Hi Diana,

Thank you for your question. There are several organizations and agencies that have developed resources for acquiring the right information about recycled material for projects like yours.

The state of North Carolina, for example, published the Government and Business Guide to Buying Recycled Products with a recycled material resource list, including organizations such as Green Seal, the EPA WasteWise program, and others related to North Carolina. GreenSource magazine is an excellent source for sustainable design news and information, where you can find not only great sustainable design ideas, but also GreenSource uses the BuildingGreen Greenspec® Directory for a listing of green building products.

Also, please note that when including furniture into any LEED calculation, it must also be included in all Materials and Resources credits you apply for. Sourcing your recycled materials regionally (within a 500 mile radius of the project site, as characterized by the LEED Reference Guides) may also gain points towards your LEED certification. So depending on your project location, there may be localized as well as nation-wide programs you can gain access to.

For more information on the different types of recycled content as they related to the LEED Rating Systems, see one of our previous posts on the definition of recycled content.

I hope that helps you in your search!

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