ENV5: Recycled content materials

(Choose 2, details)

• Replace > 25% of cement in slab and/or foundation wall concrete with fly ash or slag 
• Install >50% recycled content insulation 
• Install >50% recycled content carpet on >50% of all carpeted floor

Purpose

Recycled content materials lower the overall embodied energy of a project. For example, some recycled materials, such as concrete, require less energy to make them than their "virgin" counterparts. Fly ash and slag are also byproducts of coal production/energy use, so by removing them from the waste stream and finding a way to repurpose these byproducts, the environmental impact of the concrete is reduced.

Selecting insulation that contains a significant percentage of recycled content allows for material reuse and recovery while diverting materials that would otherwise be destined for landfills.

Selecting flooring with recycled content achieves this goal in a similar manner.

Criteria 

• Replace ≥25% of the cement with fly ash or slag in all concrete used for footings, foundation and basement walls and slabs. 
• Install 100% of insulation with ≥50% recycled material (pre or post-consumer) content by weight or volume in all walls, floors and ceilings. 
• Install carpet with ≥50% recycled content (pre or post-consumer) on 50% of carpet floor area.

Clarifications

Floor area must be calculated using RESNET standards for conditioned floor area.

Confirmation 

• The builder shall provide documentation demonstrating compliance of criteria for cement and/or insulation (as applicable to project) to the TA prior to the midconstruction inspection. Builder shall provide documentation demonstrating compliance of criteria for carpet to the TA prior to submitting project for certification.
• The EarthCraft Technical Advisor will review documentation provided by the builder for compliance of criteria.