Houston LEED Construction: Waste Management Practices

Construction site for Houston LEED construction project.

Good waste management practices can earn you points for Houston LEED construction.

Houston LEED construction is where we design and build your project to meet guidelines set by the U.S. Green Building Council for their Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program. This certification essentially means you have a green building at the end of construction that meets sustainability best practices. One area where you can earn points toward LEED certification during construction is waste management for construction and demolition. We’ll discuss how and some ways we help you manage this for your construction project in this article. 

To get construction solutions from our experts, contact us now for a consultation. 

Why Waste Management is Helpful for Houston LEED Construction

Waste management is one area where you can gain points toward LEED construction for your Houston LEED construction project. It makes sense, as construction is one of the biggest consumers of raw materials and also generates a lot of waste. This isn’t exactly an environmentally-friendly option. 

Instead, LEED construction principles encourage you to do everything you can to reduce your environmental impacts for your project. When it comes to Houston commercial construction, you can earn points based on how much waste you generate. 

You can earn up to two LEED points for waste management. For one point, you can divert 50% of all waste from three different waste streams so they don’t go to landfills or incineration facilities. This generally means recycling certain materials to reach this goal, like concrete and metal. For two points, you have two different options to achieve your points. The first is to divert 75% of waste from four waste streams through recycling or salvage. The other option is to reduce total waste to 2.5 pounds per square foot of the finished building. 

Earning Lead Points for Waste Management During Houston Commercial Construction

So, how is it possible to get points for waste management during Houston LEED construction? There are many ways, but it all depends on having a good plan. Our construction experts can help you create a good plan based on our years of experience and familiarity with the LEED program. 

Making a plan for approximately how much waste you will have and where it will go assists in reducing total waste from construction and demolition. From there, you can determine the best method to earn the points. In practically all LEED projects that aim to earn waste management points, aggressive recycling is at the heart of the plan. For instance, reusing wood wherever possible, reducing waste with pre-cut materials, recycling demolition materials, and even using lesser-known programs like take back programs for carpet and other types of flooring. 

Construction Solutions from GRA – Gulf Coast Construction

When you need expert construction services for your commercial or industrial building, choose GRA – Gulf Coast Construction. We offer years of experience including specialized construction services like LEED construction. Whether you need a new warehouse or need Houston office building construction, our team has solutions for you. Get in touch today to get a free consultation for your upcoming project.

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