MCAA Contractor's Guide to LEED
As mechanical contractors and builders we have a critical role in the green building process. More and more, mechanical contractors are being selected as key members of the design and development team for their expertise in heating and air conditioning, plumbing, service and energy efficiency. Mechanical contractors can help a project team identify potential LEED points for a project. And beyond design, a LEED project is only as good as the careful and thorough execution of the design intent, working in a greener building process to bring the plan to life in a way that delivers on its promise.
Mechanical contractors play a significant and central role in many of the available LEED points. By MCAA's calculations, mechanical contractors play a primary role in at least 22 of the available LEED points, and play at least a secondary role in another 11 points.
Some projects now being built were registered under LEED 2.2. So that mechanical contractors can maximize their contribution to any LEED project, MCAA has created this Contractor's Guide to LEED for New Construction and Major Renovation Version 2.2. The following chart indicates each LEED Credit, the number of points available, and the potential involvement for mechanical, service and plumbing contractors. For each credit, click the name of the credit to open an Adobe Acrobat PDF file describing the credit and how mechanical contractors can help projects earn LEED points. Please note that this information should be used in conjunction with the LEED for New Construction and Major Renovation Version 2.2 Reference Guide available from the U.S. Green Building Council.
MCAA produced an analysis of the changes made in the shift to LEED 3.0. Click here to download this valuable resource. A thorough explanation of LEED 3.0 and official Reference Guides are now available from the USGBC.
For service contractors and those interested in LEED Existing Building: Operations and Maintenance Rating System, MSCA analyzed the changes that will result in 50 percent more points for energy efficiency and twice the number of points for water efficiency from the earlier rating system. Click here to download MSCA's Dateline explaining the newer system.
Contractor's Guide to LEED for New Construction and Major Renovation
Version 2.2 Reference Guide
| Section | Credit Number | Credit Name | Last Updated | LEED Points | Mechanical | Service | Plumbing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sustainable Sites | P1 | Construction Activity Pollution Prevention | 09/17/2007 | Required | Yes | Yes | |
| Sustainable Sites | 1 | Site Selection | 09/17/2007 | 1 | |||
| Sustainable Sites | 2 | Development Density & Community Connectivity | 09/17/2007 | 1 | |||
| Sustainable Sites | 3 | Brownfield Redevelopment | 09/17/2007 | 1 | |||
| Sustainable Sites | 4.1 | Alternative Transportation, Public Transportation Access | 09/17/2007 | 1 | |||
| Sustainable Sites | 4.2 | Alternative Transportation, Bicycle Storage & Changing Rooms | 09/17/2007 | 1 | Yes | ||
| Sustainable Sites | 4.3 | Alternative Transportation, Low Emitting & Fuel Efficient Vehicles | 09/17/2007 | 1 | Yes | ||
| Sustainable Sites | 4.4 | Alternative Transportation: Parking Capacity | 09/17/2007 | 1 | |||
| Sustainable Sites | 5.1 | Protect or Restore Habitat | 09/17/2007 | 1 | |||
| Sustainable Sites | 5.2 | Maximize Open Space | 09/17/2007 | 1 | Yes | ||
| Sustainable Sites | 6.1 | Stormwater Design – Quantity Control | 09/20/2007 | 1 | Yes | ||
| Sustainable Sites | 6.2 | Stormwater Design Quality Control | 09/17/2007 | 1 | Yes | Yes | |
| Sustainable Sites | 7.1 | Heat Island Effect: Non-Roof | 09/17/2007 | 1 | |||
| Sustainable Sites | 7.2 | Heat Island Effect: Roof | 09/17/2007 | 1 | Yes | Yes | |
| Sustainable Sites | 8 | Light Pollution Reduction | 09/17/2007 | 1 | |||
| Water Efficiency | 1.1 | Water Efficient Landscape Reduce 50% | 09/20/2007 | 1 | Yes | ||
| Water Efficiency | 1.2 | Water Efficient Landscape No Potable Water Use or Irrigation | 09/20/2007 | 1 | Yes | ||
| Water Efficiency | 2 | Innovative Wastewater Technologies | 09/20/2007 | 1 | Yes | ||
| Water Efficiency | 3.1 | Water Use Reduction 20% | 09/20/2007 | 1 | Yes | ||
| Water Efficiency | 3.2 | Water Use Reduction 30% | 09/20/2007 | 1 | Yes | ||
| Energy & Atmosphere | P1 | Fundamental Commissioning of the Building Energy Systems | 09/20/2007 | Required | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Energy & Atmosphere | P2 | Minimal Energy Performance | 09/17/2007 | Required | Yes | ||
| Energy & Atmosphere | P3 | Fundamental Refrigerant Management | 09/17/2007 | Required | Yes | Yes | |
| Energy & Atmosphere | 1 | Optimize Energy Performance | 09/17/2007 | 1-10 | Yes | ||
| Energy & Atmosphere | 2 | On-Site Renewable Energy | 09/17/2007 | 1-3 | Yes | ||
| Energy & Atmosphere | 3 | Enhanced Commissioning | 09/20/2007 | 1 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Energy & Atmosphere | 4 | Enhanced Refrigerant Management | 09/17/2007 | 1 | Yes | ||
| Energy & Atmosphere | 5 | Measurement & Verification | 09/17/2007 | 1 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Energy & Atmosphere | 6 | Green Power | 09/17/2007 | 1 | Yes | ||
| Materials & Resources | P1 | Storage & Collection of Recyclables | 09/18/2007 | Required | |||
| Materials & Resources | 1.1 | Building Reuse: Maintain 75% of Existing Walls, Floors & Roof | 09/18/2007 | 1 | |||
| Materials & Resources | 1.2 | Building Reuse - Maintain 95% of Existing Walls, Floors & Roof | 09/18/2007 | 1 | |||
| Materials & Resources | 1.3 | Building Reuse: Maintain 50% of Interior Non-Structural Elements | 09/18/2008 | 1 | |||
| Materials & Resources | 2.1 | Construction Waste Management: Divert 50% from Disposal | 09/18/2007 | 1 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Materials & Resources | 2.2 | Construction Waste Management: Divert 75% from Disposal | 09/18/2007 | 1 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Materials & Resources | 3.1 | Materials Reuse: 5% | 09/18/2007 | 1 | |||
| Materials & Resources | 3.2 | Materials Reuse: 10% | 09/18/2007 | 1 | |||
| Materials & Resources | 4.1 | Recycled Content: 10% | 09/18/2007 | 1 | |||
| Materials & Resources | 4.2 | Recycled Content: 20% | 09/18/2007 | 1 | |||
| Materials & Resources | 5.1 | Regional Materials: 10% Extracted, Processed & Manufactured Regionally | 09/18/2007 | 1 | |||
| Materials & Resources | 5.2 | Regional Materials: 20% Extracted, Processed & Manufactured Regionally | 09/18/2007 | 1 | |||
| Materials & Resources | 6 | Rapidly Renewable Materials | 09/18/2007 | 1 | |||
| Materials & Resources | 7 | Certified Wood | 09/18/2007 | 1 | Yes | Yes | |
| Indoor Environmental Quality | P1 | Minimum IAQ Performance | 10/05/2007 | Required | Yes | ||
| Indoor Environmental Quality | P2 | Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS) Control | 10/05/2007 | Required | Yes | ||
| Indoor Environmental Quality | 1 | Outdoor Air Delivery Monitoring | 10/05/2007 | 1 | Yes | ||
| Indoor Environmental Quality | 2 | Increased Ventilation | 10/05/2007 | 1 | Yes | ||
| Indoor Environmental Quality | 3.1 | Construction IAQ Management Plan: During Construction | 10/05/2007 | 1 | Yes | Yes | |
| Indoor Environmental Quality | 3.2 | Construction IAQ Management Plan: Before Occupancy | 10/05/2007 | 1 | Yes | ||
| Indoor Environmental Quality | 4.1 | Low-Emitting Materials: Adhesives & Sealants | 10/05/2007 | 1 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Indoor Environmental Quality | 4.2 | Low-Emitting Materials: Paints & Coatings | 10/05/2007 | 1 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Indoor Environmental Quality | 4.3 | Low-Emitting Materials: Carpet Systems | 10/05/2007 | 1 | |||
| Indoor Environmental Quality | 4.4 | Low-Emitting Materials: Composite Wood & Agrifiber Products | 10/05/2007 | 1 | Yes | Yes | |
| Indoor Environmental Quality | 5 | Indoor Chemical & Pollutant Source Control | 09/24/2007 | 1 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Indoor Environmental Quality | 6.1 | Controllability of Systems: Lighting | 09/24/2007 | 1 | |||
| Indoor Environmental Quality | 6.2 | Controllability of Systems: Thermal Comfort | 09/24/2007 | 1 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Indoor Environmental Quality | 7.1 | Thermal Comfort Design | 10/11/2007 | 1 | Yes | Yes | |
| Indoor Environmental Quality | 7.2 | Thermal Comfort: Verification | 10/18/2007 | 1 | Yes | Yes | |
| Indoor Environmental Quality | 8.1 | Daylight & Views: Daylight 75% of Spaces | 09/20/2007 | 1 | Yes | ||
| Indoor Environmental Quality | 8.2 | Daylight & Views: Daylight 90% of Spaces | 09/20/2007 | 1 | Yes |