C5.5: Use Recycled Content Materials – Above Green

(3-4 points)

INTENT

Reduce the consumption of virgin materials and avoid landfilling useful materials by purchasing products with recycled content.

REQUIREMENTS*

Percentages are based on cost or replacement value. Determine the recycled content value of a material assembly by weight. The recycled fraction of the assembly is then multiplied by the cost of assembly to determine the recycled content value.

Plants and soils are addressed in other credits and are excluded from this credit. Salvaged or reused materials do not qualify for this credit.

Use materials with recycled content such that the sum of post-consumer recycled content plus one-half of the pre-consumer content constitutes at least:
- 20 percent of total materials cost, excluding plants and soils 3 points
- 40 percent of total materials cost, excluding plants and soils 4 points

RECOMMENDED STRATEGIES

Establish a project goal for recycled content, and identify material suppliers or local products that can help achieve this goal.
Strategies that could be used to achieve this credit include:
- Specifying plastic lumber made with recycled content
- Using crushed concrete for aggregate bases
- Specifying new asphalt with recycled asphalt aggregate
- Specifying high recycled content steel
- Utilizing spent iron and foundry sand as fine aggregate in concrete