LEED & Entrance Mats

LEED Commercial Interiors (CI) EQ 5 – Indoor Chemical & Pollutant Source control -  specifically addresses the need for walkoff mats at all exterior entry points to the tenant space. These mats serve to clean off shoes to prevent tracking outside contaminants into the space. They also preserve the floor by absorbing much of the initial abuse that would otherwise shorten the floor’s useable life.

Click HERE to learn more than this graphic can tell you.

LEED Gold Ultra-Luxury Hotel – Montage Beverly Hills

Does this look ultra eco-friendly to you?

I’ve been convinced for years that to be green does not mean you have to fit any “granola” stereotype (although there is nothing wrong with Birks and bio-diesel).  This hotel is just one more feather in the green-is-for-everyone cap. I’ve been seeing it in our clients’ requests for green luxury flooring and, as a LEED AP, am heartened by it.
But this is downright dreamy!
Pardon me whilst I swoon…

Here is a short breakdown of the credits achieved by the Montage team that led them to the project’s Gold certification:

Each project certified under LEED for New Construction V2.2 rating system earns credits for factors that are assessed by the USGBC against desired performance goals in six environmental categories.

Montage Beverly Hills earned a total of 39 credits in these environmental categories:
8 credits for Sustainable Sites, including offering public transportation access, bicycle storage and carpooling van parking for employees
1 credit for Water Efficient Landscape, installing an irrigation system that reduces potable water consumption by 54%
12 credits for Energy & Atmosphere, including selection of highly efficient heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration systems that minimize or eliminate emission of compounds that deplete ozone or contribute to global warming
5 credits for Materials & Resources, including effective construction waste management, use of recycled building materials and use of materials from within 500 miles of the project site
8 credits for Indoor Environmental Quality, including use of eco-friendly and low-VOC paints, sealants and adhesives; efficient lighting systems, and specific seasonal temperature and humidity controls that ensure personal comfort
5 credits for Innovation in Design, including adopting an Environmentally Preferred Purchasing Plan, locating all parking underground and developing a Green Housekeeping Program

And when you look at their website, the LEED information is quietly tucked away under the “Hotel Overview” tab. It’s not in-your-face, it’s quite classy as one would expect.

Christopher Moline, LEED AP
Residential Group Manager
Commercial Carpets of America
703-370-0000
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LEED AP’s (CI)- On-Staff At Commercial Carpets of America & Alexandria Carpet One Floor & Home

by Chris Moline, LEED AP
If you’ve worked on a project with LEED certification as the goal, you know how hard it can be to navigate the requirements for the USGBC rating system. I’ve heard people in the my industry (flooring) say, “Our product will get you LEED points” or “This is a LEED-certified product.”  Well, as a LEED Accredited Professional, I can tell you that it’s just not that easy.

In other words: They are full of hooey! (to put it politely.)

In fact, the US Green Building Council does not endorse any product.  It is the attributes of products, how they are made, and where they are made, among other factors, that can contribute to the achievement of points under the different paths available to building owners and tenants (Certified = 21-26 points; Silver = 27-31 points , Gold = 32-41 points, Platinum = 42-57 points). With such a low number of points, so much to gain in their achievement, and so many variables in the achievement of each, it’s understandable why a mis-guided novice would throw the “p” word around so loosely. Just thinking about it makes me shudder.

I’ll give you an example:
Let’s say you are moving into an existing space and are going to gut the interior finishings and start over. You should be aware of the following (this is not in any sense an exhaustive list):

–Watch what you send to a landfill:
If you divert 50% or more of your construction waste from a landfill by weight or volume, you get a point… Materials and Resources 2.1, Divert 50% from Landfill.  Make that 75% diverted and you get 2 points… go to 95% and you get a whopping 3 points for Exemplary Performance.
–You can donate items left on-site by previous tenants and count them towards goals for the same credit (donating used furnishings, carpet, etc… to Habitat For Humanity is one way of diverting waste from a landfill).
What types of finish materials can help you achieve various credits?
–Low VOC paints (good for your tenants and the environment are accounted for under Indoor Environmental Quality credit 4.2 Paints and Coatings)
–Use carpet (or anything else) manufactured within 500 miles of the project (MR5.1 Regional Materials.) If it’s CRI Green Label Plus, you’re even better off – EQ4.3, not to mention if it’s made of a high percentage of post-consumer recycled content MR4.1)
Go even further by specifying 20% of your materials that have been extracted and manufactured within 500 miles and you get another coveted point.
–Use only adhesives on-site that abide by SCAQMD 1168 standards.
–Baaa… excuse me… specify wool carpet (wool is a renewable resource and can be counted under MR6 Rapidly Renewable Materials along with linoleum, bamboo, cork and more.)
–How much it would cost to buy goods you intend to reuse or purchased used (MR3.1 Resource Reuse).
And so much more. But the materials in and of themselves do not get you the credit. It is given based of the percentage of your job total either by weight, volume, cost or replacement value relative to the job as a whole.

And some issues are non-negotiable such as environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) control, having a collection and storage area for recyclables, and meeting IAQ and certain energy standards. You could earn 41 points and not achieve certification if you fail to meet any of the 6 pre-requisites:
-Fundamental Commisioning
-Minimum Energy Performance
-CFC Reduction in HVAC&R Equipment
-Storage and Collection of Recyclables
-Minimum IAQ Performance
-Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS) Control

In fact, trying to figure this out without the assistance of someone who has experience and accreditation can be mind-numbing. I’ll speak from experience that learning materials and passing the required certification exam was one of the most daunting exercises I’ve undertaken.

Stay tuned to this blog because it will fill up with advice for owners and tenants, as well as advice for folks studying for the amazingly-difficult exam.
Until then, all the best!

Christopher Moline, LEED AP
Residential Group Manager
Commercial Carpets of America
703-370-0000
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CRI Green Label Carpet

Green Label / Green Label Plus

Helping Improve Indoor Air Quality
By Chris Moline, LEED AP (CI)

The Carpet and Rug Institute’s Green Label and Green Label Plus standards are specifically referenced in the LEED rating system for Commercial Interiors certification by the US Green Building Council.  But, even if you are a homeowner not going for “Platinum”, you can benefit from the knowledge that these CRI standards mean you are getting the best for your indoor air quality dollar investment.Anyone who has gone for certification (Certified, Silver, Gold or Platinum) of a tenant space under the LEED CI track has more than likely considered how carpet, carpet cushion, and any adhesives used impact credits.

In order to be considered for credit under EQ 4.3 – Indoor Environmental Quality 4.3 – Carpet Materials, carpet must meet the CRI Green Label Plus standard. Carpet cushion must meet CRI Green Label standards.  Any adhesives used should be referenced under EQ 4.1, Adhesives and Sealants, and meet SCAQMD 1168 standards (GS-36 if aerosol adhesives are used).

FOLLOWING IS AN EXCERPT FROM THE CARPET AND RUG INSTITUTE’S WEBSITE:
Carpet can be wrongly blamed for contributing to asthma and allergy and for emitting high levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Studies have shown that carpet is better at trapping allergens than hard surface, such as tile or hardwood, because carpet fibers catch particles and allergens that fall to the floor. When allergens are trapped in the carpet, they cannot circulate in the air for you to breathe. Proper cleaning with a CRI-tested and approved vacuum effectively sucks up the dirt and dust from the carpet, locks it in the machine and keeps it out of the air.

New carpet may also have a “new carpet smell.” Scientific studies show that new carpet is one of the lowest emitters of VOCs into the indoor environment. In fact, carpet emits less VOCs than other products such as paint. Further, these emissions clear very quickly. The low-level VOC emissions and the harmless odor from new carpet dissipate within the first 48 to 72 hours after installation — even sooner with open windows or doors.

CRI offers Green Label and Green Label Plus testing and certification to indicate carpet, carpet backings, cushions and adhesives that emit low VOCs. In fact, Green Label carpet program has such a positive impact on the indoor environment that the American Lung Association approves its use in its Healthy Homes programs. Additionally, the Green Label Plus program tough standards exceeds the green building requirements dictated by California schools.
So if you are concerned about asthma, allergies or VOCs, be sure to ask about Green Label and Green Label Plus carpet, cushion and adhesive options.