LEED - Sustainable Solutions
The Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System® serves as a voluntary, third-party, consensus-based standard for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings using a comprehensive, point-based system. The LEED® rating system is commissioned by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) to serve as a guide to environmentally sound practices in the design, construction, operation and maintenance of commercial and institutional buildings, including high rise residential buildings. Project registration and certification is administered by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI).
The selection, specification or use of individual materials, products or components, by themselves, does not qualify for LEED® certification. The LEED® certification process is applied only to completed projects and qualification is based largely upon building systems performance. LEED® recognizes performance in five key areas of human and environmental design strategies: sustainable sites (SS), water efficiency (WE), energy efficiency (EA), materials and resources (MR), indoor environmental quality (IEQ), and innovation in design (ID). Building products may contribute to “points” measured under each of these categories. We submit that Airolite products may contribute to points recognized under LEED® 2009 (Updated June 2010) through the Credits identified below.
Sustainable Site (SS)
Energy & Atmosphere (EA)
Materials & Resources (MR)
Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ)
Innovation In Design
Sustainable Sites
SS Credit 7.1: Heat Island Effect – Non-roof (1 Point) - Option 1
Intent: Reduce heat islands to minimize impacts on microclimates and human and wildlife habitats.
Requirements:“Use any combination of the following strategies for 50% of the site hardscape (including roads, sidewalks, courtyards and parking lots): …Provide shade from architectural devices or structures that have a solar reflectance index2 (SRI) of at least 29.”
Airolite contribution: Airolite architectural louver, grille, and sun control elements incorporated in arbors or trellises may contribute shading to exterior areas and courtyards. These products can be finished with fluoropolymer coatings that facilitate reflectance as represented by solar reflectance index values determined in accordance with ASTM C 1549, Standard Test Method for Determination of Solar Reflectance Near Ambient Temperature Using a Portable Solar Reflectometer.
SS Credit 8:  Light Pollution Reduction (1 Point) - Option 2, For Interior Lighting
Intent: Minimize light trespass from the building and site, reduce sky-glow to increase night sky access, improve nighttime visibility through glare reduction and reduce development impact from lighting on nocturnal environments.
Requirements:“All openings in the envelope with a direct line of sight to any non-emergency luminaries must have shielding (…for a resultant transmittance of less than 10% between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.).”
Airolite contribution: Architectural louvers, grilles or exterior sun controls may reduce direct beam-illumination from interior building spaces as determined in compliance with ANSI/ASHRAE/IESA Standard 90.1-2007 using a computer simulation model.
Energy & Atmosphere
EA Prerequisite 2: Â Minimum Energy Performance (Required) - Option 1, Whole Building Energy Simulation
Intent: Establish an energy performance rating goal for the facility design using EPA’s Target Finder rating tool.
Requirements:“Demonstrate a 10% improvement in the proposed building performance rating for new buildings, or a 5% improvement in the proposed building performance rating for major renovations to existing buildings, compared with the baseline building performance rating. Calculate the baseline building performance rating in accordance to…Appendix G of ANSI/ASHRAE/IENSA Standard 90.1-2007…using a computer simulation model…”
Option 2, Prescriptive Compliance Path
Requirements: Comply with the prescriptive measures of the ASHRAE Advanced Energy Design Guide appropriate to the project scope as outlined. Project teams must comply with all applicable criteria as established in these publications. Or, comply with the prescriptive measures in the Advanced Buildings™ Core Performance Guide developed by the New Buildings Institute.
Airolite contribution: Architectural louvers incorporated in high performance ventilation systems, fan-assisted stack ventilation or natural ventilation systems may contribute to reduced energy use. Exterior sun control or shading devices may reduce energy use for cooling by reducing thermal transfer through glazing; and, interior light shelves may reduce energy use for interior lighting by introducing natural light into interior spaces if interior lighting is dimmed or extinguished.
EA Credit 1:Â Optimize Energy Performance - Option 1, Whole Building Energy Simulation (1 to 19 Points)
Intent: Achieve increasing levels of energy performance beyond the prerequisite standard to reduce environmental and economic impacts associated with excessive energy use.
Requirements:“Demonstrate a percentage improvement in the proposed building performance rating compared to the baseline building performance rating. Calculate the baseline building performance according to Appendix G of ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-2007 (with errata without addenda) using a computer simulation model for the whole building project.”
Option 2, Prescriptive Compliance Path, Including Small Retail Buildings, Warehouses and K-12 School Buildings (1 Point)
Requirements:“Comply with the prescriptive measures of the ASHRAE Advanced Energy Design Guide appropriate to the project scope” as outlined. Project teams must comply with all applicable criteria as established in the Advanced Energy Design Guide for the climate zone in which the building is located.”
Option 3, Prescriptive Compliance Path – Advanced Buildings™ Core Performance™ Guide (1 to 3 Points)
Requirements:“Comply with the prescriptive measures identified in the Advanced Buildings™ Core Performance™ Guide developed by the New Buildings Institute.”
Airolite contribution: Architectural louvers incorporated in high performance ventilation systems, fan-assisted stack ventilation or natural ventilation systems may reduce energy use and initial investment in mechanical systems. Exterior sun control or shading devices may reduce energy use for cooling by reducing thermal transfer through glazing; and, interior light shelves may reduce energy use for interior lighting by introducing natural light into interior spaces if interior lighting is dimmed or extinguished.
Materials & Resources (MR)
Intent: Increase demand for building products that incorporate recycled content materials, thereby reducing impacts resulting from extraction and processing of virgin materials.
MR Credit 4, Recycled Content (1 - 2 Points)
Requirements:“Use materials with recycled content such that the sum of postconsumer recycled content plus ½ of the pre-consumer content constitutes at least 10% or 20%, based on cost, of the total value of the materials on the project. The minimum percentage materials recycled for each point threshold is 1 point for 10% recycled content and 2 points for 20% recycled content.
Airolite contribution: Airolite products produced from extruded aluminum are comprised of pre- and post-consumer recycled content. These products are manufactured in Schofield, WI (zip code 54476), Frankfurt, KY (zip code 40601) and Rocklin, CA (zip code 95765). Project sites within 500 miles of these locations may qualify for LEED credits.
Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ)
Intent: Provide additional outdoor air ventilation to improve indoor air quality (IAQ) and promote occupant comfort, well-being and productivity.
IEQ Credit 2, Increased Ventilation (1 Point)
Requirements: “For mechanically ventilated spaces, increase breathing zone outdoor air ventilation rates to all occupied spaces by at least 30% above the minimum rates required by ASHRAE Standard 62.1-2007 as determined by EQ Prerequisite 1. For naturally ventilated spaces, design natural ventilation systems for occupied spaces to meet requirements set forth in the Carbon Trust ‘Good Practices Guide 237’ (1980)”.
Airolite contribution: Airolite architectural louvers or grilles utilized in high performance powered ventilation systems or that support naturally ventilated spaces, including stack effect ventilation, may contribute to indoor environmental quality points.
IEQ Credit 7.1, Thermal Comfort – Design (1 Point)
Intent: Provide a comfortable thermal environment that promotes occupant productivity and well-being.
Requirements:“Design heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) systems and the building envelope to meet the requirements of ASHRAE Standard 55-2004, Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy (with errata but without addenda). Demonstrate design compliance in accordance with the Section 6.1.1 documentation.”Â
Airolite contribution: Airolite architectural louvers or grilles utilized in high performance powered ventilation systems, fan-assisted stack ventilation, or naturally ventilated spaces can contribute to comfort for all occupants. Exterior sun control or shading devices may be utilized to substantially reduce thermal energy transfer through glazing and may contribute to comfort for all occupants.
IEQ Credit 8.1, Daylight and Views - Daylight (1 Point)
Intent: Provide building occupants a connection between indoor spaces and the outdoors through the introduction of daylight and views into the regularly occupied areas of the building.
Requirements: Through 1 of the 4 options, achieve daylighting in at least the following spaces- Classroom spaces: 75% = 1 point;
Classroom spaces: 90% - 2 points
ASTMD 1003-07E1
Or, 75% of all other regularly occupied spaced (1 additional point). Project teams can achieve a point for these other spaces only if they have also achieved at least 1 point for classroom spaces.
Option 1:Â Simulation - “Demonstrate through computer simulation that 75% (NC, Schools and CS) or 90% (Schools only) or more of all regularly occupied spaces achieve defined daylight luminance levels of a minimum of 25 footcandles (fc) and a maximum of 500 fc in a clear sky condition on September 21 at 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.; areas with luminance levels below or above the range do not comply. However, designs that incorporate view-preserving automated shades for glare control may demonstrate compliance for only the minimum 25 fc luminance level.
Option 2:Â Prescriptive - Use side-lighting, top lighting or a combination to achieve criteria defined in this section.
Option 3:Â Measurement - “Demonstrate through records of indoor light measurements that a minimum daylight illumination level of 25 foot candles has been achieved in at least 75% or 90% all regularly occupied areas.”
Option 4:Â Combination - “Any of the above calculation methods may be combined to document the minimum daylight illumination in at least 75% or 90% of all regularly occupied spaces.”
Airolite contribution: Airolite exterior sun control devices or sun controls and light shelves may be used to optimize views, manage interior light and glare levels, and support expanded use of glazing.
IEQ Credit 8.2, Daylight and Views -Views (1 Point)
Intent: Provide building occupants a connection to the outdoors through the introduction of daylight and views into the regularly occupied areas of the building.
Requirements: “Achieve a direct line of sight to the outdoor environment via vision glazing between 30 inches and 90 inches above finish floor for building occupants in 90% of all regularly occupied areas.”
Airolite contribution: Airolite exterior sun control devices or sun controls and light shelves may be used to optimize views, manage interior light and glare, and support expanded use of glazing.
IEQ Credit 9, Enhanced Acoustical Performance (Schools Only - 1 Point)
Intent: Provide classrooms that facilitate better teacher-to-student and student-to-student communications through effective acoustical design.
Requirements: Sound Transmission - “Design the building shell, classroom partitions and other core learning space partitions to meet the South Transmission Class (STC) requirements of ANSI Standard S12.60-2002, Acoustical Performance Criteria, Design Requirements and Guidelines for Schools, except windows, which must meet an STC rating of at least 35.”
And
Background Noise - “Reduce background noise level1 to 40 dBA or less from heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) systems in classrooms and other core learning spaces.”
Recommended methodologies and best practices for mechanical system noise control are described in Annex B of ANSI Standard S12.60-2002 HVAC Applications ASHRAE Handbook, Chapter 47 on Sound and Vibration Control (with errata but without addenda).
Airolite contribution: Airolite acoustic louvers may be employed in the building shell or interior partitions to mitigate the transmission of sound and reverberant noise produced by the operation of high or low frequency sound sources.
Innovation in D9esign
ID Credit 1, Innovation in Design (1 to 5 Points)
Intent: Provide design teams and projects the opportunity to achieve exceptional performance above the requirements set by the LEED Green Building Rating System and/or innovative performance in Green Building categories not specifically addressed by the LEED Green Building Rating System.
Requirements:“To provide design teams and projects the opportunity to achieve exceptional performance above the performance requirements set by the LEED Green Building Rating System and/or innovative performance in Green Building categories not specifically addressed by the LEED Green Building Rating System.”
Airolite contribution: Airolite has several sun control devices that can be used to reduce heat gains in buildings while creating a very eye-pleasing, attractive accessory to the building. These can be used to substantially enhance the building environment (inside and outside) for the well-being of the tenants. Acoustical louver and/or louver screen walls and equipment enclosures can also contribute to noise reduction which can be used to substantiate Innovations in Design.
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