The U.S. Green Building Council's (USGBC's) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Rating System™ is a voluntary, consensus-based standard for developing high-performance green (sustainable) buildings. A building's design must achieve a minimum number of points to attain various levels of LEED certification.
There are six LEED categories; however, roofing-related points realistically most often are earned in three categories: Sustainable Sites, Energy and Atmosphere, and Materials and Resources.
Following is a brief discussion of these categories, how potential points may be earned and a reference to a limited number of manufacturers who promote their products for the applicable LEED points.
Please note the list of manufacturers is not comprehensive, and inclusion of a manufacturer in this article does not imply endorsement by NRCA or Professional Roofing.
Sustainable Sites
This category provides information about using green roof systems and cool roof systems to earn LEED points. Subcategories include:
Stormwater Design—A green roof system will earn one point for inhibiting the flow of rainwater into storm drainage systems. Weston Solutions Inc., West Chester, Pa.; Henry Co., El Segundo, Calif.; and American Hydrotech Inc., Chicago, offer full design services for green roof systems.
Heat Island Effect—The purpose of this subcategory is to reduce temperatures in densely populated cities. To meet LEED requirements in this category, a roof system must have a roof membrane or coating with a Solar Reflectance Index of 0.78 and emissivity of at least 0.9. A green roof system must occupy at least 50 percent of a roof area, and a cool roof system must cover 75 percent. GenFlex Roofing Systems, Maumee, Ohio; Metacrylics Inc., San Jose, Calif.; and ERSystems Inc., Rockford, Minn., manufacture cool roofing products that reportedly meet LEED requirements.
Energy and Atmosphere
This category provides information about energy-related ways to earn LEED points. Subcategories include:
Minimum Energy Performance—This requirement is mandatory, and its purpose is to reduce a building's energy consumption. A building must comply with ASHRAE 90.1, "Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings," or the governing energy code—whichever is more stringent. One way to improve a building envelope's thermal performance is to include appropriate amounts of roof insulation. Atlas Roofing Corp., Atlanta; Johns Manville, Denver; and Hunter Panels, Portland, Maine, advertise their roof insulation products as meeting thermal requirements for LEED points.
On-site Renewable Energy—Up to three points can be earned if a building can generate renewable power. Kyocera Solar Inc., Scottsdale, Ariz.; Tremco Inc., Beachwood, Ohio; and Solar Integrated Technologies, Los Angeles, produce rooftop photovoltaic systems.
Materials and Resources
This category explains materials and methods that can be used to earn LEED points. Subcategories include:
Recycled Content—Sustainable roofing materials can contain recycled content; therefore, using roofing materials that contain postconsumer or postindustrial content will earn points. Georgia-Pacific Corp., Atlanta; Firestone Metal Products LLC, Anoka, Minn.; and The Garland Co. Inc., Cleveland, say they have roofing products with recycled content that qualify for LEED points.
Regional Materials—If at least 20 percent of a building's materials are manufactured within a 500-mile radius of the building site, it is worth one point. Manufacturers that provide maps with 500-mile radii around plant locations are Butler Manufacturing Co., Kansas City, Mo.; Owens Corning, Toledo, Ohio; and Carlisle SynTec Inc., Carlisle, Pa.
LEED the way
If you are involved with a LEED project, become familiar with the LEED program and determine how you can help provide pertinent information for the project designer. For more information about LEED, visit USGBC's Web site, www.usgbc.org.
Joan P. Crowe, AIA, is an NRCA director of technical services.
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