Recycled Content

The demand for more environmentally friendly, or green, product groups within the construction industry has allowed our steel products to become part of the renewable or reusable requirements for programs such as LEED.

LEED, or Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design, a rating system for new construction and major renovation, as introduced by the Canadian Green Building Council, has provided guidelines and specifications to designers, engineers, and manufacturers to promote environmental responsibility in design, fabrication, and construction. The LEED program allows designers and planners to accumulate points towards certification of their projects by the Canadian Green Building Council.

To facilitate the LEED process, Cascadia Metals is pleased to provide the following information regarding Recycled Content, which can be used to obtain points related to the LEED’s credits of 4.1 and 4.2 in the Materials & Resources section of its green rating system.

How to calculate points for LEED's credits

Cascadia Metals’ stock of raw material steel contains a minimum of 30% recycled content, comprised of 24% Post Consumer and 6.8% Post Industrial.

To achieve Credit 4.1:
100% of Post Consumer and 50% of Post Industrial, combined, must meet or exceed 10% of total content value.

To achieve Credit 4.2:
100% of Post Consumer and 50% of Post Industrial, combined, must meet or exceed 20% of total content value.

The recycled content value of a material assembly shall be determined by weight. The value of the steel building product is directly multiplied by the steel’s recycled content, or:

Steel Recycled Content Value ="<"br>(Value of Steel Product) x (Post Consumer% + 1/2 Pre-Consumer%)

The following sample calculation illustrates the requirement:
S.R.C.V. = ($15,000 value) x (24% + 3.4%) = $4,110 Recycled Content Value

For further information regarding Recycled Content or other LEED requirements, please contact your local Cascadia Metals branch, or visit the Canada Green Building Council at www.cagbc.org.