Attachment 1 GSA Green Construction Policy.pdf

GSA Green Construction Policy

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Purpose Identify construction activity as an opportunity to reduce waste material, purchase sustainable materials, and create a healthier indoor environment.

GSA is committed to excellence and leadership in protecting the environment. The environmental impact associated with construction activities can be mitigated by utilizing sustainable materials, improving indoor air quality, minimizing site disturbance, and reducing waste. GSA’s policy acknowledges the value of sustainable construction practices and focuses on maintaining a healthy environment for all occupants, and construction and maintenance personnel, both during and post construction activities.

Scope GSA’s Green Construction Policy includes instructions and requirements during on-site facility additions and alterations projects for the following categories:

• Indoor Air Quality

• Waste Management

• Erosion & Sedimentation Control

• Purchasing Materials

Additionally, the Green Construction Guidelines meet the requirements of LEED for Existing Buildings v2009 construction related credits, including:

• EQc1.5 IAQ Management for Facility Alterations & Additions

• MRc3 Sustainable Purchasing Facility Alterations & Additions

• MRc9 Solid Waste Management Facility Alterations & Additions

These guidelines will be updated as needed to ensure that current and successful procedures are being carried out.

As such, these guidelines are applicable from the date indicated above until an updated version is drafted when deemed necessary.

Procedures and Strategies The document includes procedures and strategies, LEED required product lists and sources, and references/ resources for further information to enable successful ongoing implementation of the guidelines.

Effective Date: June 2011

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Construction Indoor Air Quality Requirements per LEED EB Operations & Maintenance EQc1.5 Fourteen days prior to any construction activity, the contractor shall develo

• List of IAQ protective measures to be instituted on the site. These measures must be consistent with the specifications of the GSA Green Construction Policy and include a schedule for inspection and IAQ maintenance p and submit to GSA for review an IAQ plan. This plan shall include the following:

• Requirements to meet the minimum requirements of the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning National Contractors Association (SMACNA) IAQ Guidelines for Occupied Buildings Under Construction, 2nd Edition 2007 (or subsequent updates). See the SMACNA IAQ Guidelines at the end of this policy for specifics and see www.SMACNA.org for details. Such requirements will address:

o HVAC Protection o Source control o Pathway interruption o Housekeeping o Scheduling

• Protect absorptive materials stored on-site or installed from moisture damage.

• Use of permanent HVAC equipment in construction areas should be avoided when possible. System returns should be closed off when HVAC equipment is not in use. If system returns cannot be closed off when HVAC system is not operational, temporary filters with minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) of 8 must be installed at each return air grille.

• When air handling system must remain operational during construction temporary filters with minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) of 8 must be used at each return air grille (as determined by ASHRAE Standard 52.2-1999. See www.ASHRAE.org

• Upon completion of construction and installation of interior finishes, contractor shall install new filtration media and implement flush out procedures as follows:

o Prior to occupancy: Flush out the affected space by supplying a total air volume of 14,000 cubic feet of outdoor air per square foot of floor area while maintaining an internal temperature of at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit and, where mechanical cooling is operated, relative humidity no higher than 60%.

o Early occupancy: The affected space may only be occupied following delivery of a minimum of 3,500 cubic feet of outdoor air per square foot of floor area to the space, and provided the space is ventilated at minimum rate of 0.30 cfm/sq ft of outside air or the design minimum outside air rate, whichever is greater, for at least three hours prior to occupancy until the total of 14,000 cubic feet of outdoor air per square feet of floor area has been delivered to the space. The flush-out may continue during occupancy.

• Upon completion of construction, return all HVAC and lighting systems to the proper sequence of operations.

• If pursuing EQc1.4 – Reduce Particulates in Air Distribution, all filtration media shall be replaced prior to occupancy with a minimum MERV rating of 13.

• To demonstrate compliance, photograph construction IAQ measures implemented during construction activity. GSA requires that a minimum of six (6) photographs be taken on three (3) separate occasions for each construction project.

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Construction Waste Management Requirements per LEED EB Operations & Maintenance MRc9

Fourteen days

• Establish a minimum diversion rate for all construction waste. (This diversion rate should be adjusted based on city or county requirements.) To meet LEED EB MRc9 requirements, a minimum of 70% must be recycled and/or salvaged.

prior to any construction activity, the contractor shall develop and submit to GSA for review a Waste Management Plan to ensure that existing site and building materials are reused, salvaged, or recycled; and to ensure that waste disposal in landfills shall be minimized.

• Construction Waste applies to base building elements permanently or semi-permanently attached to the building itself. Base building elements include at minimum:

o Building components and structures (wall studs, insulation, doors, windows) o Panels o Attached finishing (ex. drywall, trim, ceiling panels) o Carpet and other flooring material o Adhesives, sealants, paints and coatings

Note: Mechanical, electrical and plumbing components and specialty items such as an elevator are excluded.

• If any waste materials encountered during the deconstruction/demolition or construction phase are found to contain lead, asbestos, PCBs, fluorescent lamps, or any hazardous substances, they are to be handled and removed in accordance with local, state, and federal laws and requirements concerning hazardous waste.

These materials and any other hazardous materials must be excluded from the construction waste stream calculations.

Construction Waste Management Plan Specifics Fourteen days

The plan shall include (but not be limited to) the following:

prior to any construction activity, the contractor shall submit a draft Waste Management Plan for mixed debris recycling to GSA for approval.

• List of the recycling facilities, reuse facilities, municipal solid waste landfills, and other disposal area(s) to be used (include name, location, and phone number)

• List of proposed materials to be reused or recycled identified on a site pre-assessment o At minimum the plan should address reuse and/or recycling of corrugated cardboard, metals, concrete brick, asphalt, demolition, clean dimensional lumber, plastic, glass, metal studs, gypsum board, and flooring materials (such as carpet) if applicable to the project.

• List of materials that cannot be recycled or reused with explanation or justification

• Scheduled meetings to address waste management with all subcontractors affected by the Waste

Management Plan

• Storage and collection methods of waste and recyclables, handling procedures, and means of keeping recyclables free of contamination

• Description of the means of transportation of the commingled construction and demolition recyclable materials and an estimate of how often bins will need to be emptied

• Description of the quality control program to ensure the waste generated from the facility alterations and additions is not leaving the project building through uncontrolled or unmonitored channels.

Revise and resubmit plan as required by GSA. Approval of the Contractor’s Plan shall not relieve the Contractor of responsibility for compliance with applicable environmental regulations.

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Construction Waste Management Reporting The Contractor will record and track the type and quantity, by volume or weight, of each material salvaged, reused, recycled or disposed on a monthly basis. The contractor personnel responsible for construction waste will report the waste diversion to the appropriate GSA personnel using the Waste Disposal Tracker.

Erosion & Sedimentation Control Requirements per LEED EB Operations & Maintenance SSc3

All new construction, modifications to the exterior of existing buildings, landscape, and project site must meet local erosion and sedimentation control codes. The interface between new construction and existing site development may not compromise existing erosion and sediment controls. Changes to landform and runoff patterns must be incorporated into the overall site drainage plan and submitted for review and approval.

In the event of any site construction, the Contractor shall develop and submit to GSA for review a Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan that addresses the following erosion and sedimentation control tactics:

• Minimize the amount of disturbed soil

• Prevent runoff from offsite areas from flowing across disturbed areas

• Slow down the runoff flowing across the site

• Remove the sedimentation from onsite runoff before it leaves the site

• Meet local or State requirements for sediment and erosion control plans

In addition, all site construction resulting in disturbance of soil or removal of plant material must include a dust control program to minimize loss of soil through wind erosion as well as minimization of particulate (dust) air pollution.

Note: A Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan would not apply to small scale projects. Examples include:

• Minor irrigation upgrades such as changes to sprinkler head spray nozzles

• Flower bed planting change outs

• Existing plant replacement projects

• New planting in areas of less than 1,000 SF

Purchasing Construction Materials Requirements per LEED EB Operations & Maintenance MRc3

When performing facility alterations and additions onsite, at least 50% of the total materials cost must meet sustainable criteria. This applies only to base building elements permanently or semi-permanently attached to the building itself.

Sustainable characteristics include the following:

• Recycled Content

: Purchases contain at least 10% postconsumer and/or 20% post industrial material.

Salvaged Material

: Purchases contain at least 70% material salvaged from off-site or outside the organization and/or 70% material salvaged from on-site through an internal reuse program.

Rapidly Renewable Material

: Purchases contain at least 50% rapidly renewable material.

Forest Stewardship Council (FSC):

Purchases contain at least 50% FSC certified wood.

Locally harvested and Processed:

Purchases contain at least 50% of materials harvested and processed or extracted and processed within 500 miles of the project.

Adhesives and Sealant: Adhesives and sealants that have VOC content less than the current VOC content limits of South Coast Air Quality Management District Rule #1168 http://www.aqmd.gov/rules/reg/reg11/r1168.pdf as required by the LEED EB program.

• Sealants

: Sealants used as fillers meet or exceed the requirements of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District Regulation 8, Rule 51.

Paints and Coatings: Use paints and coatings that do not exceed the limits of Green Seal Standard GS-11 http://www.greenseal.org/FindGreenSealProductsandServices.aspx?vid=ViewProductDetail&cid=0&sid=6 http://www.aqmd.gov/rules/reg/reg11/r1168.pdf� http://www.greenseal.org/FindGreenSealProductsandServices.aspx?vid=ViewProductDetail&cid=0&sid=6�

Page 5 of 10 9/16/2011 requirements as required by the LEED EB program. Exceptions to this may include mechanical rooms which are not regularly occupied and require certain paints to meet the needs of the area.

• Floor Score Certified

: Non carpet finished flooring is Floor Score Certified and constitutes a minimum of 25% of the finished floor area.

Carpet

: Carpet meets the requirements of the CRI Green Label plus Carpet Testing program.

Carpet Cushion

: Carpet cushion meets the requirements of the CRI Green Label Testing Program.

Composite Panels and Agrifiber o Composite wood and agrifiber products are defined as: particleboard, medium density fiberboard (MDF), plywood, oriented strand board (OSB), wheatboard, strawboard, panel substrates and door cores.

: Use composite panels and agrifiber products that do not contain added urea-formaldehyde

The contractor or personnel responsible for construction material purchasing will track and report the sustainable material purchases to the appropriate GSA personnel using the Sustainable Purchasing Tracker. Additionally, the contractor is responsible for providing product information and cut sheets to verify the materials purchased meet the sustainable requirements.

Performance Metrics The practices outlined in this document are intended for 100% implementation. All vendors are required to comply with the Green Construction Policy and unless the vendor presents a valid reason for deviating from the practices stated above, all practices are followed.

Performance and implementation of these guidelines will be continuously monitored and evaluated to ensure that the established Green Construction Policy components are met. The following table outlines each of the Green Construction Goals, how each goal is measured and monitored over time, and the quality assurance process used to verify performance.

Goal Performance Measurement

Maintain the green construction guidelines as it relates to indoor air quality.

The contractor shall develop an IAQ plan which meets the requirements listed in the policy above and submit to GSA.

For each project the following will be performed:

• 6 pictures on 3 different dates (18 total) will be collected throughout the construction process to document construction IAQ measures implemented onsite. Picture examples include: filters provided, housekeeping activity, recycling collection activity, protection of air intake locations, etc.

• A filter log will be maintained specifying type, location and date changed or removed.

• A flush out log will be maintained to ensure a flush out of 14,000 cubic feet per square foot of floor area with an internal temperature 60 degrees F and above, and relative humidity 60% or lower is performed.

Establish a minimum diversion rate of 70% for all construction waste.

The Contractor will record and track the type and quantity, by volume or weight, of each material salvaged, reused, recycled or disposed on a monthly basis. The contractor personnel responsible for construction waste will report the waste diversion to the appropriate GSA personnel.

Maintain the erosion and sedimentation control guidelines during on-site construction.

In the event of any site construction, the Contractor shall develop and submit to GSA for review a Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan. Upon approval, the Contractor shall implement the Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan.

A minimum of 50% of the total materials cost of on-site facility alterations and additions must meet

The contractor or personnel responsible for construction material purchasing will track and report the sustainable material purchases to the appropriate GSA personnel.

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SMACNA GUIDELINES: IAQ GUIDELINES FOR OCCUPIED BUILDINGS UNDER CONSTRUCTION

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