Advice provided by: Maia Kumari Gilman, AIA, LEED AP, Maia Gilman Architect PLLC

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Gordon asks: I manufacture ceramic tile and would like to get my product LEED certified, how do I go about doing this?

Answer: Dear Gordon, thanks for your question. At the present time, there is no LEED certification process for individual building products. Rather, you can tell your buyers that they can use your product toward getting their overall building project LEED certified.

In order for your product to be considered a valid material choice in the LEED certification of a building, it needs to meet one of the following criteria. These include:

Recycled Content – 10% of the material must come from a mix of post-consumer recycled content and half of this 10% from pre-consumer recycled content, based on cost. The 10% proportion is calculated by weight. If you meet these criteria, you are eligible for MR Credit 4.1, under the Materials & Resources section.

Recycled Content – 20% of the material must come from a mix of post-consumer recycled content and half of this 20% from pre-consumer recycled content, based on cost. The 20% proportion is calculated by weight. If you meet these criteria, you are eligible for MR Credit 4.2, under the Materials & Resources section.

You may find these definitions helpful:

Post-Consumer Content - USGBC (or US Green Building Council) defines post-consumer recycled content as material that has been used in commercial, industrial and residential settings and that can no longer be used for its original function.

Pre-Consumer Content - USGBC defines pre-consumer recycled content as that which was diverted from the stream of manufacturing.

To calculate recycled content values, you can use these equations, provided by USGBC:

Equation 1 - Recycled Content Value ($) = (% post-consumer recycled content x material cost) + 0.5 x(% pre-consumer recycled content x material cost)

Equation 2 - Percent Recycled Content = Total Recycled Content Value ($)/Total Materials Cost ($)

For further information, you can contact www.usgbc.org.

I applaud your efforts to make buildings healthier and more sustainable spaces by offering green product for consumers.

Thanks and good luck!