminum, plastics, cardboard, and organic waste must be separated
and stored in a dedicated location within the project for further recycling.

Building reuse, credit no. 1 The intent of this measure is to encourage the maxi-
mum use of structural components of an existing building that will serve to preserve and
conserve a cultural identity, minimize waste, and reduce the environmental impact. It
should be noted that another significant objective of this measure is to reduce the use of
newly manufactured material and associated transportation that ultimately results into
energy use and environmental pollution. Credit is given for implementation of the
following measures:

■ One credit for maintenance and reuse of 75 percent of the existing building.
■ Two credits for maintenance of 100 percent of the existing building structure shell
and the exterior skin (windows excluded).
■ Three credits for 100 percent maintenance of the building shell and 50 percent of
walls, floors, and ceiling.

This simply means that the only replacements will be of electrical, mechanical,
plumbing, and door and window systems, which essentially boils down to a remodeling
project.

Construction waste management, credit no. 2 The principal purpose of this
measure is to recycle a significant portion of the demolition and land-clearing materials,
which calls for implementation of an on-site waste-management plan. An interesting
component of this measure is that the donation of materials to a charitable organization