Green

The information on this page is our attempt to explain in plain English how the LEED Credits that are relevant to the wood flooring industry work.

This task is more complicated than it seems, in part because there are separate LEED rating systems for different types of construction: There are several commercial rating systems, but the two that most impact our industry are LEED for New Construction (LEED-NC) and LEED for Commercial Interiors (LEED-CI), and they both have the same credits as concerns floor coverings and associated products. There is just one residential rating system - LEED for Homes - but its credit structure is completely different from that of the commercial rating systems.

LEED Commercial (LEED-NC & LEED-CI)

MR 4 (Recycled Content Building Materials)

To achieve a point under MR 4.1, the LEED project must use materials with recycled content such that the sum of post-consumer recycled content plus one-half of the pre-consumer content constitutes at least 10% (based on cost) of the total value of materials in the project. To achieve an additional point under MR 4.2, the sum of post-consumer recycled content plus one-half of the pre-consumer content must constitute at least 20% of total materials costs.

Thus, if project contractors purchase $10,000 worth of a wood flooring product with pre-consumer recycled content, and the total value of project materials is $1 million, then project managers can add 1/2 of the value of that product ($5000) to other recycled-content materials, and the total must equal or exceed $100,000 to gain a point under MR 4.1. To gain the two points offered by MR 4.2 in this example, the total value of recycled-content materials (with pre-consumer recycled-content materials counted at 50% value and post-consumer at full value) must be $200,000.

MR 6 (Rapidly Renewable Building Materials)

To achieve a point under MR 6, the LEED project must use rapidly renewable building materials and products (made from plants that are typically harvested within a ten-year cycle or shorter) for 2.5% of the total value of all building materials and products used in the project, based on cost.

Thus, if project contractors purchase $25,000 worth of a flooring product made from rapidly-renewable materials, and the total value of project materials is $1 million, then project managers have achieved this credit.

MR 7 (Certified Wood)

To achieve a point under MR 7, the LEED project must use a minimum of 50% of wood-based materials and products, which are certified in accordance with the Forest Stewardship Council's (FSC) Principles and Criteria, for wood building components. These components include, but are not limited to, structural framing and general dimensional framing, flooring, sub-flooring, wood doors, and finishes.

Thus, if project contractors purchase $10,000 worth of a wood flooring product that is FSC-certified, and the total value of wood building components is $100,000, then project managers will need to source another $40,000 of FSC-certified wood products to achieve MR 7.

EQ 4.1 (Low Emitting Materials: Adhesives and Sealants)

To achieve a point under EQ 4.1, among other requirements, "[a]ll adhesives and sealants used on the interior of the building..shall comply with ..the South Coast Air Quality Management District Rule # 1168" which sets the following VOC limits:

Wood Flooring Adhesives: 100 g/L

EQ 4.2 (Low Emitting Materials: Paints and Coatings)

To achieve a point under EQ 4.2, among other requirements, "[c]lear wood finishes, floor coatings, stains, sealers, and shellacs applied to interior elements [shall] not exceed the VOC content limits established in South Coast Air Quality Management District Rule # 1113" as follows:

• Clear Wood Finishes: varnish 350 g/L, lacquer 550 g/L
• Floor Coatings: 100 g/L
• Sealers: waterproofing sealers 250 g/L

EQ 4.4 (Low Emitting Materials: Composite Wood and Agrifiber Products)

To achieve a point under EQ 4.4, "[c]omposite wood and agrifiber products used on the interior of the building (defined as inside of the weatherproofing system) shall contain no added urea-formaldehyde resins.." Under EQ 4.4, composite wood and agrifiber products are defined as particleboard, medium density fiberboard (MDF), plywood, wheatboard, strawboard, panel substrates and door cores. Engineered wood flooring is also considered a composite wood product.

LEED For Homes

MR 2 (Environmentally Preferable Products)

The intent of MR 2 is to increase demand for environmentally preferable materials (EPPs) and products or building components that are extracted, processed and manufactured within the region.

The credit has a mandatory prerequisite that requires that all tropical woods used in a LEED for Homes project be FSC certified.

It awards half a point each for a number of different building systems/components (e.g. framing, flooring, siding, roofing etc.) up to a maximum of 8 points for the use of environmentally preferable products and/or products that are extracted, processed and manufactured within 500 miles of the home.

Environmentally preferable flooring products include linoleum, cork, bamboo, FSC-certified wood, reclaimed wood, sealed concrete, and recycled-content flooring. A half point is earned if these products are used alone or in combination in 45% of the home's floor area. A bonus half point is awarded if they are used in 90% of the home. An additional bonus half point is awarded if NO carpet is used in the home.