LEED v5 will have a significant impact on the construction industry over the next few years and offer many opportunities for building product manufacturers. Gamechanger is a word that is often overused, but in this case, LEED v5 will change the game and greatly impact the industry. Manufacturers who are prepared will succeed, while manufacturers who don’t will be left behind.
LEED v5 has been developed around three areas of impact: decarbonization, quality of life, and ecological conservation and restoration. Every credit and prerequisite in LEED v5 has a connection to decarbonization, quality of life and/or ecological conservation, and this is annotated throughout the rating system so that project teams can easily shape their sustainability stories and communicate them. These three areas of impact will have a significant impact on product specification, cost, and complexity.
The majority of specification opportunities for building product manufacturers will be in the LEED v5 BD+C Materials and Resources Category. The (MR) credit category focuses on minimizing the embodied energy and other impacts associated with the extraction, processing, transport, maintenance, and disposal of building materials. The requirements are designed to support a life-cycle approach that improves performance and promotes resource efficiency.
MR Credit: Optimized Building Products
This new credit will be highly discussed in the construction industry because it represents a significant shift in how building products are reviewed and specified for LEED projects. There is a lot to unpack for this credit including financial considerations, return on investment, complexity, and specification opportunities. It is important that manufacturers understand this credit as it offers more points than any other MR credit.
The intent of the Optimized Building Products credit is: “to encourage the use of products and materials for which life-cycle information is available and that have environmentally, economically, and socially preferable impacts. To reward project teams for selecting products from manufacturers who have optimized their products across multiple impact areas.”
AIA Materials Pledge
Over the years, building product manufacturers have complained about the changing landscape in the construction industry. It seems there are new building codes, standards, and sustainability requirements released every year. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) developed a plan several years ago to address this problem. To avoid creating mass confusion in the marketplace, by asking manufacturers for one thing this year and a different thing next year, the AIA created the AIA Materials Pledge. So, what is the AIA Materials Pledge, what does it have to do with LEED v5 and how will it impact your specifications? The MR Credit: Optimized Building Products attributes are modeled on the AIA’s Materials Pledge.
LEED v4 MR Credits Eliminated
One of the biggest changes in LEED v5 is the elimination of three credits from LEED v4. Their core concepts have been integrated into MR Credit: Optimized Building Products. LEED v5 has retired the following credits:
• Material Ingredients
• Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs)
• Sourcing of Raw Materials
Many manufacturers created transparency documentation for these credits such as EPDs, HPDs, Declare Labels, recycled content data, and FSC certification. The good news is that these tools have been rolled into this new credit.
How To Achieve the Optimized Building Products Credit
To achieve MR Credit: Optimized Building Products, project teams must select nonstructural building products that achieve multiple optimization criteria across five impact areas: climate health, human health, ecosystem health, social health and equity, and circular economy. Manufacturers who can score the most points in these five categories will have the greatest opportunity to get specified. Building product manufacturers can contribute to the credit by having compliant product certifications and declarations.
LEED v5 Multi-Attribute Certifications
There are two sets of eligible product documentation: Multi-Attribute Certifications and Single Attributes. The Multi-Attribute Certifications have the benefit of scoring in many impact areas while the Single Attributes typically score less points. The Multi-Attribute Certifications include:
• Cradle to Cradle: Bronze
• Cradle to Cradle: Silver
• Cradle to Cradle: Gold or Platinum
• BIFMA e3
• Living Product Challenge
• FSC Certified
• SFI Chain of Custody
• Reused Materials
Single Attributes
The Single Attributes award less points in multiple impact categories. They include:
• Industrywide EPD
• Product- Specific Type III EPD
• Optimized EPD Tier 1
• Optimized EPD Tier 2
• HPD: prechecked for LEED
• HPD: third party verified
• Optimized HPD with verification
• Declare
• Declare: third party verified
• Global Green TAG PhD
• Product lens
• Green Seal Certified
• GreenCircle Closed-Loop Certified
• TRUE Zero Waste
• Extended Producer Responsibility
• Recycled Content
• Biobased non-wood
Most manufacturers will zero in on product documentation with the most points in the most impact categories. Cradle to Cradle Gold and Platinum contributes a total of five points, one point in each impact category making it the winner over every other product document on this list.
Cradle to Cradle certification is a great program and we encourage manufacturers to review this program in greater detail. However, there are significant challenges for manufacturers attempting to sweep the sustainability gameboard by pursuing premium certifications. First, meeting these stringent standards can be extremely challenging for smaller to mid-size manufacturers. Not every manufacturer makes a building product that is made from renewable materials, that is carbon negative, uses harvested rainwater during manufacturing, contains no hazardous ingredients, and supports social equity programs. In addition, manufacturers may find the premium level programs cost prohibitive and complicated.
How Can Manufacturers Get Their Products Specified?
So how can the average product manufacturer with a modest budget leverage the Product Impact Area scorecard to contribute the most points? Remember, the key here for manufacturers is to score as many points in as many impact categories as possible. This will set you apart from your competitors and provide more incentives for LEED project teams to specify your product.
At a bare minimum, product manufacturers should be able to achieve points in three out of the five impact areas. Manufacturers need to invest in documentation to achieve the most points but also documentation that may be used for other LEED credits and green building rating systems. A good strategy would be to invest in:
• EPD Product-Specific Type III
• Recycled Content Documentation
If your product can meet the optimized thresholds for EPDs and HPDs that’s even more points for your product. There are a significant number of credits in LEED v5 related to carbon and if you don’t have a LEED compliant EPD you will be at a major disadvantage. In addition, material transparency is a major focus, so manufacturers need an HPD or Declare Label for product specification. The recycled content criteria need more clarification in the current draft.
Manufacturers of wood products can contribute points via FSC or SFI certification. FSC has been the primary wood certification program for the LEED ratings system since its launch. FSC certified wood products can contribute 2.5 points. SFI certified wood products can contribute 1.5 points.
Two other programs for innovative manufacturers to consider are EPRs and the TRUE Zero Waste program. Both contribute one point for this credit. An extended producer responsibility program (EPR) is a take-back or recycling program for the product purchased. EPRs have been launched by the carpet, insulation, furniture, and paint industries.
The other program that manufacturers may consider is the TRUE Zero Waste certification operated by GBCI, the same folks that administer LEED certification. TRUE creates opportunities for companies to reduce inefficiencies and costs. By pursuing certification, projects can help turn waste into savings and potentially new income streams. Manufacturers can contribute one point via the TRUE program.
Indirect Versus Direct LEED Contributions
A challenge for manufacturers is understanding indirect contributions versus direct contributions. Direct contributions can help achieve LEED points; indirect contributions may help sway a design professional to use your product but may not apply directly to a LEED credit.
Your product’s indirect contributions might include ease-of-use, low-maintenance, and durability. These are all excellent attributes however unless they are directly linked to a LEED credit, you will not contribute a point. LEED has a set of rules and requirements. If you follow those rules and requirements your product may contribute points. If you don’t meet the requirements, your product doesn’t contribute points and you are less likely to be specified by design professionals.
The Two Types of Documentation That Manufacturers Need
There are two types of documentation needed by design professionals to specify your products for LEED. There is the testing data, product certifications, and product declarations. And then there is what we call LEED documentation. All of your declarations and certifications like EPDS, HPDs, and VOC emissions data is tabulated into what can be described as a LEED product scorecard, green data sheet, or what we call it: LEED Documentation. Design professionals use LEED documentation to identify what LEED credits your products can contribute to and then they review your EPDs, HPDs, and testing documentation to make their final selection.
The Easiest LEED v5 Credits For Product Manufacturers
So how can the average building product manufacturer with a modest budget get specified for LEED projects? What strategies offer the most ROI for your company? Here are the easiest and most achievable LEED credits to pursue.
• MR Credit: Optimized Building Products
• MR Credit: Low-Emitting Materials
• MR Credit: Building and Materials Reuse
• MR Credit: Reduce Embodied Carbon
In addition, there are several other opportunities for manufacturers to contribute additional LEED points depending on their product category. For example, all major plumbing fixture manufacturers would contribute to the WE Credit: Enhanced Water Efficiency. Third party specialists can review your products and develop LEED documentation which offers a credit-by-credit breakdown for every point you can contribute.
Product Specification Solutions for Manufacturers
How can product manufacturers reach the decision makers and get their products specified for LEED? The most cost-effective ways to get your products specified include the following:
• LEED Online Courses and Webinars: LEED AP’s need 30 hours of education every reporting cycle. Manufacturers who develop LEED focused online courses and webinars can reach the most important decision makers. LEED courses outperform regular AIA courses.
• Podcasts: Podcasts registered with the AIA and GBCI are one of the most cost-effective ways to reach LEED professionals. AIA podcasts are cheaper to develop and host than traditional courses. Participants can listen to them on platforms like Amazon, Apple, and Spotify. These informal conversations are engaging and educational for LEED professionals.
• Architectural Specification Program: Presenting your products to design professionals is one of the most effective ways to get your products specified. Companies like Ron Blank can get you in front of the decision makers, generate leads for your reps, and increase your specification opportunities.
LEED v5 Timeline
LEED v5 is set to launch in 2025. There will be a sunset period for LEED v4 projects which will help with the transition. The USGBC has announced that a new version of LEED will be released every five years. It’s important to note that we discussed the LEED v5 BD+C draft and that the USGBC may make changes before the launch in early 2025.
As we’ve said from the beginning, manufacturers who are proactive, innovative, and successful already have EPDs, HPDs, and LEED focused education courses. Failure to do so risks being beaten by competitors who seize the opportunities in LEED v5. By embracing innovation, investing in specification tools, and continuously adapting to meet changing consumer demands, manufacturers can not only survive but thrive in the sustainability arena, securing their position as industry leaders well into the future.
For more information on how to get your products specified, please contact our team.
http://www.elixirenvironmental.com