UNIVERSITI TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN - ACADEMIC YEAR 2022

UEMX 4313 ADVANCED STRUCTURAL STEEL DESIGN

Additional Practice Questions for Final Exams

Topic 1 Introduction and Topic 2 Sustainability and Steel Construction (CO2 Explain
the features of sustainability practice in steel construction)

1. In Tutorial 1 Question 3, the Green Building Index and LEED are compared. Is it
useful to compare green rating tools? Why?
Useful reading materials: See attachments (Assessed in Mid-term test, will not be
in FE)

2. Discuss List the United Nation’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals that are linked to
the construction industry as outlined in the article written by Ogunmakinde, O. E.,
Egbelakin, T., & Sher, W. (2022). Contributions of the circular economy to the UN
sustainable development goals through sustainable construction. Resources,
Conservation and Recycling, 178, 106023.

3. Discuss the contributions of steel towards higher green building rating and improved
environmental, economic and social qualities.

Source: Veljkovic, M. (2016). Sustainable Steel Buildings: A Practical Guide for

Structures and Envelopes. John Wiley & Sons.

4. Discuss the sustainability aspect of steel’s life cycle from production, construction,
occupancy stage to end of life.
 Structural Steel Contributions
toward obtaining a LEEDTM rating
uccessful sustainable design
S results from a process of in-
tegrated decision making,
beginning at project incep-
tion. Throughout every
phase of a project, it is essential to con-
sider the impact of each decision on all
other aspects of the project. This paper
provides a brief overview of sustainable
building design and an outline of how a
structural system can contribute to an
environmental initiative.
The North American building indus-
try has a tremendous impact on our en-
vironment, and a focused green design
effort can bring benefits to all stakehold-
ers. Sustainable design and construction
practices can bring environmental, eco-
nomic and social benefits that result
from careful consideration of resource
use and how the building will affect the
environment. Additional benefits could
be reduced operational costs, higher fa-
cility value, and increased worker pro-
ductivity.
Today, sustainability, environmental
design, and green building are generally
interchangeable terms, becoming in-
creasingly common to the language of
building design and construction. The
United Nation’s Brundtland Commis-
sion Report of 1987 defines sustainable
development as “development that
meets the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future gen-
erations to meet their own needs.” Such
a broad statement does not provide a
datum against which business practices,
design solutions and construction prac-
tices can be measured. Architects, engi-
neers, suppliers, fabricators, and
builders need to understand how envi-
ronmental design practices impact the
design and construction industry.
Fortunately, The U.S. Green Building
Council (USGBC) has developed the
LEEDTM (Leadership in Energy and En-
vironmental Design) Green Building
Rating System. This tool provides a
framework under which building de-
sign and construction decisions can be
made and sustainable building projects
can be evaluated. LEED has rapidly be-
come a design tool embraced by design-
ers and owners interested in bringing
additional value to their projects. This
paper includes overview of the LEED
system, and an outline of how the selec-
tion of a steel building structure can con-
tribute to a LEED rating—most
significantly in the Materials & Re-
sources and Innovation & Design
Process categories, explained in further
detail herein.
Each structural system has opportu-
nities and constraints when evaluated as
a part of an environmental design effort.
Market demands for steel production
spur a significant amount of recycling,
inherently contributing to sustainable
design efforts. According to the Steel Re-
cycling Institute, 67 million tons of steel
were recycled in the U.S. alone in 2001.
Worldwide, 400 million tons of steel
were recycled - one and a half times the
amount of all other recycled materials
combined (including paper, glass, alu-
minum, and plastic). Approximately 40
million tons (59% of total recycled steel)
were derived from construction and
demolition waste, and the steel salvage
market accounts for an additional 4 mil-
lion tons per year. Each ton of recycled
steel saves 2,500 pounds of iron ore,
1,400 pounds of coal, and 120 pounds of
limestone.1 In addition, recycling re-
quires less energy, creates less waste,
and releases less pollutants than pro-
ducing the same amount of steel from
virgin materials. Recycling, however, is
only one aspect of how structural steel
can contribute to green design efforts,
and the steel frame is only one compo-
nent of the overall structural system.
LEED RATING SYSTEM
The LEED rating system is designed
for new and existing commercial, insti-
tutional, industrial, and multi-story res-
idential buildings. Its purpose is to set
an industry standard for green build-
ings, and in doing so, help drive the
May 2003 (rev. 2/04) • Modern Steel Construction
marketplace toward more sustainable
development. It provides an accessible
and understandable framework—a rec-
ognized reference for project teams to
make decisions and evaluate the overall
performance of a sustainable building
design effort. LEED was developed by
consensus of the membership of the
USGBC, which includes companies
from all segments of the building indus-
try—a membership that has grown ex-
ponentially since 1998.
LEED is the most widely used green
building rating system in the U.S. As of
March 12, 2003, 44 LEED certified build-
ings have been completed, and more than
500 projects are registered with the
USGBC seeking LEED certification. The
certification process requires the project
team to pursue and evaluate specific cred-
its (see www.aisc.org/sustainability), to
document requirements successfully met
for each credit, and to submit credit doc-
umentation to the USGBC for review.
Because the LEED rating system relies
on the project team to generate proof of
compliance, LEED is considered a self-
certification system.
LEED credits are organized within
six core categories: Sustainable Sites,
Water Efficiency, Energy and Atmos-
phere, Materials and Resources, Indoor
Environmental Quality, and Innovation
and Design Process. Prerequisites within
several of these categories must be met
for certification. Remaining green meas-
ures form an à la carte system of points,
including both proven practices and
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
OWP/P performed the research for
this paper. Contributors include:
David Eckmann AIA, S.E., P.E.
Tom Harrison AIA, S.E., P.E.
Rand Ekman AIA
Michelle Halle Stern AIA, P.E., a
consultant to OWP/P, was a signifi-
cant contributor to this paper.
emerging technologies. A brief descrip-
tion of the categories follows:
Sustainable Sites: Thoughtful site
selection is important to preserving or
restoring local ecology. Site selection can
also influence credits that may not seem
directly related to the site. For example, a
site close to public transit or in an already
developed area helps reduce the amount
of driving by the building’s occupants.
Possible points in this category are 14.
Water Efficiency: According to the
Worldwatch Institute, buildings account
for one-sixth of fresh water withdrawals.
Water is used in the manufacture of
building components and in building
operation. LEED offers credits for water
efficient fixtures and landscape materials
that do not require irrigation. Possible
points in this category are 5.
Energy and Atmosphere: This cate-
gory encompasses a number of strate-
gies to help reduce energy use and
protect the ozone layer. Credits are
given for using renewable energy and
purchasing green power. A credit for
Fundamental Building Systems Com-
missioning and Measurement & Verifi-
cation helps to ensure a building
operates as designed. Possible points in
this category are 17.
Materials and Resources: The main
objective of this category is to conserve
raw materials and resources, such as fos-
sil fuels. Methods include increasing re-
cycling and recycled content, diverting
material from landfills, and reducing
travel distances for material transport.
Structural steel can typically make the
greatest contribution within this cate-
gory. Possible points in this category are
13.
Indoor Environmental Quality: Be-
cause Americans spend 90% of their
time indoors, the indoor environment
has a large impact on health and pro-
ductivity. Issues related to this include
occupant comfort, air quality, thermal
comfort, and access to daylight. Possible
points in this category are 15.
Innovation and Design Process:
The USGBC recognizes LEED is a rela-
tively new system and provides this cat-
egory to recognize the innovative
solutions of project teams, which could
range from substantially exceeding the
requirements of a given credit or devel-
oping a completely new way to increase
environmental responsiveness. Possible
points in this category are 5.
Modern Steel Construction • May 2003 (rev. 2/04)
LEED version 2.1 allows for a maxi-
mum of 69 possible points. Depending
upon the total number of points
achieved, a building can be classified as
Certified (26-32 points), Silver (33-38
points), Gold (39-51points) or Platinum
(52 or more points). As with any inte-
grated design tool, the earlier LEED is
considered in the design process, the
easier it will be to achieve certification.
Project teams may find that pursuing
one credit may make it difficult or im-
possible to achieve another. It is not pos-
sible to achieve all 69 points.
Many project teams that have uti-
lized the LEED system believe there is
little, if any, additional construction cost
required to obtain the LEED Certified
level. However, as with any effort that
brings additional value, additional costs
may result, depending to some degree
on the targeted certification level. These
costs could result from additional proj-
ect team fees (managing the LEED effort
and assembling the documentation for
submission to the USGBC), as well as in-
creased construction costs.
The certification process is relatively
simple. Any member of the project team
can register a project with the USGBC,
although discounts are available for
USGBC members. Once a project is reg-
istered, the project team is given access
to the online LEED Reference Guide and
credit rulings from past projects. Be-
cause no two projects are alike, situa-
tions will arise that do not explicitly
follow the listed requirements. In such a
situation, the project team should first
review the Intent of each LEED credit, as
described in the Reference Guide. If the
situation meets the Intent of a particular
credit, the project team can pursue the
credit. If the project team is attempting
to obtain a credit, yet does not find a
precedent for its situation, the online
credit rulings (USGBC’s formal answer
to a question submitted from a previous
project team) can be consulted to see if
another project team has posted a simi-
lar question. If the credit rulings do not
address the situation, a credit interpre-
tation can be submitted. Each project is
entitled to two free credit interpreta-
tions.
The project team submits a certifica-
tion package to the USGBC for review
after construction of the project is com-
plete. The certification package must
include documentation to prove require-
ments have been met for each credit.
LEED Version 2.1 is intended to simplify
required documentation by providing
project teams a series of letter templates
to be printed on company letterhead
and signed by a team member certifying
that the requirements have been met.
The fill-in-the-blank documents prompt
team members for information and com-
pute whether a particular credit has
been achieved. The USGBC reserves the
right to audit credits on any submission
to confirm backup information and will
determine accepted and declined cred-
its, or if additional documentation is
necessary.
LEED MATERIALS AND
RESOURCES
While the rating system is set up to
evaluate an entire project in a holistic
manner (not simply material selection),
as a building material, structural steel
can make the largest contribution to a
LEED rating in this category. All materi-
als selected for a project are evaluated
based upon performance criteria, either
by weight or cost, depending on the
credit. The structural system can be a
significant portion of the cost or weight
of the building materials and con-
tributes to points for almost every credit
in this LEED category.
Credit 1. Building Reuse
(2 possible points)
Building reuse enables development
within existing buildings and previ-
ously developed areas, maintaining
proximity to existing infrastructure and
preserving open space. Materials that
would have been utilized for a new
building are conserved, and the environ-
mental impacts from the transport of
those materials are also eliminated. Usu-
ally, the owner’s decision to reuse is
based upon a real estate evaluation, ren-
ovation costs, and square footage re-
quirements.
In the LEED rating system, if 75% of
the building structure and shell (exclud-
ing windows) is preserved, the project
earns one point. Structure includes
foundations, slabs, and basement walls.
If 100% of the building structure and
shell is preserved, along with 50% of the
walls, floors, and ceilings, the project
earns two points.
Because the LEED templates con-
sider the volume of materials saved,
reusing a steel frame for an entire build-
ing can be advantageous. When a build-
ing is reused, it often must serve a com-
pletely new function, requiring modifi-
cations to the structure due to changes
in loading conditions and relocated
floor openings. Steel structures are more
likely to be reused than other structures
because they can be easily and cost ef-
fectively modified and reinforced, al-
lowing flexibility and adaptability for
the building’s new use.
Credit 2. Construction Waste Recy-
cling (2 possible points)
Commercial construction generates be-
tween two and two and one-half
pounds of solid waste per square foot2 .
LEED defines construction waste as
both demolition waste and waste as a
by-product of construction. As landfill
space becomes more scarce, the cost to
dump wastes, tipping fees, etc. become
more expensive. To avoid these higher
costs, diverting as much waste as possi-
ble proves beneficial. To achieve this
credit, waste can be diverted by recy-
cling or reusing. Points are awarded for
diverting 50% (1 point) or 75% (2 points)
of waste as calculated by weight or vol-
ume. As mentioned earlier, steel is the
most recycled material in the world, en-
suring that virtually any steel on a con-
struction site can be recycled or reused.
Credit 3. Resource Reuse
(2 possible points)
LEED awards points for using 5% (1
point) to 10% (2 points) salvaged or re-
furbished materials (by cost), relative to
the total cost of materials for the project.
This credit encourages the use of exist-
ing materials, as energy is required to
produce new materials regardless of
whether they are extracted from recy-
cled or virgin stock.
While it is possible to return steel to
a fabricator at the end of a building’s
useful life, it is much more common to
recycle steel. Innovations in the produc-
tion process have resulted in a 35% de-
cline in steel material costs between
1983 and 1998. Therefore, even with in-
creased costs in fabrication and con-
struction labor within the same time
frame, the net change in the cost of in-
stalled structural steel within the 15-
year period is 0%.3 Furthermore, the
energy required to produce new steel
has decreased 45% over the last 25
years1, largely due to improvements in
yield. Before, 100 tons of raw material
produced 60 tons of steel product, and
now, the same 100 tons produces 90 tons
of steel product. Lastly, the production
of steel structural shapes is completed
through a method of continuous casting,
whereby materials transform directly
from liquid form to near final shape.
(Prior to continuous casting, steel was
first made into square ingots and then
reheated to roll beams, a process that re-
quired more energy and significantly
more time.) Currently, the relatively low
cost for new steel does not favor the sal-
vage and reuse of structural steel mem-
bers in building projects.4
In cases where steel is reused, it often
occurs on the job site where the laws of
supply and demand dictate how con-
struction and waste haulers will dispose
of a particular material. Although un-
common, steel salvage can occur when
structures are relocated. One example of
complete reuse of a steel system is
Beaver Stadium at Penn State Univer-
sity. In this instance, the entire building
was relocated from one end of the cam-
pus to the other.
Credit 4. Recycled Content
(2 possible points)
The greatest advantage of steel con-
struction is its contribution to recycled
content. Steel production can occur
through one of two processes. The basic
oxygen furnace (BOF) process uses 25%-
35% existing steel to make new steel.
The electric arc furnace (EAF) process
uses almost 100% existing steel. In the
U.S., the structural steel industry has
embraced the EAF process for the pro-
duction of steel for structural shapes,
along with the continuous casting
method. All three U.S producers of
structural shapes W14×43 and larger use
the EAF process. According to the Steel
Recycling Institute, the post-consumer
recycled content (steel that has previ-
ously been used in another consumer
product—automobile, refrigerator, etc.)
is 64%, and post-industrial recycled con-
tent (steel that is waste/surplus of an-
other industrial production process) is
30%.5
LEED requires documentation veri-
fying which steel production process
was used for the steel on the project.
AISC’s website contains letters from the
largest U.S. structural steel producers,
certifying recycled content from their fa-
cilities. This letter can be accessed at
www.aisc.org/ sustainability. The re-
quirement for this type of letter to be
produced by a fabricator is becoming
May 2003 (rev. 2/04) • Modern Steel Construction
more common in project specifications
when LEED certification for a project is
being pursued.
The equations for calculating recy-
cled steel content favor post-consumer
recycled content as opposed to post-in-
dustrial recycled content. Process scraps
that can easily be used as feedstock are
not considered recycled content. Calcu-
lations for this credit can be confusing
and were modified in Version 2.1 to be-
come less complicated. Because many
projects that were previously registered
continue to work with LEED 2.0, we
have described the calculations for both
versions.
Under LEED 2.0 (for one point) the
value of recycled content materials had
to comprise at least 25% of the total
value of materials on the project, with at
least 20% post-consumer recycled con-
tent or 40% post-industrial recycled con-
tent in aggregate using a weighted
average per the following equation:
Recycled Recycled post- post-
content = content value × consumer % + industrial %
value of the material 20% 40%
If a material exceeded 20% post-con-
sumer recycled content or 40% post-in-
dustrial recycled content, it was
rewarded with a higher value. For ex-
ample, $100,000 worth of steel with 64%
post-consumer recycled content and
30% post-industrial recycled content
would be equivalent to $395,000 worth
of material. A second point would be
achieved if the total value of recycled
content was 50% of the total value of
materials for the project.
Version 2.1 eliminates the weighted
average and offers two options for cal-
culating recycled content. The first op-
tion is for post-consumer recycled
content to comprise at least 5% of the
total value of materials on the project.
The second is for all the post-consumer
recycled content plus ½ of the post-in-
dustrial recycled content to equal 10% of
the value of all materials on the project.
As with the Version 2.0 method, if these
quantities are doubled another point is
available.
Using the Nucor-Yamato Steel Com-
pany breakdown as an example,
$100,000 worth of steel is calculated as
follows. This credit does not consider
the 10% in-house crops and pit scrap as
recycled content. Therefore the total re-
cycled content must be considered to be
over 80% rather than over 90%. The con-
tribution of structural steel in this exam-
ple to the overall project goal of 10% of
the materials value is:
% of post- % of post- Value of Value of Recycled
consumer industrial post-con- post-indus- value:
sumer (A) trial (B) A+(B/2)
75% 5% $75,000 $5,000 $77,500
For a project where the total value of
materials is $1,000,000 (C) and steel is
the only recycled content material (un-
likely), compliance with LEED require-
ments is as follows:
Post-consumer value as a Post-consumer plus half
% of total value of post-industrial value as
(A/C) % of total value (B/C)
7.5% which is more than 7.75% which is more than
5% but less than 10% 5% but less than 10%
Because structural steel is not a com-
posite material, the recycled content is
simply the percentage of recycled steel
in the new product. For composite mate-
rials like concrete, the recycled content
of the assembly must first be deter-
mined by dividing the weight of the re-
cycled content by the total weight of
material in the item, then multiplying
the resulting percentage by the total
value of the item.
Credit 5. Local/Regional Materials
(2 possible points)
For the first part of this credit, LEED re-
quires materials to be manufactured
within 500 miles of the project site.
Manufacturing refers to the final as-
sembly of components into the build-
ing product that is furnished and
installed by the tradesmen. A February
2004 credit interpretation ruling estab-
lished that, for structural steel, the fab-
rication shop is considered the location
where the final manufacture of the
product occurred. Fabricators cut steel
members to their appropriate length,
punch or drill holes, weld on connec-
tion plates, and add the necessary cam-
ber to members. Fabricators may also
build the steel into standard assem-
blies, such as trusses or frames. Steel
fabricators are available within 500
miles of any location in the United
States and the use of local fabricators
fosters local economies for the product,
which reinforces the intent of the
credit.
The second point of this credit is
available for raw materials extracted or
harvested within 500 miles of the proj-
ect site. For steel, this credit refers to
the location where the metal served its
last useful purpose before it became
Modern Steel Construction • May 2003 (rev. 2/04)
scrap. Steel mills typically acquire
scrap from brokers, who obtain materi-
als from projects and products
throughout the country, which are se-
lected based upon metallurgical needs
and cost. For example, Nucor-Yamato
uses nine to 12 different types of fer-
rous scrap, classified in various grada-
tions including: #1, #2, tin plate
bundles, shredded, municipal, cast
iron, plate, structural, and turnings.
The David Joseph Company, its pri-
mary supplier, obtains 85% of its mate-
rial from domestic sources. However,
there is no way to track where the raw
materials for a particular piece of steel
came from, making this second point
difficult to achieve.
LEED INNOVATION & DESIGN
PROCESS
Structural steel can also impact cred-
its earned in this category. Up to four
points can be awarded in this category
for strategies that go above and beyond
what is required in the 64 core credits,
either by a completely new idea or by
greatly exceeding the requirement from
an existing LEED credit. A separate
point is available for having a LEED Ac-
credited Professional on the project.
While the USGBC does list credit inter-
pretation rulings for specific requests
submitted by registered projects, they
have not yet published a list of specific
ideas for Innovation & Design Process
that have been accepted on certified
projects. The following are suggestions
that may qualify for innovation points.
1. Structure as finish. It is possible to
expose a steel structure and avoid in-
stalling finish products such as ceil-
ing tiles or drywall. Any time a
product is eliminated, the energy to
extract, produce, install, and dispose
of that product is saved.
2. Light-weight materials. Steel is nat-
urally light in weight, making it ben-
eficial for girders can also be used
compositely with floor systems to re-
duce weight of the structural system.
Based upon past credit rulings, in
order to achieve this credit, the proj-
ect team must clearly describe a con-
ventional building for a baseline and
then demonstrate significant savings.
The Utah Olympic Oval, for exam-
ple, uses an innovative cable suspen-
sion system to support a very
shallow steel truss roof. This design
reduces the total arena volume by 2.6
million cubic feet (making it easier to
heat and cool) and weighs over 950
tons less than competing solutions.8
3. Recyclability. Utilizing a high per-
centage of steel, such as a steel plate
shear wall, maximizes the amount of
materials in a building that can be re-
cycled in the future. If the building is
dismantled in a later project, the
LEED Construction and Demolition
Waste Credits could be achieved.
4. Deconstruction. Structural steel can
be welded or bolted. If the structure
is designed with bolted connections,
thus allowing it to be easily disas-
sembled, it is more likely that mem-
bers can be reused on other projects.
Werner Sobek, a recognized German
structural engineer, has utilized this
philosophy extensively. His resi-
dence at Römerstrasse 128 (Stuttgart)
is designed so that the entire steel
structure can be disassembled and
reused.9
5. Structure as Plumbing. The Greater
London Authority building, de-
signed by architect Foster and Part-
ners, used HSS structure members in
the atrium. Hot water runs through
the members, creating a giant radia-
tor. This is an example of true inte-
grated design and economy of
materials.10
COMPARISONS BETWEEN
STEEL AND CONCRETE
In order to better understand the im-
pact of structural material selection on
LEED certification, a survey was con-
ducted of the LEED certified buildings
to date. The survey identified the mate-
rial for the primary structural system
for each project by speaking directly
with the architect and/or structural en-
gineer of record. A total of 44 projects
were surveyed—the complete list of
LEED certified projects as of March 12,
2003. A summary table of these survey
results can be accessed at www.aisc.org/
sustainability.
Steel buildings represent a large por-
tion of this group, exceeding their mar-
ket share representation among building
construction projects throughout the
U.S. Buildings in which steel framing is
the primary structural system comprise
50% of the LEED certified buildings.
When projects with more than one struc-
tural system are considered (mixed sys-
tems), structural steel is included in 68%
of the LEED certified projects. Structural
steel has successfully been employed
across a wide variety of building type, Table 1. Comparison of Possible LEED points for
building size, and geographic location Steel Frame vs. Concrete Frame Construction
in LEED-certified projects. LEED™ Category Steel Frame Concrete Frame Other Considerations

While those surveyed indicated that Sustainable Sites

structural systems were selected based Stormwater Not relevant Not relevant Special concrete pavement
Management mixes that are pervious
upon a variety of criteria, including ini- allow stormwater to infiltrate
(2 possible points)
tial cost, serviceability, building type, rather than creating runoff

bay size, and geographic location, they Reduce Heat Islands Not relevant Not relevant Concrete’s light color
(2 possible points) reflects heat instead of
also frequently cited the advantages of absorbing it
using structural steel when seeking Energy and Atmosphere

LEED certification, especially contribu- Energy Optimization Not relevant Not relevant Concrete cladding and
(10 possible points) flooring contributes to
tions to the percentage of recycled mate- thermal mass and may
rials used for a project. provide energy savings.
Materials and Resources
Table 1 evaluates the contributions
Building Reuse Steel buildings are flexible Concrete buildings can be
major structural building materials and adaptable and easily reused, but it is more
(2 possible points)
(steel and concrete) could make to a reinforced. challenging and costly.

LEED design effort. The table demon- Construction Waste Steel is consistently Concrete is consistently
Management recycled or salvaged crushed and reused as fill
strates that material selection also has (2 possible points) material. Steel rebar is
an impact in areas not directly related to removed and recycled.
Resource Reuse Structural steel can be re- Due to its monolithic
the building’s structural system (note fabricated and reused nature, cast-in-place
(2 possible points)
Other Considerations column). concrete affords little
opportunity for salvage
and reuse
CONCLUSION Recycled Content Steel has close to 100% Recycled content typically
Each structural system brings bene- (2 possible points) recycled content from applies to only the cement
scrap steel. portion of concrete and
fits to different LEED credits. A clear en- the steel reinforcing bars.
In some cases fly ash can
vironmental advantage to either a steel be substituted for up to
frame or a concrete frame is not clear in 50% of the cement.

regard to the LEED certification process.
LEED is a performance standard, not a
prescriptive standard. It does not favor
one structural system over another.
As LEED certification becomes more
popular among design professionals
and building owners, further studies of
the relationship between primary struc-
tural material and LEED certification
will be possible. In the meantime, struc-
tural steel remains a strong option,
which can bring a variety of advantages
to environmental design and a LEED
certification effort.
An integrated design process that
thoughtfully considers the implications
of the structural system on other build-
ing systems, and its impact on the envi-
ronmental design effort, will bring value
to the project, the owner, the user and, in
a broader sense, to the community. ★
RESOURCES
For further information please see
the following resources:
www.aisc.org/sustainability
www.recycle-steel.org
www.usgbc.org
Local/Regional Locally manufactured, but Both locally manufactured
Materials not locally extracted and locally extracted
(2 possible points) materials are available. materials are available.
Innovation and Design Process
(4 possible points for The following ideas may Exposing structure and thus
Innovation) apply: using fewer materials may
apply.
Exposing structure.
Using composite
members.
Design for future
recyclability.
Designing for
deconstruction.
Using structure for
plumbing.
References
1. Heenan, Bill, Steel Recycling Institute, Recycling Institute, www.recycle-steel.org/
phone conversation, February 24, 2003. leed/leed.pdf, March 2002.
2. LEED Reference Package Version 2.0, U.S. 6. “Availability of Structural Steel Shapes,”
Green Building Council, June 2001. Modern Steel Construction, January 2003.
3. Carter, Charles J., Murray, Thomas M., 7. Engestrom, Michael, Nucor-Yamato Steel,
Thornton, William A., “Economy in Steel,” phone conversation, March 3, 2003.
Modern Steel Construction, April 2000. 8. “Utah Olympic Oval,” Modern Steel Con-
4. Webster, Mark D., “The Use of Salvaged struction, July 2002.
Structural Materials in New Construction,” 9. Gore, Violet, “Crystal Box: House, Stuttgart,
International Green Building Conference Germany,” Architectural Review, September
and Expo, Austin, Texas, November 14, 2001.
2002.
10. “Good Design No Longer Needs the ‘Green’
5. LEED Documentation of Recycled Content Modifier,” Architectural Record, February
for Steel Building Material Products, Steel 2003.

May 2003 (rev. 2/04) • Modern Steel Construction

 T
he new, fourth version of the U.S. Green

Structural Building Council’s Leadership in Energy

and Environmental DesignTM Building
Design and Construction (BD+C)

Sustainability New Construction and Major Renovations rating

sustainability and preservation
as they pertain to structural
engineering
system (LEED® v4) contains numerous substan-
tive changes, including a reorganization of the
credit categories, a shifting of category point
totals, new credits in every category, revisions of
existing credits, and a totally revamped materi-
als section. This article provides an overview of
changes in LEED v4 most likely of interest to
structural engineers. For specific credit information
and criteria, and a copy of the LEED v4 rating
systems and Reference Guide, readers are referred
to the U.S. Green Building Council’s website at ®

E
www.usgbc.org/leed/v4.

What You Should Know

The spirit of a LEED project
yrig

U
ht is that of a collab-
R
T
Coporative nature, encouraging and location are split into two separate categories
dialogue between design in LEED v4, Sustainable Sites (SS) and a new cat-
What’s New in LEED v4
C
disciplines, contractors and egory, Location and Transportation (LT). Those

e
U
the owner. Thus, structural credits related to site development, rain water
for Structural Engineers engineers are encouraged to
n management, and heat island effect are found in
i
R
become familiar with the the SS category, and those related to site selec-
z
T
whole of LEED, as well as tion, density, and transit land in the LT category.

g a
those credits they are most likely to work with However, the total number of available points has

S
By Christine A. Subasic, P.E.,
LEED AP
Christine A. Subasic, P.E., LEED
AP, is a consulting architectural
engineer and owner of
C. CALLISTA SUBASIC in
Raleigh, NC. She can be reached
at CSubasicPE@aol.com.
directly. While this article is intended primarily
a
for structural engineers, it cannot provide detail
m
on all of the changes in LEED v4. For a look at
other changes, particularly in the area of build-
ing products, see LEED v4 – New Categories and
Credit Shake Up Ways of Contributing, in a 2014
issue of SMART/dynamics of masonry magazine
(www.dynamicsofmasonry.com).
New Organization
LEED v4 boasts 9 distinct categories in which
projects can earn points toward certification. A
new category, Integrative Process, was added. In
addition, the credits related to the building site
remained constant at 110 points, and the certi-
fication levels remained unchanged. The Figure
shows the points allocated to each category with
the new categories in green. Structural and civil
engineers should pay particular attention to the
Materials and Resources, Sustainable Sites, and
Location and Transportation categories.
The new category, Integrative Process, focuses on
achieving “synergies across disciplines and build-
ing systems” through collaborative efforts across
disciplines. This credit requires preliminary analysis
in the areas of energy and water use, including site
conditions, massing and orientation of the build-
ing, and the building envelope – all areas where
the structural engineer can provide valuable input.

Location and Transportation

1
6 4 16 Sustainable Sites
Water Efficiency

16 Energy and Atmosphere

Materials and Resources
10 Indoor Environmental Quality
Innovation
Regional Priority
13 11 Integrative Process

33 LEED v4 point distribution

by category.

28 April 2014
 Changes in Sustainable
Sites Category
Sustainable Sites includes a new credit on Site
Assessment whose goal is to encourage early
analysis of the site to inform design. Issues
such as topography, hydrology, climate and
soils are among the issues to be addressed.
This category also had numerous smaller
changes to existing credits such as renam-
ing the Storm Water Management credit to
Rainwater Management, and combining the
Heat Island credits for roof and non-roof
surfaces into one credit with slightly revised
criteria. Sustainable Sites is a category where
the civil/structural engineer will want to
closely review the new requirements.
Changes in Energy and
Atmosphere Category
The Energy and Atmosphere (EA) category
has a new prerequisite for building-level
energy metering and two new credits, one
for advanced metering and one for demand
R
response programs. Perhaps the most signifi-
T
cant change, though, is that the minimum
S
energy standard is now the 2010 edition of
ASHRAE 90.1. The change from the 2007 to
the 2010 version represents a nearly 20% sav-
ings in overall building energy use according
to the U.S. Department of Energy. EA credit
1: Optimizing Energy Performance has been
adjusted to reflect the more stringent base
standard. Structural engineers involved with
wall systems would benefit from understand-
ing these changes.
Changes in Materials and
Resources (MR) Category /
Building Products
Structural systems fall under the broad
category of building products, and when
it comes to building products, LEED has
changed dramatically. In LEED v4 the focus
has shifted from “green” attributes of prod-
ucts (recycled content, bio-based content,
certified wood, and regional sourcing) to
product disclosure. In fact, six of 13 avail-
able points in the Materials and Resources
(MR) category relate to building product
disclosure in the form of environmental
product declarations (EPD), supply chain
reporting, material ingredient reporting
and the like. The Table shows the old and
new MR credits side by side.
STRUCTURE magazine
®
E
yrig
ht
U R
Comparison of materials and resources credits in LEED v4 versus LEED 2009.
T
Say Copto the
Goodbye 500 Mile Radius limited to 30% of the total by cost when
doing the calculations.
C
A significant change related to building
products is the elimination of the regional Think More about Building Renovation
e
U
materials credit. While LEED 2009 and Reuse
i
included a credit that awarded points for n
MR Credit 1, Building Life-Cycle Impact
z
materials and products that were extracted,
Reduction, incorporates the former Building
a
harvested and manufactured within a 500
g
Reuse and Material Reuse credits and gives
mile radius of the project site, this is no
more weight (points) to reuse of whole build-
a
longer a stand-alone credit in LEED v4.
ings than the previous versions of LEED.
m
According to USGBC responses to public
comment during the LEED v4 develop-
ment process, the former regional materials
Options 1, 2 and 3 focus respectively on
reuse of historic buildings, abandoned or
blighted buildings, and other building and
credit did not necessarily achieve the desired
material reuse, and are worth up to 5 points.
environmental benefits, and so the deci-
Option 4 awards 3 points for new construc-
sion was made to focus on the benefits of
tion that meets whole building life cycle
supporting the local economy. As a result,
assessment (LCA) criteria that includes a
regional sourcing now applies to products
reduction in global warming potential. LCA
that are extracted, manufactured and pur-
gives a bigger picture than looking only at
chased within 100 miles of the project site.
This attribute is used only as a multiplier
single-attribute criteria (i.e. recycled content)
and considers the full life of a product, which
within the Building Product Disclosure
is a good thing; however, databases for LCA
and Optimization credits (MR credits 2,
3 and 4).
for building products are not robust, nor
up-to-date in some cases.
You Can’t Meet the Requirements with continued on next page
the Structural Frame Alone ADVERTISEMENT–For Advertiser Information, visit www.STRUCTUREmag.org
e
The limit on the contribution of structure rat
l a bo nce
l e
and enclosure materials toward meeting co peri p
ex velo
the minimum criteria for the Building de end
Product Disclosure and Optimization att rn
lea are
credits (MR credits 2, 3 and 4) is another sh eet
PPORTUNITY
m n
important change in LEED v4. Structure LA
RCHITECTS
joi
A
&
ETY OF NAV
MA
RINE ENG
and enclosure materials may not contrib-
CI
O
NE
I
ERS S
• THE
ute toward more than 30% of the value We can help you get a head start, get ahead,
get recognized, and give back.
of compliant building products for some
No matter what stage of your career,
options within these credits. This does not SNAME has opportunities for you.
mean that such products cannot be used
in higher amounts, but only that they are The Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers F www.sname.org
29 April 2014
EPD is the New Buzzword
MR Credit 2, Building Product Disclosure
Resources
and Optimization – Environmental Product LEED v4 puts a focus on product transparency of building products. Understanding the
Declarations, is a new credit in LEED v4. differences between life cycle inventories (LCI), life cycle assessment (LCA), product cat-
This credit has two options, worth one point egory rules (PCR), and environmental product declarations (EPD) is vital to navigating
each. Option 1: Environmental Product the terrain. For those wishing to learn more about the requirements in LEED v4, product
Declaration (EPD) requires use of products disclosure, life cycle assessment and other topics mentioned in this article, the following
with publicly available LCA or EPD. Products list provides a starting point for further reading.
are valued differently depending upon the
LEED v4
type of declaration, with product-specific
• LEED v4 rating system and credits – browse by rating system: www.usgbc.org/leed/v4
Type III EPD having the highest value.
• LEED v4 User Guide (June 2013), www.usgbc.org/resources/leed-v4-user-guide
Option 2: Multi-attribute Optimization
• White paper: LEED v4 Ushering in the Era of
awards one point for selection of third party
Tansparency and Disclosure by PE International,
certified products with environmental impacts
www.pe-international.com/international/resources/whitepapers/detail/
below industry average for 50%, by cost,
whitepaper-leed-v4/ ®
of the total value of permanently installed

E
products in the project. Regional weighting Product Disclosures

R
and structure/enclosure limits apply to this • Cradle to Cradle Certified Product Standard, www.c2ccertified.org/
option, and the calculation can be somewhat • GreenScreenTM for Safer Chemicals (“GreenScreen”),

U
complex. Though development of LCA and www.cleanproduction.org/Greenscreen.v1-2.php
t
EPD requires significant investment from righ Declaration, HPD Collaborative, www.hpdcollaborative.org
• Health Product

T
Copy
product manufacturers, availability of LCA
Life Cycle Assessment, Environmental Product Declarations

C
and EPD for building products continues to
• ASTM International article on environmental product declarations,
grow. Several common structural and enclo-
e
U
www.astm.org/sn/features/environmental-product-declarations-nd12.html
sure products have, or are working on, LCA
and EPD for their products.
i n
• U.S. EPA website on life cycle assessment, www.epa.gov/nrmrl/std/lca/lca.html

Do You Know Where That Came From?

and Optimization – Sourcing of Raw

S T R
MR Credit 3, Building Product Disclosure

Materials, rewards reporting of raw material

sourcing practices. Option 1: Raw Material
a g a z
content, bio-based materials, certified wood
and material reuse, similar to the criteria

Source and Extraction Reporting requires use
of a specified number of products sourced
from manufacturers that have publicly
released a report from their raw material
suppliers. Like MR Credit 2, products are
valued differently depending upon the type
of report. Third-party verified corporate sus-
tainability reports are counted at their full
value. Self-declared reports are valued at half.
Option 2: Leadership Extraction Practices
requires use of a minimum dollar value
of products that meet criteria for recycled
Software and ConSulting
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• Check floors supporting sensitive equipment
• Graphic displays of output
• Data bases included
CONSULTING SERVICES
• Expert consulting available for new construction
and problem floors.
Structural Engineers, Inc.
Radford, VA 540-731-3330 tmmurray@floorvibe.com
m
found in LEED 2009. This option also
includes extended producer responsibility.
Regional weighting and structure/enclosure
limits also apply.
Do You Know What’s In That?
MR Credit 4, Building Product Disclosure
and Optimization – Material Ingredients,
has three options that require documentation
of the raw material ingredients for building
products. Several chemical and ingredient
screening programs are listed as compliance
paths including the GreenScreenTM for Safer
Chemicals, Cradle to Cradle certification,
and the Health Product Declaration (for
more information, see Resources). Option
1 in MR Credit 4, Material Ingredient
Reporting, focuses on reporting of mate-
rial ingredients and requires use of a
specific number of products meeting
the listed criteria. Option 2, Material
Ingredient Optimization, awards points
for selection of products meeting mate-
rial ingredient certification criteria for
at least 25%, by cost of the total value
of products in the project. Option 3,
Product Manufacturer Supply Chain
Optimization, requires selection of
materials that, among other things,
have a third-party verified supply chain.
Regional weightings and structure/
enclosure limits apply to both Options 2
and 3 of MR Credit 4.
The First “R” is Reduce
New in LEED v4 is Option 2 in MR
Credit 5, Construction and Demolition
Waste Management. Option 2, Reduction
of Total Waste Material, awards 2 points
if the project does not generate more than
2.5 lbs of construction waste per suare-foot
of the building’s floor area. This recogni-
tion of the value of minimizing waste in
products and packaging is long overdue.
Option 1, Waste Diversion, now includes
a requirement that diversion must include
three material streams and 50% diversion
for 1 point, or four material streams and
75% diversion for 2 points.
Putting it into Action
As you evaluate product choices on LEED
projects, the new LEED v4 requires a para-
digm shift from thinking focused on product
attributes to consideration of life cycle,
product disclosure and waste avoidance, all
in the context of collaboration with other
design disciplines and input from the con-
tractor and owner. The structural engineer
can be a valuable contributor to this pro-
cess, particularly if educated on the details
of commonly-used structural systems and
building products.▪

STRUCTURE magazine 30 April 2014