Resource Center
LEED info
To: Customers & Distributors with questions about Product Recycling & Leeds Certification
The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System® is a voluntary, consensus-based national standard for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings. Their goal is working to promote buildings that are environmentally responsible, profitable and healthy places to live and work.
As a manufacturer of steel storage products, locker, and steel metal furniture, Republic Storage cannot seek nor obtain the Leed’s building construction or design credit or certification, as LEED applies to green building projects. Individual products can only contribute to points under the rating system; LEED criteria are performance-based. In attempting to meet these requirements, LEED practitioners identify products that have desired attributes. However, some LEED criteria do require specific product data as a part of a successful submittal. Historically our product is handled as furniture rather than building construction material. But for those who need to evaluate our product as Environmentally friendly or not friendly, here is pertinent information.
Our products are corrosion-coated steel. By its nature, steel is the number one recycled material. Our products (lockers, storage products, and metal furniture) in are 100% recyclable. Out products are packaged in cardboard on wood skids and are also 100% recyclable. Steel an excellent “Green “ construction material. They contain no hazardous material (except steel) and have no PCB’s or asbestos in them.
- Steel made in an electric furnace is made of 100% recycled steel with a post consumer portion of 83.4 % recycled.
- Steel made in a Blast Furnace is made of over 30% recycled steel with a post consumer portion of 80% recycled.
Therefore, the exact percent of recycled and post consumer recycled is proportional to the ratio of electric furnace steel to Blast furnace steel that is in any particular steel product. Our steel mix varies greatly and we can only give this as an expected range.
The Green Building Resource Guide indicates most building construction averages a 70% recycled content and almost all of that (80%), is post consumer recycled steel. They state, steel is efficient because there is very little waste, and it won't rot or be consumed by termites. Also, steel is non-toxic, it will not off-gas, and will not contaminate indoor air quality. Steel structures have many environmental benefits and are considered very green. Steel’s only draw back is that steel can consume up to 1,450 kwh /ton (2400btu/pound) to manufacture, but its strength and long life far out weighs the energy loss of remaking alternative materials.
Our Company has a long history of compliance to all EPA rules and regulations (air, water, and waste) and has maintained pollution levels 25% to 30 % below our EPA Limits. We recycle steel, cardboard, paper, batteries, light bulbs, empty drums, scrap paint, and many other items. Although our very old manufacturing building has not been Leed’s rated, our Management are committed to do all we can to have our Plant and products environmentally safe and friendly.
RE: LEED Certification – Contribution from Product
Project: enter project name here
This correspondence is written in response to your request regarding the use of our metal locker products in the above referenced project to help achieve Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) certification. It references the LEED Green Building Rating System for New Construction & Major Renovations (LEED-NC) as published by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). Specific credits that apply to our products are as follows:
LEED Category: Material and Resources (MR)MR Credit(s) 4.1 and 4.2 Recycled Content – Post-Industrial
At least 25% of the metal lockers produced at the above manufacturing facility is post-industrial content as defined by the Guides for the Use of Environmental Marketing Claims 16 CFR 260.7 (e) (available at www.ftc.gov/bcp/grnrple/guides980427.htm) and therefore qualify for this credit.
MR Credit(s) 4.1 and 4.2 Recycled Content – Post-Consumer
At least 25% of the metal lockers produced at the above manufacturing facility is post-consumer content as defined by the Guides for the Use of Environmental Marketing Claims 16 CFR 260.7 (e) (available at www.ftc.gov/bcp/grnrple/guides080427.htm) and therefore qualify for this credit.
MR Credit 5.1 Regional Materials – Manufactured Regionally
Metal lockers produced at the above referenced manufacturing facility are approximately enter number here miles from the project site. Since the facility is less than 500 miles from the project site, the enter project name here qualifies for this credit.
LEED Sample Profile - PDF - 3.7MB
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