855773520-LEED-v5-ID-C-Reference-Guide-Launch-Edition-1 - Page 292
Extracted Content
time, gathering comprehensive statistics, and creating reports regarding waste generation and recycling for projects. Waste tracking systems can also identify opportunities for recycling, offsite reuse, and salvage. Examples of waste tracking software include Green Halo [99], Waste Management’s Diversion and Recycling Tracking Tool (DART) [100], and SmartWaste. [101]
DIVERSION RATE
Project teams are required to calculate total waste generated and diverted to determine the C&D waste diversion rate. Contractors are recommended to keep all tickets/paperwork in a safe location (if not online) and track the diversion rate periodically (e.g., monthly or bimonthly) so that adjustments can be made to meet diversion goals. Teams must ensure that calculations for all materials are done by weight. Many waste management facilities use scales to weigh loads of materials as they enter and exit the site. However, not all facilities have scales available. In such cases, a volume-based calculation is used instead. When a facility does not have scales, use a volume-to-weight conversion factor if volume is provided. If local conversion rates are not available, projects may use national averages such as those found in Table 1.
Table 1. Default volume to weight conversion factors for common C&D waste
| Construction and demolition (C&D) materials | Col2 |
|---|---|
Asphalt Paving (with or without rebar) | 1 cubic yard = 773 lbs |
Concrete (with or without rebar) | 1 cubic yard = 860 lbs |
Gypsum Board | 1 cubic yard = 467 lbs |
Wood | 1 cubic yard = 169-268 lbs |
Metal | 1 cubic yard = 143-225 lbs |
Roofing | 1 cubic yard = 731-860 lbs. |
Mixed C&D (Bulk) | 1 cubic yard = 484 lbs |
| Aggregate (rock) | 1 cubic yard = 999 lbs |
Cardboard (flat) | 1 cubic yard = 106 lbs |
Cardboard (baled) | 1 cubic yard = 700-1100 lbs |
SOURCE: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Volume-to-Weight Conversion Factors, April 2016 [102]
Excluding Alternative Daily Cover (ADC)
All materials that are recycled, salvaged, reused, or donated are included in the project’s diversion rate. However, projects must exclude certain materials from the diversion total while still accounting for them in the total C&D waste calculations. Specifically, alternative daily cover cannot be counted as diverted waste because it is considered a disposal method rather than a true form of recycling, as the material is used for landfill operations rather than repurposed into
99 “Green Halo Systems”, Green Halo Systems, Inc., (2025), accessed March 31, 2025, https://www.greenhalosystems.com. 100 “Waste Management Diversion and Recycling Tracking Tool”, Waste Management®, accessed March 31, 2025, https://www.wm.com/documents/pdfs-for-services-section/001983_DARTSales%20Sheet%20(9-14-11).pdf 101 “Home page”, Smartwaste, accessed March 31, 2025, https://www.smartwasteusa.com. 102 “Volume-to-Weight conversion factors”, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, (2016), accessed March 31, 2025,https://www. epa.gov/sites/default/files/2016-04/documents/volume_to_weight_conversion_factors_memorandum_04192016_508fnl.pdf.
U.S. Green Building Council LEED v5 Reference Guide for Interior Design and Construction, April 2025 Launch Edition 281