Implementing LEED: Strategies That Work for the Forest Service
LEED Prerequisites and Points for Forest Service Offices
(Based on LEED for New Construction, Version 2.2)
| Spacer | Required for all LEED projects (for other Forest Service requirements, see the Notes column) |
| Most Forest Service projects will be able to incorporate this credit (38 points) | |
| Some Forest Service projects will be able to incorporate this credit (23 points) | |
| A few Forest Service projects will be able to incorporate this credit (8 points) |
| Credit | Credit name | Extra initial cost | Life-cycle payback | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LEED registration | $450 |
None |
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| LEED submittal documentation | $4,000 to $20,000 |
None |
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| LEED submittal | $1,750 to $17,500 |
None |
Cost depends on building size | |
Sustainable Sites
|
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| SS-P1 | Construction Activity Pollution Prevention | None to $1,000 |
None |
Erosion and sedimentation control plans are already required by FS, may need to adjust |
| SS-1 | Site Selection | $0 |
None |
Most FS office sites meet these criteria |
| SS-2 | Development Density & Community Connectivity | $0 |
None |
Most FS offices cannot meet these requirements because they are at rural/remote sites |
| SS-4.4 | Alternative Transportation: Parking Capacity | - $2,000 to $300 |
Immediate or none |
FS usual method: install signs to provide preferred vanpool parking, reduce parking area |
| SS-5.1 | Site Development: Protect or Restore Habitat | None to $5,000 |
None |
|
| SS-5.2 | Site Development: Maximize Open Space | $0 |
None |
|
| SS-6.1 | Stormwater Design: Quantity Control | None to $10,000 |
None |
Erosion and discharge quantity control already required for FS may need to modify |
| SS-6.2 | Stormwater Design: Quality Control | $2,000 to $50,000 |
10+ years to none |
Requires filtering—check local stormwater requirements—shorter payback time, less extra cost in areas where stormwater regulations are strict |
| SS-7.1 | Heat Island Effect: Non-Roof | None to $20,000 |
5+ years |
FS usual method: vegetation (difficult in dry climate areas) |
| SS-7.2 | Heat Island Effect: Roof | $500 to $500,000 |
2+ years |
$6 to $17/ft² extra for green roof, a few cents/ft² extra for high-albedo roof |
| SS-8 | Light Pollution Reduction | None to $2,500 |
2+ years |
FS usual documentation: photometric site plan |
| Credit | Credit name | Extra initial cost | Life-cycle payback | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Water Efficiency
|
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| WE-1.1 | Water Efficient Landscape: Reduce by 50% | None to $1,000 |
Immediate to 1 year |
|
| WE-1.2 | Water Efficient Landscape: No Potable Water Use or No Irrigation | $200 to $5,000 |
1+ years |
May conflict with local municipal or development requirements |
| WE-2 | Innovative Wastewater Technologies | $800 to $5,000 |
2+ years |
FS usual methods: WE–3.2 plus onsite wastewater treatment or composting toilets |
| WE-3.1 | Water Use Reduction: 20% Reduction | $50 to $100 per fixture |
2+ years |
FS usual methods: waterless or pint-flush urinals, dual-flush toilets, low-flow faucets |
| WE-3.2 | Water Use Reduction: 30% Reduction | $50 to $200 per fixture |
6+ years |
FS usual methods: sensing faucets, low-flow showers |
| Credit | Credit name | Extra initial cost | Life-cycle payback | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Energy & Atmosphere
|
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| EA-P1 | Fundamental Commissioning of Building Energy Systems | 10¢ to $2.5/ft² |
1+ years |
Focuses on mechanical and electrical systems; required of FS by SBIP; some FS units do this inhouse |
| EA-P2 | Minimum Energy Performance | None to $7/ft² |
Immediate to 5 years |
FS already required to comply with ASHRAE Standard 90 |
| EA-P3 | Fundamental Refrigerant Management | None to $1,000 |
10+ years |
FS already advises no use of CFCs (chlorinated fluorocarbons) |
| EA-1 | Optimize Energy Performance (1 to 10 points) | None to $20/ft² |
Immediate to 30 years |
FS already required by SBIP to use 30% less energy than ASHRAE 90 (4 points); FS usual proof method: energy modeling software |
| EA-2 | Onsite Renewable Energy (1 to 3 points) | $3,000 to $12,000/ kW |
10 to 40 years |
FS already required to purchase or generate 3% renewable energy (5% by 2010, 7.5% by 2013) |
| EA-3 | Enhanced Commissioning | None to $2/ft² added to EA–P1 |
2+ years |
Some FS units do this inhouse; includes design input, submittal review, O & M manual/training, 6-month operations review |
| EA-4 | Enhanced Refrigerant Management | - $20,000 to $10,000 |
Immediate to 10+ years |
|
| EA-5 | Measurement and Verification | $800 to $25,000 |
5+ years to none |
|
| EA-6 | 6 Green Power | $3 to $20/MWh |
None |
FS already required to purchase or generate 3% renewable energy (5% by 2010, 7.5% by 2013) |
| Credit | Credit name | Extra initial cost | Life-cycle payback | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Materials &
Resources
|
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| MR-P1 | Storage & Collection of Recyclables | $1,600 to $10,000 |
5+ years to none |
FS units already required to recycle by SBIP; extra heated/cooled space seldom required |
| MR-1.1 | Building Reuse: Maintain 75% of Existing Walls, Floors & Roof | - $50 to $30/ft² |
Immediate or none |
Most likely to be used during historic structure renovations |
| MR-1.2 | Building Reuse: Maintain 95% of Existing Walls, Floors & Roof | - $50 to $30/ft² |
Immediate or none |
|
| MR-1.3 | Building Reuse: Maintain 50% of Interior Non-Structural Elements | - $20 to $10/ft² |
Immediate or none |
|
| MR-2.1 | Construction Waste Management: Divert 50% From Disposal | - 25¢ to $1/ft² |
Immediate or none |
Already required of FS by SBIP "where markets or on-site opportunities exist" can be tough in remote or sparsely populated areas |
| MR-2.2 | Construction Waste Management: Divert 75% From Disposal | - 25¢ to $1/ft² |
Immediate or none |
70% to 80% of light construction waste is wood, cardboard, and gypsum; cost effective to recycle in many locations |
| MR-3.1 | Materials Reuse: 5% | - $10,000 to $20,000 |
Immediate or none |
|
| MR-3.2 | Materials Reuse: 10% | - $20,000 to $40,000 |
Immediate or none |
|
| MR-4.1 | Recycled Content: 10% | $0 |
None |
FS most common materials: carpet, drywall, ceiling tiles |
| MR-4.1 | Recycled Content: 20% | $0 |
None |
|
| MR-5.1 | Regional Materials: 10% | $0 |
None |
Local lumber counts |
| MR-5.2 | Regional Materials: 20% | $0 |
None |
|
| MR-6 | Rapidly Renewable Materials | None to 10% of material cost |
None |
|
| MR-7 | Certified Wood | None to 30% of material cost |
None |
|
| Credit | Credit name | Extra initial cost | Life-cycle payback | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Indoor Environmental
Quality
|
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| EQ-P1 | Minimum IAQ Performance | $0 |
Paybacks in employee productivity depend
on employee salary / benefits: 5 to 10+ years; see http://eetd.lbl.
gov/ied/sfrb/ performance- summary.html |
Already required by code or standard FS specifications in most locations |
| EQ-P2 | Environmental Tobacco Smoke | None to $5,000 |
USDA smoking policy meets this requirement; some units provide an outdoor shelter | |
| EQ-1 | Outdoor Air Delivery Monitoring | avg. $2,000 per zone |
FS usual method: carbon dioxide monitors in occupied spaces | |
| EQ-2 | Increased Ventilation | $3,000 |
||
| EQ-3.1 | Construction IAQ Management Plan | None to $1,000 |
Required by SBIP—check proposed furnace for suitable filter types if the furnace is used during construction | |
| EQ-3.2 | Pre-Occupancy IAQ Management Plan | $100 to $1,000 |
FS usual method: 2-week flush out of the building | |
| EQ-4.1 | Low-Emitting Materials: Adhesives & Sealants | None to 2% of material cost |
FS already required to use low-emitting materials by SBIP | |
| EQ-4.2 | Low-Emitting Materials: Paints & Coatings | None to 2% of material cost |
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| EQ-4.3 | Low-Emitting Materials: Carpet Systems | None to 2% of material cost |
||
| EQ-4.4 | Low-Emitting Materials: Composite Wood & Agrifiber Products | None to 5% of material cost |
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| EQ-5 | Indoor Chemical & Pollutant Source Control | None to $5,000 |
Most measures are required by SBIP, code, or standard design practice | |
| EQ-6.1 | Controllability of Systems: Lighting | None to $1,500 per zone |
FS usual method: individual workstation controls or individually controlled task lighting | |
| EQ-6.2 | Controllability of Systems: Thermal Comfort | None to $3,000 |
FS usual methods: operable windows, controllable registers | |
| EQ-7.1 | Thermal Comfort: Design | $0 |
ASHRAE 55 & 62.1 already required by SBIP | |
| EQ-7.2 | Thermal Comfort: Verification | $500 to $2,000 |
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| EQ-8.1 | Daylight & Views: Daylight 75% of Spaces | $800 to $3,000 |
2+ years |
Already required by SBIP; FS usual documentation: simulation software |
| EQ-8.2 | Daylight & Views: Views for 90% of Spaces | $200 to $1,000 |
5 to 10+ years |
|
| Credit | Credit name | Extra initial cost | Life-cycle payback | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Innovation &
Design Process
|
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| ID-1.1 | Innovation in Design | Varies |
Maybe; depends on the design |
FS strategies: doubling amount of protected habitat/open space, 100% green power, 50% reduction in water use, provide public education on sustainability in the building, radon mitigation, green housekeeping, low VOC furnishings, more effective air filtration, integrated pest management plan |
| ID-1.2 | Innovation in Design | |||
| ID-1.3 | Innovation in Design | |||
| ID-1.4 | Innovation in Design | |||
| ID-2 | LEED Accredited Professional | $0 |
Immediate to 5 years |
One-time costs: LEED class/book: $470, LEED exam: $300 |
Acronyms:
| ASHRAE | = American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers |
| FS | = Forest Service (an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture) |
| LEED | = Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (sustainable building certification program of the U.S. Green Building Council) |
| O & M | = Operations and maintenance |
| SBIP | = U.S. Department of Agriculture Sustainable Buildings Implementation Plan |
| USDA | = U.S. Department of Agriculture |
| VOC | = Volatile organic compounds |
