Stainless Steel Can Take a 'LEED Role'
June 4, 2008 -- Stakeholders in the field of architecture have until June 21, 2008 to submit comments, requesting changes to the latest draft rules for the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification system, which is administered by the U.S. Green Building Council.
See: U.S. Green Building Council web page where the LEED 2009 draft can be downloaded.
By making comments now, the sustainable attributes of nickel-containing stainless steels could be more fully recognized by the rating system.
Nickel-containing stainless steels contribute to sustainable building design in the following ways:
- Recycled content;
- The diversion of material from construction waste and;
- The re-use of building components.
All of the above are already recognized under the present LEED system (version 2.2); however the longevity of stainless steel is not adequately addressed. Since LEED’s mandate is to take into account the complete life cycle of buildings, this presents a valuable opportunity for the stainless steel industry to amend the system.
“This is more of a recent thought that speaks to durability,” says Tom Hicks, vice-president of international programs for the U.S. Green Building Council. “This is more often seen in home rating systems. There is nothing specific that addresses the durability of products in the present version of LEED. But there is an opportunity to bring that into the public comment period or in an entirely new credit.”
The only way project teams can seek points for the sustainable properties of stainless steel, other than the three categories mentioned above, is by creatively applying the rules of the LEED system in the following ways:
1. Intent vs Requirements
Each LEED credit has two parts: the intent and the requirements. In EQ Credit 4.2: Low-Emitting Materials: Paints & Coatings, for example, the intent is to “reduce the quantity of indoor contaminants . . .” The requirement is to use low-volatility organic content paints and coatings, including anti-corrosive and anti-rust paints. An applicant could argue that substituting “interior ferrous metal substrates” with stainless steel meets the credit’s intent because stainless steel requires no coatings and emits no volatile organic compounds.
“That is a place where there is a rational argument to be made,” Hicks says. “Folks may argue that an item does not meet the prescriptive part of a credit but that it meets its ultimate goal. If you have another way to meet the performance specs, send us the conditions.” Under LEED, low-emitting materials include “zero-emitting” materials.
Application for recognition under the intent of a credit is made with what USGBC calls a Credit Interpretation Request (CIR). Applicants are encouraged to submit performance details or product specification on the material, says Hicks; a USGBC technical advisory group will then review the argument’s merits. A CIR can be used as a precedent for other rulings, and other project teams can take advantage of them.
“As we get feedback from industry, they can submit performance or intent equivalent alternative compliance paths, to meet the intent of a credit,” Hicks says.
2. “Outside-the-Box” Ideas
The administrators of LEED are also open to “outside-the-box” ideas under its 'Innovation and Design' process. If an application for a credit is denied, there is an appeal process.
There are other areas where applicants can consider applying for points for stainless steel: in her paper Stainless Steel’s Sustainable Advantage in Architecture, Catherine Houska, senior market development manager with TMR Architectural Metals Consulting, argues that runoff from a stainless roof could be cleaner than that from roofs made of other materials. It might therefore qualify for a storm water quality control point under a CIR.
There are other concepts that fall completely outside LEED. In these cases the stainless steel industry has an opportunity to submit public comment requesting changes in LEED 2009. For example, Houska believes stainless steel roofs should receive recognition for their longevity, compared with painted roofs. “For a lot of them, you have to remove the paint, and the problem is in the chemicals you have to use to do that. Some manufacturers assume that when a roof starts to peel, it will just be replaced.”
LEED expressly excludes piping materials from consideration for points, yet in Japan (see Nickel, Vol. 23. No. 2, page 6), stainless steel piping and valves have been proposed as a way to extend the lifespan of apartment buildings. This would eliminate many sources of carbon dioxide emissions that result from the dismantling and rebuilding of structures, the production and transportation of materials, and so on. This should also be recognized under LEED as well.
“This is a good observation,” Hicks acknowledges. “Piping is looking (only) at the near-term environmental impact. But this is an opportunity to bring this to our attention, through the public comment for LEED 2009, for a credit through piping.
Additional Resources:
U.S. Green Building Council web page where the LEED 2009 draft can be downloaded.
"Comparing the Sustainability of Architectural Materials," by Catherine Houska (PDF download)
"Stainless Steel’s Sustainable Advantage in Architecture," by Catherine Houska (PDF download)
"The Energy Benefit of Stainless Steel Recycling," by Yale University (PDF download)
"Stainless Steel: The Green Material" by the Stainless Steel Industry of North America (SSINA).
"Extending the Life of Japanese Apartment Buildings," Nickel, Vol. 23. No. 2, page 6
A declaration by the metals industry on recycling principles.
FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
Barry Waters
Director, Market Support and Development
Nickel Institute
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
E-mail:bwaters@nickelinstitute.org
Tel: 1 416 591 7999
OR
Sophia Wong
Manager, Sustainability Programs
Nickel Institute
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
E-mail: swong@nickelinstitute.org
Tel: 1 416 591 7999
