SpecLink Makes LEED Specs Easier

Producing specifications to address LEED^™-NC Certification just got a lot easier with SpecLink’s two new sections that automatically activate LEED provisions in other sections:

• 01 3514 (01354) - LEED CREDIT SUMMARY — for documenting decisions as to how to address each LEED credit.
• 01 3515 (01355) - LEED REQUIREMENTS — for the Contractor’s information.

The LEED CREDIT SUMMARY is used to document the project team’s intentions in regard to LEED-NC certification and particular credits. For each credit, a status of “Required,” “Preferred,” or “Not Required” may be set, as a record of intentions. Following the statement of each credit is a brief description of pre-defined possible solutions, taken from the LEED Rating System itself, each linked to the specification sections which address the credit. When one of the pre-defined solutions is selected, the appropriate specification section is highlighted in the Project Tree and the LEED-related provisions in that section are activated by links. For instance, if your project team has committed to using only “certified” wood, you can select any or all of the Division 6 carpentry sections as solutions to MR Credit 7. When you do, the requirement for certified wood (which SpecLink refers to as “sustainably harvested wood”) is activated in each selected section along with its LEED Report submittal option. In addition, the basic specification provisions and submittal requirements for sustainably harvested wood are activated In Section 01600 Product Requirements. Similar provisions are activated for each pre-defined solution that involves the specifications.

For further coordination, the specification sections that have been activated are also listed in Section 01 3515 (01355) - LEED REQUIREMENTS. This section is a revision of former section 01115 - Green Building Requirements, which has been withdrawn. The intention of the new section is the same — to inform the Contractor about LEED Certification and draw his attention to specific sections of the Project Manual that address LEED credits. The LEED-related specification sections are listed in Masterformat 2004 section number order — as opposed to LEED credit order in the LEED Credit Summary section. When the Credit Summary section is prepared first, it will activate all the relevant sections in the LEED Requirements section.

Although the Credit Summary is explicitly intended for making a summary document early in the project, the LEED Requirements section can also be used to “build” the Summary document, by means of links from the section number ordered list back to the credit number ordered list. This will be especially useful where the same specification section addresses issues that arise under different credits — all the credits relevant to a particular section are grouped under the section listing. Reviewing the list of relevant sections in both section number order and credit order will give the most complete picture.

These SpecLink specification sections are based on the LEED-NC Version 2.1, Green Building Rating System, by the U.S. Green Building Council. Intelligent use of these sections requires familiarity with the Rating System document which can be obtained free of charge at www.usgbc.org. The LEED Reference Guide would also be of considerable assistance to designers and specifiers.

For additional information, see the following articles:
New LEED Tag and Report
Getting Started with LEED and Specs
Specifying "Green" Without LEED