Flooring and LEED

The environmentally responsible commercial construction market will reach $10 to $20 billion over the next five years. This “green” growth will offer greater opportunities for everyone from product manufacturers to specifiers to be involved with environmentally responsible building projects. Along with this growth you can expect more information, and unfortunately, more misinformation, about green construction materials and methods.

Q: Can flooring contribute to LEED certification?

A: Only buildings (not floors) can be LEED certified. But, flooring can contribute towards earning LEED credits. The United States Green Building Council (USGBC) developed the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system to provide a national standard for green building design. The rating system is based on achieving a certain number of points, which are allocated for design choices defined within the standard. The points are accrued within specific credits. Flooring products and installation materials can contribute to earning points in three of the six LEED categories, and in a number of credit areas.

Q: What LEED programs are impacted the most by commercial flooring?

A: LEED-NC (New Construction and Major Renovations) and LEED-CI (Commercial Interiors). LEED-NC and LEED-CI are two programs (of four total) where flooring can play a role in earning LEED points. LEED-NC has performance criteria that apply to commercial and institutional buildings that are either new or undergoing major renovations. LEED- CI is a newer program designed to address the specifics of tenant spaces primarily in office and institutional buildings.

Q: Are there LEED experts who can assist with projects?

A: Yes. LEED awards professional accreditation to those who have studied and passed rigorous training. Understanding the standards within these programs takes education and experience. The benefit to working with accredited professionals is their ability to help you understand the documentation and certification process, and assist you with design and construction phase submittals. 

Q: Are there any recent changes in LEED that can affect my flooring choice if I’m working towards LEED certification on my project?

A: Yes. A new version of LEED-NC released in November, 2005 has updates that relate specifically to flooring. LEED-NC version 2.2 includes major credit changes that affect your floor product choice, including updates to recycled content, new requirements on what constitutes regional materials, and an enhanced standard on low-emitting materials-carpet systems. To coordinate and communicate needs, questions and decisions throughout a sustainable building project, the USGBC and Building Operating Management magazine suggest using a design “charette.” Charettes facilitate collaboration across all the project phases, which is the key to efficient green design and construction.

Q: Does it cost more to specify flooring that contributes to LEED certification?

A: Not necessarily. Building green can pay off in reducing the environmental impact a building has on its surroundings and on the bottom line. If you look at just the “first -cost” figures, it can cost  approximately 2% more to construct a LEED certified building. But that cost can be recovered through faster lease-up rates, rental premiums and increased market valuation. A study by acclaimed  architectural consultants Davis Langdon reported that sometimes the first costs of constructing a sustainable building are comparable to constructing a non-green structure, especially if LEED-savvy professionals are used and building systems synergies are identified early in the construction process.  Bonitz can help you keep “first-cost” floor expense lower, thanks to their buying clout with the nation’s leading floor covering manufacturers. And, because of our tremendous experience, they can control installation costs and related expenses better than less - qualified contractors.

Q: How can I justify the cost of green flooring on my project if the initial cost is higher?

A: Use Life Cycle Costing (LCC) methodology to evaluate the economic performance of investments in building materials. LCC is a tool to assist the user in more accurately identifying and understanding the true financial costs versus just the purchase price. For green projects, that translates to specifying for long life cycle rather than specifying for first - costs. LCC analysis methods are becoming more standardized and tools are emerging from manufacturers and organizations to provide comparable product evaluations.