Tweet

Adding up Points for LEED - a numbers game for SIPs

Written by: Wayne J.R. Bowser

Article Overview: Structural Insulated Panels, or SIPs, is a product that is becoming more popular with it's high energy saving potential and value in construction material and labor costs. A common marketing trend is to promote the many points that are achievable by using said product, and the common adage Caveat Emptor still applies. When rating a particular product that will be implemented into a building application being constructed for LEED credits, we have to consider two points of view that I refer to as Direct Application, or Indirect Application.

Adding up Points for LEED - a numbers game for SIPs

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has established a national benchmark for rating building performance and implementing green measures. It's known as LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. A building rated under LEED, usually overseen by a LEED AP (Accredited Professional), has been exceptionally designed and is certified and proven to meet high environmental and energy standards above the normal jurisdictional codes and regulations of life, safety and energy efficiency.Each project is third party inspected, painstakingly documented and further reviewed by USGBC representatives.

The requirements are many and have been broken up into 5 major categories:

• Sustainable Sites (SS)
• Water Efficiency (WE)
• Energy & Atmosphere (EA)
• Materials & Resources (MR)
• Indoor Environmental Quality (EQ)

There are minimum requirements that must be achieved in each of the five categories called prerequisites. These all must be met in order to be rated, and careful review is highly suggested before setting out to design and build a LEED rated project. Certification (26-32 total points) is often times very easy to reach with only minor modifications to the design specifications and common sense attention to construction procedures. Additional measures must be implemented to achieve the next highest level of Silver (33-38 total points). There is then Gold (39-51 total points), and the highest and most difficult rating level; Platinum (52-69 total points).

Structural Insulated Panels, or SIPs, is a product that is becoming more popular with it's high energy saving potential and valuein construction material and labor costs. A common marketing trend is to promote the many points that are achievable by using said product, and the common adage Caveat Emptor still applies. Keep in mind that the USGBC never has, and never will, promote a particular brand of product, but will endorse a building method or application, such as SIPs.

When rating a particular product that will be implemented into a building application being constructed for LEED credits, we have to consider two points of view that I refer to as Direct Application, or Indirect Application.

Direct Application is the ability to achieve points by just the very utilization of the product based on the manufacturer's specifications,spelling out in detail,the particular requirement for that application. For instance,a toilet that uses 0.8 gallons of water will help to meet the Water Efficiency 3.1 requirement based on the specs. Of course, additional calculations must be compiled to include all the plumbing fixtures, but just the implementation of these water efficient fixtures will help to meet the requirement.

Indirect Application is the ability to achieve points based on the performance and further testing, or modeling of the particular building system or application. For instance, the energy saving quality of insulation will not be achieved unless it is installed properly and furthermore, tested and inspected after installation. At which time, the requested point/points will be achieved. This testingrequirement is why LEED has earned the reputationof the premier building rating systemand has brought higher values to projects that are rated LEED. It is also why it is highly criticized.

SIPs are a good example of a product which will achieve a certain amount of credits based entirely on it's composition (Direct Application) and, also can be very beneficial in helping to achieve many more credits if applied correctly and based on it's performance (Indirect Application). The following is a breakdown of how SIPs can earn credits in a typical commercial project under the New Construction (NC) LEED heading.

Direct Application:

• MR4.1 - Recycled Content - Based on cost and 10% (min) of the total value of all material used. 1 Point
• MR4.2 - Recycled Content - Based on cost and 20% (min) of the total value of all material used. 1 Point
• MR5.1 - Regional Materials - Based on cost and 10% (min) of the total value of material. 1 Point
• MR5.2 - Regional Materials - Based on cost and 20% (min) of the total value of material. 1 Point
• MR6 - Rapidly Renewable Material - Based on cost and 2.5% (min) of the total value of all materials and products. 1 Point
• MR7 - Certified Wood - Based on 50% (min)of all wood must be Forest Stewardship Council Certified. 1 Point
• EQ3.2 - Air Quality Testing - Based on Formaldehyde and other contaminants not found prior to occupancy. 1 Point
• EQ4.1 - Low Emitting Materials in Adhesives & Sealants - Based on field applied mastic with zero VOCs. 1 Point
• EQ4.4 - Low Emitting Materials in Composite Wood & Agrifiber Products - Based on no added urea-formaldehyde. 1 Point

Indirect Application:

• EA1 - Optimized Energy Performance - Based on energy cost savings & building performance. 10 Points
• EA2 - On-Site Renewable Energy - Based on high energy efficiency and utilizing renewables to generate 12.5% (min) of energy need. 3 Points
• EA5 - Measurement & Verification - Based on implementing a plan to monitor energy efficiency. 1 Point
• MR2.1 - Construction Waste Mgmt - Based on diverting 50% (min) from landfills. 1 point
• MR2.2 - Construction Waste Mgmt - Based on diverting 75% (min) from landfills. 1 point
• EQ7.1 - Thermal Comfort - Based on design of building envelope and HVAC to meet high standard. 1 Point
• EQ7.2 - Thermal Comfort - Based onperformance of building envelope and HVAC to meet high standard over time. 1 Point
• ID2 - LEED Accredited Professional - Based on the utilization of a LEED AP onproject team. 1 Point

Total LEED credit potential utilizing SIPs: 28 Points

Every project has the potential to be LEED Certified and utilizing SIPs will aid in this endeavor, however, common sense is the key and when it comes to finding LEED credits, creativity is the name of the game.

Related Articles
  LEED-ND a Boon for Large Scale Developments
  Green School Census
  Key card electricity control
  High Price Raises Perception of Quality
  Self-Publishing Success: How You Can Earn $30,000 a Month with POD Publishing

Article Tags: construction material, high energy, numbers game, structural insulated panels



Related Forum Posts
Re: Playing sports or games with clients - If we are playing more than one game, I will let him win the first game, then win the second one and let him win the third. Business relationship should not be jeopardise because of sport or game. The reason is because some people don't like loosing.
Re: What are you doing if o have a bad day? - Glad you all like that idea. I don't play it too often, but it definitely helps with stress or relieving anger. David, that reminds me of another game for the NES called Galaga. It's also a shooting game in which you have to also dodge projectiles. Very fun as well. A pure classic. I would say that any video game would work well to just take your mind off of work. Who knows, you may be able to come up with a breakthrough idea from playing them!
Re: Playing sports or games with clients - [quote="ideasuniversity":rd7ddnmg]If we are playing more than one game, I will let him win the first game, then win the second one and let him win the third. Business relationship should not be jeopardise because of sport or game. The reason is because some people don't like loosing.[/quote:rd7ddnmg] But then would you really want to do business (or be friends) with a sore loser? Secondly, a client could be even more offended if he/she discovers that you deliberately let him/her win.
Serious Problems for Younger Folk - It's a big problem, people not taking you seriously. As a child, I was always much more mature, and I was on my own working as a writer in my teens - at the time most people were a sophomore in highschool. Still, I am considered very young to be doing what I do. These are a few things that I've found that have helped me out a lot. 1. Always act like a professional. No matter what comes up, always be a complete professional in the situation. If you act like you're an old pro, people stop looking at your numbers (Age), and start looking at your brains. 2. Consider dressing older. I'm not saying you need to wear ugly tweed, or your pants too high -- never wear a simple tee shirt, or tennis shoes. A suit and tie, or likewise, a tasteful skirt/jacket combo with light gold jewlery and low pumps, can make all the difference in the world. 3. Plan ahead. Always, always, always, have a game plan, a backup game plan, and possibly even a backup for your backup! Lots of young entrepreneurs like to rush into things - projects, meetings, presentations - without a plan, or thought to it at all. 4. Realize that you have a disadvantage. People, by nature, aren't going to take you seriously if you're just-out-of-high school, or just-out-of-college, with no real-world experience. You always have to be two-steps up from everyone else, and if you know this, you can use it to your advantage. And, of course, 5. Be an expert! Stay up late, know the lingo, know everything you can about your field. Go to every event you can find to learn and network, and stay on top of your game. Good luck! ~Marie
Re: Alexa Ranking Goals - Hi dummiped - I was away on vacation so I didn't really check over that period but I haven't heard anyone else talking about that problem. Something to keep an eye on for sure - I am seeing that my daily and weekly numbers are updating so I would expect the monthly numbers to change shortly


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Tweet

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

Let's Skip the Offshore Horror Stories

Adjusting Your World

The Biggest Domain Name Myth

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.