# Sustainable Design

## Rating Systems Overview

### LEED v4.1
| Category | Points | Key Items |
|----------|--------|-----------|
| Integrative Process | 1 | Early collaboration |
| Location & Transportation | 16 | Site selection, transit |
| Sustainable Sites | 10 | Stormwater, heat island |
| Water Efficiency | 11 | Indoor/outdoor water |
| Energy & Atmosphere | 33 | Performance, renewables |
| Materials & Resources | 13 | Recycled, regional |
| Indoor Environmental Quality | 16 | Air quality, daylight |
| Innovation | 6 | Above and beyond |
| Regional Priority | 4 | Location-specific |
| **Total** | **110** | |

### Certification Levels
| Level | Points Required |
|-------|-----------------|
| Certified | 40-49 |
| Silver | 50-59 |
| Gold | 60-79 |
| Platinum | 80+ |

---

## Energy Efficiency

### Building Envelope
| Strategy | Impact |
|----------|--------|
| High-R walls | Reduce heating/cooling load |
| Triple-pane windows | Reduce heat loss |
| Cool roof | Reduce cooling load |
| Continuous insulation | Eliminate thermal bridges |
| Air sealing | Reduce infiltration |

### Energy Code Baseline (IECC)
| Component | Florida Requirement |
|-----------|---------------------|
| Wall R-value | R-13 + R-5 continuous |
| Roof R-value | R-30 |
| Window U-factor | 0.40 max |
| Window SHGC | 0.25 max |
| Lighting power | Per ASHRAE 90.1 |

### Beyond Code Strategies
| Strategy | Energy Savings |
|----------|----------------|
| LED lighting | 30-50% lighting |
| Variable speed drives | 20-30% HVAC |
| Heat recovery | 10-20% heating |
| Daylight harvesting | 20-40% lighting |
| High-efficiency equipment | 10-30% HVAC |
| Building automation | 10-20% overall |

---

## Water Efficiency

### Indoor Water Use
| Fixture | Baseline | Efficient | Ultra-efficient |
|---------|----------|-----------|-----------------|
| Toilet | 1.6 gpf | 1.28 gpf | 0.8 gpf / dual flush |
| Urinal | 1.0 gpf | 0.5 gpf | 0.125 gpf |
| Lavatory faucet | 2.2 gpm | 1.5 gpm | 0.5 gpm |
| Kitchen faucet | 2.2 gpm | 1.5 gpm | 1.5 gpm |
| Showerhead | 2.5 gpm | 2.0 gpm | 1.5 gpm |

### Outdoor Water Use
| Strategy | Water Savings |
|----------|---------------|
| Native/adapted plants | 50-75% |
| Drip irrigation | 30-50% |
| Smart controllers | 15-30% |
| Rainwater harvesting | Varies |
| Reclaimed water | 100% potable |

### Rainwater Calculations
```
Collection potential = Roof area × Rainfall × Efficiency

Example (Florida):
- 2,000 SF roof
- 50" annual rainfall
- 80% efficiency
= 2,000 × 50/12 × 0.80 × 7.48 = 49,800 gallons/year
```

---

## Materials and Resources

### Recycled Content
| Material | Available Recycled Content |
|----------|---------------------------|
| Steel | 25-90% |
| Aluminum | 30-100% |
| Concrete | 15-30% (fly ash/slag) |
| Carpet | 20-60% |
| Gypsum board | 5-15% |
| Acoustic ceiling | 30-60% |
| Glass | 20-50% |

### Regional Materials (within 500 miles)
- CMU (local)
- Concrete
- Aggregates
- Some lumber
- Brick (if manufactured nearby)

### Low-VOC Materials
| Product | VOC Limit (g/L) |
|---------|-----------------|
| Flat paint (interior) | 50 |
| Non-flat paint | 150 |
| Primer | 200 |
| Adhesive (general) | 50-70 |
| Sealant | 250 |
| Carpet adhesive | 50 |

### Sustainable Wood
- FSC certified
- Reclaimed/salvaged
- Rapidly renewable (bamboo, cork)
- Composite (wheat/agri-fiber)

---

## Indoor Environmental Quality

### Ventilation
| Space Type | CFM/person | CFM/SF |
|------------|------------|--------|
| Office | 5 | 0.06 |
| Conference | 5 | 0.06 |
| Retail | 7.5 | 0.12 |
| Classroom | 10 | 0.12 |
| Gym | 20 | 0.18 |

### Daylighting
| Metric | Target |
|--------|--------|
| Daylight factor | 2-5% |
| sDA (spatial daylight autonomy) | 55-75% |
| ASE (annual sunlight exposure) | < 10% |

### Daylighting Strategies
| Strategy | Effect |
|----------|--------|
| Higher ceilings | Deeper daylight penetration |
| Light shelves | Reflect light to ceiling |
| Skylights/roof monitors | Top lighting |
| Window size/placement | More/better windows |
| Interior glazing | Share daylight |

### Views
- 75% of regularly occupied spaces
- Direct line of sight to outdoor views
- Through vision glazing (40-76" AFF)
- Quality views preferred (vegetation, sky)

---

## Site Sustainability

### Stormwater Management
| BMP | Benefit |
|-----|---------|
| Bioswales | Treatment + infiltration |
| Rain gardens | Treatment + habitat |
| Pervious paving | Infiltration |
| Green roofs | Detention + habitat |
| Cisterns | Capture for reuse |

### Heat Island Reduction
| Surface | Requirement |
|---------|-------------|
| Roof | SRI 82+ (low slope) or SRI 39+ (steep) |
| Hardscape | SRI 29+ or shaded or permeable |
| Parking | Under cover, open grid, shaded |

### Light Pollution Reduction
- Full cutoff fixtures
- Maximum 3000K
- No uplighting
- Shielding at property line

---

## Renewable Energy

### Solar PV Sizing
```
Annual energy use ÷ Solar production per kW

Florida example:
- 100,000 kWh/year building
- 1,400 kWh/kW/year production
= 72 kW system needed for 100%

Space needed: ~6 SF per kW (efficient panels)
= 72 × 6 = 432 SF roof area
```

### Solar-Ready Requirements
- Designated roof area
- Conduit pathway
- Panel space in electrical room
- Structural capacity (3-5 PSF)

### Other Renewables
| Source | Best For |
|--------|----------|
| Solar PV | Most buildings |
| Solar thermal | Pool heating, DHW |
| Wind | Rural, coastal |
| Geothermal | All climates |
| Biomass | Rural, industrial |

---

## Commissioning

### Fundamental Commissioning
- Owner's project requirements
- Basis of design documentation
- Commissioning plan
- Functional performance testing
- Systems manual
- Training

### Enhanced Commissioning
- Design review before CDs
- Design review before construction
- Seasonal testing
- Ongoing commissioning

### Systems to Commission
- HVAC systems
- Lighting controls
- Building automation
- Renewable energy
- Domestic hot water
- Plumbing systems

---

## Life Cycle Considerations

### Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
| Impact Category | Unit |
|-----------------|------|
| Global warming | kg CO2 eq |
| Ozone depletion | kg CFC-11 eq |
| Acidification | kg SO2 eq |
| Eutrophication | kg N eq |
| Resource depletion | MJ |

### Life Cycle Cost (LCC)
```
Components:
- Initial cost
- Energy costs (lifetime)
- Maintenance costs
- Replacement costs
- Disposal costs

Simple payback:
= Premium cost ÷ Annual savings
```

### Durability and Maintenance
| Material | Life Expectancy |
|----------|-----------------|
| Asphalt shingle | 20-30 years |
| Metal roof | 50-70 years |
| HVAC equipment | 15-20 years |
| Windows | 25-40 years |
| Brick/stone | 100+ years |
| Carpet | 5-10 years |
| Paint | 5-10 years |

---

## Florida-Specific Strategies

### Climate-Responsive Design
- Building orientation (minimize west exposure)
- Deep overhangs
- Light-colored surfaces
- Hurricane-resistant construction
- Elevated construction (flood)

### Energy Focus
- Cooling-dominated climate
- SHGC more important than U-factor
- Dehumidification critical
- Pool heating (solar ideal)

### Water Considerations
- Rainwater abundant but seasonal
- Stormwater treatment required
- Florida-friendly landscaping
- Reclaimed water available in many areas
